Page 419 of The Sinner: James

He clears his throat.

“Yes, I know,” he says again.

“How do you know?”

“He confronted me that day, and we had an argument. How do you know about the pictures?”

“My sister told me about them.”

“She did?” he asks incredulously.

“Yes. She also told me the pictures had played a role in James and me getting back together. What did you tell him that day?”

His words come after a moment.

“The truth.”

I wait for him to elaborate.

“He drove to me that day. After he’d gotten those pictures. And he was pissed as hell when he pushed his phone in my face and straight out asked me if I’d slept with you. He was hurt because he thought I had. I told him why I came to you. I also explained to him he was the only one with a real chance to be with you. I told him he’d blown it once and shouldn’t do it again if he wanted you. Ultimately, I told him he needed to do something he hadn’t done before. Open up to you and make you trust him. He knew he was responsible for you moving to New York and leaving him. It was difficult for him to swallow the truth, but he accepted it eventually.”

His words echo in my head for a few good moments before I speak again.

“Thank you,” I say quietly. “You’re a very good friend.”

“I don’t have a choice, do I?”

A smile tinges his voice.

“Love you,” I murmur. “Say hi to Dahlia for me.”

“Love you too, baby. Have fun in New York.”

“I will.”

I place the phone beside me, roll to my side, and look out the window.

The sunset is a big splash of red, orange, and purple across the sky, and the cars look like moving dots across the bridge, the city humming with vibrant life.

I train my eyes in the distance and stare at the panoramic view for a few more minutes before sliding off the bed and heading to the walk-in closet.

* * *

RAIN

Early in the evening,Eve and I walk into a nightclub.

We dance for about an hour and have a good time before Eve hits it off with one of the men in our group, and I realize she won’t sleep at my place as we have planned.

She wants to spend time with him.

Minutes before midnight, I take a cab home.

“Good evening, Miss,” the doorman says, sliding the doors open for me.

Smiling, I enter the lobby.

The elevator takes me to the last level, where I walk straight into the penthouse suite.

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