Page 90 of Sinners Atone
“I—”
“If I didn’t have places to be, I’d take you to the top deck, tie a brick to your ankle, and make you jump off,” I say quietly. “Get back to work.”
He scrambles out of the nearest door—which I’m sure leads to the supply closet and not the hall—putting his earpiece back in as he goes.
Guess I now know why Rafe’s men are nowhere to be seen. They’re too busy trying their fucking luck with women twenty tiers above their league.
I glare at the door rattling from the impact of his slam, still tempted to follow him through it and make good on my threat. Filing the thought away for later, I look to Rory, because I can’t look at Her.Her gaze is too heavy, and that fucking skirt she’s wearing is too short.
“Need a ride?” I ask through gritted teeth.
Rory waves a dismissive hand, engrossed in her calculations. “No thanks, I’m waiting for Penny.”
I nod and stride toward the French doors leading out to the deck. I have a grip on the handle and can almost taste the sea air when a breathless voice touches my back and brings me to a stop.
“I do!”
My jaw clenches. I muster up the will to turn around, and find her staring at me with a shy, goofy grin on her lips.
Rory looks up, frowning. “What? Why? You’re not waiting around to see Penny?”
Her eyes hold a sparkle, glued to mine. “Would love to, but I’ve got to get ready.”
“For what?”
“The poker night, silly.”
“You know that’s tomorrow, right?”
“Of course I know. But to have cute hair tomorrow, I’ve gotta wash it tonight.”
“True,” Rory says. “Okay, make sure to send me a photo of your dress.
Agitation slithers through me as I realize she meansthepoker night in Devil’s Hollow. Rafe holds it every year, and unfortunately, I’m going too.
Temples throbbing, I watch as she collects her coat and purse—both ridiculously fluffy and pink—and hold open the door for her, glaring at the space above her head as she passes, before reluctantly following her outside.
Leaning against the wall while she tugs on her stupid shoes, I stare out to sea in silence, fists clenched at my side. I last all of two seconds before my eyeballs get itchy and slide down to her.
No surprise, she’s head-to-toe in pink. Skirt shorter than my patience and a top that shows a slither of her midriff. There’ssomething written across the chest in rhinestones, and I narrow my gaze to read it.
Cuddle me, I’m cute.
There’s that violent feeling again. It bubbles at the base of my throat and foams in the form of a bitter question. I turn my eyes back to the sea. “You touch every man like that?”
She doesn’t miss a beat. “Only when they ask me out.”
My lungs squeeze. “What?”
“Only when they ask me out,” she repeats slowly, as if I’m hard of hearing.
I suck in a breath and clamp my jaw shut, tensing every muscle in my body. If I move, it’ll be to go back inside and slit that scrawny asshole’s throat.
“My mother used to always say that your soulmate’s heart will beat exactly in time with your own. That’s how you know they’re The One,” she continues, straightening. I make the mistake of looking at her again. She returns my glare through her long lashes, doe-eyed and innocent. “Ours werewayout of sync. So, no date for him.”
My blood is fucking fizzing. I’m breathing so hard steam would be coming out of my nostrils if it were cold enough. “You believe that shit?”
“Uh-huh.”
