Page 26 of Heart Thief

“More like a newborn baby.”

“Seriously.”

We walk in silence for a bit, enjoying a lazy gait.

Curiosity makes me say, “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure. Shoot.”

His fast response makes me feel like he’s an open book. I like that. “What happened between you and Ryker?”

“He’s never told you?”

“No, he doesn’t talk about you much.” I pause. “I’m sorry, that came out wrong.”

He strokes Artie’s head. “No worries. I’m well aware of how my brother feels about me.”

“He told me about you, but not much more, other than there was a rift between you.”

“You know, Mila, perhaps it’s better if Ryker tells you. If you ask two different people about the same story, you’ll get two different answers.”

“I’d like to hear your side.” He stops mid-stride and faces me. So I stop and do the same. “What? What’s wrong?”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For wanting to hear my side.”

I nod. “I’d like you and Ryker to have a relationship, so maybe it starts with us. You’re probably going to be my brother-in-law, after all.”

“Probably?”

A small sigh escapes. “Yes, probably. To be honest, I don’t know for sure what will happen between me and Ryker. We’re a work in progress.” I’m still shaken by his angry voice as he yelled at Zane. Will he use that tone on me if I upset him? That’s unacceptable to me.

“Fair enough.”

“It kills me that he thinks of you as his enemy.”

Zane stiffens. “He said that?”

“Sorry. I assumed you knew he felt that way.”

“I guess I did.” He shrugs and we resume walking.

“You know, Zane, no one will tell me the whole truth and it bothers me. Both Ryker and your mother talk around the state of affairs. I gotta say, it’s tough to hear what your own mother has to say about the situation. If I can do something to mend fences, I’d like to help. Am I butting in where I’m not wanted? Tell me if I am.”

“Here’s the thing. You can’t fix it, Mila. You should know that right now. You’ll only be disappointed. And Debra’s not my mother.”

This time I stop in my tracks. “What?”

Zane faces me again. “My mother passed when I was only three months old. My father married Debra shortly thereafter and they had Ryker. I’m the barely tolerated stepson with the evil stepmother who pretty much hates my guts.”

He says it casually, like it’s no big deal. I know it must hurt much more than he’s letting on.

“Oh, I didn’t know that. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s been that way my whole life. I don’t know anything different.”

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