Page 103 of Sin

“What did you say?”

Blaze lifts both hands, but the grin stays. “Relax. I’m not judging. Honestly, good for you two. Marriage needs spice, right?”

My heart kicks once. He heard something and he thinks it was Jenna. I keep my face blank because if I don’t, he’ll see everything.

“What are you talking about?” I ask.

His brows lift. “Come on, Sin.”

“Blaze.”

His smile fades slightly at my tone.

“I stopped by a little before lunch,” he says. “Door was locked. I was going to wait, then I heard…” He pauses, grinning again. “Let’s just say I heard enough to know you weren’t on a conference call.”

My jaw locks. The idea of Blaze outside that door, hearing even a second of her, sends something dark and possessive through me so fast I almost take a step toward him.

I don’t but Blaze notices anyway. His expression shifts.

“You good?” he asks.

“Fine.”

“You don’t look fine.”

“I said I’m fine.”

He watches me for a beat too long.

Then he shrugs, but the humor doesn’t fully come back. “Okay. Well, I came by to tell you Dante moved the meeting to four.”

“I know.”

“Right.” He rocks back on his heels. “Tell Jenna I said hi, I guess.”

He opens the door, then stops.

“Sin.”

I look at him.

His voice is quieter now. “That was Jenna, right?”

The question hangs there.

I meet his eyes. “Who else would it be?”

It isn’t an answer and we both know it. Blaze’s face changes again. Then he nods once.

“Yeah,” he says. “Who else?”

He leaves. The door closes. And I stand there with my heart pounding and my stomach twisted into something ugly. For the first time in weeks, the consequences are not abstract. They’re not a ring on my dresser or a missed call from my wife. They are my brother standing outside my office, close enough to hear Laurel moan. Close enough to ask a question I could not answer.

I look toward the door like Laurel might somehow still be there. I’m glad she’s not. I don’t want her near this part. The lies. The suspicion. The rot. Except she’s already in it.

I put her there.

By the time I leave the office, the sky is dark and rain streaks the windows of my truck. I drive home with both hands on the wheel and Blaze’s question playing over and over in my head.