Page 65 of The Forbidden Note

And then I run.

I don’t stop until I’m home.

There, I lock my bedroom door, checking twice.

My hands press flat against the wall as I wilt and catch my breath.

I’m being ridiculous.

Jarod Cross is my mom’s husband.

My step-father.

A member of my family.

But beyond that, he’s also a household name, a worldwide legend and a public figure.

There’s no way he’s a bad guy… right?

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

ZANE

I roll my suitcase into the kitchen that looks big enough to feature on TLC.

“Zane!” My dad’s new wife throws her arms around me. She smells like cocoa butter and some kind of warm savory spice.

“You’re early.” Marian steps back. Brown eyes glistening, she gives Finn the same warm welcome.

My brother’s eyes nearly pop out of his face.

“Were you cooking?” I ask.

“I got up early this morning and started frying up some cornbread.” She points to the counter that’s filled with pancakes, waffles, cornbread, bacon and sausages.

“You made all this?” I point.

“That’s right.”

“Your… self?” I clarify.

Finn clears his throat. “I think he meant to say you didn’t have to go to all that trouble.”

“Oh, I like keeping my hands busy, and I wanted to welcome you boys.” She grins wide, revealing all her teeth.

Watching Miss Jamieson’s mother, I feel a twinge of guilt. When dad first announced that he was getting married again, I assumed she’d be just like all the other young, brainless, copycat social media models he cheated on mom with.

I was wrong.

For one thing, Marian isn’t that young. She’s younger than mom, for sure, but there are wrinkles bracketing her dark brown skin and she dresses conservatively, no plunging necklines, tats or piercings.

She’s also much warmer than dad’s other girlfriends.

Which is new.

There’s something appealing about her sunny personality. She’s guileless. Upfront. The ‘what you see is what you get’ type.

I have to question any woman who falls for dad—since he’s a walking scumbag in leather, but at least she seems honest. In our world, sincerity is hard to come by.