Page 393 of The Sinner: James

Her hands swing up again.

“Don’t touch me. I don’t need your help.”

I slump back, watching her shed her red dress, flashing her satin panties and bra at me.

“You shouldn’t do that,” I say, my gaze sliding over her spine and small waist.

“I shouldn’t do what, Sexton?”

She whips her gaze at me, catching me checking her out.

Her dress flies from her hand and lands straight on my face, imbued with the warmth of her body and the scent of her skin mixed with her perfume.

“You just said we were not spending much time together, even less in bed, and now you’re teasing me,” I toss at her.

She erases the space between us, her cheeks flushed, her tits bouncing, sleepy in their cups.

“I’m serious, James,” she says, stopping in front of me.

Her finger lands on my chest, right at the edge of my shirt, touching my skin.

Her scent enters my nostrils.

“Do you remember when you said the same thing a couple of years ago as Ed took over the Casino and Lex worked in your old office?”

She studies me for a second while I observe her through my lashes.

The silence grows.

I know where she’s going with this, so I let her vent her frustration, remaining quiet.

“You said you only wanted to work out some of the bigger deals, the Livingston business merging, another line of financing, and overseas expansion. You used almost the exact same words. You didn’t have an office back then, but you started to pop into the firm and attend business dinners and meetings. Once in a while, you went to Silver to wine and dine those people and cut a deal or two.”

I purse my lips.

“And where are you now?” she continues.

I remain silent.

“You’re back in your Casino office. Not only that. You are full-on at the helm of the company. You’ve expanded the firm into new markets. You have two, if not three, expansion points here in Europe. Plus, the Asian branch. This is not only ambitious––it’s suicidal. From a business point of view, it’s an enormous risk. If anything happens, like something major shaking the markets, affecting the economy, and creating social turmoil and unrest, this whole thing could implode. Your lines of credit could go bust, and you’d have to absorb the loss. It would put everything on the line––the company, our lives, and everybody’s money.”

“Nothing will happen,” I say calmly.

“How can you possibly know?”

“I don’t. But I won’t lose sleep over it unless it happens.”

“It’s a risk you can’t manage, let alone control.”

“Nothing will happen. Besides, the payout for this type of risk is huge.”

“But you don’t need it, James. Why would you push it any further?”

“Because I can. And because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And I’m the best man to do it. I can’t delegate it to someone else and expect them to build it how I want it. You know me better than that,” I say, irritated, looking away for a moment.

“Do you ever think about the personal risk you’re taking?”

“All the time,” I say, swinging my gaze back to her. “That’s why I’m not wasting any time, and I’m doing it as fast as I can before anything bad happens. I’m aware many things are in play, but I can’t back away, nor do I want to. I’ve never walked away from a disaster, let alone something promising like this. Ed’s story was only one variable. I had no idea it would happen so soon, but I had it in the back of my mind. We all want the same thing, Rain... To have our own place, find someone that matters to us, and raise children someday. I'd be lying if I said I’m not happy for him. I am. He was alone for too long before he ran into Thea Porter.”

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