Page 68 of Sinful Promise

I honestly don’t knowwhatto think anymore.

But what I do know for sure is that I want Danil to stay the fuck out of my way.

After my exam finishes, I quickly pack up my things and rush out the door of the classroom before I get stuck in the bottleneck of students trying to leave.

From the looks on the rest of my classmates’ faces, it’s clear I’m not the only one who thinks they’ve flunked that exam.

I just have to hope that I do well enough in the rest of my exams that it doesn’t affect my overall grade too much. I really don’t want to have to repeat my Junior year because of Danil.

When I finally get outside, I find a blacked-out Range Rover parked practically on the sidewalk across from the business building. The lights start flashing and out climbs Alek, my new driver.

It seems that only hulking great beasts work for my brother-in-law because Alek is enormous and looks like he could snap every bone in my body without breaking a sweat.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to know that he’s got my back. I just wish he could be a bit more…inconspicuous.

I can feel dozens of eyes on me as I approach the car, and my cheeks burn up as Alek scowls at every person within a hundred-yard radius of me. My face gets even hotter when Alek opens up my door for me, like I’m some kind of celebrity.

I’m completely mortified.

“Hi, Alek.” I quickly climb in the back seat.

He dips his chin at me before shutting the door.

I’m thankful the windows are tinted, so I don’t have to lock eyes with any of the people currently staring at me.

Including Danil.

“Where to, Ms. Mullens?”

“Crostini’s, please, Alek.” I try to ignore the growing pit in my stomach as I tear my eyes away from Danil.

To distract myself from my spiraling thoughts, I pull out my phone and send Jana a quick text, letting her know I’m on my way to the restaurant.

She sends a string of emojis in response, and my shoulders start to relax.

I’m glad she suggested having dinner together. It will be a pleasant distraction from this mess with Danil.

Just as I’m replying to Jana, I receive a message from Zara.

Can we talk?

I click on the message, and a lump forms in my throat.

I’ve somehow managed to avoid my sister, though I’m under no illusion that Dimitri filled her in on what happened last night.

Thankfully, she was spending the night at Bianca’s and had taken the twins with her, and I had already left for school by the time she got back, so I could put off having this very conversation.

I know I can’t avoid her forever either, but knowing Zara, she’ll want to agonize over every little detail about my fight with Danil, and that’s the last thing I want to do. Right now, I just want to drink cheap wine and eat a crap load of pasta and not think about him for the next few hours.

Me

I’m having dinner with Jana. Don’t wait up. Talk tomorrow. x

I shut my phone off before Zara has a chance to reply.

Alek pulls up outside Crostini’s ten minutes later, and before I can even unbuckle my seatbelt, he appears at my door and helps me out of the car.

“Thanks.”

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