Page 209
He leaned in and kissed me on the lips.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” I pushed the door open.
The room was already buzzing. Milo sat at the piano running through scales, Theo was arguing with Sebastian about tempo, and Finnley was perched on the arm of a chair looking as though he’d had way too much caffeine.
Theo glanced up first. “Well, look who’s finally decided to join us.”
Several voices rose at once, all of them greeting Quinn.
I laughed. “Well, now I know where I rank.” I glanced at Theo. “Looks like I’ve officially been replaced.”
Quinn bumped shoulders with me. “Relax. You’re still the reason they’re all here.” He slipped past me and took a seat near the back wall, exactly where he’d said he wanted to be.
I scanned the room automatically. Julian was leaning against the piano, arms folded, watching the doorway.
Watching me.
The moment our eyes met, he smiled.
A small knot tightened in my stomach, and I had no idea why.
Theo clapped his hands once. “Before we start properly, Julian has something he’d like to try.”
I frowned. That wasn’t part of the plan.
Julian and Milo hadn’t moved from the piano.
“What kind of something?” Sebastian asked.
Julian smiled. “An experiment.”
I caught Julian’s eye. What are you doing? I mouthed.
Julian’s expression was way too innocent.
Theo gestured toward Milo. “Whenever you’re ready.”
I gaped. “Wait—”
Milo played the first chord, low and warm, and the sound rolled through the room like a slow breath. Julian peered at the piece of paper in his hand, and as soon as he began singing, I froze.
Those are my words.
My stomach dropped.
Across the room Quinn straightened in his chair.
I am going to kill Julian.
Quinn
Julian’s voice settled easily into the melody, warm and steady, and the room quieted almost immediately.
I leaned back in my chair. Julian had one of those voices that could make even the simplest melody feel deliberate, as though every note had somewhere it needed to land.
Then the words began to register.
You walked in reading all the rules
