“Is that what’s bothering you? That she’s here?” Zane clarifies.
“It’s over the line. She should never have come here.”
“Sorry, Dutch,” I grind out. “I should have left her to have a heart attack on the floor and get kidnapped by the guys who were afterme. I’ll remember that next time.”
“Don’t get your panties in a twist just because you’re screwing her, Finn. Oh, wait. You can’t screw her, right? Or she’s going to choke. I heard the doctor.”
The fury that I unleashed on Ace was never returned to its cage. I feel it bubbling up now, demanding I quiet Dutch with my fists.
“All right. All right. Enough. Geez.” Zane steps into my line of sight with one arm raised to me and another raised to Dutch. “Finn, no one is coming for your girl, all right? Dutch has some concerns and he’s right. They haven’t been addressed. We still don’t know why Jinx was gathering all that information on us. Can you at least see where he’s coming from?”
I glare a hole into the wall.
“And Dutch,” Zane coaxes, “I know you hate Jinx, but she’s helped us out. Big time. That counts for something.”
Dutch looks away.
Sol laughs nervously. “Damn. What’s gotten into you two? Making Zane the referee?”
He’s right. I’ve never felt these chaotic feelings before. Usually, nothing ever bothers me. But for some reason, I want totake down anyone who comes after J—whether that’s physically or emotionally.
The only one allowed to threaten her isme.
But I can’t ignore the truth in my brother’s warnings.
I don’t know anything about J’s motivations. She hasn’t even admitted to being the anonymous gossip blogger or confessed what she gained by stalking us.
She got involved in our relationships and kicked us around like pieces on a chess board, and she still shows that manipulative, secretive behavior now as she toggles between her feisty personality and that sweet, submissive facade.
This very moment, she could be listening in, gaining intel to extort us even more.
“Look.” Dutch’s tone loses some of its bite. “I just don’t like that Jinx is the only link between us and Cadence. It bothers me.”
“I get it. It bothers me too. But can’t we be grateful that she’s onourside?” Zane pins his blue eyes on me, a deep wrinkle in his brow. “Maybe Finn’s got it right. Maybe our strategy should be to keep her happy.”
Sol snorts. “Zane knows a thing or two about keeping women happy.”
“What? I’m a happily married man.” Zane points his drumstick in accusation.
“Exactly. The number of Redwood Prep girls who’re crying because they found out you’re married is… insane.”
Zane rolls his eyes.
Sol forces a laugh and glances between me and Dutch.
No one else is laughing.
“Jinx can’t be controlled.” Dutch’s gaze is laser-focused on the floor, but those words are for me. “You know that. She never trades for free.”
I bristle, but I don’t have a comeback because he’s right.
“Okay. Okay. Bottom line, we all need to be more careful around J. Can we agree on that?” Zane lifts both brows to emphasize his point. “Finn?”
Everything in me is fighting to tell them to screw off, but I trust my brothers with my life. And I don’t trust J, even though it looks like I’m arguing with my own family to stick up for her.
I dip my chin in understanding.
“And Dutch, maybe we can get the answers we want by, I don’t know, being nice? Smiling every once in a while?”
