Page 165 of Sinful Like Us

“Yes, sir.”

“You know how to accept a call?”

I nod. “I must’ve just missed yours. Sorry.”Don’t talk a lot.

“Will you have dinner with me and Jane’s mom tomorrow night?”

“Can’t, sir.” I stiffen. “I have plans with my grandma. She’s expecting me.” My voice sounds stilted, but what can I do? I’m not an actor or trying to win a fucking Academy Award.

I relax when I realize Connor looks understanding.

He even offers me a friendly smile. “Another time. If you can’t answer a call, I’ll text.”

“Sounds good.”

He says goodbye to Xander, and the window rolls back up. That went about as poorly as expected, and not even Xander could tell if Connor saw through me.

That’s the thing about the Cobalt Empire; they don’t show you their cards until the very end. And I just hope and dream up one more thing.

That I haven’t completely screwed Thatcher and Jane’s ending.

34

JANE COBALT

11 Days Snowed-In

A little pieceof me thought that possibly, justpossibly, the fistfight between my boyfriend and my bodyguard would diffuse tension, eradicate bad blood, and cause them to come together—the way that families sometimes do.

I was wrong.

They stand more divided than ever.

Tony keeps egging on my boyfriend, who he still believes is Banks. He’s been asking for a round two, even though he lostmiserablythe first time.And I’m proud of Thatcher for not taking the bait. Once was enough. A second physical altercation won’t heal the wound.

It is vitally clear that Tony has become an insufferable disease-ridden sore in Mackintosh House. His only redeeming quality is that he’s not a terrible bodyguard.

But the longer we’re all trapped here with him, the less “bodyguard duties” he has and the more his ugly personality shows.

New Year’s Eve should be a celebratory occasion with glitz and glam, but Tony has soul-sucked the house. And serious matters are still at the forefront.

Like the freezing cold and the depletion ofcertainsupplies. Which has brought us to an Emergency House Meeting and split the living room: Omega on one side, Epsilon on the other, and my family strewn in between.

Jack Highland and surprisingly Will Rochester have chosen to sit with my family.

I clap my hands together. “Thank you all for coming to this meeting. We appreciate having your undivided attention.”

4 girls to 13 guys.

The ratio is very apparent as I stand with Sullivan, Luna, and Joana near the fireplace hearth. We take center stage and capture the attention of all thirteenmen. Most of them seem readied—despite not knowing the issues we’re about to drudge up—but I suppose that’s what happens when you face a room full of bodyguards.

They’re prepared for anything.

But I highly doubt they’ve guessedthis.

I take a breath, and my gaze drifts to the back wall. Where Thatcher stands stoically next to an old record player. Arms crossed, he nods me on encouragingly, even though he’s in the dark like the other men.

More breath fills my lungs, and I continue on with a rising smile, “As you all know, there are some things that the four of us experience that none of you do.”