Page 137 of The Ruthless Note

In a voice so soft, I wonder if I imagined it, Dutch says, “Keep talking crap about other men and maybe I really will marry you.”

My eyes widen.

His narrow with spite.

I reel back, sure that he’s playing with me or trying to get the upper hand. But Dutch’s eyes are steady on my face. He doesn’t move an inch, doesn’t take it back. Doesn’t add a biting remark.

A door down the hallway opens and slams shut.

My gaze whips in that direction. I hurry past Dutch and grab my broom again, my heartbeat drowning out every one of my thoughts.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-THREE

CADENCE

Someone pokes their head into the classroom, sees me wilted against the chair and says, “Hey.”

“Ah!” I scream.

“Whoa.” Serena throws her hands up and leans back. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Serena, what are you doing here?” I blink rapidly, straightening to my full height.

“Same as you.” She motions to the broom and dustpan. “I think. Unless you were… actually here to have a secret rendezvous with Dutch Cross. Because, in that case, we were not here for the same reason.”

“I wasn’t—Dutch and I aren’t…”

“Yeah, really convincing.” She hops on a desk, her legs swinging under it. “I saw you two doing… whatever it was you were doing and waited until he left to say hi.”

I pick up the broom and set it against the wall. With my back turned, I calm my shaking hands. After basicallythreateningto marry me, Dutch left and took his intimidating, overwhelming presence with him.

I really hope I don’t see him around today or I might lose control and make a flying kick straight into his face.

Marriage? Does he think something that serious is a game?

I’ve seen the hell my father went through being married to a drug addict. If you ask me, mom was the one who put dad in the grave.

I don’t know which one of us would kill the other, but an eternity with Dutch would send one of us into the ground early.

Getting a lid on my emotions, I turn to my friend and try to hide how shaken I am. “So this is why I never saw you cleaning after school. You knew about this little hack and didn’t share?”

“Sorry. Didn’t think you’d be interested. It’s a pain to get up this early. Not everyone is capable.”

“True. It was hard to open my eyes this morning. I might start nodding off in class.”

She smiles too, but this time it’s a little sorrowful. “I started getting here early since sophomore year. Cleaning before everyone arrives means there’s no idiots in my way while I work.”

“Smart.”

We exchange smiles.

“It’s a lot easier to like Redwood when no one’s in it.” Her eyes gleam. “Sometimes, I take off my shoes and just…” Serena makes a forward motion, “skid around the hallways in my socks.”

“That soundsepic.”

Serena dips her fingers into her pocket and starts flicking the lid of a lighter. I’ve noticed she does that more often around me now, and I get the feeling it means she trusts me more than she lets on.

“You found it?”

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