Page 150 of The Forbidden Note

Something is different when I watch them tonight. Usually, the boys move with a kind of languid cockiness, like the world waits for them and time has to bend to their will.

Tonight, there’s an urgent energy burning off their skin.

Each of them.

Tall. Ruthless. Mysterious.

When I see them standing there, waiting for my signal, adrenaline surges through me.

This is a different kind of power. No wonder Cadence seems so settled, so fearless after coming back from her wedding.

I jut my chin down. “Let’s do this.”

Finn and Sol break off.

Dutch and Cadey stalk ahead.

“You okay?” Zane narrows his eyes and reaches over, adjusting my mask.

“Yes.”

“I’ll deal with Hall after this.”

I notice the bulge in Zane’s pocket and try to pretend that it doesn’t excite me. “Don’t.”

“He hurt you.” Zane’s jaw clenches beneath his mask. A simmering anger bubbles in his words. “Which means he hurt us. Hall’s not stupid. He’s got a target on his back. So if he’s here tonight, it can’t be for anything good.”

“Just let him be.”

Zane’s lips twist into a cruel grin. I’ve never seen a blood-thirsty expression like that before—raw, vivid, like a coil that spent years being coiled back and is finally springing free.

“Don’t engage, Zane,” I say again.

He smirks at me.

I know for afacthe’s not going to listen.

The sound of wheels rolling on the ground interrupts us. I glance behind me and see Cadence, Dutch, Finn and Sol carrying trolleys—the kind hotel waiting staff use to bring up room service. White cloth drapes over the moving table. Stainless steel domes disguise their purpose.

“Great work,” I say, motioning to the trolley.

Cadence grins. “Right? They look so authentic.”

Dutch smirks a little beneath his mask. He clearly loves that his wife is having fun. Then his smile dims when he checks his watch. “We need to move.”

I follow the lead singer down the hallway. Moonlight guides our path, falling through the windows and providing a silver road for us to walk on.

The basement is down this corridor and to the left.

An empty hallway stretches out before us. Tonight’s mission is going to be easier than I thought.

I’m feeling good when, suddenly, footsteps pound from up ahead.

A security guard turns the bend and walks in our direction. He hasn’t seen us yet, but it’s only a matter of time before he notices our suspicious caravan.

We all freeze.

My nails dig into the center of my palm.

---