Page 9 of The Ruthless Note

Zane nods. “The fake smiling, the photoshoots, the stupid magazine interviews that have their facts screwed up. A freaking waste of time.”

“Maybe he actually cares about this one,” Sol offers. “People change.”

“Dad’s never gonna change,” Zane says darkly.

He’s right. Dad’s a lost cause. My brothers are unaware of the full breadth of his misdeeds, and I hope they never stumble on the truth. Some burdens are mine to bear alone.

Our phones chirp again.

Dad: Those who don’t show will have their funds frozen. So I suggest you break out your party shoes when I tell you to.

“What?” Sol asks, noting our shifting scowls.

“Dad’s invitation came with an ‘RSVP or Else’ button,” Finn says.

My head starts to throb. What the hell is he up to now?

“I’m not going.” Zane grabs his bag and stomps to the door. “Tell him he can go screw himself.”

The door bangs shut behind him.

Finn stares blankly at the floor. “I should head out too.”

“You going to class?” I ask, surprised.

“Nah.”

Finn doesn’t say more and I don’t press. We each have our own ways of unravelling. He’ll call me if he needs me.

Sol stays behind. “You gonna take it out on your guitar again?”

I fall into the couch and down another swig of water. Damn. I wish I had something stronger than this. But playing guitar while drunk isn’t something I’m into.

Sol approaches the couch, but he doesn’t sit. “You still haven’t told me how you got me back into Redwood.”

I glance up, my eyes narrowing.

Sol lets the silence stretch. And then he says, “It’s her, isn’t it? The brunette who walked into the gym with your dad today. The one you ran after like a maniac.”

I still say nothing.

Sol’s face becomes serious, earnest. “What did you do to kick her out, Dutch?’

“It’s over, man. Just forget it.” I launch out of my seat and prepare to storm away.

Sol grabs me. His scars are on display. I watch the way his veins pop beneath the black scabs. Which one of those veins had he been aiming for? Would he have tried to hurt himself if I’d saved him in time? If I’d gotten Cadence out of Redwood instead of getting distracted by her stupid games?

“Dutch…” Sol’s words are directed at me, but his eyes are on the wall above my head. “I know you guys blame yourselves for what happened that night. But I don’t blame you. I never have. And about that girl—”

“About that girl,” I cut him off, “we did what we had to do. It has nothing to do with you and it won’t be traced back to you either. So you don’t have to worry about it.”

“You think that’s what I’m worried about? There’s clearly something going on here and it’s killing you inside.”

“How about you worry about yourself?” I snap.

Sol’s eyes widen and then he purses his lips. “Right. I guess I should.”

I turn away from him, though I know I should probably apologize for being a prick. It’s Sol’s first day back and instead of celebrating, we’re all falling apart.