Page 88 of The Ruthless Note

I shift my gaze away. “A guy? Life is hard enough without throwing someone else’s feelings into it. I’m not going to date right now.” I clear my throat. “But I do appreciate having friends.”

He finishes with my lock, brushes his hands over his pants and turns to me. He’s closer than before. His chest almost grazes my arm.

“Are you trying to tell me you and I are better off as friends, Cadence?” he whispers. His breath tickles my hair.

“I…” My nostrils flare. “I really appreciate everything you’ve done for us but—”

“I get it.” He steps back.

“Get what?”

“This is because of him, right?” His eyes flash with annoyance.

I don’t have to guess which ‘him’ Hunter’s referring to.

“It’s not.”

Hunter bobs his head once, picks up his toolbox and stalks down the hallway. Then he stops. Turns back. Comes barreling toward me.

“Let me give you this one piece of advice as your friend. Stay away from guys like that. Don’t fool yourself into thinking he’ll change for you or that he’ll be good to you if he treats everyone else like crap. People like him only know how to toy with us.”

“I know.” I choke.

He has no idea how well I had to learn that lesson.

Hunter’s smile is grim. “No, you don’t. But you think you do. And that’s why it won’t end well.”

I watch Hunter take off down the stairs and feel my heart beating fast. What the hell did he mean by that?

CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE

CADENCE

Dutch is the only one sitting in the music room when I stumble into class on Monday. I stop short, my heart slamming against my ribs at the sight of him.

He barely looks over at me, but I notice the tense set of his shoulders and the determination in his full lips. His long legs stretch out in front of him, and a guitar is balanced on his lap.

He’s wearing navy pants along with a short-sleeved T-shirt that shows off all his muscles and ink. The Redwood Prep jacket that’ll complete the uniform is swung casually over the back of his chair.

My hands are shaking.

But it’s not from fear.

Ever since he made that stupid challenge about sleeping with me, I’ve been on edge. Like I can’t trust him—or my own body—anymore.

It’s made it difficult to sleep. Even my dreams are plagued by his ruthlessly gorgeous face.

Some of those dreams are of Dutch grabbing me in the shadows.

Others are of me straddling his lap, giving him exactly what he always wanted andlikingit…

I’m freaking insane. To want him? Todesirehim after everything he’s done to me.

It would be better to drop out of school than give up my virginity to Dutch.

And yet, the only thing I know is that I can’t leave Redwood Prep. Not if I want to give Vi a better life.

As long as I’m breathing, I have to stay. I have to make it through.