Page 1 of Sinful Promise

1

EMILY

This isthe last thing I should be doing on a Saturday night. Especially considering the fact that my father is a retired cop. I’m well versed in the consequences if I’m caught. Though I would much rather suffer the consequences enforced by the state of New York than those enforced by my father.

You do not want to cross Andrew Mullens.

But the looming threat of my father doesn’t seem to be enough to stop me from taking the tequila shot from my best friend and downing it in one.

“Jeez, that’s disgusting,” I hiss through my teeth as the alcohol burns my throat.

Jana starts hopping up and down and pointing at the table. “Quick, bite into the lime!”

“I don’t think that will help,” I mutter as I take the wedge of lime and bite into it.

My eyes sting as the juice floods my mouth, and I shake my head back and forth, trying to distract myself from the taste.

“That made it so much worse.” I toss the wedge back on the table and reach for my water.

“You are such a lightweight.” Jana laughs, pushing her curls out of her face.

“Can you blame me? I shouldn’t even be here.” I glance around anxiously. “I’m not twenty-one for another few months.”

“That fake ID in your pocket says otherwise…” she winks.

I’m not even sure why I bothered with the fake ID, considering the owner ofEspionage, Anton Koslov, is technically family, so he was willing to break a few rules to let me in, considering the fact that it’s my best friend's twenty-first birthday.

Not that serving some tequila shots to an underage girl is a big deal in the grand scheme of things, considering who the Koslovs are.

My father, on the other hand, would personally make it his mission to shut the place down if he found out they let me in.

He’s strict, but I know it’s only because he cares, and I can’t fault him for that.

If he asks, I spent the night at Jana’s, eating pizza and drinking soda and lime.

I glance around the bar, looking for the other member of the Koslov family who also works here.

Jana looks around too. “Is Danil here tonight?”

It’s as if she’s reading my thoughts.

“Why?” I run my hands over my dress.

“Because you keep looking around for him.” Jana’s trying her best to hide her smirk, and my cheeks start burning up.

“No, I’m not. I’m just…taking in the atmosphere.”

Am I really being that obvious?

Jana laughs. “Yeah, okay. Well, I’m sure theatmosphereis around here somewhere.”

I scowl at Jana, but that only makes her laugh even more.

She and I both know that there are plenty of bars in the city that would have let us in tonight, even without a fake ID. So, it’s obvious that I suggested coming toEspionagefor a reason.

And that reason is currently walking straight toward our table.

Danil Koslov.

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