Page 32 of Chasing Shadows

As the others chat away, I pull out my phone and do a quick google search of my name. Photos and articles pop up from a huge charity event I went to with my father and Declan last year, but nothing recent. Nothing to give any indication that I’m missing, that they don’t know where I am.

I’m not stupid. I know they’re not going to just let me go–not because I’m their only daughter, but because I know too much about their business. Despite this, they’re also not going to send the police out looking for me. No. They’re smarter than that. They don’t want the police around asking questions. They’ll go underground, which makes them even more dangerous. I have no idea how far and wide their reach is. I should be safe here in Blue Haven, though. I have no connections here that they’re aware of. They have nothing linking me to the small beach town.

I’m surprised that Conrad also lives in Wren and Brady’s apartment building, but I decide this will be the perfect opportunity to try and find out more about what’s going on between him and Harley.

While we wait for the elevator, I study him out of the corner of my eye. I haven’t seen Tom and Harley’s dad–there are no photos of him in the house, which makes a whole lotmore sense now–and I’m struggling to find the familial resemblance. I wonder if Conrad looks more like his mum. He does have the same intense ice blue eyes as Tom and Harley, though.

“Can I ask you something?” I blurt out as the doors slide open, and we step into the elevator.

He looks down at me with an amused grin. “Sure.”

“What’s the go with you and Harley? I mean, I know you just found out you’re brothers, and that must be a lot to get used to, but I don’t get all the awkward tension.”

Conrad’s eyes widen, and he exchanges a look with Wren and Ivy, who both shrug. “Well, it seems like you know the whole family history, then, doesn’t it?”

My cheeks heat, but I meet his gaze. “Sorry, I’m just trying to understand why he seems so weird around you.”

“Has he ever mentioned Ellie to you?”

“Conrad…” Ivy warns, giving him a pointed look.

I ignore her and say, “His ex, right?”

“Right.” Conrad presses his lips together looking physically pained as he gives a brief nod. “She’s my sister.”

My jaw drops. “Wait. What? But she’s not…”

He shakes his head. “Different dads, same mum. She’s not related to Harley.”

“But it was complicated,” I mutter, recalling Harley’s words to me about his relationship the night we met.

Conrad has a different take on those words, though. “Yeah. It was. In more ways than one. Before we even found out about the brother thing, I wasn’t very nice to Harley.”

Ivy snorts. “That’s an understatement.”

He squeezes her waist, and she pokes her tongue out at him. They’re so adorable, and I feel a pang of jealousy. I’ve never had anything like that. I was never allowed to date through high school, and Declan treated me like a possession or an asset, not someone who he could fall in love with.

“My point is,” Conrad says, jolting me from my thoughts. “All Ellie ever wanted was for us to try and get along, and I’m trying, but he’s got to work through his own shit before that’s going to happen. That includes whatever’s going on withyou.”

“Me?” I squeak out as the doors slide open on Wren’s floor. My cheeks heat as I splutter, “We’re just friends.”

Conrad holds his hand out to keep the doors open as I follow Wren into the hall. “We’ve all seen the way he looks at you, Lily, and it’s more thanjust friends.” He winks as he steps back, and the doors close on him and Ivy, leaving me standing slack jawed.What the hell was that?

Wren sighs. “Ignore him. He shouldn’t have said anything.”

“Harley doesn’t look at me in any way,” I mumble as we walk towards her apartment. “Wearejust friends.”

She shoots me a sympathetic look, unlocking the door and flicking on the lights. Brady is helping Jordan put together a new bookshelf, so we decide to stuff ourselves with chocolate and popcorn and binge watchChilling Adventures of Sabrina.

But as obsessed as I am with Ross Lynch, my mind isreplaying every interaction I’ve ever had with Harley, trying to decipher every look, every touch. Conrad’s wrong. There’s nothing there. At least… no. Nope. Not going there. Harley and I are just friends.

Halfway through the third episode, there’s a knock at the door, which causes us both to jump. I glance at the clock, realising just how late it’s gotten. Wren gets up to open the door, and my pulse races when I see Harley leaning against the door frame.

“Hey Wren,” he says with a nod before looking over at me. “You ready to go?”

I nod and make my way over to the door, pausing to give Wren a hug. “Thank you for trusting me,” I whisper so he won’t hear. She squeezes me tight, and I follow Harley out into the hall.

“You good?” he asks when we’re alone in the elevator.

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