Page 84 of The Sinner: James

“Where are you going?” she asks, looking at me for the first time since we left Red’s.

Her eyes are cloudy.

She steps forward and rests her palm on my chest, my heart thudding underneath.

“They’re waiting for me at the club. But I’ll be back,” I say quietly.

“When?”

“I don’t know.”

“Can you please come back to me?” she says, her voice soft.

I stay silent.

She pushes up on her toes while I wrap my arms around her. Our lips connect into a soft kiss.

“I’ll wait for you. Okay?” she murmurs, searching my eyes.

Without a word, I break away and slip out the door.

13

JAMES

It’sten at night when I enter the club.

Sunk in thought, I walk across, straight to our VIP booth.

“What happened to you, man?” Ed asks, his eyes moving over my face. “You look like you’ve been dragged behind a car.”

“Where is she?” Lex asks, tipping his gaze up.

“At my place,” I say dryly, averting my eyes.

“No way.”

I sink into my seat, my gaze swinging up.

Lex looks at me, his eyes filled with curiosity. Ed’s lips tilt into a smile.

“It’s not what you think,” I mutter, my grim mood hovering over the table like a black cloud.

They both look at me, waiting.

I flick my hand up, gesturing dismissively before I tip my head down and run my fingers through my hair.

“It’s a long story,” I mutter, looking around the room to signal a server. “First, I need a drink,” I say, motioning a woman to our table.

I ask for another round of drinks for all of us.

She goes to the bar and returns with three glasses of scotch on rocks.

I toss mine down, welcoming the burning of the alcohol all the way to my stomach.

“I need another one,” I say.

The girl nods and scurries away.

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