Page 192 of Seeking Shadows

Taylor stares at me for a second, then punches my shoulder lightly, rolling her eyes. “Don’t get sentimental, Zane.” But there’s something softer in her gaze.

We sit there, side by side, with nothing more to say. And for the first time since I left, I feel like—somehow—we’ve finally come home.

“Oh, cool. Family reunion, and no one invited me?”

Kyle’s voice cuts through the quiet, and when I turn, he’s standing there, hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable—but his eyes, as always, too intent.

Taylor sighs, crossing her arms. “You didn’t miss much. Just Zane getting pussy-whipped by Mia while he talks to Daddy.”

I clench my jaw, more at the name that leaves her lips than the provocation. Mia.

I don’t need to look at Kyle to know he’s tensed.

And sure enough, when I face him, his gaze has gone colder, calculating. I know what he’s thinking. Mia was a Riviera. The family that destroyed ours. And now that everyone knows about her and Seth, things are… complicated.

But what he doesn’t realize is that Mia isn’t like Nico. And neither Mia nor Nico destroyed our family.

Our mother did. When she gave up on herself.

And I’m tired of waiting for someone to ask me to choose a side.

“My loyalty is to Mia,” I say firmly, looking Kyle dead in the eye. “If you have a problem with that, say it now.”

"Relax, I have nothing to say about your wife."

"Not even after knowing the truth?"

Kyle looks at me, and I’m surprised to see a hint of emotion on his face. Abby is working wonders with this boy.

"She’s yours. And you’re my brother. This isn’t about Evermore. I respect your decision."

"She doesn’t deserve the disdain. She’s nothing like Nico. She just suffered at his hands. And I would never tolerate that from either of you." I look between him and Taylor, and she just holds up her hands.

"Don’t make me the moral compass here. Your life, your decisions," she says.

The silence between us seems to last forever. Kyle holds my gaze, and for the first time, I really don’t know what to expect from him.

Then, to my surprise, he just lets out a heavy sigh.

"I understand."

I blink, not sure if I heard correctly. "You understand?"

He shrugs, his expression hardening. "If anyone dared to talk shit about Abby in front of me..." He fixes his gaze on mine, his voice low and menacing. "That would be their fucking last words."

The tension dissolves, even though nothing more needs to be said.

Taylor rolls her eyes. "You guys are such romantic idiots, my God."

"Said the girl who spent years obsessing over her best friend."

"Get Harvs’ name out of your mouth, bitch."

"Brat."

"Idiot."

Kyle gives her a wry look. "And you, sentimental as always."

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