Page 6 of The Sinner: James

The first two motorcycles pass us by, and the car inches closer as we stare at the tinted windows.

Swiveling my head slowly, I squint at their ride, although I see nothing inside.

“The return of the Kings...” Eve murmurs, swept into a trance, the deafening roar of the motorcycles drowning out her voice.

Our eyes stay on them as they approach us.

The black car slows down even more as the passenger side window begins descending in the back, revealing the profile of a man with

a straight nose, a chiseled jaw, and his fist tucked beneath his chin, a few blonde bangs swooping down over his eyes.

It’s hard to tell whether he is looking at us since his eyes are hidden in the shadow.

I glance inside, shifting my focus where buried in the darkness of the car glows the red-orange tip of a cigarette, a man’s seductive lips arched into a crooked smile around it.

A strange sensation flows through me as if he undresses me with his eyes.

“They’re looking at us...” Eve murmurs, out of breath, on the cusp of passing out.

Or maybe I’m projecting.

“Uh-huh…” I say, not much better than her.

Our heads swivel as they drive past us.

It takes a few more seconds before the window rolls up, and the backs of the last two riders vanish out of sight before a deafening silence falls around us.

* * *

RAIN

“Yes,Mom. Yes, we’re good. I don’t know where she goes,” I say, holding the phone close to my mouth and flicking my eyes to the door.

Dolled up in lacy underwear sprinkled with tiny rhinestones and satin bows, Daria bats her fake lashes at me, running her long fingers through her chestnut hair, mouthing something from the doorway.

“Georgia.”

“Georgia’s...” I say, cocking my head, trying to read her lips. “Place... It’s her birthday,” I say, irritated that I have to lie for my sister.

“Yes, Mom... Joseph will take her there.”

Frantically shaking her head, Daria wags her finger at me, summoning my attention.

“No... Not Joseph. I... will... take... her... there...” I repeat her instructions word by word as she delivers them.

I clamp my hand over the phone.

“Are you fucking crazy?” I throw at her, still palming my phone. “Yes, Mom. Yes... We are careful. We’re not going to stay late. Sure... We’re all set. Don’t worry about us. Tell Dad we said ‘Hi.’ Yup. We’ll talk tomorrow,” I say before hanging up and tossing the phone on the bed.

Daria spins around and dashes away while I leap out of bed, following her.

“Why do you have to be such an ass?” I bark, storming into her room.

Flashing a different attitude, she throws me a smug look before strutting into her walk-in closet and rifling through her dresses.

Standing in the doorway, I fold my arms across my chest and look around.

“Why do you need all this crap?” I ask, pointing to the stack of evening gowns and summer dresses.

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