Page 42 of Sinner

“They bring out the worst in people if you ask me,” Stephanie piped in.

“They can if you take them seriously,” I admitted.

“So you were technically perfect in avoiding the original question and the second one too. You obviously hate a man you don’t even know so that means you have a reason why.” Ashley wasn’t going to let this go.

“Let’s just say Xander had a falling out with my father and it wasn’t very pleasant.” That wasn’t technically telling a lie. That was part of the equation by only a sliver of the reason.

“Oh, wow. Very forbidden.” Stephanie fanned her face on purpose.

“I guess it would be if I was attracted to him, which I am not. He’s a jerk. A grade-A jerk who thinks his shit doesn’t stink.” Except Iwasattracted to him, more so than I could believe.

“Well, then just stay away from him.” Stephanie’s suggestion was a good one.

“I would if the bastard hadn’t asked me out for a drink.”

Ashley spit hers out on the table. “What?”

“Yep. I suspect only because I did tell him in no uncertain detail what areas of the game needed some alterations.”

“You did what?” Stephanie demanded.

“Don’t go there. I smelled his arrogance and couldn’t help myself. And I’m not wrong about what I said either.” Not that he would take my suggestions. I’d seen the look in his eyes, as if he already owned half the world.

“The woman has balls.” Stephanie shook her head. “That could be considered sexual harassment.”

“Please. He’s no idiot. Each brother is taking a candidate out for a drink to get to know them. I just got the lucky straw in being paired with Xander.” My voice was dripping of sarcasm.

“When is this great union occurring?” It was so good to see Ashley had recovered. Not. She was teasing me as she always did since men weren’t tops in my life. Ever.

I checked my watch, remembering the way I’d used it as a prop and I’d been certain Xander had caught it. “About forty-five minutes.”

“What?”

I glanced toward Stephanie, feeling a strange sense of dread in going. I had a bad feeling he was going to do everything in his power to kick me off the list. “Yep. He insisted.”

“Wow. Mr. Ruthless and Powerful.” Ashley was still grinning.

“That’s why you’re dressed so nice,” Stephanie chided.

I glanced down at the simple and filmy black shirt I’d chosen to wear. Since I wasn’t into dressing up, this was the best I could do. I had no intention of wearing the little dress I’d been forced to purchase. I’d completed the ensemble with a silver choker. “I just wanted to look decent since I wore jeans to the gaming event. As requested, so do not go there.” I pointed my finger from one to the other.

“You should have worn the new dress you bought,” Ashley cooed.

“This isn’t a date. This is what Stephanie suggested, a more casual interview.” I would need my nasty comments, or he’d start snooping. Just the way he’d continually said my name had put me on edge.

“That’s the way top companies do business,” Stephanie suggested. “They want you comfortable, more like yourself so they have a better understanding of the person they might be hiring. Much less Neanderthal than sitting across a desk from them answering bullshit questions.”

“You have such a way with words,” I told her and laughed.

A figure caught my eye and I shifted my attention to the plate glass window.

Stephanie glanced over her shoulder. “You’ve done that like four times since we’ve been here. Is everything okay?”

“Everything is fine.” But was it? Or was my life just slowly and inevitably turning upside down? Sadly, while I hadn’t seen a story regarding a dead man being found in the vicinity of the movie theater, that meant nothing given the murder rate in Chicago. Very few ever made the news.

I had a bad feeling the man’s body would never be found.

Sinner made my blood boil.

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