Page 14 of Myla: The Hawthornes

“Ariel,” Titus said warningly, looking at her and then over at Diana, who was watching Ariel closely.

“Sorry,” Ariel grumbled. She took a small bite and sent her sister a smile that looked more like a grimace. “Yum.”

Diana started eating.

“Lou said they’re talking about taking a road trip down to California,” Bas said as we all dug into our food. “I guess Myla’s friends with one of the prospects in Sacramento that just got patched in. They wanna head down for the party.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s a great idea,” Titus muttered sarcastically.

“Not happenin’,” I said, grinding my teeth together.

Bas let out a bark of laughter. “Let me know when you’re gonna tell Myla that,” he said with a scoff. “I wanna watch.”

“Your dad’s gonna let that slide?” I asked Titus.

“I’m guessin’ my dad doesn’t know shit about it,” he replied, ignoring Ariel as her finger flew to her cheek. “And he won’t until they’re already down there and someone calls him.”

“Or when you say somethin’ to him,” I said.

“I’m not gettin’ in the middle of it,” Titus argued. “She’s an adult, and it’s not like she’d be any less safe at the clubhouse down there. We’ve known them since we were born.”

“You’re forgettin’ the shit that happened last time she showed up at a club party?”

“No, I’m not,” he shot back. “That all turned out fine, right?”

“What happened at the party?” Ariel asked curiously.

“BecauseIwas there,” I replied, looking at Titus.

He shrugged. “Then go down to Sacramento with them,” he said easily as he took a bite of food.

They were fucking playing me.

Both Bas and Titus knew that if they told me about the girls taking some bullshit road trip to another chapter’s club for a party, I’d be pissed. By dropping it into the conversation, Bas had killed two birds with one stone. I’d have to talk to Myla, breaking the silence that had stretched out far longer than any of us had expected…and they wouldn’t have to stop the girls because they knew I’d do it.

“Like she’s said over and over, she can take care of herself,” I ground out, going back to my food.

I ignored Bas’s look of surprise and kept eating.

But, three hours later, I was back on my bike in the pouring rain, headed over to Myla’s house to talk some sense into her.

Chapter 3

Myla

Iheard Cianthe moment he turned onto our street. A Harley’s exhaust was as distinctive as a voice, and after years of riding on the back of it, I knew his by heart.

“Uh-oh,” Lou said from the couch as I stomped toward the front door.

“Wait until I get to the window,” Frankie half joked, jogging in from the kitchen.

“Give them some privacy,” Lou scolded as I passed her.

“No way in hell,” Frankie argued.

I didn’t hear Lou’s reply as I stepped onto the porch and closed the door behind me just as Cian parked his bike between our cars in the driveway.

“Here to apologize?” I called as he strode toward me.

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