Page 25 of The Broken Note

How do I fix it for her?

Who do I have to kill to make her smile?

Behind me, I hear Finn sigh.

“Dad is trying to take over Redwood and Sol tried to burn the whole thing down, but one guy can’t take his eyes off the new girl, and the other is in love with our step-sister. We’re screwed.”

At once, Zane’s smile collapses.

The air gets tense.

I can feel a fight brewing.

Turning to my brothers, I speak confidently. “We’ll handle dad. And Miss Jamieson, she…” My eyes flick to Zane and back. “It’s not like she’s a biological sister—”

“Forget it.” Zane knocks into my shoulder as he heads down the stairs.

“Class is that way,” Finn says.

Zane flips us off. “I’m going back home. And I’m taking the car.”

Cadence nods at him as he passes.

My twin nods back and disappears around the bend.

Finn tucks his tablet under his arms. “I’ll be in the library. I’m not feeling classes today either.”

Finn greets Cadence, just as Zane did.

It’s a high honor to be acknowledged by either of them, but especially Finn. Brahms doesn’t run in our circles and we all tend to ignore other people—especially girls we’ve already slept with—it’s easier to keep them away. But Cadence is different. She’s important to me and that means she’s important to my brothers too.

Even if Zane, Finn and I fight like sumo wrestlers, we know what’s important.

Family.

Is that why I feel so intensely protective of Cadence? Is she my family now?

It’s a meaty thought, but I don’t have time to dwell on it because CadencefreakingCooper walks right past me.

As if I haven’t been standing here waiting for her all morning.

As if I haven’t blown up her phone.

As if she’s got no idea that she’s been the only thing on my mind since I first laid eyes on her.

As if I can freaking breathe without having her close to me.

The.

Hell.

Is.

That?

“Take one more step and see what happens,” I drawl. My voice is calm, easy. But beneath it is a layer of steel that stops her in her tracks.

She whirls around, her dark ponytail long enough to whip me in the face. Brown eyes brim with fury. The sight of it reminds me of the days when every mouthy response from her made me want to smash her into a nearby locker and drop her skirt to her ankles.