Page 120 of Seeking Shadows

They’re cute.

It reminds me that I was deep in a food fight with him and hadn’t exactly been polite enough to say hello.

Before I can stop myself, I’m hugging him.

“Are you going to greet me properly or did you just come over to steal my food?” I ask, and Laura smiles as if amused.

He stands still like a statue.

I think I made a mistake.

“Sorry,” I say, pulling away. “I forgot you don’t like contact.”

“Apology accepted,” he says, adjusting his collar. “I trust it won’t happen again.”

I bet I can get him to soften up in no time.

I can’t resist smiling.

Pietro has that intimidating energy, but deep down, he’s surprisingly kind to me.

I bet I’m the favorite in law.

“Can I ask a question?”

He crosses his arms. “That was already a question.”

“Okay, then I’ll do it without asking… I’m your favorite in law, right?”

“I mean, you and Cecilia seem to make faces at each other all the time. You don’t make faces at me.”

Don't ask me how I know that—because that would mean totally throwing Abby under the bus for practically devouring every piece of drama while we talked. Then again, maybe I should, considering how effortlessly she served me up to my brother that day.

And with that, Laura laughs.

Part of me wants to deflect from the previous conversation with Laura, but another part of me is genuinely curious about this fact.

“No Mia, I have no reason to make faces at you.”

“So I’m softening your hard-shelled husband?” I tease Laura.

“That was probably Eleonora,” she argues.

“Don’t worry, Pietro. It’s completely understandable to be softened by that cute thing.”

“I really don’t want to be a part of this conversation,” he says, turning away but not before kissing Laura on the forehead. They lock eyes, which is extremely cute.

“My God, you two look like one of those movie couples.”

“Mia,” Laura says, blushing, and Pietro looks at me seriously, though I can tell there’s a hint of excitement behind his gaze.

"I'm not exactly used to one of your siblings actually liking us. It's... kind of weird to see, honestly."

“Ceci and Seth don’t like you two together?”

“They don’t have much of an opinion now that we’re married with kids,” Laura says.

“But they both tried to kill me,” Pietro explains, and I widen my eyes, grabbing a cupcake.

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