Page 42 of The Darkest Note

I clench my jaw, struggling to make sense of the way she’s making my body respond.

“Look, I don’t want you around about as much as you don’t want me around you. So let’s end this quickly, hm?” I can’t help the desperation that’s leaking out. I don’t know if I need her gone for Sol or for myself right now. All I know is that she’s messing with my head in ways I don’t like.

“Leave Redwood and you won’t have to see my,” my words falter when she breathes out and her glistening lips part like a temptress on the stormy seas, “my face again,” I bite out.

Her chest rises and falls almost violently. “Why do you want me out of Redwood Prep so badly?”

I glare down at her.

Her breathing is still ragged, but she still tilts her chin up bravely. Her voice is soft but firm. “What have I done to deserve this?”

A twinge of guilt eases through my stomach at her question, but I don’t let it take root. The only option is for her to go. No other route is acceptable.

She glares at me for a full thirty seconds. “I’m waiting.”

“The only thing you need to know is that we don’t want you here,” I growl, staring hard at her.

She doesn’t have the presence of mind to quiver or beg for mercy. No, she tips her chin up in challenge. “Yes, butwhy?”

“Do you really want to know?” I drop my gaze over her chest, up her delicate throat and finally linger on her lips. Damn. It’s shining and pink, like a rose bud just begging to be plucked from its stem.

As I caress her with my gaze, her eyes flash with a mixture of desire and disgust, an intoxicating blend that I feel mirroring in my own chest.

I lift my eyes to hers and let my expression harden again, hiding my attraction to her behind a wall of steel. Her nostrils flare and the little pulse at her neck becomes more apparent.

I’m tired of her back-chatting. Tired of her sass.

“Don’t push me any harder, Brahms. Or I’m going to make your wish come true.”

“What wish?”

“The one where you leave Redwood Prep in a body bag.”

Her eyes narrow and then flare in indignation. “Did you just threaten to kill me?” She’s almost foaming at the mouth. “Is that what you’re insinuating?”

I flash her a smug look.

She’s practically vibrating at this point and I realize that she’d managed to cast a spell on all of Redwood. Because this fiery, beguiling creature in front of me certainly isn’t ordinary. And she certainly shouldn’t have been able to slide into the background as easily as she had.

A smile edges across my face. She’s going to make this a challenge and I really do love a good fight.

“Don’t ignore me the next time I call you,” I warn. Then I whirl around and stomp through the trees.

I crossed a line.

I shouldn’t have threatened her, but it’s not like I plan to do her any real terminal harm. As long as it gets her out of Redwood Prep, I’m willing to do almost anything. Even let her believe the worst of me.

She trudges out of the tree line a few minutes later and I see her fling herself through the cafeteria doors like it’s a rooftop and she’s got an appointment with the street.

Zane, Finn and the cheerleaders have cleared out from the table. I don’t need to call my brothers to know where they’ve ended up.

I stride to our private room, slip my ID card against the door and step in. The moment I do, I hear Zane pounding the hell out of his electric drums. He’s got headphones on, so it sounds like pathetic smacks of rubber tips against rubber pads. But the fact that he’s managing to make such a racket without percussions is a telling sign.

I saunter to Finn and accept the water he tosses at me. “What’s up with him?”

“What else?”

“Miss Jamieson?” I guess.