Dutch sticks his hands into his pockets, measuring me up.
I shift my gaze away. Why isn’t there anything pointy in my room? “I’m assuming you didn’t drive all the way out here and got mobbed by your fans just to ask about the cost of a hospital room.”
Dutch looks down at me, his eyes narrowed. I can feel his disdain like a mushroom cloud from a bomb. Zane slinks to his twin’s side and rests an elbow on Dutch’s shoulder. He smiles down at me, and I swallow hard.
That smile is objectively dazzling. Everything about Zane Cross is beautiful—from his dark hair to those otherworldly blue eyes to the body wrapped in lean muscle and ink.
If I were anyone else, I’d be totally disarmed.
But I know too much.
As stunning as that grin is, Zane is the most impulsive, unpredictable member of The Kings. There’s no pattern to his behavior, no rules to his conduct. He does what he wants, and if it’s the wrong thing, the forbidden thing… even better.
“Is there something I can help you with?” I ask Dutch. He’s the more level-headed twin. If I can get him on my side, he’ll keep Zane in line.
“That depends. Have you ever heard of a gossip blogger named Jinx?”
My watch beeps.
I fight the urge to step back. They’re watching every bead of sweat drop down my face, every tremble of my lips, every flutter of my eyelashes.
And they say nothing. They’re letting me stew in my own discomfort.
Breathe, J.
I can’t give them any reason to think that I’m nervous.
“Of course I know Jinx.” I push out my bottom lip, pouting. “I loved reading about you guys on her app. I’m a huge fan of The Kings.”
“Is that so?” Zane steps forward.
I swallow hard. There isn’t anything I can use to defend myself, but at least I can toss my slippers at them and make a run for it. Slowly, I wiggle my toes out of my Crocs when I rememberthat I can’t run. I can’t even move briskly unless I want my heart exploding.
I stick my toes right back in and take a deep breath.
I’m The Kings’ best chance at finding their wives. All I have to do is remind them of that, and they won’t hurt me.
Hopefully.
“I’m glad you guys are here,” I say, turning to my computer. “I made a breakthrough with the encryption.”
Zane’s gaze snaps to my computer desk.
Dutch goes very still, but his throat bobs with a swallow.
I lead them to my computer and point to the message terminal. “The kidnappers, uh… the programmers working for your mom—they intentionally left this code for me to find. I decrypted it, but I can’t figure out what it means…”
Silence drops like a guillotine.
It’s so loud that I whirl around, wondering what has the boys’ attention.
They’re staring at the four words like they’re drops of gold.
“When did they send this?” Zane whispers, his eyes glistening.
“Um…”
I’m too shocked to respond. Like a flipped switch, their menacing expressions have become tender and wistful.
