Page 218 of The Forbidden Note

He gives me a blank stare.

I glance at the house. If I shout, my brothers will come running.

I know that like I know my own name.

The problem is that Vi is here. So is Cadey.

What Dutch told me about their pregnancy issues bothers me and dad stirring up another mess with the girls right here doesn’t sit well.

I decide not to put up a fight and go quietly.

I’m not as calculative as Finn and I don’t have two people to protect like Dutch, but I’ll hold my own. Dad’s insanity can’t be worse than mine.

Swinging my leg off the bike, I stomp over to dad’s truck.

Once I slip inside, his meatheads start the car and we take off.

Dad stares straight ahead, wearing a black turtleneck with long sleeves that covers the ink on his body. He’s wearing a watch so heavy, I wonder how his wrist can even hold it up.

“Make this quick,” I snap. “I’ve got school.”

“Aren’t you suspended for a few more days?”

I glare at him. “What do you want?”

He laughs at me, and I hate him a little more than I thought I did.

“Do you know, Zane, that you remind me the most of myself when I was younger?”

I almost shudder. That’s not a compliment.

Dad takes off his sunshades and clips it in the collar of his turtleneck. “I’d gotten my first record deal and had my first taste of success. The world loved me and the girls were…” He blows out a breath as if he’s recalling every filthy, disgusting thing women were willing to do for him in the bedroom. “I had them eating out of my hand. Anything I wanted, anyoneI wanted, I got them like this.” He snaps. “But I was so stupid that I overindulged and almost lost it all. If I didn’t have someone straighten me out and show me what was at stake, I would have imploded.”

“Thanks for the trip down memory lane, dad, but can you get to the point before I have to puke?”

His eyes narrow on me. “Have you thought about what I said during our last conversation?”

“How I’m stupid, reckless and not worth a crap? Yeah, how could I forget a pep talk like that?”

Dad bares his teeth in a dark chuckle.

“How far are we driving?” I glance out the window. Now that I think about it, dad is heading out of the city.

For a split second, I wonder if he’s going to kill me. And then I let the thought go. If he wanted us dead, he wouldn’t do it himself.

And it’s freaking sad that I know for a fact that dad would kill us if he needed us out of the way.

The car makes a weird noise as we head off the road and bounce over deep potholes. I grab the handle above my window, trying to stay seated.

Dad looks unbothered. “You and Finn moved out of the house. Did you discuss it with Marian first?”

I glare out the window. If I hadn’t moved out, Marian would have kicked me out herself. We haven’t spoken yet, but I have a feeling she doesn’t want me anywhere near Grey.

“She would have been distraught if not for the good news.”

I whip my head around. “What good news?”

“Grace went on a date yesterday. She told her mom she had a nice time and she plans to see him again.”

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