Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty-Five

ZANE

I'm still annoyed that Grey met Hall by herself and didn't tell me anything.

But I get a little less annoyed when, as the night courses on, she tires of pacing and comes to sit beside me like we didn't have a big fight in our hotel room.

What's left of the anger disintegrates when she falls asleep and her head drops on my shoulder like a rock.

I sink lower in my chair, knowing our height difference will give her a crick in her neck if I don't adjust my body. She sighs in contentment and nuzzles against my shoulder.

Damn, she's too cute to stay mad at.

I smile in spite of myself and glance over at Finn, who chose not to go back to his hotel room either. He's been sitting in the corner, pretending to read. I can tell he's not focused though because he keeps tapping his fingers on his thigh.

I've never seen my brother fidget. I didn't think he was capable of having nervous energy.

"Hey," I call to him, trying not to speak too loudly in case I wake Grey.

Finn's eyes snap up to mine.

"You okay?"

He walks over to the tray of food that no one touched and grabs a bottle of water. "Just wondering why Sol's not back yet."

"Sol can take care of himself."

That much became clear tonight.

We're all lunatics. All of us. I'm certainly not a saint. You don't grow up with a father as rich and famous as Jarod Cross without earning some serious personality flaws. Mostly in the form of not caring about rules because they rarely apply.

But Sol made a big leap from faking a death to actually attempting murder—whether it was just to scare Hall or not.

He told us every bit of his deeds matter-of-factly. Even the part where he held a knife to Hall's neck in the dark and considered slashing his throat. He didn't though, which he made a point to emphasize, but I don't think any of us were assured by that.

In the end, we all kind of rolled with it. Dutch seemed resigned about Sol's new murder-y tendencies. Finn just wore his usual blank expression.

I'm the only one who freaked out.

At least outwardly.

I noticed my twin pulling Sol aside and asking him if he'd consider returning to therapy. I expected Sol's response to be ‘no', but I'm proud of Dutch for trying anyway.

"He should have been back by now," Finn says, checking his watch.

"Are you worried about Sol or is it something else?"

"What else could it be?" Finn stiffens.

"Maybe you finally asked Jinx out and she said no?"

"You're an idiot," he says, a little too tersely.

My laughter dies in my throat. Finn is the brother who always keeps things close to the chest. Hell, Dutch is a blabbermouth compared to him. But he's clearly breaking down. I keep getting the feeling that my brother needs me now more than ever.

"Finn, what the hell, man?" I realize I'm talking too loudly when Grey shifts in her seat. Lowering my voice so I don't disturb my wife, I add, "Something's going on with you."

His jaw hardens.

"Stop torturing yourself and just spit it out."

"Not everyone has the luxury of spitting out exactly what comes to their heads, Zane."

"Maybe you should try it for once."

He remains silent. Like a freaking stone.

I change the subject. "Did you hear? Dad's announced he's running for governor."

An eyebrow twitching, Finn slumps into his chair. "I know."

"He called you. Which means he wants to see us."

Finn's chest expands with a big breath. He stares at the floor like he has the world on his shoulders.

"Finn?"

He looks up, his hair disheveled and his eyes red-rimmed.

"Did dad say something to you?"

He shakes his head and goes back to sulking.

I give up on talking to my brother and turn my attention to Grey. Her long lashes and lush lips are like a painting hung in the center of a museum in Italy or Rome. One of those exclusive, quiet places mom used to drag us to when we were kids.

Sometimes, looking at her makes me feel like I'm strapped in a rocket, hurtling toward outer space. Like I'm entering this whole new world, one that could drag me into a black hole if I'm not careful. And yet, the risk is worth it just because I get to see the world from a higher, better view.

"You ever think this is all for nothing?" Finn asks quietly.

I did. A lifetime ago. Nothing I was doing, not the music, the sex, the drinking—made the emptiness go away.

But then I met Grey.

I snap my attention away from the beautiful woman on my shoulder and focus on my brother who looks like a rope that's fraying by the second. Soon, it'll only be a thin thread of string.

"You ever think," he swallows, "that it's not that the maze is moving but that there really is no exit?"

I sit up straighter, alarmed. Grey scrunches her face in protest, but I can't soothe her. I've never in my eighteen years of life heard my brother talk like that.

"Finn…" I whisper.

He looks at me, his nostrils flaring.

"… what did dad say?"

Finn sniffs. Rubs the back of his neck. Leans forward.

Before he can speak, the door smashes open.

Grey jolts awake.

Sol stalks into the room, wearing a grim smile.

Finn springs to his feet, looking relieved.

Grey blinks sleepily and then jumps just as quickly into action when she recognizes Sol's return.

I get up more slowly, stuck on what Finn was about to tell me earlier and wishing Sol showed up a bit later.

"Did you get it? Was it there?" Grey demands, her eyes unnaturally bright and a crease on her cheek from my shoulder.

"Our little errand boy didn't let us down." Sol drops a flash drive in her hand. "The key worked and this is what he found in the locker."

Grey's voice trembles and tears flush her eyes when she lifts the flash drive to the light. "Finally," she breathes. "Evidence."