A slow smile pulls at my mouth, and I brush my knuckles across my lips. “On Parker’s bed.” My cheeks flush and I cover my head with another sequined cushion. “They only have one bedroom, so Rose was in there too. I slept there, that’s all.”
“And Parker slept where? With Rose?” Anna asks, yanking the pillow away.
I peek up at her. “Actually, they’re just friends.”
“What?Are you kidding me? This whole time he’s been single? I could’ve sworn they were together. Wait, you didn’t answer my question. Where did he sleep?”
Parker’s intense gaze flashes through my mind and my blush deepens at the memory of his dilated pupils and the moisture on his parted lips.I’d give anything to touch you, one last time.A thrill races through me.
“Mariella. Katharine. Adams.You little hussy,” Anna squeals, whacking me repeatedly with a cushion.
I hold out my hand to prevent a blow to the face. “Nothing happened. We just… fell asleep.”
“Sure. Sure.” Anna’s grinning from ear to ear. “When are you seeing him again?”
The smile on my face falls. I may have entertained the possibility of a future with Parker last night while drunk, butnow I’m sober, reality’s set in. I clear my throat. “Parker’s not my type.”
“Please,” Anna says, rolling her eyes. “With that face? He’s everybody’s type.”
I hesitate, then relent, knowing I’m not telling Anna anything I shouldn’t. “When I woke up this morning, their place was empty. Completely empty. Besides the furniture. It’s as if they don’t live there anymore.”
The smile on Anna’s face wavers. “What? They weren’t there?”
“No. They must’ve left before I woke up.” It’s even stranger when I say it out loud.
“Maybe they changed apartments? Or…” Anna’s brows crease.
“Or what?” I ask, a chill sweeping down my arms despite the warm air blowing from Anna’s heater.
She winces. “Well, the other day when they were here looking for you, Rose mentioned they weren’t staying long.”
I tear my gaze from Anna’s.This is for the best, right?Parker will never be a constant in my life. He’s from a different time. A different world, really. One I can’t be part of, unless I enter Neurovida and become a time traveler. A hard mass forms in my stomach.I won’t.
The mail slot on the front door squeaks, and a thin envelope drops onto the floor. Anna hops off the sofa and picks it up. I expect her to tear it open, but her mouth drops and she extends it toward me. “Ella,” she whispers.
I reach out and take the sealed envelope, addressed to me and bearing the hospital’s teal logo. The paper trembles in my hands. Holding my breath, I tear it open.
16Parker
Gravel crunches beneath my feet, two walls of dense forest encasing me as I sprint along Neurovida’s long, winding driveway. Under the cover of darkness, I can barely make out my own hands, let alone Rose, who’s somewhere ahead of me. Lungs burning, I push forward. It’s been seven months since my powers were taken and Rose carried me into the past. Seven months since solid ground pushed back against my feet, now aching with each stride. How strange to forget the pull of gravity on my body and cool air on my face.
If being away has affected Rose, I can’t tell. When we first appeared inside Neurovida’s tall, wrought-iron gates, she swore, clutching her hands over her temples. But within seconds she’d taken off, gravel and dust flying. Now she’s in her element.
Probably because I’m not weighing her down. She could’ve left me the moment I lost my powers, but she stuck by me, regardless of the immense mental and physical toll it’s taken on her. I owe her my life.
I come to the edge of the forest, the driveway widening to encircle a large, gushing fountain. Neurovida’s outdoor lights are on, bathing the grand home in warm light. The lush gardens surrounding the immediate vicinity of the houseremain pristine, each perfectly trimmed hedge lit from below. I follow Rose around the side of the home, her back flattened against the bricks. I slump against the wall beside her, each ragged breath breaking the eerie silence.
She turns and presses her index finger to her lips. Unable to speak, I only nod. We barely escaped here last time. If we’re caught again, I doubt we’ll be so lucky.
After a moment, Rose gestures with her head and takes off down a small pathway leading to the back of the home. I glance at my left wrist and follow her, forgetting that the watch once permanently glued there has now gone. Seven months and I’m yet to kick the habit of checking it at least fifty times a day. I’m guessing it’s past midnight, with only the stars to guide us as we sneak further inside Neurovida’s walls.
At the back of the property, the ground slopes downward toward miles of thick, untouched forest. We climb down the slope to a wooden landing with a metal door, partially hidden from the upper levels of the home by its multiple grand balconies. Rose grips the door handle and I hold my breath, praying Neurovida’s staff haven’t discovered its faulty locking mechanism. The door opens with a loud click, and we slip inside.
I don’t ask her where we’re going. Even in the dead of night, I know Neurovida like the back of my hand. I’ve lost blood, sweat and tears training under this roof. Made and lost best friends. Fell for the love of my life, all here within these walls. This was home. Now it’s an execution chamber. Matthews made sure of it the day he took everything from me.
I try not to think of Ella, but every door I pass leads to a room bursting with her memory—her gentle laugh, herpeaceful presence, her soft curves. There are so many things I wish I’d done differently. Too many words left unsaid.
Rose stops in front of another door, and I frown at the small keypad to the right of the handle.
