Page 2 of Cross’s Reckoning

CROSS.

"You've lost your fucking mind."

"No."

"Do you have any idea what he'll do when he sees that?"

"Yeah, I've got an idea."

I stare at him while he folds the knife and sets it on the bench. That's when the truth catches up with me. Cross isn't doing this so my father will see it. Cyrus isn't supposed to find out until Cross is already gone.

"You're leaving."

"Already left."

Something hot and unpleasant twists low in my stomach. "You don't get to decide you're done and just ride out. You've been patched into Perdition for years."

"Ten."

"That's supposed to make this better?"

"Not really."

He picks up the cut and brushes loose threads from the leather. Without the back patches it looks almost naked, as though the identity has been stripped off him and only the man is left. Except Cross did this himself.

"Is this because of yesterday?"

His eyes settle on mine. "It's because of a lot of things."

"Meaning Kane?"

"No. Meaning your father."

My whole body goes tight. "Careful."

"I'm done being careful."

"Then you're even stupider than I thought."

"And you're still defending him."

"He's my father."

"I know exactly who he is."

"He built this club."

Cross gives me a look that makes my temper flare before he even speaks. "Men built this club, Lola. Cyrus sits at the head of it."

"Is that what Kane's been feeding you?"

A humorless laugh leaves him. "Kane hasn't fed me shit. I barely spoke to the man."

"Then what changed?"

His gaze drops to the patches on the workbench. "The man who walked through our gates."

I know who he means without asking. "Chains?"