Page 31 of Born Sinner
After four days of silence, I decided it was time to put Eden Lachey Carrera’s motherly advice to the test.
That’s how I ended up here, at a dive college bar, sharing a plate of nachos with some frat boy I don’t even like.
I suppose Alex-what’s-his-nameis nice enough—cheap as hell—but nice. However, I’m not interested. Not even those All-American dimples can divert my attention away from the man who owns my thoughts.
I used to crave normalcy—a clichéd, bland existence. Thanks to Sam and his filthy brand of debauchery, I now crave rebellion. I hunger to push boundaries and test my own limits. I wait for the sun to go down so I can dance in darkness.
His darkness.
Sighing, I toss a half-eaten tortilla chip onto my plate and pull a fresh water bottle from my purse. Unscrewing the cap, I drink slowly so I don’t have to talk to my date.
“You know they have water here, right?”
Resting the rim of the bottle against my bottom lip, I give him a half-hearted smile. “I have a rule against drinking things that aren’t sealed.” At his furrowed brow, I add, “A girl can never be too careful.”
But she can definitely be too desperate—something I hope to rectify tonight.
There’s an awkward silence as Alex spins his phone in lazy circles on the table. “So, what’s your major?”
It’s all I can do not to roll my eyes. This is what it’s come to—small talk with a cardboard placeholder.
“Don’t have one yet,” I say, sliding out of the sticky booth. “I’m only a few weeks into my freshman year.” Before he can offer up another mundane question, I hold up one finger while already walking away. “Be right back. Have to use the ladies’ room.”
Of course, I’m headed nowhere near the ladies’ room...Again.
Weaving my way around scratched tables and barstools, I disappear down a secluded hallway toward what I hope is the back door.
One that leads to another darkened alley, maybe…?
Nostalgia is a ruthless bitch.
But before I can take another step, a firm hand is wrapping around my arm and dragging me into an alcove.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
Gritting my teeth, I tug my arm out of RJ’s claw-like grip and spin around ready to spit fire. “Outside.”
“Don’t think so.”
If I have to deal with one more male ego…
“Don’t you have something better to do than babysit me?”
Wrong thing to say, Lola.
Even bathed in shadow, I see the hard clench of his jaw and the warning in those onyx eyes. “Yeah, I do—like run this goddamn East Coast operation for your brother. Unfortunately, littlechaparritadecided to swim with the sharks and got herself bit.”
I recoil at the sharp accusation in his tone. RJ Harcourt is as efficient as they come. He doesn’t believe in wasting time or resources doing mundane tasks or…
Chasing butterflies.
I cross my arms over my chest. “That’s not fair.”
“Life isn’t fair, Lola. If it was…” His voice trails off, leaving the rest unspoken.
Left to ambiguous interpretation.
Only, he forgets how well I know him. How I see through that iron façade of his, right down to his hidden truth.
