Page 59 of The Broken Note

CHAPTERFOURTEEN

DUTCH

Dad reminds me of a snake. Glittering scales. Fangs hidden before he bites. Smooth when he moves. So smooth he’s almost oily.

We’re the only ones who can see it.

His family.

The people whoshouldmatter but don’t.

To the world, he’s glittering, not because of his scales but because he’s made of gold. To the world, his fangs aren’t venomous. To the world, he’s charming, glowing. Perfect.

A snake in sheep’s clothing.

I adjust in my chair and the loud creak snaps through the silence.

Marion, dad’s clueless new wife, lifts her head and smiles at me. Dark skin. Short hair. Fancy dress. And giant diamond ring on her finger. She looks so proud of it. Of him.

I wonder if she’s that innocent. I won’t give her the benefit of the doubt just because she’s Miss Jamieson’s mother.

They always want something—dad’s women.

Whether it’s money, fame, the prestige of sleeping with a musical legend. It’s always about them.

I think Marion likes dad.

But loves him?

I don’t know.

“Is something wrong, Dutch?” Marion says.

I shake my head.

She smiles.

I don’t.

Her smile falters and eventually disappears.

For a moment, the only sound in the dining room is the cut of knives into steak so raw, I can hear the cows mooing.

Dad likes to see the blood ooze out. It brings him joy to know that his meal had, only moments before, been slaughtered.

I don’t eat the meat.

Neither does Zane.

Although my brother might be starving himself for other reasons.

He’s sitting at my right, his eyes burning into Miss Jamieson—who looks like she’s about to choke on her salad.

I’m not sure how she feels about all this. Since dad’s announcement, she kept her distance at school and remained stoically professional. Could be because she’s embarrassed or because she genuinely hates this as much as we do. No one knows.

Finn is to my left. He’s not eating either. His eyes are glued to a book under the table as if all this is beneath him.

But I know the truth.