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His uncle inclined his head "I told you You're the son I never had"

"And I appreciate the support" More than he was able to express at thehim here

"I intend to be here for you every step of the way"

Ryan glanced at the sky, wondering when the hell his life had gotten so daned to the inevitable, Ryan turned to his uncle "Want to go meet your niece?"

His uncle's face lit up in a way Ryan hadn't seen in years "Just lead the way, son"

ZOE PACED THE FAMILY ROOM, angry at Sa, the fa from her bedroom and nowhere else in the house No matter how many alternatives they discussed, they could come to no other conclusion than she had run away from home Common sense told them that Sam had bolted the same way she'd done before, to test the family's loyalty and desire to have her around

Norive her some time to think, and then find her in an obvious place She'd be lectured, then grounded, just as Ari or Zoe had been as children— proof to Sam that she was one of the taken aas valid, and nobody had wanted to give her too er withdrawing, so why hadn't she insisted on sleeping in her roo her alone? She slaainst the table in frustration, then shook the sting fro in case Sa on her friends' doors, Quinn and Ari were checking other places Sao, like the youth center around the corner, and Connor was asking around at local hospitals

Zoe walked to theand glanced out to the street in time to see Ryan pull up in his fancy BMW God, he was the last thing she needed now He was also the one person she wanted desperately It would help to have his shoulder to cry on because despite that they each wanted Sam in their family, they both had her welfare at heart She needed to share her fear with him now

She opened the door and watched Ryan…and an older ether up her front walk

The stranger's presence prevented her fro herself into Ryan's ars to expect or desire from the man whose very presence had caused the upheaval

He strode forith confidence, wearing the suit he'd had on the first day they'd met He was clean shaven and his hair was neatly coht uy she'd spent ti and not even the ultra-conservative look changed the fact that the eous and caused Zoe's awareness levels to soar

"Zoe? What's wrong?" he asked

She pulled her thoughts together and forced a s?"

He stepped closer, so he could speak directly to her, whispering for her ears alone "Because I know you and while your s else entirely in your eyes"