Page 7 of Symphony for Lies

And the other person did the same.

Our eyes met.

My breath caught.

Zane Cole.

I knew him. Of course, I knew him. But I had never seen him this close before.

On stage, he seemed untouchable—his dark aura, effortless elegance, and the sheer perfection with which he played the violin made him feel like someone out of reach.

And yet, there he was, standing just a step away. Looking even better up close.

Dark jeans, a black shirt stretched over a broad, muscular frame, strong shoulders, long legs, and a face so striking—with a sharp jawline and full lips—it was almost inhumanly perfect.

But it was his eyes that held me captive.

They were deep, warm brown, darker than espresso, darker than the night itself.

His gaze traveled over me. Slowly. Waytooslowly.

I swallowed hard.

In a voice as rich and smooth as velvet, he broke the silence, “I thought… you were taller.”

I blinked.

What?

I must’ve misheard.

“What are you doing here?”

No greeting. No courtesy. Just pure dominance.

I had to tilt my head to meet his gaze. He stared down at me, watching me with an unapologetic confidence that almost threw me off balance.

Snapping myself out of my daze, I straightened. “A simple ‘good evening’ would’ve been too much to ask for, huh?”

Zane didn’t react. His expression remained unreadable, but his gaze dragged over me again. This time, even more deliberately.

My fingers tightened around the strap of my bag, and I shook my head as I tried to move past him. But he raised his arm, blocking my way.

I froze. His presence was overwhelming.

There was an awkward silence for a moment, and then he spoke in a quiet murmur that sent chills down my spine. “You’re not here for me.”

It wasn’t a question.

I frowned. “No.”

His eyes narrowed slightly as if considering something. “Then… Simon?”

I don’t know why that threw me off, but instead of answering, I simply nodded.

His lips curled, but the expression was not a smile. It was more like a sneer. “Should’ve figured.”

Something about his tone made my skin prickle.

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