Page 199 of The Silent Note

“Zane is… struggling. His cast is off, but he hasn’t touched the drums. He doesn’t smile, doesn’t joke around, doesn’t laugh. He spends hours looking at this app. At this tracker. Atyou.”

The knot in my stomach tightens and I rub my scar.

“He went ballistic when your tracker shut down. We had to convince him not to call the police. I told him I’d come check on you.”

My heart throbs. “Well, he could have checked himself.”

“He won’t.”

“Because he doesn’t care.”

“Because the moment he sees you, he won’t be able to leave.”

My nostrils flare and I turn slightly away.

Finn’s soft but deep-as-a-cavern voice rumbles behind me. “You need to know what Zane did to save you. And you need to knowwhyhe did it.”

“What if I tell you I don’t want to know?” I challenge him. “What if I tell you that I don’t need saving and I don’t want a hero? What if I tell you Zane broke us when he chose to destroy the evidence and my entire investigation? What if I say there’s no going back from that?”

Finn watches me with those cold, guarded eyes. “Then I’d say you were lying.”

I bristle. It’s one thing for Sloane to call me out, but there’s a sharpness to Finn that’s even more pointed because of his newly-revealed family connections.

“You look just as devastated as he does. You’re in just as much pain as he is.”

“I’m not?—”

“Shush.”Sloane sticks a finger up, hovering over my lips. She looks tired, her eyes red-rimmed.

Finn gives me a strange look when I focus on him again.

“You should get dressed,” he says.

“Are you taking me to Zane?” I lean back.

Eyes glowing a soft brown, Finn taunts, “Are you scared?”

I don’t answer that.

He unleashes one of his classic, half-grins that feel magical and mystical anddangerous.“I guess that answers that.”

“Answers what?” I demand.

Finn just looks at me.

You know… I’m starting to think Finn is the most annoying Cross brother. Why is he so dang cryptic?

“Tell me or you’re failing Lit.”

Even as he smiles, his eyes glint with an edge. And, when Finn opens his mouth to talk, I know it’s because he chose to, not because I threatened him.

“You’re not as oblivious as you pretend to be. You’re aware that Zane loves you at least. If you didn’t know that, you wouldn’t be so scared of seeing him again, of forgiving him.”

I glance away, grudgingly admitting. “Of course I know he loves me. And of course I know why he destroyed the evidence.”

Finn tilts his head.

“Zane would never let anything get between us. Rules mean nothing to him. We both know that. He gets what he wants because he wants it. You and Dutch are the same. But here’s the thing, Finn. Even if I know how he feels… love isn’t always enough. Every time we get too close, we break each other. No, he breaksme.This wasn’t right from the start. I told Zane once that I’d rather stand in the light than in the darkness. And the only place where I can be with Zane is where there isn’t light.”

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