Page 28 of Symphony for Lies (Tangled Truths #2)

Sunday morning was quiet. The weekend was almost over, yet my mind felt like it hadn’t had a moment to decompress. Too many thoughts swirled around in my head. My friends and grandmother helped me silence them for a few hours, but something heavy settled over me after Zane’s unexpected visit.

I didn’t want to dwell on it. I wanted to trust him, but his words still echoed in my head. It felt like a warning, but why? What was I supposed to hear? Why was he speaking in riddles instead of telling me what was going on?

It could have something to do with Tristan, maybe his family, maybe… he told them about us. No way. His mother wouldn’t be happy about it.

With a heavy breath, I sat up, my gaze landing on Bella Carter’s contact information.

I wasn’t sure what I was hoping for. Maybe confirmation, a new perspective, a clue that made more sense than all the scattered pieces I had.

I picked up the phone and dialed the number.

It rang. Once, twice, three times. Nothing.

I tried again with the same result.

My grandmother had friends over, and I had left them to their own devices because they only talked about the suspect, Tristan. It was gossip after the breaking news, and I couldn’t listen to that talk.

I waited a moment and tried to call Bella Carter again.

A bright, clear voice answered after two rings. “Hello?”

Caught off guard, I didn’t say anything immediately. I hadn’t expected her to actually pick up.“Hi, am I speaking to Bella Carter?”

“Yes, who’s this?” At least she sounded curious.

I inhaled deeply. “Sorry to bother you, my name is Amelia Walker. I read about the murder spree from four years ago, the one with mysterious rhymes. I was wondering if I could speak with you.”

Silence.

A long, uncomfortable silence.

“I know this is out of the blue,” I added quickly. “And I understand if you don’t want to discuss it, but I need help. I think we have a copycat in our town. And I was hoping you could give me more details to aid the police.”

More silence.

There was the sound of shuffling on the other end of the line, and a deep male voice suddenly replaced hers. “Who are you, and what do you want with my wife?”

My throat went dry, but I forced myself to stay calm, quickly explaining the situation.

“I’m sorry to disturb you,” I finished. “But if you ever feel ready to talk, please call me back.”

And then I hung up.

Had I just ruined her day?

Her case was years old. Maybe she had finally been trying to move on, and I had just ripped open old wounds.

I bit my lip, guilt settling in my chest.Maybe I shouldn’t have contacted her.

I wasn’t sure how long I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling. But at some point, my phone vibrated. A new message.

Bella Carter.

She wanted to talk and asked me if I was free for a video call on Monday.

Hope flickered in my chest as I quickly agreed, thanking her profusely.

I spent the rest of the evening preparing some questions for our meeting.

The next day arrived in a blink, and I found myself already back at work. I was like a machine, not really feeling anything. Just functioning somehow.

Rita tapped her pen against her notepad, her eyes gleaming with pure curiosity.“Amelia, will you tell me who that attractive man was?” The blue light from the computer screen reflected on her glasses as she watched me like a hawk.

“He’s just a friend,” I answered, keeping my voice neutral, typing up patient records for a dog that had swallowed a sock.

Robert had called in sick, so I was stuck covering the front desk with Rita while also helping Linda with patient files.

Honestly, the last thing I wanted was to be interrogated about Zane.I was eager to finish my shift, go home, and talk to Bella Carter.

But instead, I was stuck with Rita staring at me like I was keeping a state secret.

She scooted her chair closer, leaning over my shoulder.Just a friend?” she repeated, tone dripping with disbelief.

I gave a short nod, keeping my focus on the screen. Since Zane warned me not to believe rumors, I was careful with my words. I didn’t want to say anything that could be used against me later.

Rita let out a dramatic sigh. “Amelia, we’ve known each other for so long. You can be honest with me. You’re clearly seeing him.”

“He’s just an acquaintance, nothing more.”

But then I noticed her eyes weren’t on me. They were focused on something behind my back.

“Oh, really? Just an acquaintance?” a deep, all too familiar voice asked.

My fingers froze over the keyboard.

Slowly, I turned.

Zane was leaning casually against the counter, arms crossed over his chest. His expression was relaxed, but his eyes told another story.

My heart skipped a beat.

How much had he heard?

Rita patted my shoulder. “Oh, look! The acquaintance!” she teased. “I’m Rita, and you are?”

“Zane,” he greeted smoothly. Then, with a hint of mockery, he added, “Just Amelia’s acquaintance.”

I swallowed.

“So what can I do for you?” Rita asked, thoroughly entertained.

Zane’s words were deliberate and nonchalant as he said, “I thought I’d take Amelia out after her shift. You know, just as friends.”

I rolled my eyes.

That little jab wasn’t subtle.

Rita laughed, throwing me a knowing look.“Do you still have work to do?”

I sighed, “I just need to drop off the samples—”

“I’ll take care of it. You’ve worked enough today. And your shift was over twenty minutes ago.”

I hesitated for a second before logging out of the computer.“Thanks, Rita.”

She winked.

I changed out of my scrubs, let my hair down, and rubbed my aching feet. The day had been exhausting, but Zane’s unexpected visit had awakened me.

When I finally left the clinic, Zane was waiting for me in his car, focused on his phone. I glanced at the display as I got in, and my breath caught.

A photo of me. At the computer.

“When did you take that?” I asked, startled.

Zane looked at me with a calm, almost innocent expression. “Just now. Right when you called me an acquaintance.”

I let out a sigh.“Are you mad about that?”

He shook his head, but his jaw remained tight. Hesitantly, I leaned in and planted a soft kiss on his cheek.

In an instant, his expression softened.

“I only said that because you scared me a little on Saturday.”

“That wasn’t my intention. I just wanted to avoid unnecessary drama.” He reached for my hand, lifting it to his lips. “It’s nothing you need to worry about.”

I arched a brow.“But you could still tell me.”

“Trust me. It’s nothing worth talking about. Just remember one thing.” Zane started the engine, glancing at me briefly. “I would never lie to you.” His words were somewhat reassuring, but something still didn’t sit right.

The drive was quiet, with the radio playing softly in the background.

“I have an important call soon.”

“Hm? Don’t tell me it’s Tristan.”

His words caught me completely off guard.“What?”

“The important call. It’s not Tristan, right?”

I stared at him in pure disbelief.“Zane! What’s wrong with you? Why would Tristan be calling me?”

“I just thought—”

“And if he was? What would be so wrong about it?”

He didn’t respond right away. Instead, he took his time answering.

Too much time.

“Zane.”

Reluctantly, he finally spoke, “He calls you his muse. He’s always close to you. It feels like you two share something that we don’t have. And that… irritates me.”

I was speechless.

“Tristan and I never got along,” he continued. “He’s known for a long time that I am interested in you. I get back into town, and suddenly, he’s always by your side. Before, you two weren’t even that close.”

His lips pressed into a tight line as if he had just swallowed something bitter.“And now, you’re worried about him. You want to help him. Of course, that doesn’t make me happy.”

It took me a moment to speak. “How long have you been interested in me?”

Another long pause.

He pulled into his driveway, keeping his hands on the wheel.“Three years.”

My lips parted slightly.

“Since the first time I saw you while I was on stage,” he admitted.“You looked at me with shining eyes while I played my violin. I hated that song so much.” His gaze finally met mine.“But your eyes… you loved it.

“I was having a terrible time that night. And then… you were there.” He exhaled sharply.

“At every performance, you stood out in the audience. Even after I left this city, you stayed in my mind. I didn’t know how to approach you.

And then, one day… there you were. Standing in front of my parents’ house. ”

His lips curled into something between amusement and disbelief.“Like a gift served on a silver platter.”

“And that’s why you were so rude to me?”

He laughed at himself.“Because I’m a fucking amateur.” When he turned fully towards me, his expression was raw, open, and achingly honest.“I’ve always had everything I wanted. Success, money, recognition. But you? You were the one thing I couldn’t just have.”

He gestured toward his chest. “It hurt like hell to see you laughing with Tristan. To see you hug him.” His hand found mine, guiding it over his heart.It raced beneath my touch.

“You never looked at me the way you looked at him. But when I saw that door crack open, I had to squeeze through it, no matter what. I took my chance, Amelia. I wasn’t going to let it close again.”

My own heartbeat matched his.

A small smile formed at the corner of his lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes.“Kiss me, Amelia. And tell me that Tristan means nothing to you.”

His confession had thrown me completely off balance.

My heart screamed to lean in, to erase the tension with my lips. But my mind? Chaos.

Tristan was important to me. Not in a romantic sense, but he was someone I admired. A friend who helped me when I felt lost. When my grandfather died, Tristan’s music gave me a way to process my grief and help me cope.

He wasn’t just anyone.And I knew… I knew that he was innocent.

The longer I stayed silent, the heavier the air between us became. Zane was as rigid as stone.

“Zane—”

I barely got his name out before he yanked me against him, pressing our lips together in a fierce, desperate kiss.He trembled with raw hunger and fear, and his fingers dug into my skin like he was afraid to let go.

But I didn’t kiss him back. Instead, I bit down hard.

A sharp, metallic taste filled my mouth. Blood.

Zane still didn’t pull away.

I pressed both hands against his chest and pushed him back with all my strength.Cubbing his cheeks, I forced him to look at me.“Listen. To. Me.”

The air between us was thick and heavy with our ragged breaths. With unspoken words.

Zane’s tongue flicked out, tasting his own blood.

“Tristan and I are just friends.”

He scoffed and started to turn his head away, but I held him in place.

“But we don’t have what you and I have.”

His eyes narrowed.

He didn’t believe me. Not yet.

“If you really wanted me to see you the same way I see Tristan…” I swallowed, my pulse hammering. “…then none of this would have happened. None of it. Not the touches, glances, or kisses. And certainly not the way you set my entire world on fire.

“I don’t have this with Tristan, Zane. I only have this with you.

” I caught his fingers in mine and guided them to my chest, right over my pounding heart.

“Tristan is a friend. Someone I grew up with. Someone I trust. But you’re the one who throws my world into chaos, and at the same time, you’re the one who holds me together. ”

I searched his gaze, hoping he understood.“So, please, Zane…” I gulped. “Don’t worry about Tristan.”

He exhaled sharply, closing his eyes and nodding.“I’m sorry… for… my reaction.”

I shook my head and slowly leaned in to pressmy lips to his in a gentle, tentative kiss. It was almost hesitant.

But when he kissed me back, it turned deep and consuming. As if he wanted to burn himself into my soul.

My heart was still racing when I finally pulled away to catch my breath.

We got out of the car, and Zane didn’t let go of my hand as we stepped inside his house.He led me to the kitchen, where he removed his hoodie, rolled up his sleeves, and started cooking.

And I sat on the counter, watching the way his muscles relaxed. The way his shoulders finally lost their tension. His eyes flickered toward me every few minutes as if he needed to make sure I was still there.

And in that moment, I knew. I wasn’t just someone to him. I was everything.