Page 49 of The Sinner: James

My sister’s smirk gets on my nerves.

“I had my phone turned off.”

“Why did you have to call a town car?” Daria asks, flicking her chin and pointing to the bicycle.

“I rushed home when I found out Mom was coming,” I say, flashing an ingenue smile.

She studies me distrustfully.

“It was the only car available,” I add.

“Leave her alone,” my mom says, pulling me into the house.

For the next hour or so, I stay out of Daria’s way, ensuring she doesn’t get to question me again.

We all have lunch together, and I act casual and eat my food, pretending it’s my first meal today.

I stay with my mother for the rest of the afternoon, trying to avoid Daria as much as I can so I don’t have to face her scrutiny again.

Hours later, my mom goes to her room for a nap, and silence takes over the house.

Quietly, I sneak into my bedroom.

I barely change my clothes when the door pops open.

“Where were you last night?” Daria shoots at me, a frown creasing her brow.

Pacing myself, I slide onto the bed, sink into a pillow, and open my laptop.

My pulse throbs in my ears as she folds her arms over her chest, slicing me with a glare.

We lock eyes briefly before I shift my focus back to my computer.

There’s no way she knows where I was unless whoever she’d spent time with at Red’s saw me in James’ house last night, made the connection, and cared to tell her, which I doubt.

Men are not like that.

“I told you already,” I say calmly.

“You lied to me.”

I glance up.

“Why do you keep asking me the same question if you don’t like my answer?”

She sears me with her glare and then scoffs at me.

“Don’t worry. I’ll find out one way or another. And I’ll tell Mom when I know for sure.”

“What makes you think she’s holding me to a different standard?”

A condescending look slides over her face.

“Oh, but it’s different with you. For whatever reason, she doesn’t want you to have your heart broken,” she says, not even hiding her contempt.

“So... Is that what this is? You feeling responsible for me?” I laugh coldly. “Please… Just go away.”

Waving her off, I move my eyes back to my computer screen while she steps closer.

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