Page 80 of The Darkest Note

“I’ll handle it my way.”

“Which is what?” Zane taunts. “Hoping you stumble on her in another bar?”

“I heard she quit because you were hounding her,” Finn says.

“No, she didn’t,” I grumble. According to the lounge manager, she was planning on leaving that job anyway.

“If you don’t take care of… whatever’s going on in your head, you’re going to screw your way through the entire senior class and still not feel any better.”

“You should know right?” I hiss.

Zane’s eyes go dark. “Yeah, man. I do know. It freaking kills me that I’m like this. But I know that woman is too good for me and I know I’d ruin her, so I’m doing my best to stay away.”

Both Finn and I look at Zane in surprise. He’s not usually this self-aware.

“Damn. I don’t think you’ve ever been that honest before,” Finn mumbles.

“Maybe if she heard you talking like a grown-up instead of a horny teenager, she’d take you more seriously,” I say.

“And maybe if you didn’t sneak up on that chick and kiss her like a crazed fan, you wouldn’t have gotten slapped and stood up. Look at that,” Zane says. “We both learned something today.”

Finn chuckles.

My lips twitch. Count on my brothers to help me take a ridiculous situation and make it feel doable.

At that moment, my phone buzzes.

My blood drains when I see the message.

“What is it?” Finn asks, picking up on my shift in mood right away.

“It’s Jinx,” I say, looking between my brothers. “She says she’s close to getting a location on Sol.”

* * *

Jinx: Not all heroes wear capes. What will I get for finding the fourth member of your band, Cross Boys? I don’t think money is going to cut it. How about a trade. A secret for a secret? Dutch can start by telling me why he and Stage Fright were caught getting hot and heavy in the coffee room?

CHAPTERNINETEEN

CADENCE

“You sure we’re not going to get shot?” Zane mumbles from outside my dressing room.

“It’s a high school homecoming,” Finn barks back, but his voice shakes as if the idea has crossed his mind too.

“You think freshmen aren’t packing? Or their older brothers aren’t? Have you heard the term ‘drive-by’?”

“He’s got a point,” Finn says with a hint of nerves.

“You’re both being ridiculous,” Dutch growls.

I stiffen at the grit in his voice. As usual, he sounds irritated and growly. I don’t think it’s because of his brothers though, since he tends to lighten up around them.

No, he’s been broody and dark ever since he laid eyes on me after school. Today’s the day of their performance—the one they still haven’t told me much about.

We spent a couple hours in the practice room before he and his brothers whisked me away from Redwood Prep to get ready.

I’m particularly exhausted today and don’t really want to be here. I’m missing out on Viola’s first homecoming and will have to satisfy myself with the pictures Breeze takes on my behalf.

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