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Brotherzoned
img img Brotherzoned img Chapter 5 The stranger at the door
5 Chapters
Chapter 6 The familiar scent img
Chapter 7 The rain between us img
Chapter 8 Receipts and reckoning img
Chapter 9 The aftermath img
Chapter 10 Too late for that img
Chapter 11 Strings img
Chapter 12 The collateral img
Chapter 13 Remnants img
Chapter 14 Dr Pierce img
Chapter 15 The Gig img
Chapter 16 Booked and busy img
Chapter 17 The dark between img
Chapter 18 The blackout img
Chapter 19 What were you thinking, isla img
Chapter 20 The heat img
Chapter 21 What's wrong with Zayne! img
Chapter 22 Zayne, please. img
Chapter 23 I hate myself for this img
Chapter 24 Is staring hobby of yours img
Chapter 25 Landed in Michigan img
Chapter 26 He's mad at his parents, for what img
Chapter 27 That wasn't so attractive, Zayne. img
Chapter 28 Enjoying the quiet img
Chapter 29 Something about you img
Chapter 30 I don't kink shame img
Chapter 31 I'm doomed img
Chapter 32 Did I just lie to Sienna img
Chapter 33 The truth that breaks img
Chapter 34 I will make her mine img
Chapter 35 Isn't he Italian too img
Chapter 36 What are we dealing with img
Chapter 37 Arrivals img
Chapter 38 Italian heat img
Chapter 39 He's really getting on my last nerves img
Chapter 40 Oh, hell nah! img
Chapter 41 Enemies Den img
Chapter 42 The anklet lies img
Chapter 43 The bodyguard with answers img
Chapter 44 Secret shadows img
Chapter 45 Isla vs Zayne img
Chapter 46 Mine img
Chapter 47 Be Mine img
Chapter 48 Say No, even if it hurts img
Chapter 49 Morning shadows img
Chapter 50 The ones who snap img
Chapter 51 Boom! img
Chapter 52 The return img
Chapter 53 Wedding day img
Chapter 54 The villa img
Chapter 55 The return img
Chapter 56 What I can't see img
Chapter 57 Too close to breathe img
Chapter 58 Long time no see, Silas img
Chapter 59 Hitman img
Chapter 60 Figures img
Chapter 61 Fractured lines img
Chapter 62 What we carry img
Chapter 63 Shadows in the hall img
Chapter 64 The gun aimed at us img
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Chapter 5 The stranger at the door

Zayne

I hated rain. Always had. But tonight, as I pulled into Dustfield, I didn't even notice the slick, wet streets or the faint drizzle settling on the windshield.

I parked outside the house, hands tight on the wheel. My chest was a little tighter than usual, and I hated the faint pulse of relief that rushed through me when I saw the warm lights inside.

I stepped out of the car, the air cold against my skin. My shoes clicked against the wet concrete as I approached the front door. My phone buzzed in my pocket and I fumbled for it just to see Silas's message:

Silas: You left before the pictures. Can't believe my best man ditched before the main show.

I typed back immediately.

Me: I hate rain. You already know that.

Silas: How the fuck was I supposed to know the forecast would change?

Me: Not my problem. Just fix me in there. You've got your wife-be happy with that.

I shoved the phone back into my pocket, Sienna's voice drifted from inside before I even rang the bell.

"Zayne! About time!"

I exhaled softly, trying not to let her energy get under my skin.

The door swung open, and there she was.

Isla.

She looked.... lighter. Whatever problem she had from earlier wasn't gone, not entirely, but the tension in her shoulders had loosened slightly. Her wet hair clung to her face, but she held herself with quiet dignity, her eyes pinned on my face.

Did she recognize me?

"You're here," Sienna said, bouncing on the balls of her feet like a child announcing something exciting. "Zayne, meet my best friend. Isla. Isla, this is the infamous older brother."

I inclined my head slowly, observing her from the doorway, letting my gaze linger a second longer than necessary. I knew who she was. I'd known the second she stepped into Sienna's stories years ago. The moments Sienna had tried to describe her, her stubbornness, her humor, that fiery way she refused to be sidelined-I knew. And I'd never expected to meet her like this again, suddenly, in a home far from the chaos of the wedding she'd fled.

"Yeah," I said finally, my voice calm, measured, carrying the faintest trace of amusement. "I know."

Sienna frowned at me. "Of course, you do. You always do."

I smirked. A little. Not at her, at Isla. She stiffened ever so slightly under my gaze, though I saw the flash of curiosity, the quickening heartbeat that betrayed her nerves.

Perfect.

Sienna continued without noticing, chattering away about random things, her words flowing like water over rocks. I let her talk. My eyes stayed on Isla.

Looking at her properly now, she was prettier than I'd imagined. And Sienna hadn't done her justice. The soft curve of her cheek, the way the light caught her damp hair, the faint redness from earlier tears-all of it drew my attention. And for the first time in years, I realized how easy it was to forget my own rules.

I folded my arms, leaning casually against the doorframe. Sienna noticed me watching and elbowed me lightly. "Don't even think about it," she said. Her voice was teasing, but there was an edge to it. "She's mine first."

I glanced at her, unimpressed. "I'm aware," I said smoothly.

Sienna huffed and waved me inside. "Whatever. She's better than you think. You'll see."

Isla's gaze met mine again, and I felt that faint jolt again. Not recognition-she wouldn't have recognized me-but the subtle awareness of someone studying her. I could read it: the slight hesitation, the quick inhale, the quick glance to Sienna, and back to me. She didn't know me yet, but she sensed there was something there.

I gave her a slow, polite nod, letting my eyes linger just long enough to unsettle her before turning back to Sienna.

"Alright, I'm going upstairs," I said, voice even, and casual. "You two keep each other entertained."

Sienna rolled her eyes but winked at me. "Don't be too mean, Zayne. She's fragile."

I smirked faintly, but I could see Isla stiffen at that word. Fragile. Not broken, not weak-fragile. That was different. That was human. And she was human.

I made my way up the staircase, deliberately slow, giving her time to collect herself. But she didn't look away. She kept staring at me, and that in itself was interesting.

Once upstairs, Sienna followed me a few steps behind. "Honestly," she muttered, "you're annoying. Always have been. And she's not what I'd call fragile."

"Maybe she isn't," I said softly, a faint smile tugging at the corner of my lips. "But she's different from what I expected. And that counts for something."

Sienna paused, caught off guard by my tone. "Uh-huh. Well, you're lucky. I'm not impressed so easily."

I chuckled quietly. "I wasn't trying to impress you. I was observing."

She narrowed her eyes. "Observing what exactly? Her, or the way she makes you shut up for more than five seconds?"

I leaned against the wall, hands in my pockets. "Maybe both."

"Zayne," she said, lowering her voice, "don't mess with her. Isla doesn't do well with... your type of games."

"My type?" I echoed, amused.

She rolled her eyes. "The brooding, half-interested, half-vanishing act you call a personality. She's kind. She's the type that will overthink everything you say, and you'll make her feel like she's the problem."

I tilted my head, meeting her gaze evenly. "You talk like I'm planning to date her or something."

Sienna folded her arms. "Aren't you?"

"No," I said simply. "I just want to understand her."

She blinked, skeptical. "You don't 'understand' people, Zayne. You study them. Like puzzles you get bored of halfway through."

A faint smirk tugged at my mouth. "Maybe she's not the type you get bored of."

That earned me a long, knowing look.

"Wow. You're in deep denial already."

"Relax," I muttered. "I'm not planning a proposal. I'm just saying she's... interesting."

Sienna raised a brow. "Interesting," she repeated, as if testing the word. "That's how it starts. Just do me a favor-treat her well while she's here. She's not like the girls you're used to."

I pushed off the wall and walked past her toward the window. "Don't worry. I've got no reason to hurt her."

"You say that now," Sienna murmured behind me, "but I've seen that look before."

I glanced back, lips curving slightly. "Then you know I don't fake it."

She sighed, half frustrated, half resigned. "Yeah. That's what scares me."

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