Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

ZANE

I can't shrug out of that tuxedo jacket fast enough. Finn throws me the duffel bag from Dutch's trunk and I rake through the contents until I find my t-shirt and motorcycle jacket.

"That went better than expected," Sol mumbles, standing in nothing but his dress slacks and sneakers. I can see everything from his waist up. The bruises from our fight with Hall are still visible on his back and side.

Dutch grunts and I interpret it as I agree.

Finn is reading on a bench, resting his back against a nurse's locker with the name tag ‘STACY'. I think she's the one we flirted with to get access to this room. Or I could be wrong. I never was the type to remember names. Now that I'm married, I don't need to remember any other name but one.

"You all highly underestimate my charm," I say, unbuttoning the rest of my shirt.

"No," Dutch says, "we underestimated how badly Miss Jamieson wants to solve her friend's murder."

I wad up my shirt and throw it at him.

Dutch catches it in his two hands. His wedding ring glints in the light. Mine does the same.

Huh. Never thought I'd get married, but it's weird how right that ring feels on my finger.

"At least I got invited to this wedding," Sol mumbles, giving Dutch the side eye.

My twin shrugs.

Sol tenses up in response.

I laugh, stepping between them. One day, Dutch and Sol are going to duke it out. But not here. Not on my wedding day.

"A wedding doesn't mean all our problems are magically solved. We still have to find the guy who tried to kill Grey in the cliffs. He's out there and now that she declared war on The Grateful Project, whoever started that program will be even more eager to shut her up."

"Don't forget about dad."

"How could I?" I roll my eyes at my twin. Dad and I have unfinished business. I need to repay him for manipulating Grey and dragging me away so I couldn't protect her in time.

Dutch shrugs his shirt on and looks at me with his golden eyes. "Have you heard anything from him?"

"Why would I?"

"You're the one he keeps taking for a drive."

I scowl, well aware that the reason dad keeps cornering me is because he thinks I'm the family screw up and the weakest link.

"Dad's in hiding for now."

There's a thoughtful pause.

I finish lacing up my combat boots.

"Someone's going to die soon," Finn says.

His words send an eerie chill through the air, even if it's something we've probably all thought.

"You think it'll be one of us?" Sol asks, glancing around.

Dutch scoffs.

Finn smirks like the thought of death excites him. Sometimes, I'm curious about my brother and what goes on in his head. But in moments like these, I realize I don't really want to know what Finn is thinking.

"I'd rather he come after me than Grey," I say.

"How are you so sure her name isn't on dad's list?" Dutch challenges.

"The same way you're sure Cadey's name isn't on that list."

Dutch glances away.

It's not that we truly believe dad wouldn't hurt our women. It's that we have to believe it. There's no room in our minds to think of harm coming to the people we'd die for.

"In my opinion, you should be more afraid of Jarod Cross than whoever's behind The Grateful Project," Sol says, standing up and setting his sneakers on the bench so he can tie his laces. "When Dutch was the only one who could get the inheritance, your dad went insane. The year isn't up yet and now Zane's in the running too. He'll feel that pressure."

I let Sol's warning soak in and twirl the fingers of my good hand around an invisible drumstick. This would be the moment I'd normally crack a joke, something along the lines of me having the superior baby-making skills.

But this isn't a laughing matter.

Not when Grey's involved.

Sol notices how sober we are and offers a nervous smile. "Or not. Maybe he won't care."

"He cares," Finn says calmly, certainly. "But dad's not going to intervene yet,"

We all look at him.

"What do you mean?" I demand.

He flips the pages of his book. "What does Jarod Cross value over everything?"

"Money," I blurt.

"Power," Dutch growls.

"Fame," Sol says.

Finn turns another page. "None of those things is family."

"Which means what?" Sol asks.

Finn looks up like it's obvious. "He'll wait to see if we'll tear each other down from the inside."

I frown. "What?"

"You mean," Dutch is always the first to figure Finn out, "he'll expect Zane and I to fight over the inheritance."

"Cadey isn't pregnant yet," Finn says matter-of-factly and I see Dutch clench his fingers into fists. "The inheritance is a significant amount and there's no clause saying you have to share it between us. Dad will wait for one of us to betray each other. Even if we don't stab each other in the back, we might get distracted with suspicions."

"He thinks he can destroy us without lifting a finger," I whisper.

"Damn, he's diabolical." Sol shivers in fear.

"I could be wrong. No one really knows what dad is thinking." Finn shrugs and goes back to reading his book as if he didn't just outline our father's evil villain plan in crystal clear detail.

I believe dad would want us to hurt each other, but I also know dad is the type to always have a contingency plan. He won't just sit back and wait. It's not his style.

But good ole' dad won't have to worry about me and the inheritance. I doubt I'll have a chance at getting my hands on the money.

Dutch and Cadey got together because they love each other and they're banging all the time, but Grey wants me as much as she hates me. And she hates me… a lot. Forcing her to marry me probably didn't score any points or make her interested in anything more than passionate hate-screwing.

Which is fine by me except I know for a fact that if I don't get her to like me, there's no way she's having my baby.

Sol's phone buzzes and his expression tightens instantly.

I take notice. "Who's that?"

"No one." He swings his bag over his shoulder.

Dutch stands. "Aren't you staying for the reception dinner?" Everyone is surprised by the invitation until he finishes with, "Cadey was hoping we could all be there."

A scowl crawls over Sol's face. "Something came up."

"Does it have anything to do with Hall?" Finn says indifferently.

Sol freezes and looks guilty for a second. "No, why?"

Finn doesn't answer.

"You should stay, Sol. It's my wedding day."

"So? You need me to watch you rail Miss Jamieson tonight? Should I give you pointers?"

"Screw off." I throw a playful punch.

"I told you already. Unlike you, I'm not interested in seeing my teachers naked." Sol pushes the door open and then lets it slam shut before spinning to look at me. "Although, if any teacher can change my mind, it'd be Miss Jamieson."

I rush forward.

Sol lets out a raucous laugh and darts outside, slamming the door in my face.

"I'll crack his skull," I growl.

"Get in line," Dutch mumbles.

Finn rolls his eyes, silently flipping a page.

"Are you really going to let Hall live?" Dutch asks me.

"My wife asked me to keep things legal."

"And?'"

"And you know what they say, happy wife, happy life."

Finn looks up from his book as if I'm disgusting.

Dutch scowls harder than I've ever seen him scowl. "How often are you going to cram the words ‘my wife' into the same sentence?"

"My wife? You mean my wife? Grace Elizabeth Jamieson? My first and only wife in this lifetime? That wife?"

Dutch pretends to gag.

I grin at my brothers. "Haven't decided yet."

Finn points at him without raising his eyes from the book. "Don't act like you were any better when you got married."

I laugh at Dutch's sputtering face.

Just then, I get a text.

Grey: I'm ready.

Pleased, I text back: coming.

I'd make a joke, but there isn't anything funny about what'll unfold tonight. I just hope Grey is ready for what's about to happen.

Hell…

I hope we both are.