Page 50 of Seeking Shadows

I gave her everything—every damn piece I had left—and she’s still shutting me out like I’m a stranger.

I had to find the truth from someone else, and that’s what fucking pisses me off the most. How the hell did I get here? How the fuck did it come to this?

The betrayal stings like a knife, but the anger... the anger is what burns. I deserved better than this bullshit.

“You should’ve told me,” I whisper, jaw clenched. My throat’s raw like I’ve been screaming for days.

Steam fills the space like smoke. My skin’s red, cracked in some places. Doesn’t hurt enough. Not even close.

Then I feel it.

Something behind me.

The air shifts—just slightly. Like someone stepped in. Like someone’s breathing my air.

I freeze.

The water keeps running.

But I know she’s there.

MIA

Steam wraps around the tiles like smoke, thick and suffocating.

I step into the shower without asking.

Zane’s back is to me, head bowed under the water, hands braced on the wall like he’s holding himself up by a thread. His muscles are tight, carved with tension, like he’s seconds from breaking.

I don’t say a word.

I just press my bare chest to his spine and whisper, “Turn around.”

He doesn’t move.

So I grab his arm — harder this time — and shove him back. He stumbles a step, eyes snapping open as he turns to face me. His jaw is clenched, lips curled like I just ripped open a wound.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” he growls, water cascading down his face, dripping from his lashes. “You don’t get to show up like this.”

“I don’t need your permission.”

“You think you can just walk in here like nothing happened?” His voice rises, thunderous in the echo of the tile. “You’ve been lying to me. So why now, huh? You want to fuck me into forgetting?”

“Maybe I do,” I snap, stepping into his space, pressing our wet bodies together. “Maybe I want to see how much it takes before you finally let go.”

He grabs my wrists, slams me back against the wall with a snarl. “Don’t test me.”

“Or what?” I taunt, breathless. “You’ll ruin me? You already did that. And I loved every second.”

He growls, teeth bared. “You’re such a fucking brat.”

“Yeah? And youmissedit,” I whisper, grinding my hips up to his. “You missedme.You missed this.”

His breath catches — sharp, involuntary.

“You think I didn’t notice?” I keep going, wicked and low. “You think I don’t know how hard you were the last time I said your name? How many times you’ve stroked your cock to the thought of my mouth?”

“Shut up,” he mutters, voice shaking. But his hands are on me now, sliding down my waist, gripping my thighs like he’s about to lose his mind.

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