Chapter 26: The Forbidden Note: Chapter 26

Being suspended isn’t so bad.

I wake up as late as I want. Chill in bed. Scroll through my phone. Play a few video games.

Harris thought he was punishing me, but he gave me permission to take a needed vacation. It’s been non-stop chaos for weeks, what with Tina dying, dad trying so hard to be a B-rate villain in a slasher film, and Dutch getting married.

It’s nice to have the day to myself.

The only thing I regret?

Not being awake when Grey left.

And also, not being there with her at school.

Damn. So make that two things I regret.

I’m worried about her safety. Hall is still a problem.

Last night, I punched the bastard so hard his body made a dent in the ground. I should have buried him there, but I didn’t. He might come crawling back to Redwood like the snake he is and I won’t be able to do a thing about it.

I already asked Sol to keep an eye out today. He couldn’t afford to get suspended and lose his scholarship, so we told Harris he had nothing to do with the fight. Thankfully, Harris didn’t touch him.

At least I can keep tabs on Grey through Jinx’s app.

No news means good news.

I slip out of bed around noon because the smells coming from downstairs are driving me crazy.

Marian is in there, humming and stirring a pot on the stove.

I rub my eyes, smiling at her. “Morning.”

“Young man, it is one o’clock,” she says sassily.

“Afternoon.”

Her earrings wiggle and smack her dark cheeks. “Have a seat.”

Soberly, I sit.

Does Marian know about my suspension?

I hope not.

I’m supposed to be earning her trust so I can spill the news about dad’s true colors. She won’t take me seriously if she sees me as the screw-up everyone else does.

I press my hands together. “I’m not feeling well, so I’m taking a sick day.”

She gives me a loaded look and I can tell she smells my BS a mile away.

“Before Finn left, he told me about that little fight you started yesterday.”

Sheepishly, I rub the back of my neck.

“I heard you punched someone for saying nasty things about Gracie.” She gives me a proud little smirk. “How’d you do it?”

“Slammed him across the face with my drumstick.”

She sticks out a fist.

Stunned, I punch it lightly.

Marian returns her attention to the stove. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I played it safe. Baked beans. Barbecued ribs. Slaw. Some mashed potatoes—bland because your palette might not be used to all this flavour.”

I laugh and swing into a barstool.

She sets the table and I take a bite of the ribs. An explosion of flavors bursts on my tongue and I moan.

“Damn. No wonder dad married you.”

She chortles warmly. “Funnily enough, your dad doesn’t like my cooking.”

I’m shocked, but not too surprised. Dad’s a heartless vampire who drinks blood and doesn’t need regular human sustenance.

Marian folds her hands together and peers at me. “I know my marriage to your father was a shock. I also know I didn’t make a great impression during our last family dinner…” Her voice trails.

I set my fork down. The last family dinner was when mom came over and told us about our grandmother’s inheritance.

“Nobody was in a good mood that day, but it wasn’t because of you.”

She smiles tightly and pinches at a bread roll. “I guess, what I’m trying to say is that I’m honored to be a part of your family. And I won’t let anything jeopardize that.”

My fingers tighten on the fork. That’s not good. I can’t have Marian being too attached to the Cross brand of insanity. She’s a key player in my plan to weaken dad’s power.

“Is this how you usually spend your day?” I ask, digging into the baked beans.

“I do some shopping, watch TV.”

“Dad hasn’t been home for a while now,” I say, watching her carefully.

Her eyelashes flutter down. “He’s on tour.”

“Has he called you?”

She launches out of her seat. “Let me pop these rolls back in the oven. They’re a little too soft.”

I watch as Marian fiddles with the knobs on the stove.

“About dad, there’s something I need to—”

“Zane.” Her voice sounds tired. “Do you know how Grey grew up?”

I shake my head.

“We lived in a cramped apartment behind a nightclub. The noise was obnoxious. There were fights. Screams. Women sold their bodies on the street near our block. Gangs fought turf wars right in front of our house. Sometimes, the bullets tore through the walls. We could have died in our sleep.”

It sounds horrific.

“I swore I’d get her out of there and I did.” She turns to face me, a determined set to her chin. “My baby was smart. She got a scholarship to Redwood. She went to college. She made something of herself. That was all I wanted. For her to be better than I was. So I never imagined I’d be here.” She throws her hands out to indicate the giant, spacious kitchen. “Living like this. I never allowed myself to dream of it.”

The edges of her mouth curve up in a not-quite-there smile. “I don’t know why you boys moved in and I don’t care. I’m glad to have a family. Me and Jarod, we will always be a family.”

She gives me a knowing stare, and I realize Marian isn’t as clueless as she looks.

“Understood.”

Her grin gets more genuine and she pops the rolls out of the oven. When she returns to the table, she sets one in my plate.

“Eat up.” The scent of her cocoa butter lotion wafts to me as she pours another glass of sweet tea.

I back off, deciding not to broach the topic of her divorcing dad yet. “This food is really good.”

“It’s the least I can do for such a sweet little brother.”

Calling me ‘sweet’ and ‘little brother’ in the same sentence?

Poor Marian.

She has no idea all the filthy things I want to do to her daughter.

Marian folds her hands together and rests her chin on top of it. “You know, I’m so glad Gracie has you boys looking out for her at Redwood.”

That makes two of us.

“It shocked me when she said she was moving back and teaching there. She wasn’t really treated well in high school. And that horrible tragedy with her friend, well, it traumatized her. Both of us, really. I thought she’d run far away.”

“What happened to her friend?”

Marian’s lips clamp shut.

I tilt my head, flashing her a charming smile. “It’s okay. You can tell me. I won’t tell anyone else.”

She glances back and forth as if someone bugged the house. Finally, she crooks her finger in my direction.

I drag my chair closer to hers.

“I’m only saying this because you’re family. Gracie made me swear not to talk about it with anyone.”

I nod, leaning in.

“Her sophomore year, she met this other scholarship student named Sloane. Sloane was a bit of a wild child. Wore lots of short clothes and piercings. She reminded me too much of those ladies in our old neighborhood.” Marian makes a face. “But Gracie was lonely and Sloane was the only one who’d talk to her. They got very close.”

“What happened to her?”

“She was murdered.”

My eyebrow twitches.

“The attacker was Sloane’s boyfriend. That’s what the police said, but Gracie swears there’s more to the story. She thinks there’s another reason Sloane got murdered and she thinks she’ll find that reason at Redwood.”