Page 73 of Sinful Promise

I take off at a run, trying to catch up to Emily, which is easier said than done, given how busy the streets are. I’d usually keep a respectable distance between us, but not tonight.

Horns are blaring and music streams out of every restaurant I pass, and it would be so easy to lose sight of Emily in this crowd, so I quicken my pace.

I don’t stop until I’m right behind her, and I catch a waft of her perfume in the air.

A groan spills from my lips before I can stop myself, and it seems Emily heard as she comes to an abrupt halt, and I almost walk into her.

She glowers over her shoulder at me. “Seriously, Danil. Can you back up?”

She’s standing so close to me I could literally wrap my arm around her waist and pull her back against me.

“Why? I’m literally protecting you right now.” I subtly reach down to adjust myself.

“I don’t need you to protect me. I have Alek.”

“I don’t see him anywhere, do you? Besides, Alek is here to drive you around.”

“So, you’re telling me he’s not carrying any sort of weapon on him? That if I was attacked, he would stand around and do nothing?”

“Oh, I’m sure he has a weapon on him.” The joke is intended to form a crack in Emily’s icy exterior, but it appears to have the opposite effect.

“I don’t want you anywhere near me, Danil. I thought I made that perfectly clear.”

Her words cut me like a knife, but the way she turns her back on me and walks away hurts even more.

Regardless of how we truly feel about each other, I thought she would want to fight harder for our friendship.

Could I really have been so wrong about all of it?

“I’m sorry, I just…”

“You justwhat?” She whirls around to face me.

Her green eyes are cold, and she folds her arms over her chest like she’s trying to physically shield herself from me.

I’m losing her.

“I guess…” I stuff my hands in my pockets and try my best to meet her eyes. “I’m just a little confused after the way you kissed me the other day.”

Emily blinks. “Are you being serious right now?”

“Yes.”

She throws her hands up and shakes her head. “But you’re the one who kissed me!”

She’s one hundred percent right. I kissed her. But at least I’ve got her talking to me.

Sure, there are other places I would rather have this conversation than the sidewalk outside a busy New York restaurant, but I’m not about to let this opportunity slide.

If she would just hear me out, we might have a chance at coming back from this.

I can’t lose hope. Emily iseverythingto me, and I’m not going to go down without fighting for her.

I shrug. “I’m not so sure about that.”

Emily bows her head so that her blonde hair falls forward as her gaze lowers to the ground.

“Does it even matter? I’m sure it was just part of your plan to keep me close so that your big brother would tell you what a great job you’re doing.” Her voice is barely above a whisper.

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