Page 113 of Whispers of Wisteria

He was, however, the first to speak. “What is it, Miles?”

“Why are you following Bianca?”

“You should be able to figure that out yourself,” he replied. He frowned when she walked past the coffee shop. “What did you say to her? She’d normally stop.”

I pressed my lips together. Just how long had he been stalking her?

“It’s not your business,” I replied, looking him over. He wore his hair in that same regulation cut and, as always, his olive jacket and jeans were perfectly pressed.

“You’re wasting your time,” I warned. “You should just give up. She doesn’t want this.”

He side-eyed me, his look calculating, before he stood and cracked his neck. We were about the same height, but he still managed to look down on me.

“I don’t care,” he replied. “I’ve been officially reassigned. A good thing too; the witch you’ve got following her around is terrible.”

Chaperone duties were beneath his skill set. There was only one person who could approve him to be here.

I sighed. “How long has Dustin known?”

He didn’t answer, so I added, “You’re not much of a chaperone. She got hurt.”

“That was your fault,” Zane replied sharply.

“What?” I stepped back and clenched my fist. “How?”

“You goaded him,” he answered, always judging. “You escalated things.”

“Damen is the one who punched her!” Not that he’d done it on purpose, but Zane had a way of getting under my skin.

“Yes,” Zane replied. “He’s at fault too, and so is the other moron for not stopping it.”

Ah, he still hated Bryce.

“She jumped between us!” I wasn’t even sure why I felt the need to justify myself, but now…

Damn it, he’d tell Dustin everything. We’d have to be more careful if the Dubois were watching.

Zane narrowed his eyes. “Are you seriously blaming her?”

“No!” I stepped back. “I mean, yes, maybe. Why does anyone need to be at fault? It’s not like Damen tried to hit her.”

“You shouldn’t have been fighting in front of her in the first place,” he said evenly. “You should’ve had more willpower. You started it.”

Why was I getting lectured?

“You could have stepped in,” I snapped.

“No,” Zane replied, frowning. “I can’t intervene unless she’s alone and in danger. Bryce was there, and he chose to do nothing.”

I nodded. It seemed he didn’t agree with the rules. “Dustin doesn’t want Bianca to see you.”

Zane’s frown turned into a scowl.

“Bryce is going to be pissed when he finds out,” I warned. “Especially that it’s you.”

“Let him be,” Zane replied. “He can’t stop me. She’s my cousin. Blood trumps any grudge he chooses to carry.”

“Does Brayden know?” I cocked my head, trying to read him but failing.