Page 64 of Breaking the Sinner

Cobra’s face tightened.

“So?” Gen offered a smile. “It’ll be fun. And you can meet my crazy family.”

“No.”

The rejection fell like a sharpened blade on her heart, swift and easy. Gen scooped more rice into her mouth, trying to ignore the way his reaction sliced through her. Pretending it didn’t hurt. Pretending she hadn’t seen this coming.

Lex shrugged, sending Gen a look she didn’t understand. “Well, sometimes we need a year off. I’m heading back out there. See you guys.”

The door clattered shut behind him, leaving the lounge in a tense silence. Gen pushed a pea pod around the bowl.

“Are you sure—” she began.

“I don’t fucking do family shit,” Cobra snarled, slapping his palm against the table as he leaned forward. “And I don’t wanna go to Thanksgiving. So don’t ask again.”

Gen swallowed a knot, steeling herself against his outburst. She didn’t dare break his gaze. Hurt was hidden there, wrought into the hard lines of his scowl.

“Fine.” She frowned at the rest of her food, and then realized she’d lost her appetite. She pushed the bowl toward him. “You want any?”

He jerked his head in ano.

“It’s the stir-fry we made,” she said, pushing it closer.

“Genevieve.”

His tone held a warning. One that made her deflate entirely.

“Okay then.” She stood and dumped the leftovers then rinsed out her bowl. Emotion clogged her throat more and more the longer Cobra remained infuriatingly quiet. Distant. Completely closed off. Only hours ago, he’d come into her office and told her she was beautiful. Now, she doubted he’d do a damn thing if she walked in front of a moving car.

This is a red flag.Sophie’s voice whispered in the back of her head. As Gen capped her bowl and headed for the door, Cobra said nothing. On the table, the napkin lay in a thousand tiny pieces.

He didn’t even look at her as she pushed out of the lounge.

Chapter 26

Cobra was fighting a losing battle. He’d known it the second he set foot in Holt Body Fitness. The few months he’d been here had been a nice distraction, but a false sense of encouragement overall.

And now he had proof.

The certification packet was in, the paperwork needed to formally test and apply for his trainer certification. Travis presented it to him like he’d already fucking gotten the pass. Cobra even let himself get excited, imagining the future where he was a trainer and had real clients and told people what to do to feel better.

But it had been a pipe dream. It always was. Because of one little line, requirement number five in the long list:

5. Submit high school or college diploma.

He tried to ignore the way his stomach pitched to his feet as he sat facing Travis in his office. But his world had bottomed out.Again. This sweet, hopeful world he’d managed to cobble together in the time since helping Lex. The world where he went to work every day and paid rent on time and could rationalize spending time with a sweetheart like Gen.

“Look good?” Travis smiled down at him, pieces of his dark blond hair escaping from behind his ear.

Cobra shrugged. “Yeah.”

“Obviously, we’re not quite ready to turn it in. But I wanted you to see it so we can start getting everything together. That way, once you finish up training with Gen, we’ll be ready to submit ASAP.”

Training with Gen. One of the best parts of his week, aside from when he saw her outside of work. But since their weird lunch the day before, he doubted that should continue.

“Great.” He folded the paperwork up, tucking it under his arm.

Travis held his gaze a moment longer, then pushed up off his desk where he’d been resting. He could tell there was something more to add. Cobra suddenly felt weary.

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