Page 150 of The Ruthless Note

She closes her eyes while I rub my thumb against her shoulder. For a moment, nothing else matters but the feel of her in my arms.

I shudder to think of what could have happened if I hadn’t gotten there in time. Despite not having a label for this, I care about her. And if I’d lost her today…

I don’t even want to think about it.

Brahms realizes that she's leaning against me and she stiffens immediately. I feel the way she’s trying to put distance between us, but I don’t let her go.

She shoves me until she’s free and goes straight for her phone. “I’m going to text Serena. Make sure she's okay.”

While Brahms walks away, firetrucks and police cars wail into view. Their red and blue lights flash on the building’s stern face. Soon, firefighters lurch into the school with their hoses. The police field out to ask questions.

I lose sight of Cadey in the chaos. When I find her again, she's just finishing her interview with the cops.

I draw near to her and realize she’s shaking. Her cheeks are streaked with soot. Her uniform is stained black.

She sees me watching and wraps a subconscious hand over her torso. “If you expect a thank you…”

“You’re welcome.”

She narrows her eyes at me. And then she smiles a little. My heart does that weird squeezing sensation. Like a pressure in my chest that's building and building.

It’s aggravating as hell that she can shift my mood with just a smile. That push and pull energy, the one that’s been buzzing between us since we first met, gets stronger.

Once again, I stare at her and see Redhead.

I can’t believe I didn’t recognize it before. The more I look at her, the more I realize no amount of makeup could ever hide the shape of those pure, rose lips or the fire in her brown eyes.

Shrugging out of my blazer, I drape it over her shoulders. “The next time a fire breaks out, do the smart thing and run the other way. Only an idiot would run straight into a burning building with no plan.”

“So you had a plan when you magically showed up?”

My eyes dart away. “This isn’t about me.”

“Right.”

Footsteps crunch to our left. We both look up and see a cop walking toward us. His eyes are grim and he’s holding something in a plastic bag.

“We found this on the scene.” He lifts the bag. The sun is just rising beyond the treetops. Golden rays glint against a bronze lighter. “Do either of you recognize this?”

Cadey gasps and looks guiltily up at me.

I look down at her.

Yeah, I’ve seen that lighter before.

It was in the hands of the friend Cadey was willing to risk her life to save.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-SEVEN

CADENCE

I pop off the bench when the door to Principal Harris’ office opens and Serena walks out. Her eyes are red rimmed, her nose is the color of a tomato and her makeup is smudged.

Breathless, I draw near to her. “What happened? What did they say?”

Serena looks at me like the world is on her back. “I…” Her voice trembles and she can’t seem to finish.

My heart breaks just hearing the note of anguish when she says, “I got expelled.”

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