Page 80 of Cold Hard Truth

Crew ditches Jude and me, walking over to Echo. He grabs her hips the moment he reaches her, and she spins in his arms.

“Hey.” Jude nudges my shoulder, showing me his phone. “Looks like the guys aren’t going to be able to make it.”

“My sister’s going to love that news.”

At least I stopped by the shop earlier to catch up with Noah and Rome. Because finding time to hang out is impossible with their busy schedules.

Jude and I make our way over to the railing to join the rest of the group.

“Bad news, girls.” I stop between Reed and Lyla. “The band had to leave town early, so they can’t make it. Something about a PR issue. Celebrity bullshit.”

Reed frowns. “There goes my chance at a rockstar boyfriend.”

“I thought you already had a boyfriend.” Lyla rolls her eyes, but Reed just shrugs.

While Reed is disappointed, Lyla doesn’t seem to mind who’s showing up so long as she can be out in the middle of it. She’s still so much like she was back when we were younger. It didn’t matter what we were doing, she just wanted to be a part of it.

She’s like me in that way. Chaos over boredom.

“I need another drink.” Reed holds up her empty glass, shaking the ice around.

Mason places a hand on her lower back and leans in. “I’ll take you to the bar.”

“I swear to fucking God.” I look at him.

“It’s just a drink.” Reed rolls her eyes. “Thank you, Mason.”

I don’t like her asshole boyfriend, but I kind of wish he was here right now. Mason is worse than I am with women, and if he thinks I’m going to let him get in my sister’s pants, he’s in for a rude awakening.

Watching the two of them walk toward the downstairs bar, I take a sip of my beer.

“She’s an adult, you know.” Lyla turns to face me, resting her hip against the railing.

“No, she’s my sister.”

Lyla shakes her head, biting her straw and trying to bury her smile.

On the level below us, a couple of guys are looking up at her.

“You’ve got an audience.”

She glances down at them and waves just to get a reaction. One of them tips his chin up at her and the other grins.

When she glances back at me, she gives me a vicious smile because she’s always trying to test me.

“Like you care when you’ve got one yourself.” She takes a sip of her drink, her eyes darting behind me. “Guess some things never change.”

I glance back to see a few girls watching me from a corner booth. They’re pretty, dressed up, and clearly ready to get into trouble the way one winks at me while she whispers to her friend.

“I’m good.” I turn back to Lyla, shifting closer.

She’s a force that rips anything else from the room, and I stand here, my flesh flaying from my bones with her attention. My heart tearing in my chest. All I want to do is be closer to her storm. To feel every raging thrash of it.

“You look like you’re thinking about something.” She tips her head back when I take another step closer. “What’s on your mind?”

“You.”

“That’s bold.”

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