Page 112 of Seeking Shadows

He doesn't deny it.

“And the black hair? How are you going to explain that?” I ask, tilting my head to study the dark strands.

“It’s not real dye.” He runs a hand through his hair. “It’s a temporary cream. If I wash it out, it’ll go back to normal.”

My eyes light up. “That’s really cool! I didn’t know that existed!”

“You can buy as many colors as you want if you agree to go home where it’s safe.”

My face falls. “You know I can’t, Zane. My father is dangerous.You go back.”

He clenches his jaw, frustration clear in his posture. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”

Silence. I take a deep breath.

Great, let’s fight again.

Before he can respond, I chime in, changing my tone. “Hey, wait. You’re going to see your brother and nephew. That’s exciting! You like Liam, right? It’ll be fun! You can smile a little.”

Zane snorts, looking away, but I catch the corner of his mouth twitch, as if he’s trying to hold back a smile.

“I smile,” he murmurs.

“Not that ‘I’m a mysterious, suffering artist’ smile.” I mimic his frown and then give an exaggerated grin. “A real smile.”

He rolls his eyes. “Just go.”

I laugh, the sound light and unsteady, and without thinking, I lean in, my lips brushing against his cheek. But just as my lips make contact, his gaze shifts, locking with mine—deep, intense, that familiar pull.

His eyes hold me in place, daring me to come closer, to let him take the kiss further. It’s a challenge.

A promise.

Then my mouth is on his.

He kisses me fiercely, like he's staking a claim, like he wants more than just my mouth—he wants all of me. His lips are demanding, his grip firm as he pulls me closer, molding me against him.

There's nothing soft about it; it's raw, intoxicating, a collision of heat and hunger that makes my breath hitch.

His fingers dig into my waist, possessive, like he's memorizing the shape of me, like letting go isn't an option. And for a moment, caught in the urgency of him, I don't want him to.

With a sharp exhale, he pulls away. His hands flex by his sides, and I can feel the distance he’s putting between us, the walls he’s built so damn high. He doesn’t say a word. Doesn’t need to. His silence speaks louder than anything, the tension hanging thick between us.

I step back, my heart pounding in my chest. Every inch of me longs to stay, to push against that wall he’s so carefully constructed, but I turn my back instead.

I walk away, each step a battle against the pull of him, against the desire that burns in my veins.\

But I keep walking toward the mansion

My heart races. Because for a moment the kiss made me forget.

My sister is in there. My family.

Seth set up this meeting with Laura after I accidentally let it slip that things had become complicated when it came to seeing her these days. Zane, as always, made sure I was safe, taking extra precautions to ensure I could slip into enemy territory without my father catching wind of it. He covered every angle, every detail, as though nothing could go wrong, even though everything about this felt like walking on a razor's edge.

I take a deep breath and walk inside.

The door closes behind me, and the air inside the mansion smells woody and clean, but there’s something else. Something warm. Familiar in a way I didn’t expect.

---