Page 31 of The Sinner: James

I continue.

“How many were there? One? Two? Three? More? You’d spent some time down there. And why did you ask me to pick you up when you knew you were busy?”

“I didn’t know that when I talked to you.”

“Oh... So you were busy.”

“It’s not your damn business.”

“I could say the same thing.”

Her eyebrows pinch into a frown, her pointed stare scorching me.

“I know how to take care of myself, Rain. You, on the other hand, have no idea. This is not about me being mean. I’m truly concerned about you.”

“Oh, are you now? That’s new to me,” I retort, irony threading through my voice.

“I’m not joking. Someone saw you inside the club last night.”

My lips dip into a knowing smile.

“Hmm... Let me guess. Was it the pharaonic goddess who took drink orders at my table by any chance?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Blinking fast, she averts her eyes.

“It was her, wasn’t it? Who is she? One of your friends? Classmates? She’s older than me, but her face looked familiar––”

“I told you it doesn’t matter.”

“Did she tell you I had to wait until the man you’d spread your legs for pulled his dick out of you?”

Her chin trembles, her lips bloodless, her face livid.

“Fucking bitch...” she growls, not even an ounce of sisterly concern left in her.

Her words shoot out as fast as the slap landing on my face.

My head jerks to the side.

“Are you fucking crazy?” I shout. Shocked, I bring my hand to my face and rub my cheek. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“I’m trying to protect you, Rain,” she says.

“Protect me? You just hit me, crazy bitch.”

I twirl away from her and dash to my room, her heels moving with a high cadence right behind me.

I push the door open and dart to the walk-in closet.

“Where are you going?”

“Away from you.”

“Where are you going?” she barks, sounding crazy.

I look at her as if she’s lost her mind, which is not entirely out of the question.

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