Page 194 of The Silent Note

The giant considers me and then points, “Don’t let me ever see your face around here again.”

“If I ever see you again, I’ll kill you.”

Remembering Grey’s words twists the knife in deeper.

“No.” I scramble toward the giant, on my knees like the rat that I am. “Hit me. Hit me!”

Disco Girl looks disgusted.

Her brother scoffs and storms back inside.

Behind me, two tail lights pierce the night.

A car door slams.

Two pairs of feet rush toward me.

“Zane!” Sol calls.

But Finn’s the one who gets to me first. My brother kneels down, his face hard to read in the shadows.

I shake my head, trying to clear it. “What are you doing here?”

“You went live with your location tagged, you moron.” Sol cringes when he sees me. “What happened to your face?”

Silently, Finn rises. His lips are set in a thin line and his eyebrows are dogged and firm.

I grab his arm.

He looks down at me and I know, if I let go of his hand, he’s going to barge into the nightclub, hunt down Disco Girl’s brother and beat him to within an inch of his life.

“Don’t bother,” I slur.

Slowly, Finn’s shoulders relax and he reaches an arm around me, indicating that I should stand.

“Did they hurt your wrist?” Finn asks.

I glance down at my sling.

Finn continues to scold me in that low, monotone voice. “You know the chances of you playing drums again is next to impossible, right? You want to worsen those odds?”

“Who cares if I play again?” I ask wearily.

Finn rears back like I hit him.

Sol’s jaw thuds to the ground.

“What happened to the guy who laughed when the doctor said he might not play anymore? The guy who swore he wouldn’t give up the drums for anything?” Sol demands.

I glare at the blood spattering on the pavement.

Sol lets out a low whistle. “Zane Cross losing his mind… over a girl? Is this really happening?”

“Let’s go,” Finn snaps.

Together, he and Sol help me to the car. When we get back to the hotel, I eagerly head to the suite, hoping I’ll get a glimpse of Grey.

But the room is cleared out.

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