Unwanted Blood (Harper) novel Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Harper’s POV

“You’re not going alone.” Ethan’s voice came from behind us on the steps, hands in his pockets, letting out a long sigh.

I looked over my shoulder.

He stood in the doorway of the centre holding his car keys loosely in one hand and jacket thrown over his shoulder.

“I’ll drive you there. And I’ll make sure both of you get home safe.”

Lily glanced at him, then at me. She puffed her cheeks like she wanted to argue. She didn’t like people interfering when she had a plan, especially people she had just met.

But, when her eyes met mine again she just shrugged. “Fine. But only because it’s Harper.”

The bar he took us to was much gentler than I expected.

I had braced myself for a wall of deafening bass, flashing strobe lights, and sticky floors. The kind of chaos that usually made my chest lock up within three seconds. Instead, the doorway opened into a long, narrow

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room drowned in dim amber lighting. Soft, slow music flowed through the space. No shouting, no crushing crowds. Just low conversation and the clink of glasses. Still, my shoulders stayed tense when we walked in.

Ethan noticed immediately. “You okay?”

“Mm.”

“It sounds fake.”

“I’m sure.”

He huffed a quiet laugh and lightly nudged my shoulder before guiding us toward an empty booth near the wall.

Lily slid in beside me while Ethan took the other side.

A waitress appeared a minute later.

“What can I get you guys?”

“Something sweet for her,” Lily answered before I could speak, pointing directly at me. “If she tastes alcohol, she’ll probably throw up.”

“I would not.”

“You cried while eating spicy ramen.”

“That was a death sentence.”

The waitress laughed under her breath before nodding. “Got it.”

Ethan sighed. “I’d love beer.”

Lily held my hand. “A fruity cocktail.”

When my drink arrived, I stared at it suspiciously. It was pink.

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“There’s no way this is a fruit,” I muttered.

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Lily immediately grabbed the straw from my hand and took a dramatic sip. “Try it,” she said, watching me closely. “It’s a fruity cocktail. There’s almost no trace of alcohol in it, I swear.”

I rolled my eyes before finally taking a small sip. It tasted like strawberry syrup and lime, with just a sharp, medicinal burn at the back of my throat.

I nodded.

“Oh,” I admitted quietly. “This is actually good.”

We slid into a corner booth. At first it was just the two of us talking about nothing important.

Then Ethan joined us, sitting next to Lily. Within minutes they clicked. Music. Movies. Embarrassing childhood stories.

Lily laughed so hard at one story that she leaned forward, nearly knocking over her drink.

“You tried to impress a girl by playing guitar?” she wheezed.

Ethan groaned into his hands, laughing deep and surprised. “I was seventeen.”

“And you played Wonderwall?”

“It was a difficult time in my life.”

I sat there watching them go back and forth from across the table, fingers wrapped around my glass.

Watching how easy it was. I can’t help envious.

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I took another sip of my drink to hide it.

At some point Ethan glanced toward me mid-conversation.

“You’ve been quiet.”

“I’m listening.”

“That’s suspicious.”

Lily burst out laughing again.

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I shook my head and stared down at my drink for a second before speaking quietly. “I’m glad you came.” I said to Lily, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

Lily’s expression softened instantly.

“I’ll always come,” she reached across the table and squeezed my hand. Her grip was warm, steady. “I’ll always stay with you.”

Before I could say anything else, Lily suddenly stood and grabbed my

wrist.

“Dance floor. Right now.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t dance.”

She dragged me anyway toward the small dance floor. “Come on. One song.”

We started bouncing around on the dance floor. Truth be told, neither of

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us could dance at all, but I couldn’t deny that it was the happiest I’d been in a long time.

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