Page 149 of The Broken Note

My mouth opens and then slams shut. How do I explain everything to Rick? Should I even bother?

Dutch reaches out to take my hand, fingers rubbing over my naked ring finger. “I’m Dutch Cross. I wanted to meet more of Cadey’s family, but I hadn’t realized we’d already met before.”

“Don’t talk to me like we’re related, you—”

“Dutch was just leaving,” I say quickly, shoving his arm before Rick decides to break out a knife or something.

The stubborn ruler of Redwood Prep doesn’t budge a single inch.

I look up at Dutch with pleading eyes.

He arches a brow, unmoved.

Desperate, I slide my hand up Dutch’s back. Rick’s eyes bug and I can tell he wants to drag me away, but I focus on Dutch instead. My fingers skate over the expensive fabric of his starch white shirt and press into all the places where I marked his skin that night in the treehouse.

I keep my touch light and my voice coaxing, “I haven’t seen my brother in a really long time. Can you give us some space to talk?”

He tilts his head to one side, considering my request. He can see right through me, but I can see right through him too.

Back when he didn’t know I was Redhead, I could bend Dutch to my will. He was soft for me. Eager to please.

And I still have that power.

Because IamRedhead.

Dutch glances down at me, studying me like he expects me to admit that I’m doing all this intentionally. Does he think I’d crack so easily?

I press my body into his, one arm slung along his lean waist, and I smile. “If you give in now, I’ll return the favor.” I rise on my tiptoes and whisper thickly in his ear, “You can do whatever you want to me for one night.”

He doesn’t even blink.

What? Sex isn’t enough to placate him?

Rick growls, “Cadence, get him out of here before I tell Hunter and my boys to teach this doofus a lesson.”

Frustrated, I whip my eyes to Dutch. “Rick isn’t going to hurt me. You can go.”

Still nothing.

“I’ll call you later, okay?” I spit.

“You’ll call?” Dutch’s lips curl up a fraction of an inch.

Internally, I freeze.

That’s it.

The crack that I’ve been waiting for.

He softens, his tense shoulders, his full, dangerous lips, his eyes.

I push on the crack just far enough to make him break.

“I’ll call you and tell you everything,” I promise. “I won’t leave anything out.”

There.

He finally loses the fight and gives in.

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