Page 502 of The Sinner: James

Why is his tattoo on the other shoulder?

My brain sends a firm command to retreat, all my nerve endings firing out frantically as I jolt back when James’ voice echoes somewhere behind my back.

“I see you two got acquainted with each other already,” he says, amusement tinging his voice.

As if bitten by a snake, I jerk back, screaming and grabbing the sides of my trench before pulling it closed.

I finally get a better look at the man in front of me, whose face beams with a cocky smile.

He has a beauty mark near his jawline that I don’t remember James having.

“What the fuck?” I gasp as he gives me a stare that makes me feel even more naked than I am. “Who’re you?” I breathe before swiveling my head and finding my husband.

Sporting a silver-gray shirt and black dress pants, James saunters to us.

Smiling, he doesn’t seem to be surprised to see me here. And for sure, he isn’t mad that I have flashed my underwear to his guest, who’s now giving us a knowing grin.

“Who’s this?” the man who looks like him asks.

I stare at James, grappling with embarrassment.

“Hey, baby,” he says, wrapping me into his scent as he leans to me, curls his fingers around my neck, and kisses me on my frosted lips.

“Let’s get you inside before someone else sees what you have for me,” he jokes, splaying his fingers over the stranger’s face and pushing him back.

The man laughs copiously as he loses his balance and is forced to step back.

It may be a joke to them, but it’s not to me.

“Who is she?” James’ doppelgänger insists, running his eyes over me.

“Cut it out, kid,” James barks.

The ‘kid’ lifts his arms, his chiseled muscles shifting under his skin as he flashes a grin, a carbon copy of James’ smirk.

His eyes beam with amusement as he takes me in.

Not smiling, I strut in.

“I thought I’d surprise you,” I say, crushed by my plan's complete and utter failure.

“You sure did,” the guest says, winking at me. “Man, I love your life,” he tosses at James, whose hand is on my shoulder.

The man’s eyes linger on my face.

James snakes his arm around me and pulls me into him.

Feeling him close to me makes me feel a little better.

“This pest here is my brother,” James says. “Tiago Diego Rossi.”

A gasp falls from my lips.

I look at James at first and then at the man in front of me.

He is doing his best to push back a grin that now spills over his handsome features, glinting in his eyes.

“This is my wife, Rain Sexton,” James says seriously this time.

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