Page 61 of The Ruthless Note

“You!” She points in my direction.

Did she recognize me?

Alarmed, I cover my face with my hand and hurry in the opposite direction, looking for another way out.

I spot an open balcony, scramble through the door and jump under the stairs to hide in the shadows.

Someone’s footsteps thump above my head. I hold my breath like I’m the star of a horror movie.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The retreating footsteps make my shoulders slump in relief. I’m safe. For now.

But how do I get out of here without Christa spotting me?

There’s a fence all around the property. The side gate leads to the front of the house. I can use that exit, but there’s no way I can escape anyone’s notice if I walk into view wearing this blinding red wig.

I rip off the wig in the darkness, shrug out of my jacket and then ball it together to form a sort of purse.

Unravelling my hair, I let the brown strands fall across my tank top. Taking out my contacts without a mirror requires skill, but I manage it and clean my face with a makeup wipe.

Perfect.

Now that I’m my wallflower-self, I can blend into the crowd and escape before Christa can find me.

Bending my head so I don’t hit it on the deck, I start tiptoeing toward the side gate when I see a shadow move.

“I thought I heard someone down there,” a voice says. “Hi, Cadence.”

Crap.

I snap my head up and a silent gasp pulses through my throat.

Sol.

My fingers tighten over the jacket that’s holding my red wig. I’m hoping like crazy that Sol can’t see the hair strands through the folds of my makeshift purse.

“What are you doing here?” I stammer.

“I came to get some air. It’s too stuffy in there.” He gestures to me. “What’s in the jacket?”

“Nothing.” I hide it behind my back.

He smiles softly. Rolling his shoulders, he studies me in the moonlight. “So you’re the famous Redhead.”

Shaken, I stare at him with rising horror.

He knows.

Sol pats his hand on the step. Eyes so deep and brown they could mirror the black velvet of the sky, he rumbles, “Sit down, Cadence. Let’s talk.”

CHAPTERFOURTEEN

CADENCE

Sol’s gaze is kind and the silence is comforting.

I take in a sharp breath and tilt my face up, trying to calm my skittering pulse by reminding myself that Sol isn’t the enemy. Even if he’s best friends with the devil himself.

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