Page 27 of The Ruthless Note

“Who the hell is she?” I whisper as they flounce away.

“That’s Paris. She’s on a war path right now, trying to convince everyone that she’s bigger and badder than Christa.” Serena rolls her eyes. “There’s nothing I love more than a good Redwood Prep power struggle, but she makes it so obvious that it’s boring.” Serena yawns. “That’s why betrayal is the worst.”

“Speaking of betrayal, where have you been? I haven’t seen you around Redwood Prep lately.” I push the door to the main hallway. “I had to eat lunch alone.”

Her eyes dart away. “I wasn’t feeling too well.”

“Are you better now?”

“Yeah. Much better.”

Up ahead, there’s a disturbance in the crowd. Dutch, his brothers and Sol saunter through the middle of the hallway like the kings theythinkthey are.

My jaw clenches in annoyance when I remember Dutch manhandling me during music class.

What a jerk.

I’m learning self-defense just so the next time he backs me into a locker or a wall or an empty stairwell, I can crack his arm off.

Dutch zeroes in on me. Even though he’s a distance away, that gaze still feels intensely personal and threatening.

I refuse to cower and glare right back.

Screw him. And that tight-fitting black T-shirt under his Redwood jacket. Even with the long sleeves hiding his tats and rolling biceps, the breadth of his chest is still evident.

My eyes drift higher—to the chiseled jaw, the straight nose and the eyes of pure amber honey.

It’s infuriating how beautiful he is. If the universe was fair, people with ugly personalities would be ugly on the outside too.

Dutch’s look of challenge turns sharper and it’s like his gaze is scooping my insides and giving them a goodtwist.

What is he? Edward fromTwilight?

Maybe.

If someone told me that Dutch Cross feasted on the blood of his victims to stay alive for centuries, I would totally believe them.

My eyes narrow.I’m not afraid of you, you black-hearted prick.

Dutch smirks as if I just invited him over.

I prepare myself for his heat and dangerous magnetism. Through the corner of my eye, I faintly notice Serena retreating to hide behind me.

“What do you want Dutch?” I spit, tilting my head up to meet his eyes.

Dutch takes something out of his backpack and shoves it at me. “My Lit homework.”

I don’t take the paper he’s offering. “What about it?”

“Do you expectmeto write a five-page essay?” He motions to his brothers. “We have a gig to prepare for, so in the meantime, you’re doing my homework.”

I know he’s just trying to torture me. The way Miller behaved, I don’t think Dutch even needs to do his homework to graduate.

My smile turns sharp and pointed. I grab the document from him.

“Sure,” I say in a syrupy-sweet voice.

Serena gives me a shocked look.

---