Page 48 of Cold Hard Truth

He takes in a drag and then pulls the cigarette from his mouth, flicking it. Tiny embers scatter to the ground. Maybe one will catch something on fire, and we can all just burn up like the devil wants.

“You’re in danger,” he says, pinning me with his stare.

I roll my eyes. “And this is news?”

Kane’s never appreciated my tone, but he lets it go.

“You’re not leaving until I know you’ll be safe.”

“I’m your daughter. I’llneverbe safe.”

He takes in another drag of his cigarette, meeting my eyes, and not arguing. We both know that even if he’s telling himself I’m only here because someone is after me, it’s not a one-time situation.

Someone is always after him, which means someone’s always after me.

“Sage has a spare room, so you can stay with him.” He drops the cigarette to the ground and puts it out with the toe of his shoe.

I’m already shaking my head. “No.”

“You aren’t crashing at the club.” His eyes narrow. “And I’m guessing you’d like something a bit more comfortable than this stall.”

“Well, I’m not staying with Sage.” The thought of being in such close quarters with him drains the blood from my face. “Besides, I thought you were the one who always said you didn’t want me around bikers.”

“Sage isn’t one.”

“He works for you.” At least, I assume so, given he’s still doing my father’s bidding, patched or not.

“Not exactly.” Kane shakes his head. “But I trust him to keep you safe.”

“Safe from what exactly?”

It’s the least he owes me—the truth about why I’m in so much trouble. Why I was taken all those years ago and haven’t slept through the night since.

Kane drops his gaze to the ground and thinks, kicking his burned-out cigarette around and not answering myquestion. And when he looks back up at me, any shred of humanity is replaced by the cold glare of one of the most ruthless men I’ve ever been face-to-face with.

“I’ll check in with Sage tomorrow.” He lifts off the stall and steps toward me. “Let him know if you need anything.”

If he meant that, I’d tell him that what I need is to get as far away as I can. That staying with Sage is the worst thing I could do. But he doesn’t actually care. It’s a formality.

A cold chill tickles my skin this early in the morning. And with the sun just starting to rise, everything is a shade of gold.

I wish in this moment that I still had a family. My mom, my sister. I wish Kane felt like a father. That he could bring comfort like all those things I read about in stories as a kid.

Camping trips, roasting marshmallows, movie nights.

He can’t. And the only person who ever did feel like home hates me now.

I look up at Kane and there’s a blank sheet of concern masking his emotions. “Be good.”

Parting words that sound more like a threat as he walks away.

Kane disappears down the tunnel, and I don’t bother watching him go. I’m alone with or without him here.

After a moment, Sage once more walks up to the stall, unlocking it and swinging it open.

“You’re actually okay with this?” I glare at him.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” He keeps his expression passive, and I hate how easy it is for him to do that.

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