Page 199 of Seeking Shadows

So when I overheard my mom talking to Ky and Amber, I knew something was off. Not just off—wrong. I didn’t wait. I never do when it comes to her.

She stays at the Ross house when she’s not with me. Ellie Ross is her godmother, close to my mom. But Ellie gave up pretending a long time ago. She’s sharp. I respect that.

I go in through the window. I don’t care who sees. I don’t need permission. I need to get to Taylor.

And when she sees me—she smiles. That smile...

It ruins me. It keeps me here.

She leans on me like I’m the only safe place left.

“How do you always know when I need you?” she whispers.

“Best friends’ intuition,” I say.

She frowns, quieter now.

“I thought you had a date with Judy.”

My mom keeps pushing Judy at me—like a pet project she can fix me with. I scheduled the date. Didn’t show.

“You matter more. Bros before hoes remember?”

Taylor laughs, a sharp, almost frantic sound, trying to shove the mess inside her away. But then her expression crumbles, and I can see it coming, even before she spits the words out.

“My mom called me a bitch again,” she spits out, voice thick with bitterness. “I was just playing CoD Mobile, Harvin. My headphones were on, I was in the zone.”

She starts pacing, her body twitching with energy, like her skin can’t handle the anger crawling beneath it.

“I didn’t even hear him walk in. And then, bam—he’s there. Talking to me like I’m some damn toy. Saying the nastiest shit.”

She kicks at the wall, her foot slamming against it with enough force to rattle her bones. I can feel her pulse through the air, her anger radiating out of her like heat.

“I told him to get the hell out,” she continues, voice rising, raw. “I pushed him. I swear I did. But he didn’t care. He—he just laughed, like it was all some damn joke.”

Her breathing picks up, her chest heaving like she’s suffocating. Her eyes are wild, burning with something I can’t quite name. Fear, rage, pain—it’s all tangled up.

“I should’ve hit him harder,” she mutters, fists clenched. “I should’ve—god, why couldn’t I—” Her voice breaks, and that’s when I step in.

I wrap my arms around her, pulling her into the solid quiet of me. She freezes, tension running through her like a live wire, but then she relaxes, just a little, sinking back into my hold.

“It’s not your fault,” I say, my voice quiet but firm. “And you don’t have to go back there. You’re not safe there, Taylor. From now on, you can stay at my place. I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

She shakes her head, frustration flickering in her eyes. “It’s more complicated than that, Harvin.”

I step back just enough to look at her, to get her full attention. I’m not going to back off, though. She needs to hear this.

“I get that,” I say, my voice steady, “but you don’t have to stay there anymore. I know it’s complicated, but I’m serious—you can sneak out every night if you need to. Sleep at my place. You’ll be safe there.”

She hesitates, her gaze dropping to the floor. It’s like she’s weighing every word, but she knows I’m right.

The space between us is filled with the quiet hum of things unsaid. Finally, she looks back up at me, the tension still heavy in her face, but she nods.

“Okay,” she says, her voice soft but real. “I’ll sneak out.”

A small wave of relief hits me. “We’ll figure it out together,” I say, my grip on her loosening just enough to let her breathe. “And hey, tomorrow, we’re going shopping. You wanted new stuff, right?”

She snorts softly, though there’s a faint trace of a smile tugging at her lips. “You hate shopping.”

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