Page 143 of The Broken Note

I edge away from him, but it doesn’t matter. Miss Jamieson doesn’t even notice me.

“I promised myself I wouldn’t mess with you boys.” She stomps forward and her tight brown curls bounce against her back. “I was going to leave you out of my fight, but now you’re starting to piss me off.”

“What are you talking about?” Zane says, folding his arms over his chest. “What fight?”

She whips around and spears him with a heated gaze. “Did you all plot to set the school on fire and have Serena expelled? Why? What did she do to you? What is your obsession with hunting down scholarship girls and ruining them?”

The boys don’t even bat an eye, so my surprised gasp echoes loudly in the room.

It drags Miss Jamieson’s gaze to me.

She blinks in shock. “Cadence.”

“Uh… hi.”

“What are you doing in here?” A crease forms over her forehead. She stiffens, her toned arms flexing and I can tell that her first thought is that I’m in harm. Then she sees how relaxed I am and her eyes flicker with confusion. “Are you…withthem?”

“No.”

“Yes.”

I swing my gaze up to the annoying leader of The Kings.

“She’s my fiancée,” Dutch says, draping a hand over my shoulder.

My eyes bug.

Miss Jamieson has the same reaction.

“Dutch.” My voice cracks. I try to push his hand off.

“I thought you should know,” Dutch says calmly, flicking his gaze to my face and then back to our Lit teacher. “Since you’re family now.”

Miss Jamieson’s skin is the color of chocolate milk, but I still see her pale a shade. Her throat bobs and she visibly struggles to maintain her composure.

“This isn’t the time for jokes, Dutch. I want an explanation. And I want it now.”

“An explanation for what?” Zane approaches her.

“Why did you go after Serena Parker?”

Finn snorts.

Miss Jamieson’s eyes snap to him. Her full brown lips tighten. “You boys think this is funny?” Her nostrils flare. “I’ve kept my mouth shut. I’ve cowered. I’ve done everything this ridiculous school has told me to do, but I willnotstand by while you ruin someone else’s shot at a better fut—ah!”

Miss Jamieson shrieks as Zane scoops her up and throws her over his shoulder. I watch her heels kick up and down. I watch her skirt ride up. I watch her pinch Zane and I see Zane smack her backside in retribution.

It feels like a slap to the face.

A brawny student like Zane.

A classy teacher like Miss Jamieson.

All the lines being blurred.

My heart jumps to my throat. It’s just… so wrong.

“Mr. Cross,” Miss Jamieson shrieks, “this is absolutely disrespectful. You are crossing a line here!”

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