Page 131 of Tempting Little Thief

“Oh, this one is quite persistent. In fact, you might say he’s determined to get his way.”

At that, my father’s gaze does lift, and he sets his phone in his lap. “Is that right? And who is this new recruit?”

“Your daughter is telling lies again.” I look to her in warning. “Not that that’s any surprise. She’s bitter Miss Giano has refused to allow her a spot in the showcase next month.”

Boston purses her lips. “I have never not had a solo, let alone been a part of the showcase.”

My father nods along with Boston’s words, a small frown building. “Why would Miss Giano deny her?”

“Because I told her to.”

His gaze sharpens and I hold it unwaveringly. He said I am only in control of my world, andthisis a my-world problem.

Checkmate, Daddy Dearest.

Besides, who is to say Boston will be here in a month’s time?

At this rate, who is to say any of us will be?

After what feels like the longest drive of my life, our dad looks out the window, realizing we’re pulling around the front of The Enterprise. He gives us his full attention, face serious, and tone just as stern.

“There will be no surprises from the two of you tonight. You will smile, you will laugh, you will praise, and you will be gracious when you yourselves are praised. You will accept any hand offered to you, no matter who it belongs to. You will stay on the floor where I can see you and you will not return to the Revenaw or the Greyson Suite at any point or anytime under any circumstances. Most importantly, you will drop the attitude between the two of you and remember you are sisters, twins, that you love each other, and how, before the arrangement that was made that brought us to this next stage occurred, you would do anything for one another.”

Next stage?

“You girls have been close all of your lives,” he continues. “Do not allow anything to come between that. Not a man and not me. The decisions I make, I make with the two of you in mind, so if you don’t like what I have to say or what I must do, you may speak your mind when no one else is there to hear it. But no matter the call I must make, you will not turn your back on each other, as when I am gone, the one and only person you will ever be able to count on as deeply as you can count on me to protect you, is the person beside you. Blood over all. Always, no matter what. Family? It comes first. Do I make myself clear?”

Forcing myself not to swallow past the sudden dryness of my throat, I look to my sister, to the girl who was once my best friend, who I could never hate, but can’t help feeling betrayed by.

She made a mistake, and she didn’t own up to it, and then she made it worse. She made a commitment, and she bailed. She took our family name and did the one thing we were raised never to do.

She placed the power of it in someone else’s hands.

The car pulls up to the red carpet set out for tonight’s event, and my dad’s driver makes his way around the hood, pulling the door open.

“Where is Sai tonight?” I ask. Tonight of all nights, my guard should be my shadow.

“Around” is all I get in response. Dad steps out first, and one by one, at his offered hand, my sister and I follow.

He holds his arms out, and we link ours through his and head inside the building. Suddenly, Sai appears, standing just to the left, then falls in line beside me; Boston’s old guard before he was reassigned when she left, at hers, and my father’s guards create a wall at our backs.

Once inside, we’re forced to pause to say hello to the overeager men after my father’s attention and it’s not until after another twenty minutes of mundane conversation that we are released. Boston, of course, prevents my escape, looping her arm through mine, and steers us both toward the bar.

“What the hell were you thinking bringing that up in front of Dad?”

She tugs me closer. “Now, sister, we’re supposed to be getting along, remember?”

“Cut the shit, Boston. What am I missing here? What is going on in Dad’s head and what are you hiding?”

“Oh, you want to know what I’m hiding, yet you’re the one running off to sleep with some tattooed biker bad boy or whatever he is.”

“Not everyone who wears a leather jacket rides a motorcycle, Boston.”

“How am I supposed to know that? I’m nothing but a sheltered brat.” She grins. “I’m just saying, do you even know who he is? He popped up out of nowhere, and all of a sudden, you’re sneaking off to go meet him, leaving campus, lying to Dad? Leaving your tracker!” Her eyes grow wide, a small laugh leaving her. “I mean, girl, that’s so unlike perfect little Rocklin.”

“Please.” Rolling my eyes, I accept the glass of champagne the waiter hands to me, eyeing the two guns strapped across his chest in open view. “I can hear it in your voice. You’re proud and it’s disgusting.”

My sister laughs, and I can’t help but join in with her.

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