Page 141 of The Forbidden Note

“You okay with what you have to do later?” I ask, checking his face carefully.

He nods and his lips curl up slightly. That expression promises total hell.

I frown. “It’s just a contained fire, Sol. Don’t go crazy.”

“I already know what I’m going to do.”

Unease stabs my gut and I wonder if I should have let him unleash that monster inside him again.

Finn watches the security guards warily, like a wolf might watch a mountain lion. “They’re strapped.”

I notice the bulges in the guards’ pockets.

“Do they normally carry weapons at these things?”

Finn shakes his head ‘no’.

“Dad must have tipped Harris off. It’s like they expected us to do something tonight.” I frown.

Sol curses in Spanish.

Finn wipes a palm against his platoon pants.

We’re all wearing similar outfits. Nothing too crazy. Long-sleeved shirts with stupid ruffles at the neck. And long pants tucked into boots.

Finn looks like an actor from those K-dramas Viola likes to watch.

Sol looks like someone from his grandmother’s favorite telenovela.

I look like freaking Gaston.

My neck itches.

Damn. I hate these things.

I would have shown up in my motorcycle jacket and jeans, but for the sake of the plan, I wore what Cadey told me to when she stopped by my room this afternoon.

“When is Grey getting here?” I mumble, tugging at the ruffles.

“Maybe she ditched,” Sol says.

I wouldn’t be surprised if she disappeared just to spite me. Not that it will stop what’s coming.

I’m not holding back anymore.

That kiss on the ridge taught me one thing.

I don’t mind shattering.

But I’ll bedamnedif I shatter quietly.

I’m going to live how I want, have who I want and go out in a blaze of freakingflames.

A girl in a voluminous vintage skirt with a sheer top approaches me. I stare at her skin through the shirt and then move my gaze up to her face, trying to place her. It’s difficult because of the giant mask she’s wearing.

“Zane, right?” she whispers to me. Chewing on her bottom lip, she mumbles, “Or are you, Dutch?”

I say nothing.

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