Page 74 of The Ruthless Note

“I bet he’s some guy she paid to act like Dutch Cross.”

“No, he isn’t,” Vi argues.

There's a sound of a scuffle and then Vi starts groaning in pain.

“Vi?” I grip the phone tighter.

A moment later, the call shuts off.

She’s gone.

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

DUTCH

I spring to my feet. “Vi!”

I dial her number again.

It goes straight to voicemail.

Finn and Zane, who know me like my next breath, launch across the practice room. Their expressions betray their concern.

“What's wrong?”

“Who’s Vi?”

“That name sounds familiar,” Finn says.

“She’s Cadence’s sister. I think something happened to her.”

My brothers look alarmed, but it’s only because I’m freaking out.

My head is too full. A million different thoughts are flying faster than I can keep up with.

Only one stands out—I need to tell Cadence.

I bound out of the practice room, my cell phone plastered to my ear. My footsteps echo against the hallway. I sprint around the corner, searching desperately for Brahms.

Answering footsteps match the rhythm of my feet.

My brothers and Sol are right behind me.

Zane catches up with me first. “What are we doing?”

“Finding Cadence.”

Zane nods and spreads out.

Finn rushes in the opposite direction.

My brothers don’t care about Vi, but it’s enough that this is important to me. That’s all they need to know to make this urgent.

Hell, I don’t really know Vi either. But things didn’t sound good over the phone and she’s Cadence’s sister. There’s no way I can go through with my plan if Cadence is torn up about her family.

Yeah, that’s the only reason I’m worried.

Sol points to the gym. “I’ll check over there.”

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