Page 32 of The Sinner: James

“Eve’s,” I say, hoping to see her calm down and move away from me.

“Do you know who those men are?” she insists with maniacal fury.

I toss an embroidered peasant gauze tunic on me and tie it loosely at the neck.

“Is that what you’re going to wear?”

Her eyes hover over me, taking inventory of my shorts and see-through top.

“Are you telling me what to wear now? You’ve lost your fucking mind, dear sister. I’m going next door, not strolling downtown. And by the way, don’t call me to pick you up. I’ll ride my bicycle over there.”

I snatch my phone and house keys and head to the door.

Taking a sidestep, she fills the doorway, blocking my way out.

“I asked you something,” she growls through clenched teeth, her voice vile.

Anger soars through me.

“No. I have no fucking idea who they are, but since you know every cock in town, I expect you do. So why the hell are you bothering me with your stupid questions?”

I shove her to the side and stride down the corridor.

“The man you kissed last night is James Sexton,” she shouts behind me.

I stop short as if I hit a wall and slowly turn around to face her.

A stern expression lines her face, making her look older than she is.

“I have no idea who James Sexton is,” I say.

“The man at the club, the one you were with last night. He’s the owner of Red’s. He also owns most of the land surrounding this town and the notorious Dark House, not to mention he calls home one of the most expensive estates in Aspen. If not the most expensive one.”

My eyes go wide. Not so much because of what she just said, but because, for the first time ever, she talks about something other than her shoes.

“Isn’t he too young to own that much…?” I ask, processing the information.

“He inherited the family estate when his father passed away last year. And he’s owned the club since he was eighteen, and he’s basically been in business with his father since he was a teen.”

Restlessness grows in me as she talks about this man.

She’s never kept track of other people’s affairs.

There must be a reason she’s so knowledgeable about him.

“How come you know all that? Did you hook up with him or something?”

“No,” she says, looking straight into my eyes.

She’s not lying, and that’s a first.

And then it hits me.

Oh, oh...

Wait a minute.

I know what this is.

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