Page 145 of Seeking Shadows

I grimace. “Okay, Mr. Mysterious. Are you trying to kill me?”

“No, I couldn’t. You’re married to one of the members. That doesn’t mean I am, but if I were, it’d be a serious violation of the code.”

I laugh.

“Okay, then we can be friends. And you can’t flirt with me—I promised Zane I’d stab you in the balls if you did.”

“Oh no, I don’t flirt with married women. Especially those who can stab me in the balls,” he says, placing my milkshake in front of me before I even ask.

“You are a good friend.”

Adam laughs, and suddenly we’re chatting like old friends.

He tells me about a crazy trip to Greece, and I share my experience almost being scammed by a jewelry salesman in Madrid. The conversation flows—light, easy, and filled with that nice adrenaline rush of meeting someone new.

It’s a weird thing, really.

I love talking to people. I love the energy it gives me.

But at the end of the day, if I think about someone I want to spend my time with...

Zane will always be the first person in my mind. Always.

I glance at my phone and realize it’s time to go. I wave goodbye and step out of the restaurant, the cool night air hitting my face. I breathe it in, ready to walk a little to my car.

But then…

A firm pressure wraps around my arm.

Before I can react, I’m yanked backward.

“What—”

A hand covers my mouth.

The world spins as I’m dragged into a car, my feet struggling to find balance, my head spinning with the sudden movement. My heart races, and I try to fight it, but everything blurs.

My body gives way.

My vision starts to fade to black.

But before everything goes dark, my eyes catch a familiar face.

Lara.

And then, it all goes black.

The sweet smell of bubble teafills the air as Lara sighs and releases the restraints around my wrists. My muscles protest with an uncomfortable tingling, and I massage the irritated skin while watching her slide a cup and a pretzel toward me.

“I’m not here to hurt you,” she repeats, her voice unhurried, almost resigned. “I just ask that you don’t do the same.”

My jaw clenches.

“Are you here for revenge?” I ask, my voice a little resentful, even though I know I have no right to feel this way.

She thinks I killed her brother. I didn’t kill him. But I feel responsible.

Lara doesn’t answer right away. Instead, she sticks the straw into her cup and takes a sip before looking at me.

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