Page 167 of The Silent Note

“Because Sol is in there listing all the ways to get away with murder. Dutch doesn’t know how to comfort anyone and Zane would end up saying something well-intentioned but very tone deaf.”

“Like your opening joke?”

I meet his eyes. “Was that a warning to not make fun of your brother?”

Finn’s ghost smile turns into a half smile. “They were right. Thisisless embarrassing.” He sighs but still manages to inject a little levity in his voice when he adds, “You do know that Zane has a million followers all from posting cringy videos of himself shirtless online, right?”

“Ugh. Don’t remind me. I’m just starting to get used to this ‘married to my stepbrother’ thing.”

The smile gets a little wider.

And then it putters out.

I let him work through whatever’s on his mind, not pushing him. Not looking at him.

My patience is soon rewarded.

“What would you do if, for your entire life, everything you know has been a lie?” Finn asks hoarsely.

I glance at him and then at my scuffed black pumps. “I don’t know. I think… I’d cling like hell to the crumbs of truth.”

“Crumbs?”

“Every convincing lie has a grain of truth. I’d find that grain and I’d start rebuilding my life from there.”

His lips tighten and he looks deep in thought.

We sit in silence for a bit more.

The air conditioner buzzes somewhere in the hotel.

Beside me, I feel Finn stiffening. His shoulders become more and more rigid with every second. It feels like he’s building that brick wall around himself bit by bit, until it’s fully erect again.

I let him, give him the space to do so. Sometimes, we need those defenses to keep moving until we find the time to heal. If we all walked around without ribs, without walls, we’d bleed too often. Our ribs, our defenses, the spikes that come out when we’re hurt—they are necessary. It takes more than effort to tear them down. It takes trust, finding a safe place.

After a few minutes, Finn scrambles to his feet, his face regulated into its usual bland fashion. But just beneath the surface of his indifference, his eyes shine with gratitude.

One nod.

It’s all he gives me.

It’s all the thanks I need.

“You want to keep running away?” I ask, gesturing to the carpeted hallway. “I can make something up. Give you a head start.”

Finn shakes his head and glances at the conference room door. “The crumbs are in there.”

My heart balloons with warmth.

I twist the door knob. “After you.”

Finn doesn’t smile wide—I don’t think I’ve ever seen him offer a toothy grin to anyone—but he gives me the closest version of a happy smile and steps past me to return to his brothers.

Chapter Forty-Three

ZANE

When Grey walks back in with Finn, everyone pounces to their feet. On the outside, Finn looks back to normal. He seems totally unbothered by dad’s call, wearing his usual bored expression.