Page 180 of The Sinner: James

Her body is a weapon, her heart is bait, and her mind is like a drug that gets you hooked.

My blood sensed it, and my dick knew it, yet my brain looked the other way.

She was the one regret I couldn’t afford.

My chest feels tight as I drink her in––the swell of her breasts, the smooth lines of her neck, her shining hair, and sparkling eyes.

She still is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. And I was her first man. And now she’s every man’s.

She left me because she didn’t want my money.

And now she has no problem selling her body for everybody else’s cash?

My hands ball into fists, my jaw hurting from the tension.

Biting back the horrible words meant to make her cry, I try to suppress my thirst for revenge.

A sharp breath fills my lungs before I unclench my teeth.

“Shall we go inside?” I say, cold as ice.

They both freeze.

Lex looks at me, horrified.

Slowly shaking his head behind her, he tries to discourage me from doing what I’m about to do.

He knows.

He knows everything she doesn’t know.

He knows how hard it was to push the memory of her away and fight the rage that took over my mind and body.

I tossed and turned. Roared and snapped.

He witnessed everything.

He saw me snarl and go ballistic over the littlest, stupidest thing until I lost some steam and finally turned bitter.

They had to stay away from me.

He knows that.

And Ed knows that, too.

She is the only one who doesn’t know it.

“Are you sure?” Lex asks as I nudge her toward the door.

I have no intention of changing my mind.

“I’m damn sure. I don’t see what the problem is. Do you see a problem, Red?” I ask.

I shift my eyes to her, charring her with my glare.

“Are you in the habit of canceling good-paying customers, Red?” I add to piss her off.

She quirks her lips, and ice and fire clash in her gaze.

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