Page 158 of The Sinner: James

I strut across the lobby when a shining limousine parked in front of the hotel catches my eye.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” a woman says, bumping into me.

I cut my eyes at her.

She swivels her head to me fast.

“I was waving at my friend,” she explains, pointing at the bar.

My eyes follow her gaze. No one at the bar fits that description.

I glance back at her.

She wears an elegant two-piece eggplant suit paired with diamonds, her platinum blonde hair brushing her shoulders.

She studies me as well, her burgundy-painted lips pursing into a slow smile.

“Um… I think this is yours,” she says, swiftly tucking a business card in my hand.

“Thank you,” I murmur, sliding it into my pocket without looking at it.

She flashes a charming grin, her gaze lingering on my face longer than customary before she spins away and slips through the revolving doors.

There’s a town car waiting for her outside.

The driver holds the car door open for her, shielding her with an umbrella from the falling snow while she climbs in.

Smoothly, the vehicle glides away.

I walk through the same door, a car and a driver waiting for me as well.

Slightly tipping his chin down, the man gives me a soft nod and pulls the car door open before I slither inside.

Twenty minutes later, I unlock the door to my apartment and walk inside.

A weight falls on my chest when I enter my small place, a rush of panic spiking through me, making breathing difficult. I gasp and wheeze, clutching the back of a chair as more angst surges through me.

I shed my coat and turn the lights on, the empty beige walls closing in on me fast.

Frantically, I dash to the window, crack it open, and stick my head out, hoping the cold air and snow can help me breathe again.

It takes me a few minutes before I feel slightly better.

Drained off energy, I take off my clothes and put on my pajamas.

Meticulously, I empty my pockets, grab everything, and toss it on the bed.

Tucked under the covers, I examine it.

I check my phone first and find his number before I open the envelope and pull out a wad of cash.

I look at it, flip it, and then count it.

It takes a few moments to figure out how much it is since I have to count it twice. Ten fucking K.

My eyes go wide. Really wide. I clasp his business card between my fingers and scan it quickly.

There are a couple of business phone numbers for Moore Enterprises and Business Development. As I grasp the information, a second card catches my eye.

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