Page 45 of The Sin

Big, brown hair bunched into side ponytails grabbed my attention. I leaned over the balcony, tracking the hair, until a man brushed shoulders with the woman and she half-turned and I caught sight of Jenna’s face.

Excitement exploded through me. “Jenna! Jenna!”

Considering I was squealing like a banshee, I was surprised only the odd person glanced up at me on the balcony. One of them was Jenna, and I waved frantically.

She cut across the square, her face turned up to me, her mouth hanging open. “It really is you.”

I couldn’t believe she was here, standing below the balcony. I grinned silly, staring down. She looked just the same, same old Jenna with her simple ponytails and alert blue eyes and dimpled chin. She was even dressed the same, in baggy linen trousers and a navy puff jacket.

I was still staring when she darted out of sight.

“Wait,” I called, but she was gone.

I hurried inside to unlock the door and raced out into the passage, and almost collided head-on as she came bounding up the stairs, red-faced and out of a breath.

She flapped her hands at me. “Oh, my God!”

“How did you find me?” I exclaimed. “The woman at the community center said you wouldn’t get my message until next week.”

“Lydia told me someone had come looking for me, that she’d sent them to the center.” Jenna dug a fist into her side and groaned. “Kill me now, I’m so unfit.” She pulled on a breath, looking at me, shaking her head. “I went to the center last night and when I saw the note was from a Georga, I immediately thought of you, but that would be impossible, right? I couldn’t shake it, though, so here I am. I seriously can’t believe it.”

“Believe it.” I dragged her inside the apartment by the arm and kicked the door closed.

“What did you do?”

“What? Nothing?”

She slapped my shoulder. “What did you do to get tossed out of Capra?”

“Oh,that.” I grimaced. “I didn’t? I’m not really here, okay? Someone helped me, but I’m not supposed to be here and no one knows. And I can’t stay. Actually, I’m just about on my way back.”

“You snuck out of Capra?” She sounded totally impressed. “How?”

“I can’t say,” I said to her. “I’m sorry, but I really can’t, and you can’t ever say anything about this.”

“As if.” She slapped my shoulder again. “I’m not a snitch.”

My grin returned. “I know.”

“This is so crazy.” She did a slow spin, looking around the apartment. “Who’s place is this?”

I pursed my mouth.

She rolled her eyes. “Right, you can’t say.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” she said. “This is so freaking amazing. You have no idea. I never thought I’d ever see anyone from home again.”

“Would you like a coffee?” I made my way toward the hot plate. “I’ve just brewed a fresh pot.”

Her groan was not unlike my whimpered groans in Roman’s arms last night. “You have coffee.”

“I’ll take that as yes.” I poured us each a fresh cup and brought it over to the table. “Is it lonely here? Is it hard? You must miss your family and…everything, all of us. But you look good, and you’re a teacher?”

“That’s a lot of questions.” Jenna giggled as she perched on the couch arm. “I’m not really a teacher, not like at an academy or anything.”

“Yeah, I heard there’s no formal education here.” I settled at the chair across the table from her. “But you still teach.

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