Page 79 of Visions of You

"Enough to know I don't like them."

Jaron gave Keegan a weak smile, the kind that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Don't worry," he said, trying to sound reassuring. "I know how to play my parents."

Keegan's concern deepened. He hated the idea of Jaron facing that kind of stress alone. "Are you sure? I could look at the future for you, give you some advice on how to handle the confrontation."

Jaron waved him off with a dismissive hand. "Nah, don't waste your energy on small matters like that. Save your strength for the big stuff, like finding Apollo."

Keegan frowned, but he understood Jaron's point. They had more important things to worry about.

Hah.

As if there was anything more important than Jaron's wellbeing to Keegan.

Jaron leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to Keegan's lips, lingering just long enough to make Keegan's heart flutter. "I'll be back later," Jaron promised.

Keegan watched as Jaron turned and walked up the corridor toward the stairs, wishing there was more he could do to make things easier for him.

As Jaron disappeared from view, Keegan walked back toward his own room.

If he was going to stop this kidnapper, he had to figure out who they were.

CHAPTER 18

Jaron landed in front of his parents' mansion, stomach in knots. The front door swung open before he could knock, revealing the household's loyal housekeeper, Nidra.

"Master Jaron." Nidra offered a polite nod, her tone respectful though her eyes were sharp, always taking in every detail.

"Hey, Nidra. Is my mother around?" He stepped inside.

"She's in the sunroom. Alone," Nidra replied, leading the way down the hall adorned with paintings of Tymera ancestors. Jaron felt the familiar weight of those judging stares as they passed.

Finding his mother in the sun room, Jaron prepared for the inevitable confrontation. She looked up, her expression as cold as the marble floors. "Why is your phone off? I've been trying to reach you."

"It ran out of battery," he lied smoothly, leaning against the door frame. "What did you want?"

"What do I want?" she echoed, standing up slowly, elegance wrapped in disdain. "I want you to stop associating with vampires. The neighbors have started talking."

Jaron scoffed. "Why do you have to care so much about what the neighbors think?"

"The gossip is bad for our reputation."

"You've always cared way too much about our reputation."

"Reputation is everything, Jaron," she said. "Do you believe people would buy our jewelry if we weren't respected? They wouldn't. And then how would I feed your siblings? Do you ever think about that?"

Jaron's cheeks heated. He didn't want her to be right, but she made it so difficult to argue sometimes. "We don't have to live in extravagance."

"Would you have us live in poverty?"

"You're being dramatic," Jaron said. "It's not all black and white."

His mother arched an eyebrow at him. "I didn't think you knew that."

Jaron took a deep breath, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. He needed to play this right if he wanted any chance of getting the funds for the amulet. "Can we not argue?"

His mother's eyes narrowed as if she wondered what his agenda was, but then she made herself relax. "Very well," she said. "You're right." She gestured at the armchairs by the window. "Sit with me. Let's have a serious conversation for once. You're certainly old enough for it."

Jaron sat down and his mother sat opposite him, folding her hands in her lap.