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“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I think you do. Everyone knows to whom your heart belongs. And since I have captured you with my diabolical scheme, we both know who will come to your rescue. Healwaysdoes.”

Nick blinked. “Leave him alone or I’ll—wait a minute. Are you quoting myfanfiction? Are you serious right now?”

Owen tilted his head back and cackled maniacally. It was a good evil laugh, much to Nick’s dismay.

Rebecca Firestone didn’t seem to find it funny. Neither did Nick, but he wasn’t going to feel any kind of kinship with her again. He’d learned his lesson.

“No,” Owen said. “Oh, no. You’re supposed to say your line, Nicky. He doesn’t care about you, even though we both know it’s a lie. And thenI’lltell you how wrong you are, how wrong you’ve always been. Because I would know. I’ve seen the expression on his face when you weren’t looking, when you were giving me those big ol’gosh golly geeeyes of yours. Oh, Nicky. He was hurting. And yet, he still managed to hold himself back. He let you go, even though everything he’s done has been for you.” Owen sighed. “It was really quite precious. He saw the devastation left behind after your mother died. He told himself he was going to make the world a better place for you. It was… sweet. Misguided, but sweet. Especially when I knew I could do it better. After all, all it takes to become famous is a little flash, some good PR, and voila! Instant love and adoration.” He turned and reached out, patting Rebecca Firestone on the cheek.

“You saved me,” she snarled. “That scaffolding would have crushed me if you hadn’t stopped it.”

“Oh,” Owen said. “You mean the scaffolding that I threw to begin with?”

Rebecca Firestone paled. “You didn’t.”

“I did,” he said gleefully. “And you took the bait. Even I was surprised how easy it was. All I had to do was smile at you, and you did everything I wanted.”

“Wow,” Nick said smugly. “Look how easy you are. You should feel totally embarrassed right now.”

“Andyou,Nick,” Shadow Star said, whirling back around.

“Nope,” he said. “Nope, nope, nope. We don’t need to talk about me. Let me have that sick burn I got on Rebecca Firestone, and that’ll be that. Also, maybe let me go? And turn yourself in.”

“You are just like her.”

Nick was going to straight up murder him. Screw what the Grays said about no killing. Owen wasdead.“You take that back!”

“All I had to do was smile in your direction, and you were mine.” Owen grinned at him. “Our dear, precious Pyro Storm didn’t see me one day when I followed him home. Imagine my surprise when I found out he was a kid like me. A sweet, innocent boy who hadsuch an obvious crush on this loud, annoying guy—it waspainfulto watch. But then I swooped in and took that from him. You didn’t even notice. So what does that make you, Nick?”

Before Nick could respond, Rebecca Firestone said, “Owen Burke.”

Owen turned again. “What was that?”

“Owen Burke,” she repeated slowly. “That’s… that’s what he said your name was. Owen Burke… as inSimonBurke. You’re… you’re Simon Burke’s son.”

“I am,” Owen said, taking a step toward her. The shadows underneath him shifted with every step he took, keeping him from falling. “You might even say that all of this isbecauseof him.”

“Shit,” Nick moaned. “I hate being right. Also, a villain with daddy issues? Come on, Owen. Try being original for once. First, you steal my fanfiction, and now you’re trying to be like every comic book baddie ever written? And don’t even get me started how you’re essentially ripping off Spider-Man by being a discount Harry Osborn. What the hell. Have some self-respect.”

He barely saw Owen move before a gloved hand was wrapped around his throat, squeezing tightly. Nick choked, trying to kick his legs out against Owen, but the shadows held him down tight. Pain lanced through his head as Owen bared his teeth, snarling. “This isn’t a game, Nicky. You still think we’re playing, but we’re not. You talk and talk andtalkand never say anything at all. It’s one of the things that pisses me off the most about you. God, it’s no wonder your mother died. I wouldn’t be surprised if she stepped in front of that bullet to get away from you.”

A red sheen fell over Nick’s eyes. Anger like he’d never felt boiled in his chest. His head was pounding, and all he wanted to do was lash out, to tear and punch and kick until Owen was nothing but a bloody mess of broken teeth and crushed bone.

“Good,” Owen breathed. “Good, Nick. There it is. I could see it, you know. Even though no one else could. You have this darkness in you. Oh, you haven’t had a chance to explore it, you haven’t been able to harness it any way that mattered, but it’s there, waiting to be let out. We’re the same, Nicky. Even if you can’t see it now, we’re the same. The things we’d do to protect those we care about. If you had a chance to go back, to be there in that bank, what would you do?”

“Screw you,” Nick spat.

Owen shook his head. “Such a brave face. You don’t need to do that with me. I know you, Nick. Better than everyone. Because Iamyou. We’re covered in shadows, you and me. It’s easy to give into it when you want it badly enough. I know what you would’ve done for her. You would have stopped them by any means necessary. Even if it meant blood on your hands.” His grip tightened. “Be gay. Do crimes.”

He wasn’t wrong, but Nick wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. “I amnothinglike you.”

“Aren’t you?” Owen asked, his face inches from Nick’s, his breath hot against Nick’s cheeks. “Because I seem to remember you saying you would do anything to protect those you love. We’re not like Pyro Storm, Nick. You’re not like Seth. You and me, we have to fight tooth and nail just to be on his level. How is that fair? He won the genetic lottery, and the rest of us are supposed toaccept it? Why should he get to have powers the rest of us don’t? I may hate my father, but he still gave me the tools to become what I am. He didn’t know how far I could take it. He will, though. Everyone will.”

“Pyro Storm is coming for me,” Nick snapped, spittle spraying from his mouth and landing on Owen’s mask. It glistened in the light. “And he’s gonna kick your ass.”

Owen let go of this throat, reaching up to ruffle Nick’s hair as he gasped in a deep breath. He gagged, eyes watering.