Page 154 of The Forbidden Note

My brother straightens slowly and presses big hands over his chest. I skim my eyes across his white shirt, expecting to see blood stains gushing over the fabric.

There are none. Come to think of it, I didn’t hear thethwipof a bullet either. I just assumed Finn was hit when he tripped into me.

“I lost my balance when I jumped,” Finn explains, looking equally shocked to be alive. “Aren’t bullets supposed to hurt?”

Grey steps forward. Her face is hidden behind a mask, but I can feel her confusion because it’s a mirror of my own.

“Finn, are you okay?”

“For the last time, what the hell is going on?” Sol yells, his head whipping back and forth.

The security guard does a chin up greeting. “I’m Rick.”

“He’s my brother,” Cadey says, rolling her eyes.

I hear at least three jaws hitting the ground.

“You’re…” I point at Dutch. “This is your brother-in-law?”

Dutch shrugs again.

Grey chokes out a laugh. “I can’t believe this. I was about to have a heart attack!”

Sol shakes his head slowly.

Finn looks annoyed.

I scowl. “Really, Dutch? You knew all the while that he was one of us?”

My twin smirks. “At least now we know that every member of the band would take a bullet for you.”

I’ve never known my brother to be mischievous. This had to have been Cadey’s idea.

My eyes dart to my sister-in-law.

She’s grinning wide.

Yup.

Cadey planned this.

Rick motions to his chest. “I’m a security guard by trade, but Cadey asked me to help out. She doesn’t ask me for things often.” He and Cadey share a loaded look that tells me there’s a lot he’s leaving unsaid. “And I can’t always help. This is the least I could do.”

“And the gun?” I frown, giving the weapon a hateful stare.

Rick pulls the trigger again and I flinch.

“It’s just for show. Do you think we’d walk around a high school dance with loaded weapons? If someone’s kid actually gets shot, that’s a PR nightmare and a jail sentence. They don’t pay us enough for that.”

“I can’t believe this,” Sol mutters, straightening to his full height.

“I did a good job, didn’t I?” Rick gives his sister a meaningful look. “We’re square?”

“We’re square,” Cadey agrees.

“That’s enough joking around. We have things to do,” Dutch says, pushing his trolley forward.

Cadey and Grey file behind him.