Page 139 of The Ruthless Note

“No way. You just did your own work. It’s not fair for you to double the load.”

“What are friends for?” She winks.

My heart warms. “In that case, I’ll spring half my meal card for lunch today. You can have anything you want.”

“Yaass!” She hooks an arm around my neck. “It’s so great having a rich friend.”

Our guffaws bounce off the walls and swell along with the sunshine.

Serena’s right. It feels really good to have a friend in Redwood.

* * *

I don’t see Dutch all morning. On my way to History, I pass his brothers in the hallway.

Zane is wearing a pair of giant sunshades over his face and that earns him an extra long stare. He’s normally loud and upbeat, always ready with an easy smile or a charming one-liner.

Today, he seems more like Dutch—withdrawn, growly, sullen. If he dyed his hair blond, I wouldn’t be able to tell that he was Zane at all.

Finn spots me and does a little chin-dip. I don’t know if he’s acknowledging me because of Dutch or because I’m looking straight at them like a lunatic, but it does make my heart beat a little faster.

I start to look away when I realize that Sol is with them. His steely brown eyes linger on my face and probe me.

Both Zane and Finn seem like their intention is to walk past me, but Sol stops in the middle of the hallway.

The crowd around me goes still. Their curiosity burns. I can feel them holding their breath.

Probably because I am too.

I don’t know where Sol’s head is at when it comes to Miller’s ultimatum.

“Hey, are you okay?” I walk right up to him, clenching the strap of my school bag. “I was texting you all weekend, but you didn’t pick up.”

At the sound of my voice, Finn and Zane stop walking. They turn back, their expressions flickering with confusion.

Sol glances down. “Sorry. A lot’s been going on.”

“About Miller,” I lean close and whisper, “Serena and I are going to stick together. We won’t let him intimidate us into choosing someone to kick out of the music program.”

“That’s one way to deal with it.” Sol’s smile is charming, but there’s something sharp behind it. I can’t put a finger on what, but I get this off feeling when he looks at me. Like he’s more than just the fourth handsome, broody member of The Kings. Like he’s got some power of his own.

Technically, birds of a feather flock together, but Sol has been treating me like a human being and actually has coherent conversations with me, which is steps above the rest of his crew.

“Do you have another suggestion?” I glance past him to where Zane and Finn look mildly uncomfortable. “We can talk about it later.”

“Dutch has a plan for Miller,” Finn says, interrupting our conversation.

I glance over at his chiseled face and the almond-shaped eyes that so many girls have swooned over. He lifts his chin and the light hits his jawline.

Sol leans closer and whispers, “It’s better if you don’t know.”

A shiver goes down my spine when I feel his breath on my neck. I glance up and meet his eyes.

Sol straightens and nods to me. “Later.”

“Later.” My voice sounds hoarse.

Sol returns to Finn and Zane, who swings an arm around him. The Kings turn the bend and the whispers subside. People are staring at me now, but I don’t pay them any attention.