Page 48 of The Ruthless Note

I push my goggles to the top of my head. “How was it?”

“How was what?”

“Class.” I wipe a hand over my face to dry off.

“If you were so interested, why didn’t you attend?”

I breathe hard, my chest inflating and then caving down. “Were we the only ones missing?”

He gives me a puzzled look.

“Were we?” I insist.

“He’s asking if Cadence was there,” Finn says dryly, swiping a finger over his tablet to turn the page. “Keep up, Sol.”

I slant my brother a thunderous look.

He pretends not to see it.

“Yeah, she was there. Why?” Sol glances around. “Am I missing something?”

Zane sets his phone away, swings his legs around and leans his elbows against his knees. Flashing Sol a mischievous grin, he asks, “How did she look?”

“I don’t know. She was sitting at the back. It’s not like I could stare at her.”

Zane groans. “Damn. I thought you’d have some intel.” He hooks a finger at me. “We caught Dutch trying to sneak into the practice room after he met her. We had to drag him off his guitar before he ruined his hand even more.”

“You’re banned from guitar?” Sol looks shocked.

“Because he’s injured,” Finn says calmly. “He played until his hands got bloody.”

Sol looks at me in concern.

Zane runs a hand through his hair. “Guy’s a maniac.”

I flip Zane off.

He returns the gesture.

“So… you’re saying that this random swim has something to do with Cadence?”

Finn doesn’t look up from his book when he says, “He and Brahms had another showdown this morning.”

“But he won’t tell us what happened.” Zane pouts.

Sol blinks slowly. And then his eyes focus on me. “Actually, I did talk to Cadence before she left class. She looked a little shaken.” He arches an eyebrow at me. “And she had bruises on her neck.”

Finn drops his tablet.

Zane pins me with a stunned look. Tensely, he whispers, “Did you… choke her?”

“I’m not that much of a psychopath,” I growl.

“Not bruises likethat,” Sol clarifies, shaking his head.

Understanding dawns on my brothers.

“Wait,” Finn’s eyebrows knot together, “doesn’t she have a boyfriend?”