Unwanted Blood (Harper) novel Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Harper’s POV

I stared at Ryder, my mind trapped in a gray daze that matched the Vancouver sky. “David Everly,” I repeated, the syllables entirely foreigh on my tongue. “I’ve never heard that name before. Not once.”

“He was our mother’s personal lawyer for twelve years,” Ryder said.

“When did he die?” I asked.

“Three days ago.” Ryder looked away, his eyes tracking a pair of headlights cutting through the foggy street. “On the surface, the medical report listed it as a heart attack. But I had someone look into the hospital logs. He’d always been in perfect health. No history of cardiac issues, no prescriptions. Nothing.”

He paused.

The wind picked up, blowing a spray of cold mist into my face. “And?”

“The day before he died, he made a single call to an undisclosed number,” Ryder said, his gaze snapping back to pin me to the spot. “The cell tower data placed the receiving end right here. That number is registered in Vancouver.”

My blood ran cold in an instant. The breath caught in my throat, thick and suffocating. “You mean…” I stopped. “Did he call me?”

“I’m not sure yet,” Ryder replied, his jaw tightening. “But Marcus clearly believes he did. He’s convinced Everly handed that evidence over to you before she died.”

4

M

1408

Chapter 20

I tried desperately to remember. My mind raced back through the past w weeks…every piece of junk mail, every wrong number, every delivery to the community center.

“Have you received any package? A strange letter? Anything from an unknown sender?”

“No.” I shook my head. There was absolutely nothing. My life had been small, and quiet until Ryder showed up.

I whispered, my voice barely carrying over the sound of the rain. “What if I tell him there’s nothing?”

Ryder was quiet for a moment.

“Marvis won’t believe it.” He closed his eyes for a brief moment, the exhaustion pulling at the lines around his mouth. “Now that he’s convinced himself you have it, he won’t stop. He can’t afford to.”

By the time we got back to the dorm, the room felt smaller, the walls closing in on us. Lily didn’t waste any time. She dragged my duffel bag from the top of the closet and threw it onto the mattress with a loud thud.

“You can’t live here alone anymore,” she said firmly, her hands already moving to clear my desk. She grabbed a stack of textbooks and shoved them into the bag. “Starting tonight, you’re staying with me.”

I stood by the door, frozen as I watched her move with a frantic energy. “Lily, what are you doing?”

“I rented a short-term, two-bedroom apartment downtown,” she said, not looking up as she wrapped my alarm clock in a sweater. “It’s about twenty minutes from here. High security. No dark alleys.”

I blinked, completely stunned. “When did you rent it?”

2412 N

4

M

14.08

Chapter 20

“Just now. On the walk back.” Lily tapped her phone screen, flashing a confirmation email before sliding it into her pocket. “Ethan helped me find it. It’s a sublet from a friend of his in the architecture department. The previous tenant went abroad for a co-op.”

Lily continued. “Plus, he lives in the building right next door. He can come over anytime if there’s a problem.”

Ethan stood to the side by the window, his large frame blocking out the gray light from the courtyard. He nodded once, his expression unusually grim. “The security is solid in that building, Harper. It has a heavy irøn gate at the front, a fob system for the elevator, and a security guard at the desk until midnight.”

Looking at Lily’s set jaw and the slight tremble in her fingers as she packed my things, a sudden, heavy warmth pressed against my chest. I felt a sting behind my eyes. She was always like this-when the world fell apart, she didn’t cry; she organized it to be better.

“Start packing the clothes,” Ethan said softly, stepping away from the window to lift the heavier boxes. “We’re moving you out tonight.”

The move was silent.

On the way to the apartment, Lily and Ethan walked a few paces ahead, their shoulders hunched against the damp cold as they carried the heaviest bags.

As night fell, the streetlights flickered to life, casting long, distorted yellow shadows across the wet pavement.

Every time a car slowed down near the curb, Ethan would subtly shift his position, placing himself between the street and Lily.

We arrived at the apartment quickly.

52.59%

4

M

1408

Chapter 20

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify