Page 6 of Cold Hard Truth

It doesn’t matter if she’s Kane’s daughter and off-limits. This is an initiation ceremony. Enough drugs and alcohol and some guy from another chapter is going to be an idiot and get handsy with the president’s daughter.

My fists clench just thinking about it.

Tilting my head, I take Lyla in from head to toe. She’s wearing one of her signature pleated skirts with fishnets. She’s paired them with boots that almost reach her knees. And her T-shirt is so short, the bottom of her neon-pink bra peeks out the bottom.

“Like you’re capable of being good,” I challenge her. “What the fuck are you wearing anyway?”

She tugs the bottom of her T-shirt, but it does fuck all as far as hiding anything. “An outfit.”

“A third of an outfit, maybe. If Kane sees you, he’ll cut out all our eyes just for looking in your direction.”

“He won’t. He just disappeared with Destiny.”

He did, which means she’s been watching and scheming for at least thirty minutes.

I shouldn’t be surprised.

“How long have you been out here?”

“Long enough.” She shrugs. “Why do you even care? You’re barely around since you started working at that tattoo shop in the city.”

“Miss me?”

She glares, but I can’t help that I like pissing her off. It’s easy when she’s always trying to push my buttons.

“No.” She crosses her arms over her chest and rolls her shoulders back. “When you’re gone, my life is much more pleasant. So why do you care what I’m up to, Sage? Obsessed much?”

She’s such a fiery little thing. Static electricity might as well spit out all around her. If she didn’t give me such a headache, I might find it entertaining. But tonight is supposed to be my celebration, and of course, Lyla has found a way to wreak havoc on it.

“If I’m obsessed with anything, it’s my fucking life. And I can say goodbye to that if I let you walk into that party.”

“Kane doesn’t have to know.” She bats her long lashes.

“I’ll know.”

Lyla grinds her teeth. “When did you become such a good little soldier?”

“Around the same time you became a pain in my fucking ass.” I step toward her. “You’re seventeen, Lyla.”

“For six more days.”

I chuckle at the fact that she’s still trying to convince me to let her go to the initiation. That she has enough fire in her to think I’ll let her get away with this. She faces off with me, thinking I’m dumb enough to let it slide because on occasion I let her, Reed, and Ellie get away with shit.

But tonight is different. This isn’t them stealing cars and joyriding around the compound. This is bikers twice her age—loaded, horny, and stupid.

“No dice, Lyla. Go home.” I shake my head.

“But Ellie and Reed…”

“They’re in there?”

Lyla nods, biting her lip when she realizes she slipped up and gave them away.

“Fuck.” I tip my head back and rake my fingers through my hair.

The three of them are going to send me to an early grave. Having one sister is torture enough, but the moment Kane’s daughters started crashing at the compound, shit’s been a lot less fun than it used to be.

Rubbing my palms over my face, I look back down at her. “Wait here and I’ll get them. But I swear to God if you step through those doors, I’ll drag you out myself.”

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