Parker’s brow kicks up. “You still stalking, too?”
Heat floods my cheeks and I look to Anna, but she’s still assisting Rose with the door. My gaze swings back to Parker. “Youwere staring atmein the lecture, not the other way around—and you’re the one moving into my building. So, I’d say the untoward behavior lies with you.”
“Untoward?” He says the word like it’s our own private joke. His grin morphs into something predatory and he edges closer. How have I not noticed the small freckle near his top lip until now? My gaze drifts lower. There’s something undeniably sexy about his mouth, something tempting that draws my mind to shadowy, inappropriate places.
“Isthisuntoward, Ella?” he says in a deep, warm voice, inching closer.
A shudder races through me and I swallow the lump in my throat. He’s so close, I’d just need to lean in a little and I’d be touching him. He’s staring at my mouth, as if he can sense the reply caught in my throat.
Across the corridor, Rose rams her shoulder into the doorand the wood budges with a tired groan. “Thank fuck,” she cries and storms inside.
“Well, it was great meeting you,” Anna calls to Rose’s retreating back.
“Parker!” Rose calls from inside the apartment, and his head whips in her direction, releasing me from his trance.
His focus shifts to Anna. “Nice to meet you, Anna.” His gaze returns to me. Lingers. “Ella,” he says, as if the word holds impossibly more than just my name. Then he turns and slips inside.
I follow Anna back into her peony-scented apartment, breathing a little too heavily.
She sits on her cream sofa, crosses her legs, and explodes. “You met Mr Hottie and you didn’ttellme?”
“We met briefly.” I sit beside her, tugging a tasseled cushion against my chest.
“Do you think they’re fucking?” Anna asks.
My head snaps toward her. “I don’t know. Do you?”
“Well, that’s a one-bedroom apartment,” she says, tilting her head toward the front door.
I shouldn’t care.I don’t care.
Anna taps her acrylic nails on her bottom lip. “I don’t know, though. I was struggling to get a read on them.” Her phone chimes, and she pulls it from her handbag. She sulks at the screen. “Ugh, I have dinner with my family tonight. You should come. I’d love someone to take the attention off me.”
I avert my eyes and pull my knitted sleeves over my knuckles. “Sorry, I have plans with Sarah.”
Anna exhales. “All good.” She smooths her palms down her hair and tugs at the ends.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, following her vacant stare toward the TV.
Her green eyes snap to mine. “Nothing,” she says with a weak shrug. “I’m just not looking forward to it. I know Dad’s going to grill me about my grades. He has this dumb rule that I can’t join the family business unless I complete a degree. This is the second time I’ve done this course.” She bites her lip. “I can’t fail again, Ella.”
I stare at the beautiful woman before me, who’s never shown me anything but kindness. Who invited me to live with her when I had nowhere else to go. Who literally gave me the clothes on my back. “Get out your lecture slides,” I say. “You’re not going to fail.”
I’ll make sure of it.
9Rose
Head throbbing, I lie motionless in bed, a large crack in the ceiling looming over me. One agonizing week has passed since McGregor took our blood. How much longer will the old man take? I grab my vape from the bedside table, inhale slowly, and blow vapor in Parker’s direction.
He’s comatose on the single bed opposite mine, the repetitive clenching and unclenching of his hands the only tell he isn’t asleep. His fist tightens, the thick tendons in his forearm contracting underneath his tan skin.
I look away, a bitter aftertaste from my vape bleeding through the sweet, artificial flavor. He’s acting weird lately. In his own head. I should check in with him, but I’m still livid he hid his impromptu meeting with Ella. He promised it was before he swore to stay away from her, but… Parker’s keeping something from me. I’d beat it out of him if I wasn’t so paranoid about blowing up and slipping into another memory.
A knock at the door has us both on our feet: McGregor, wearing his usual khaki slacks, glasses and a frown. Time won’t be kind to his receding hairline. Chewing the inside of my cheek, I let him in. My gaze lowers to the briefcase in his hand.This is it. He’ll have the cure. We can get the hell out of here, and I’ll finally get a break.
“What did you find?” Parker asks before he’s closed the door.
McGregor adjusts his glasses and sits at the dining table. “It’s impossible you two are alive.”
