Page 163 of The Broken Note

“Trust me. I won’t have any problems. In fact, I think a lot of kids will be at my lunch table today.” Vi looks up with a starry-eyed gaze.

I have no idea what she means by that, but she seems happy.

Gesturing for her to return to class, I head in the opposite direction.

My phone is out and I’m dialing Cadey’s number again when someone small and blonde steps into my path. I glance up, teeth gritted, muscles taut, ready to snap at the obstacle in my way.

Through the haze of my desperation and worry about Cadey, I recognize the girl standing in front of me.

“We need to talk,” she snaps.

I stare at her a beat longer and then it registers.

It’s Breeze, Cadey’s best friend.

CHAPTERFORTY-ONE

DUTCH

The basketball court behind the school is empty, which surprises me. I thought more people would be hiding out here. This seems like the sort of school where sports rule over music.

“A student got stabbed under the net at homecoming,” Breeze says, noticing where my gaze has strayed. “The cops installed cameras.” She juts her finger at the corners of the park where red blinking lights point at us. “So no one chills here anymore.”

“Do you know where Cadence is?” I ask brusquely.

“Even if I did, do you think I would tell you?” Breeze spits. Her eyes are full of hatred for me.

“Do you at least know if she’s alright?” There’s a hint of desperation in my tone. I don’t care. I’m going crazy thinking of all the bad things that might have happened to Cadey. I won’t be able to breathe until I know she’s okay.

“Oh? Now you’re worried about her?”

“Breeze,” I growl, my patience snapping.

“She never should have fallen for you.”

I freeze. This is my first time hearing someone confirm Cadence’s feelings for me. Not evensheadmitted it to me yet.

The wind picks up and the torn netting sways back and forth.

“I used to love your band,” Breeze says quietly. Her eyebrows form a pointed V. “I used to hear the anger and the pain in your music, and it spoke to me because I felt that anger too. I woke up every day, burning with it.”

She licks her lips. “But after hearing what you and your brothers did to Cadey, I couldn’t unsee it. Every time I listened to your music, every time I heard that anger, I imagined what that fury would do if it was pointed at an innocent person.”

My fingers curl into fists.

Guilt stabs me in the chest.

“The Kings, the band, Redwood, there was a time I wanted to be close to that light. I never told her, but I was jealous of Cadey. Going to school with you four became my dream.”

Her expression hardens. “But sometimes, your dreams need to stay where they are. If they join you in the real world, you realize that, in the light, they’re ugly and despicable.”

“Do you know where Cadey is or not?” I grind out.

“Why do you want her, Dutch? So you can control her?”

My eyes flick up to Breeze’s.

“You think because she’s poor, because this—” Breeze gestures to the chain link fences, the graffiti, the cameras—“is where she comes from that she should be grateful to you even if you hurt her?”

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