Page 44 of Cold Hard Truth

So I saved her life.

I spilled blood for her. Took my first life for her. Gave up my future for her.

I handed that girl every good part of me and then I never heard from her again.

When the dust settled, Lyla was gone. Ellie was dead. And her body wasn’t the only one we carried out of that house. My father was caught in the crossfire of her escape, and I was all that was left of a night I’ll never scrub clean from my memories.

Still, Lyla has the nerve to point out that I never patched in when that’s the least of what haunts me from back then.

“How is she?” Kane stops in front of me with Blaze at his side, and I’m surprised he even cares.

“She’d be better if you didn’t lock her in a fucking horse stall.” Not that she doesn’t deserve a little time to sit and think about all the shit she’s caused.

Kane narrows his gaze at me, but I don’t care. It’s been a long night, I’m running on zero sleep, and he’s asking stupid questions.

And even if he’s annoyed, he doesn’t correct me.

I’m not a member. I might owe him a lifelong debt for letting Lyla get away from me eight years ago, but I reserve the right to tell him when he’s being an asshole. Which right now, he is.

Doesn’t matter if Lyla pisses me off, the horse stalls are where Kane brings traitors—the trash. Not his fucking daughter.

Just like back then, he doesn’t see much of a difference. Kane’s a shit father who treated his girls worse than the members of his own club. In his mind, everyone is beneath him, and Lyla’s getting what she deserves for trying to run.

Kane grinds his teeth, and I’m pretty sure he’s imagining planting a bullet between my eyes for my comment, while Blaze is amused, grinning beside him.

After Dad died, Blaze was given the vice-president patch, and he took me under his wing. He mentored me at Twisted Roses, and I continued to room with him and Jude in the apartment above the shop. When he finally decided to sell both, I bought the apartment and joined Crew, Jude, and Echo in buying the shop. And he’s still the person I’m closest to at the club.

“You know why she’s in there.” Kane grits his teeth.

Knowing isn’t the same as agreeing, but there’s no point in arguing. Plus, the fewer people who know she’s back the better. Kane’s enemies will use anyone he cares about against him.

“I get why she’s here.” I cross my arms over my chest. “But it’s unnecessary. I’m not letting her get away again.”

I let her slip between my fingers once. This time, it won’t be as easy.

Back then I was blind to her smile—to those bright violet eyes. Now, I’m older, smarter, and I’m better at distancing myself.

“Good.” Kane glances over my shoulder, talking low enough that she won’t be able to hear. “Because now’s your chance to earn good on your debt.”

“Earn good, as in…”

“You help me with this, it’s paid back in full.”

Kane is a lot of things: a ruthless leader, a terrible father, a twisted fuck. But a forgiving man isn’t one of them. He doesn’t erase debts until you’re six feet under, so I’m not sure what his angle is.

“You’re saying no more debt, as inno more favors?”

“No more favors.” Kane stands up tall, looking me in the eyes. “Unless you change your mind about joining the club.”

“Won’t happen.”

He nods like he agrees, but we both know he’ll continue to ask again and again. He might hate me for letting Lyla slip through my fingers all those years ago, costing my father his life in the process, but it doesn’t mean he didn’t still want me to patch in afterward.

Up until that night, I was one of the most loyal people in the clubhouse. I had Kane’s back from before I was even a prospect. He trusted me at a time when people in his own club were turning on him.

I still left.

Kane drags his palm down his face, then glances over at Blaze, who nods back. Whatever they’re planning, they’ve already decided it, and from the way Blaze’s jaw tenses, I’m pretty sure I won’t like what Kane has to say.

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