Page 80 of Sinful Promise

“My phone is on do not disturb, Dad. I was sleeping in.”

“I thought you have exams to study for.”

“My next one is on Wednesday, so I thought I could catch up on some sleep.”

My dad says nothing, and a thin sheen of sweat breaks out on the back of my neck.

Does he know? Did Zara tell him the truth after I specifically told her not to?

At this point, I wouldn’t put it past her. After all, she broke her promise by telling Dimitri and Danil about my situation, so what’s to say she wouldn’t tell Dad?

“I promise you everything is fine, Dad. School has just been crazy.” I set two mugs out on the counter.

“If you’re sure…”

I force myself to turn around and plaster a smile on my face.

“I’m sure.”

My dad scrutinizes me for what feels like an eternity. The crease between his salt and pepper eyebrows deepens, but for whatever reason, he decides to drop the subject.

“Then you can come out for a family dinner with Zara and Dimitri next week.”

“That sounds like a great idea.”

“Oh, and Tom will be joining us.”

Who the hell is Tom?

“Uh… I don’t know any Tom.”

“The son of your mother’s tennis instructor. She’s going to try and set you up with him.”

I groan. “You’re joking.”

“I wish I was. But according to your mother, he’s very cute.”

So is Danil.

“Oh, my god, this can’t be happening.” I bury my face in my hands.

As if my life couldn’t get any more pathetic, my mother is setting me up with someone because she thinks I’m incapable of finding a man on my own.

Little does she know it will be a complete waste of time because I’m secretly in love with Danil Koslov.

18

DANIL

“You have gotto be fucking kidding me.”

Emily is intentionally making things difficult for me.

I get that she’s trying to punish me, but she’s putting her life at risk in order to do so is really pissing me off.

Dimitri told her himself that Igor is the one who sent Isaak after her, and she knows all too well what Igor Ivanov is capable of. But that doesn’t seem to be enough to get her to actually do as she’s told.

I used to think her stubbornness was cute, but as I stand in the empty lecture hall with Emily nowhere in sight, I’m starting to find it a hell of a lot less cute.

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