Page 247 of Sins & Secrets

“Are you serious?” I hiss as the couple from before looks at us again.

“I’m sorry, but something just came up,” he tells me and there’s a look in his eyes that’s begging me not to push him.

“Please, Kat,” he says, ushering me away. “We need to leave. Now.”

CHAPTER 28

Evan

“This alley smells like piss,” Mason says as we stop between a Chinese restaurant and a shoe store. I met up with him on Prince Street and we walked our way here. Just me and him … and business to take care of.

I take a whiff and immediately regret it. “This is where he’s going, though, right?”

“Should already be there,” he answers.

“That’s what it said on his profile. ‘Getting ready for the party,’” he elaborates beneath his breath and shoves his hands in his pockets.

It’s bitter cold and the city streets are packed with people shopping and moving about like normal.

“I don’t believe in coincidences,” I tell Mason and bring it up again.

His eyes flicker to me and then back across the street.

“There’s no way she happens to do speed,” I tell him. I’ve known Samantha for a long damn time. “Her husband dabbles in all sorts of drugs recreationally. But she doesn’t touch it. She never has.”

“It’s possible she does it on the down low,” he suggests. “You’d be surprised how many people do coke nowadays.”

I shake my head. “There has to be a connection between her and the dealer.”

“We’re gonna find out, aren’t we?” he asks me, although it’s a rhetorical question.

“What’s the plan?”

“All we need is an address.”

“Just follow him, then?” I ask with disbelief.

“Only for a bit, then we switch off so we aren’t seen.”

“Switch off to who?”

“I got some guys,” Mason says, and frustration gets the best of me.

“I want to be the one—” I start, but he’s quick to cut me off.

“You want to keep her safe? Getting into this shit isn’t what you need. That’s not what the man who deserves to be at Kat’s side would do.”

That shuts me up, but I fucking hate it. He’s been edging me out of this. Giving me less and less.

“So, we just wait?” I ask him again.

“Yeah,” he answers, and his breath turns to fog, “just wait.”

Almost an hour passes before I think about going back to Kat. She has no idea what this could mean. I’m sure she’ll be pissed I took off in addition to cutting our date short. Sirens wail in the distance and the busy city night reminds me of how things used to be.

“Fuck me,” I say out loud and run my hands down my face.

“Sorry, you’re not my type,” Mason says so matter-of-factly from his spot next to me, I grunt a short laugh despite myself. “I feel so fucking trapped.”

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