Page 166 of The Silent Note

Like Zane’s injury.

Broken limbs, stomped hard until they snap. Given time to heal. Given the illusion of strength. Until one solid reminder brings the pain rushing back to the forefront.

Mom inflicted that kind of pain on Zane today.

And Jarod Cross did the same to Finn.

I know. I see it. The wound that makes Finn stomp out of the room is not a sudden, sharp cut of a blade. Neither is it a slow-burning invasion, gradually gnawing at his heart, lungs and brain.

His heart was already struck. It’s been in a sling for many years.

“Freaking animal,” Sol mumbles under his breath. He sits forward, elbows on his knees, legs spread apart. His head is bowed from the weight of his anger. “Freaking psychopath.”

Dutch is clinging to Cadence for dear life. The lips that delivered Jarod Cross’s message are trembling. He sucks them back into his mouth as if he wishes to erase them from his face. Burn the words from his tongue.

Zane’s thumb has stopped rubbing my shoulder. He’s trembling harder than I am now.

Silence suffocates us all.

Words feel pointless.

I watch the boys in the room, and a sigh chokes out like a fist in my throat. No matter what monsters and shadows I’m up against, at least they aren’t my blood. At least I can hate them without prejudice.

Jarod Cross is their father. Their protector.

Yet, he inflicts the most damage, theworstdamage.

Because these wounds are not the kind the eyes can see.

“I’m going after him,” Zane says, blasting to his feet.

I snatch his hand, keeping him in place. “Let me.”

“It should be one of us,” Zane insists.

I keep my hold on his hand, my eyes drilling into his with a calm intensity. Slowly, his shoulders slump and he lifts my hand to his mouth. Giving the back of my wrist a firm, determined kiss followed by a squeeze, he lets me go.

I walk outside, and I’m surprised to find that Finn hasn’t gone far. He’s standing right by the conference room door, slumped over slightly as if his legs gave out and he couldn’t convince them to keep running away. Or maybe it’s that he didn’t have anywhere to runto.

I stand beside him.

And when his legs give out completely and he sinks to his haunches, I do that too.

We sit in silence for a bit.

Finally, he scrubs a hand down his face and murmurs, “This is embarrassing.”

“Not to compare burdens, but who’s the one married to Zane, here? I don’t think you have a leg to stand on.”

His lips quirk.

“What?” I ask.

“He’ll be so offended if he hears you say that.”

“He’ll get over it.”

Finn leans his head back against the wall and closes his eyes. “Why’d they send you?”

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