Page 61 of Cold Hard Truth

He leans back in his chair, setting down his pencil. “Tell them I’m busy.”

“You sure?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. “You don’t have to feel guilty about yourextracurricular activitieson my account.”

“I don’t.”

Except, I know he does. Everyone at the shop has made it clear he’s a total fuckboy, but I’ve yet to see him talk to a girl outside of his clients since I’ve been here.

“This doesn’t have to be awkward.”

“Who said it is?” Now he’s crossing his arms over his chest, smirking at me, and trying to break through my defenses like an ass. “I’m not ashamed of my sex life.”

“Seems like you don’t have much time to be. Bedding every single girl in the city between appointments and all.”

He narrows his gaze. “Jealous?”

“Hardly.” I roll my eyes. “Do you think I sat around all these years not getting any experience myself? A girl has needs, Sage. Just like you.”

His jaw grinds at my comment. A habit I remember only seeing when I really pissed him off. And as good as it feels, that same amount of guilt creeps through.

“Tell them I’m busy.” He goes back to his drawing, and I don’t miss how hard he grips his pencil this time. “And shut the door behind you.”

I close it a little harder than I need to because fuck him.

I’m trying to be nice, and he shuts me down every chance he gets. He’s being an asshole on purpose. I’m not even sure if it’s because he’s really mad at me, or if it’s that he’s trying to create more distance.

I don’t care either way.

I’m not sweet like these prissy girls standing in the lobby pining after him. If he wants to push me, I’ll push back harder. Sage might not like that I’m back in his life, but now that I am, we’re going to finish this like we should have done years ago.

The blonde turns when she sees me coming around the corner, her face brightening.

“He’s busy, sorry.”

Her shoulders deflate.

“But…” I stop at the front desk and grab a piece of paper, writing his phone number on it. “He wanted you to have this.”

I’m only supposed to give out his personal cell phone number for certain appointments he marks on his calendar, but he was an ass, so now he can deal with blonde girl and her ridiculously pretty friend.

“He did?”

I nod, smiling at my lie.

She snatches the paper from between my fingers and practically squeals as she and her friend leave the shop.

Echo leans forward on the counter beside me. “There’s no way he told you to do that.”

“Maybe he did.” I shrug. “Maybe he didn’t.”

She laughs shaking her head. “I like you, Lyla. You’re going to give him hell.”

If he wants to be a jerk, then he can count on it.

20

Lyla

It’s been a fullweek since Kane and Sage lured me back to LA, and the cold war between us hasn’t thawed even a bit. He’s at the shop before I wake up, he works late, and even when he’s home, he locks himself in his room most of the time.

---