Page 76 of Sinful Like Us
“Just so you know,” Xander quickly adds, “I like that you and my cousin are together.” He picks at his fingernail nervously. “I was hard on Moffy and Farrow, and I hated that I was—and I don’t want to do that again. I know Jane looks happy. You seem happy too, and I can handle this.” He mutters under his breath to himself, “I can handle this.”
“You can,” I reinforce.
Xander nods more, then hops back on the skateboard. “Hey, can you not mention to Donnelly that I’m worried he thinks I’m boring?”
I hold back a small, fleeting smile. “Yeah.” Donnelly might actually be good for him. Even if Xander goes outside just to impress a bodyguard, it means he’s braving the world.
We chat more about the twin swap, and then Donnelly arrives with hot hoagies from Wawa.
For lunch, we stay professional and keep quiet near the desk. Xander slouches on a red beanbag, reading a fantasy paperback and biting into a meatball hoagie.
I peel the paper off mine. “Where’d you rack out last night?” I whisper to Donnelly. I heard Epsilon threw his luggage on the lawn, and ever since he hooked up with Luna, I feel accountable for what happens to them. Almost like a fucking accomplice, and I can’t report him to the Tri-Force.
I wouldn’t risk his career.
I just want to make sure they’re both safe in whatever they’re doing. Just like Jane does.
He sips a fountain drink. “Couch in security’s townhouse.”
“You can room with my brother.”
“Nah.” Donnelly picks up his hoagie. “He already offered, and Farrow even said I could crash in his room. But the couch isfire.” He takes a huge bite and mumbles, “Just like this hoagie.”
I lean on the desk and lower my voice. “So you didn’t sneak into Luna’s bed?”
He chokes a little, then shakes his head. “Nah, man.” He glances quickly at Xander, then back to me. “It was just that one time—”
His voice slices in half as boxing gloves topple off the desk. Probably from my weight against the wood, and as he picks them up, more shit starts falling. I set down my hoagie and crouch.
I start gathering items, and I move slower as I find aCelebrity Crushtabloid and threeFamous Nowmagazines.
Donnelly frowns. “I thought he’s not supposed to read that.”
“He’s not.” I fan open aFamous Now, worried he’s hiding something. I land on the Alphas Like Us column series—the one that documents Maximoff and Farrow’s life.
Their couple pictures are haphazardly cut out. I don’t know what the hell he’s doing.
Donnelly flips through theCelebrity Crush, the tabloid also clipped and sheared. He pauses on an article.
The Hales, Meadows, and Cobalts—they’re like us! They read books. They love movies. They go shopping!
The title:Sexy Like Us
This photo isn’t missing. I’m with Jane. We’re leaving a cat shelter, and I’m putting my brown leather jacket on her shoulders.
She was cold.
I wish I could just drink inus, but my eyes instantly narrow on Tony. In the photo, he’s out in front with a shit-eating grin. He was an asshole that night.
It’s starting to become routine, and I don’t want to be desensitized to his bullshit. Because I don’t want him to stay her bodyguard.
Get your head on straight.
We sift through the other tabloids. Only pictures of Maximoff and Farrow are cut out.
“I can explain.”
Our heads swerve to our client.
