Page 149 of Seeking Shadows

“Well, whether you know it or not, it’s the truth,” Lara counters bluntly. “People care about you, Mia.”

Frustration spreads through my chest.

Lara studies me, her gaze more perceptive than I’d like. “Do you think Zane isn’t risking everything by being around you?”

My stomach turns when I hear his name.

“He always does that.” My voice comes out weaker than I intended.

“And eventually the shit will hit the fan,” Lara continues, firmly. “And it won’t be pretty.”

I swallow hard.

She doesn’t know.

She has no idea what’s really going on inside me.

How much I feel… trapped.

Like I’m being torn in half, forced to choose between two people I love.

Like no matter where I run, I’m always hurting someone.

And that…

This is destroying me.

I close my eyes for a moment, trying to contain the growing pressure in my chest. But it’s no use.

Because the truth is, Lara is right.

And I don’t know if I can handle what comes next.

CHAPTER 25

MIA

The sweet scentof sugar wakes me before I even feel the soft touch on my lips.

Slowly, I open my eyes to find Zane leaning over me, holding a vanilla cupcake topped with a small frosting heart. His eyes are soft, though he looks slightly uncomfortable with the sheer sweetness of the gesture, as if he's still deciding whether he should be doing this.

"Happy birthday," he murmurs, pressing a light kiss to my face.

I smile, lazy and still half-asleep, before flopping back onto the bed and pulling the blanket over my head.

"Five more minutes."

"Mia."

"Zane."

He sighs, effortlessly pulling the blanket away, exposing my face to the real world again. I narrow my eyes at him, and he returns a patient look, the cupcake still in his hand.

"If you don’t get up, I’ll eat it."

I sit up instantly, snatching the cupcake from his grasp and taking a bite before he even has time to blink. The sweet flavor explodes in my mouth, and I let out a satisfied moan.

"Oh, that’s good. That’s really good. Did you make it?"

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