Page 220 of The Sinner: James

He’s interested in who I am.

And so am I.

“David Moore.”

“James Sexton.”

Eyes locked, we firmly shake hands, smiling.

In different circumstances, we would’ve hit it off right away.

“Sexton... As in the Sexton Casino Enterprise,” he says, a charming grin glowing over his handsome features.

My stomach hurts as if I swallowed shards of glass.

He could’ve been the fucking one.

“Yes... That’s me,” I say, smiling casually.

His eyes dart back and forth between Rain and me, a knowing smile tilting his lips.

I loop my arm around Rain’s waist and pull her into me. His wife winces as if a grain of sand got stuck in her eye.

Smoothly, David and I start chatting about doing business in New York, ignoring the tension between the two women.

Later, we exchange business cards and say goodbye, the women witnessing everything from the side.

I take Rain’s hand and walk her across the room before she slumps into her seat a moment later, her face paler than the linens on the table.

I’m still standing, and so is Lex.

“What happened to her, James?” Ed asks, genuinely concerned.

Lex glances at me.

Rain looks away, hiding her teary eyes.

“Who’s David Moore, babe?” I ask in a frosted voice.

Edward’s eyes move to her while Lex’s gaze stays on me.

“He was my first client,” she says before I lock eyes with Lex.

He was right.

He was fucking right.

She was lucky.

She met just the right man.

“I want to go home,” she says, broken.

“Excuse me?”

I shoot my eyes at her, cocking an eyebrow.

She doesn’t look at me.

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