Page 160 of The Broken Note

I don’t want to keep her from having her own life. And I don’t want to police every free moment she has.

Space. I can do that.

But as the night wears on and then morning creeps into my room, I can’t shake the feeling that something’s off.

My phone has a ton of new updates—as usual.

But none of them are from my fiancée.

Don’t panic yet, Dutch. You can interrogate her at school.

I leave the house first, rushing to Redwood Prep before the sun is up properly. Cadey doesn’t have work service anymore, but I wouldn’t put it past her to stubbornly continue the job just because I’m the one who arranged the pardon for her.

The sun creeps over the tree tops.

My phone tags the hours as they slip past.

More students arrive.

They all watch me, prowling and pacing the front steps of Redwood like an agitated beast waiting for its mate.

No Cadey.

I send her another text.

Then a call.

Screw space.

Why isn’t she at Redwood? Is she sick? Did she get kidnapped?

A little after the first morning bell chimes, Zane and Finn walk toward me. They’re not alone.

“Serena,” I say, nodding at the goth chick with the ebony hair and bright red lipstick. With the leather jacket, she looks like she’ll either climb on someone’s bike or rob someone.

Four months ago, I didn’t give a damn about Serena Parker. I didn’t even know her name. But she’s Cadey’s friend and so she’ll have a place at my table.

I stalk toward her so intently that she drops back a step. Hauling to a stop in front of her, I growl, “Have you heard from Cadence?”

“No. Why? Isn’t she here?”

My jaw works.

Finn motions to Serena and juts his chin at the doorway.

She scowls at the instruction but, after taking a look at my face, decides to make herself scarce.

“You think she’s lying?” I bark at my brothers.

“We can’t do anything if she is.”

“Of course we can.”

“What do you want us to do? Torture her into telling us the truth?” Zane snorts.

I consider it.

Finn gives me a dark look. “Dutch.”

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