Page 58 of Sinner

Was it true that people had disappeared while attempting to enter some strange, secret society? Did that mean the final test was involved a real-life scenario?

Whew. That would be hot.

Tricky.

Risky.

Dangerous.

The odds of keeping their secrets forever were slim. People who were told not to say anything were usually bursting at the seams to disobey, sharing the private thoughts willfully. Maybe the people vying to be a part of the society were as drawn to the adrenaline rush as I was.

I had no way of knowing and answers would certainly not be provided to a potential low-level employee.

Time to push my meandering mind aside.

I was home for a quick change. I was both excited and nervous, but not about shopping. I wasn’t looking forward to hunting for a dress at all. But a job offer like the one Sam had offered? Incredible. At almost two hundred thousand dollars for a salary with full medical and dental insurance plus stocks and additional vacation time, the job could be considered a dream.

Being able to put the screws to Xander and his dark-eyed brothers in an entirely different and very legal manner while enjoying the perks of a promotion? Perfection on a stick. Better than sex.

Ugh. I headed up the walk toward the front door, stopping several feet away. What had been left on my porch? A long whitebox with a huge red bow. A large silver foil bag placed next to it. A lump immediately formed in my throat. There was no reason to be terrified of a delivery except that I didn’t have a boyfriend, it wasn’t my birthday, and my father wasn’t into sending me gifts out of the blue.

Sinner.

The thought furrowed into my frontal lobe although the twisted freak certainly hadn’t acted as if he had a romantic bone in his body. I scanned the street, wondering if he was watching me. The light breeze tickled the leaves in the tree only a few feet away and the sound was ominous. As if a foretelling.

“Stop it,” I whispered to myself.

I slung my purse over my shoulder as I approached, stopping a full foot away and scanning the street a second time. If the packages were from Sinner, they’d be tossed in the trash immediately. I couldn’t stand another reminder of him.

Or about what I’d allowed to happen.

With two more short steps, I slid the key into the lock, stepping over the items and placing my purse on the small table in the entrance foyer. I rubbed my hands together, attempting to find the courage to grab the items. After a few seconds I chastised my behavior. I was really afraid of someone who’d sent me gifts?

With the packages in my arms, I closed the door and headed to the kitchen. When I peered into the bag, I found a card. Almost immediately I knew it was from them.

The Blackwell Group.

Now my hands were shaking as I studied the gold calligraphy writing. They certainly went to a lot of trouble when playing this rather twisted game.

As if you don’t love it.

Yes, I did. That was part of the problem. I’d allowed myself to become lost in false reality and maybe hope.

The package was heavy. Was this last test just another virtual reality situation? Maybe a new headset?

I took a deep breath as I pulled out the card.

Oh, my God. I’d been invited to join in the last private event to be held one week from today. Fuck. The anticipation would absolutely kill me.

Wow. Just fucking wow.

I was a finalist for the job. A laugh bubbled to the surface. A part of me wanted to politely decline, but was I cutting my nose off to spite my face? Without a doubt. Xander obviously had no clue who I was and even when he discovered my true identity, he’d either likely not remember me or not care that I was Shanna’s sister. I was nothing to the man. He was far too influential and powerful.

In those few seconds, I told myself it was okay to want the job even if initially for all the wrong reasons.

Unable to stop my giddiness, I flew toward the cabinets, grabbing a wineglass. I had to open another bottle of wine, which took me a beat given my fingers were fumbling. This could be the true road to success.

I was pouring the red liquid when I thought about how different working with the two companies would be. One formal and the other playful. I wasn’t certain if I could handle stuffy. But… I wouldn’t shove it aside yet either.

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