Page 41 of Seeking Shadows

My body thrums with adrenaline, but it’s not just from the fight. It’s him. His weight pressing into me. The dark glint in his eyes. The way he shifts just enough for me to feel—

“I can feel how wet you are for me,” he murmurs, his voice relaxed, but his grip tightens just slightly.

I inhale sharply.

“Are you going to do something about it?” I whisper.

He hums in amusement, lowering his lips to my ear. “Maybe you deserve the punishment of walking around with soaked panties, knowing I’m the only one who can satisfy you.”

His words send an electric current through me, making my body tremble.

“Maybe I like the way you feel too much to hold back." His voice is low, rough with restraint, but his hands tell a different story. He drags his fingertips along my collarbone, slow and deliberate, before trailing lower, skimming the edge of my dress.

When he reaches my thigh, his touch turns teasing—lazy circles, featherlight, just enough to make me shiver. His fingers press in slightly, a silent promise, a threat of something deeper, something that will leave my pulse frantic and my legs weak.

"You're all cute and chatty, aren't you?" His voice is a murmur against my skin, warm and teasing. His lips move slowly, deliberately, tracing a path down my collarbone, lingering just enough to make me shudder. Then lower—his mouth ghosting over my ribs, my stomach, leaving heat in its wake. By the time he reaches the edge of my panties, his breath is hot against my skin, maddeningly close yet just far enough to make me squirm. His fingers follow, skimming over the fabric, barely touching, just enough to make me ache for more. “But I know how to shut you up, Mia. The thing is—I don’t want to. I like you loud. Preferably when it’s my name on your lips. Or when you tell me exactly how much and how you like to be fucked.”

Heat floods my cheeks, matching the throbbing between my legs.

“Zane,” I plead, shifting beneath him.

He smirks. “Do you want me?”

“Yes,” I murmur, breathless.

“Then tell me the whole truth.”

He releases me and stands, leaving me cold, empty.

I blink up at him, my pulse still racing.

“I’ll wait in the car,” he says, turning away before I can even process what just happened.

I groan, dropping my head back in frustration.

CHAPTER 9

ZANE

PAST

Charlie’s beentalking about visiting the lab in Austin. I refused. I’m barely used to being in Dallas, which is already a stretch for me. But still, I’m going along with what she asked, and Laura Murray agreed to meet me here.

We’ve been working on the project for a while now, but she barely acknowledges me beyond what’s necessary for the project. It’s like I’m invisible to her, except when it comes to those specific details. Honestly? I’m pretty sure she hates me.

The TSOC lab is sleek, quiet, cool—and not just in temperature. Everything gleams. Brushed steel countertops, black glass panels, drawers organized with surgical precision. Every bottle labeled in font so clean it probably has a moral compass. The air smells faintly of ozone, fresh coffee, and something metallic—like blood, or maybe anticipation. It’s the kind of place built for absolute control—or for someone who can’t function without it.

Laura sits beside me, a tablet balanced effortlessly on her lap, eyes scanning the circuit I’m building like she’s watching a heart monitor.

“You’re good,” she says, voice steady like a data readout.

“Hmm. Thanks.”

“I’m serious.” She turns her head, finally looking at me. “And not because we’re family now. If that were the case, I’d have stayed silent.”

“Family, huh,” I mutter, adjusting the ignition wires. “Funny. Thought you hated me.”

She exhales, tucking her hair behind her ear with robotic precision. “I don’t hate you. I’m not Seth. I’m analytical. I don’t waste time hating people without a reason. You’re... interesting.” A pause. Her tone shifts slightly. “And so far, you haven’t given me a reason to tear you down.”

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