Miller squints his eyes as I walk him out of Redwood Prep and into the sun. He stops in the doorway and stares out at the sprawling lawn.
“Harris might look like a fool, but he’s got a nasty temper. You and your crew better watch out.”
“We’ll handle Harris.” I shove my hand toward him. “Pleasure doing business with you.”
“A deal’s a deal.” Miller grins and accepts the handshake.
I nod. Last week, I paid Miller a visit and told him I’d get Christa into the best international music school. Zane, Finn and I have been offered invitations countless times but always refused. We didn’t want our music confined to anyone’s standards but our own.
Being on their radar means we’ve got contacts all over that institution. It was easy to make a few calls.
“My daughter needed a fresh start and I wouldn’t have been able to get her in without your help.” His eyes skate over the thick entrance. “Redwood Prep is my territory, but not even I could save her at the end. Hopefully, the ghosts of her past stay buried.”
“Nothing Christa did here will leave these walls. I’ll make sure of it.”
Miller slaps me on the back. “If working with you to help my daughter is any indication, I look forward to seeing what you’ll do when it’s time for the chairman re-election.”
Rather than answer, I jut my chin at the parking lot.
Miller slaps me on the back again and saunters away.
I head straight for Cadey’s locker, but she’s not there. Is she still with Sol? He warned us he was going to break the news today, but I don’t see why they have to hang out alone.
Or why they have to touch.
I bristle at the memory of his hand on her arm. When I saw him touching her, I wanted to rip his jaw in two.
I’m losing my mind.
If I don’t get a handle on things, Sol and I really will come to blows.
Pulling out my phone, I send Cadey a text.
Where are you?
There’s no response.
“This girl never answers her damn phone,” I mumble.
At that moment, my screen lights up.
My heart jumps, thinking it’s Cadey.
But it’s Finn.
“What?” I growl, stalking past classrooms that are in session. Students peer out of the windows and stare at me.
No one says a word.
No teacher calls me out.
I don’t remember the last time I’ve attended a class I didn’t want to.
“Your fiancé’s waiting for you in the practice room.”
“What?” I stop short.
“She just walked in with Sol. Said she wasn’t looking for you, but she keeps glancing at the door like she’s expecting you to barge in any minute. Come and put her out of her misery.”
“I’m on my way.”
I sprint through the hallway, skidding to a stop in front of the practice room. Slapping my card against the scanner, I barrel in.
My eyes snap over the couch, the instruments, the trophy case and finally land on the girl who made me go out on a damn limb for Christa of all people.
I see Cadence’s slight smile and my heart seizes in my chest.
This girl can kill me.
It’s a real and persistent threat.
I’d rip my heart out of my own chest and offer it to her on a silver platter just to see her freaking eyes light up when I walk in the room. Just like they are now.
“Well, if it isn’t the man of the hour!” Zane approaches me with two beers in hand. He hands one to me and I grab it distractedly.
“What’s with the celebration?”
“You marked the first task off her list.” Zane points a finger at Cadence. He’s talking about the promise I made last week to help Cadey with her problems. I shake my head, but that only makes Zane grin harder. “Didn’t think you had it in you.”
I scowl at him.
He laughs and takes a swig.
I drop the beer on the table and stalk over to Cadence. Eyes inquiring, she tilts her head up, but it’s not far enough. I wrap my fingers around the back of her neck, squeeze it tight and yank her head back so far she almost snaps her neck.
Descending sharply, I crush her mouth with mine in a punishing kiss that makes my fingers tremble. Her lush lips part, fitting perfectly against my harsh caress. I suck on her bottom lip and then bite down, swiping my tongue over the places I nip.
“Get a room!” Zane boos.
I ease back, ignoring my brother’s hoots and Sol’s screwed-up gaze.
“Do you know how freaking sexy you looked going after Harris?” I growl. Her ripe mouth parts in surprise. “I almost took you against his desk.”
“Dutch.” Cadey gasps. The tips of her ears look like I held a flame to them.
Ripping my eyes away from Cadence, I snap at Sol. “You shouldn’t have held her back.”
Sol’s jaw works. “Harris is the type to call the cops and play the victim. Cadence didn’t need that kind of heat.”
I study him. See that he’s sincere.
He was protecting her.
Fine.
As long as he doesn’t cross the line, I don’t have a problem.
“What are you doing in here?” I ask Cadey as quietly as I can.
She opens her mouth.
Finn talks first. “Cadence was waiting on you before she called Serena and broke the good news.”
I glance over at my brother. Finn is plucking his bass guitar. The instrument is nestled in his lap like a lover. He has one arm draped over the body and another tight around the neck.
“I thought, since The Kings were involved one way or another, you should be around when I tell her.” Her voice is slightly breathless. Shaking. The red flush climbing up her neck is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.
“You were waiting for me, darling?”
“Call me darling again and I’ll key the word all over your car,” she growls, eyes narrowing.
I smile because she’s poison and she’s beautiful and I want to tear her out of that skirt so badly that my hands ache.
“Are we calling or would you two like to eye-bang for a while longer?” Zane gestures between the two of us.
Sol glances away.
“Ladies’ choice.” I drift my fingers in Cadence’s direction.
She clears her throat and tosses her hair over her shoulder. “I’m calling now.”
I take the seat beside her. While the line rings, I feel around for the bottle opener. Sol flips the tool into my lap.
My eyes swerve to him.
He nods.
For a moment, it feels like I have my friend back. But then he looks at Cadence and his gaze changes to this soft, yearning thing.
I stiffen again.
The line clicks.
“Hello?” Serena’s voice is feeble and tired.
“Serena, I have good news.” Cadey turns to me and the brightest grin I’ve ever seen crosses her face.
Damn. She didn’t smile when I gave her a ring worth thousands. Or when I brought her breakfast. When I canceled her work service. Or when I took her sister to the amusement park.
But right now, she’s glowing like the sunshine. Like something too pure, too innocent for a monster like me to touch.
Hell, I’m going to touch anyway.
But I still know I don’t deserve to.
“What news?” Serena asks.
Cadey is practically bouncing in her seat. “You’re coming back to Redwood. Tomorrow.”
“What?” Serena shrieks.
Cadey makes an equally girly sound from her mouth. “Yes!”
“No!”
“Yes!”
“No!”
“Yes,” Finn says in exasperation. He rolls his eyes. “Let’s try to use cohesive sentences from now on.”
“Screw you!” Serena shrieks from the phone. And then she pauses. “Who was that?”
“Finn.”
“Finn? As in Finn Cross?” Serena croaks.
I chuckle and take over. “This is Dutch.”
“Oh my gosh.”
“Our lawyers went after the police and got them to wipe everything off your record. We can’t stop gossip but, as far as the government knows, you have nothing to do with this fire and it’s not going to come up later.”
Sniffles sound on the line.
Finn meets my eyes. “Is she crying?”
“Serena, are you okay?” Cadence asks.
“I’m happy. I’m really happy.”
I glance at Cadence and see tears filling her eyes too. Why the hell is she crying? My heart is about to burst looking at her tears.
“What’s wrong?” I whisper, pushing her hair back.
“I’m just happy.” Cadey sniffs.
Aren’t tears supposed to mean ‘sad’?
I don’t get women.
Suddenly, there’s a loud and persistent knock on the door.
I’m too busy worrying about Cadence to get up. Sol doesn’t either.
Finn picks at his bass guitar. “I wonder who that is?”
“The only person crazy enough to knock on our door like that is Cadence.” Zane points a drumstick in her direction. “And she’s in here.”
The thuds sound again.
“Dammit.” With an annoyed scowl, Zane stalks to the door and throws it open. “Who the hell do you think you… Miss Jamieson?”
My brother stares at our Lit Teacher with shocked eyes.
The tiny woman pushes him out of the way and storms right into our practice room, eyes on fire and chest heaving.
I don’t know what this is about, but whatever it is… our step-sister looks pissed.
