Page 124 of Power of Shadow

I’ve been putting off this conversation for days. It’s always “not the right moment,” always “just a little longer.” And now that time is over.

Suddenly, someone knocks on the door. Zoe and I look at each other, surprised.

“Did you invite someone over?” she asks.

“Of course not. Did you?”

Zoe shakes her head. She presses Pause on the remote and gets up with a sigh. Turning on the light she opens the door.

“Well, well, well. It’s Ryker,” Zoe says with feigned joy, laced with irritation. As soon as Ryker passes her in the doorway, she adds coolly, “And his faithful mutt, Elijah.”

“Ladies,” Eli greets us, his voice warm. “Sorry to interrupt your evening.”

“Then you shouldn’t have, and you wouldn’t have to apologize,” Zoe adds sweetly.

Meanwhile, Ryker comes up to me and plants a quick kiss on my lips. I’m about to open mine, begging for more, but he pulls away.

You’re so easy, Ash, I admonish myself.

However, until now, I hadn’t realized how much I missed him. And yet, it has only been a couple hours since we last saw each other.

Unease quickly replaces this excitement when I notice how tense he is. With a grim expression, he plants his butt on the table and stares at me. And I just feel... that something’s very wrong.

“Ryker?” My voice is soft but suspicious.

He doesn’t answer, just stares.

What’s going on here?

“Zoe, take a seat,” Eli says.

“I’m not a dog. You’re not giving me orders.”

God, these two. If they were left alone in the apartment for half a second, they would slit each other’s throats.

“Let me try again.” He clears his throat. “Zoe, please sit on the couch for a moment.”

Now I’m sure that something is seriously wrong. And judging by the look my sister gives me, she’s aware of it too. Eli’s being too polite, and that doesn’t bode well.

With her legs shaking, Zoe obeys his request, not taking her eyes off him.

“Now will you tell us what’s going on?” I ask, staring at my man.

He grabs my hand and squeezes it tightly. “I’m afraid we have bad news...” His voice breaks for a moment. “We’re both so sorry we have to break this to you. There’s no good way to say it...”

“Ryker! Just tell us what happened! I don’t need a textbook introduction to psychology.”

The guys exchange a quick glance, and Eli nods. Do I seem emotionally unstable? Maybe I am.

Like every time I’m expecting a blow, I tense up. My thoughts start spinning, and I clench my hands.

Every minute of silence drives me crazy.

“Your father is dead. We’re very sorry,” Ryker says softly.

Silence falls, the kind that not only deafens but also crushes.

Impossible! No fucking way! I just found him. I just talked to him for the first time in my life!