Page 179 of The Forbidden Note

“Zane!” Grey rushes over, her eyes wide and frightened.

When she’s close, I grab her hand and pull her to sit on the bed with me. She topples over and narrowly catches her balance.

I use my good hand to keep a hold on her. “Was that so hard?”

Her nostrils flare. “Since you’re feeling so much better, I think I should leave too.”

I tighten my grip. “I need to talk to you about the extra boxes we found.”

“Sol told me about them.”

“Have you looked inside?”

“I’ve been kind of busy.”

I smile. The fact that she didn’t rush to open those boxes but spent all night by my side tells me a lot of things she’d probably never admit.

“Don’t overthink it. Ihadto stay. If I didn’t, your brothers and Sol were going to commit murder.”

I shrug. “Even if they did, they wouldn’t have gotten caught.”

“You sound so proud of that.”

“I don’t make the rules.”

“No, you just break them.” She sighs. “I’m a teacher. I’m not going to sit back and condone a crime like murder.”

“We can’t just let him walk, tiger.” I grimace as a wave of pain hits my head. “He crossed the line.”

“Who said anything about letting him walk?”

I look into her beautiful brown eyes and see a glint of darkness. “What do you think we should do?”

“You’re asking me?”

I wait, keeping my gaze steady on her.

She plays with a loose thread in the hospital blanket. “Hall is expecting a violent retaliation. If you give it to him, he’ll be ready. Violence for violence is too expected.”

“Your solution?”

“The best revenge is tailored to the individual, but it’s all the same. You hit them where it hurts.”

“And where is that?”

“His pride,” she says. Her eyes flash to mine, locking deep and making my skin burn.

I see a glimpse of the Grey she keeps under lock and key.

The one who’s fearless and daring and reckless.

Like me.

How did I not see it before?

“What?” She touches the back of her neck self-consciously.

Freaking hell, she’s gorgeous.

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