Page 160 of The Ruthless Note

“I picked up the habit. You know,” she licks her lips, “even if you don't set anything on fire, it feels good to know that there's some kind of light.” She catches herself and the mask of antipathy falls again. “I guess that's stupid to you.”

“No, it's really not. I get it.” I touch her shoulder. “Miss Jamieson was the one who helped me out when I almost got kicked out of school. I’m teaming up with her again. Youwillfinish out your school year no matter what.”

She gives me a watery smile. “I’m such an awful friend in general. They say that like things attract, so how did I pick up a friend like you?”

I glance away. I’m the friend who got her into this mess. Maybe we really shouldn’t have met each other.

Serena sighs. “I should get back to my mom.”

“Remember, don’t tell her anything for now. Keep the school from contacting her too.”

“I will.”

Stepping outside once again, I tilt my face to the sky and think about Serena’s sad eyes.

I’m tired of always being on the receiving end of the brutality.

I’m tired of being hurt.

Dutch Cross messed with my people for the last time. I’ll find a way,anyway, to hurt him back.

CHAPTERFORTY

CADENCE

I stop in at the sleazy old guy who makes fake IDs and offer the pictures I took of The King’s practice room swipe card.

Back when Dutch was forcing me to be his slave, he gave me the key card so that I could get in and out easily.

“Can you make something that’ll bypass that?” I show him the scanner. “I need access to that room.”

He stretches out his hands and looks at me like I’m an idiot for asking if he’s capable.

The next morning, I pick up the card.

That very evening, when everyone has left school, I grab a ski mask, a bat and tiptoe through the dark hallways of Redwood Prep.

My heart bangs hard against my chest when I press the card against the scanner. If the ID guy scammed me out of my hard-earned money, he’s going to wish he never met me.

But the scanner lights up green.

The lock clicks and releases.

“Thank you, Fake ID Guy,” I mumble.

Darkness all around me, I slip into the room. Immediately, I smell Dutch, this fragrance of sandalwood and musk. It’s not a cologne, I don’t think. It’s unique to him. And it only makes my rage simmer.

My vision going red, I swing the bat over my head and ram it on the cabinet full of music show awards. The trophies thud to the floor, their heads bouncing off like some kind of macabre movie.

The noise is satisfying.

I can be as loud as I want. Thanks to the soundproof walls—only the best for The Kings—no one will hear me.

High on adrenaline, I prowl over to another cabinet and smash the glass. Shards explode all over the place. I turn away so they only hit my back.

Grinning like a lunatic now, I kick over the sofa and scatter the pillows on the floor.

Thinking of Serena's tears and her mother's frail body, I crush my bat into the computer monitor and crack the little figurines on the shelves.