Chapter 7

Chapter

Seven

HARPER

T wisting my body from one side to the other as I look in the mirror does nothing to settle the nerves rising within me. I have half an hour before Declan is driving me to campus for my first classes. College was something I didn’t think I’d get to experience, so on one hand I’m wildly excited for this. But on the other hand, I feel woefully unprepared. I was a marginally good student in high school, but I never tried hard, and my grades showed that.

At least I’m just taking general education classes. My stomach growls as I look down at my schedule for the hundredth time today. I spray on some perfume and grab my bag to head downstairs. Thankfully no one is in the kitchen, so I have a few more moments of peace while I fix a bagel and top it with peanut butter, honey, and banana.

“Tell me you’re not desecrating that bagel with peanut butter and banana.” Declan walks into the kitchen, his hard, northeastern accent shattering my quiet moment.

“There’s a drizzle of honey, too.” I put the other half on top, turning it into a sandwich. “My favorite breakfast.”

“Remind me to fly up north, so you can learn what a real bagel is,” he grumbles as he pops open an energy drink.

I watch in abject horror as he appears to pour it down his throat, his Adam’s apple only bobbing once to indicate he swallowed. His eyes never leave mine, twinkling with amusement at my reaction.

“There’s no way that’s healthy.”

“Probably not, but it doesn’t slow me down on the pitch.” He tosses the can into the recycling bin and grabs his bag. “You ready to go?”

He leads me out to his Range Rover and opens the passenger door for me, waiting to close it until I’m inside. Guess those cotillion classes did stick. I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from giggling at my thoughts. I don’t want to risk upsetting him.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing.” I buckle my seatbelt. “What classes do you have today?”

“Business admin and microeconomics.” He backs out of the driveway. “You?”

“An English class and biology lecture.”

“If you need help with bio, ask Emerson. He’s a beast in all the sciences.”

“Thank you.”

Biology is probably the only class I won’t need help with this semester. I’ve always had a knack for science classes, and working with animals has always been a dream. When I was looking through the online course catalog, I saw that Trinity has a veterinary college. In my wildest dreams I would become an equine veterinarian.

Of course, that line of thought always leads me to thinking about Annie. The person who bought her at auction wasn’t publicly named, so I have no idea where she is. I hope whoever has her is treating her well.

Familiar sadness settles over my shoulders like a cloak. Declan navigates the streets, congested with student traffic, like he owns the road. Maybe he does. I wouldn’t be surprised if Cillian didn’t have to make a huge donation to the university to get me admitted at the last minute like he did.

He pulls into a three-story parking garage, taking a spot on the first level. When I walk around to his side he tosses me the keys. I barely catch them and look at him with raised brows.

“You’ll have to drive yourself home because I have practice.” He grabs his soccer duffel out of the car. “I’ll ride home with Emerson.”

“Oh.” I look at the expensive SUV a little worried that I won’t be able to handle such a big vehicle. “Okay.”

“The address to the house is programmed in, so all you have to do is hit home on the nav screen.” He smirks as he looks at me. “You look nervous.”

“I am a bit. I’ve never driven anything this big.”

“You’ll be fine.” He dismisses my inexperience like it’s nothing.

I swallow a lump in my throat as tears swim in my eyes. Thankfully he’s a step ahead of me and can’t see the emotions I’m sure are clear as day on my face. It’s jarring to have someone just believe in my ability to do something. Driving is simple, but my dad rarely let me drive anywhere. Either he drove me, Banks did, or he’d send me wherever I needed to go in a car service.

Now here’s this guy who barely knows me, trusting me with one of his expensive toys. He says hello to several people we pass on the sidewalk, including some girls who giggle as we walk past. Their reaction to him isn’t surprising, but I hadn’t thought about him or the other guys having girls over to the house.

Oh well, I can just stay in my room if that happens. Or maybe I can find a way to make the drive to see Banks if I know they’ll be entertaining on the weekend. That would probably be better all around, anyway. The less I intrude the better.

“Your class is in this building.” He stops in front of a white stone building with huge columns along the length of the front.

“How did you know where my class is?”

“I downloaded your schedule.” He points across the quad to a bigger building. “That’s where all the science classes are. The library is to the left, and the student union is just behind it. You can get lunch there and charge it on your student ID.”

Before I can even respond, he’s taking off back the way we came from. Did he go out of his way to walk me to class? I can’t find my footing with these guys. Sometimes they’re rude, sometimes they’re sarcastic, but then they go out of their way to be nice. I can’t make sense of it.

“Was that Declan Ambrose?” A girl with short blonde hair asks me.

“Yes.”

“Did he walk you to class?”

“Yes, he’s my new stepbrother.” I don’t know why I throw the ‘new’ in there. “He was just being nice since it’s my first day.”

“Oh, wow. Lucky you to marry into that family.” She holds a hand out. “I’m Emilia.”

“Harper.”

“Nice to meet you.”

After a little small talk, we discover we’re going to the same class. She makes jokes about school and college life, immediately putting me at ease. Conversation flows effortlessly between us as we wait for the professor to arrive.

After class we grab lunch together and share the normal icebreaking conversations. The one thing I do leave out is who my father is. I don’t want to carry that label around here when I already lost all my friends back home due to the scandal.

The past few months have been so lonely. Aside from Banks and my cousins in Texas, it feels like I’ve been lost in a sea of isolation. I didn’t realize how much I missed the simplicity of female friendship. Maybe I should look into joining some student organizations to make more friends. It would give me a reason to be around the house less.

The only thing that gives me any pause where Emilia is concerned is the fact that she recognized Declan. I hate that I even had this thought, but she could be using me to get close to him. Just walking across campus with him for ten minutes this morning, it’s clear that people know who he is. It’s likely that awareness extends to Cyrus and Emerson, too.

I never used to be suspicious of others’ motives. Just one more thing to add to the list of damages my father inflicted with his lies. Every time I think about the horrible things he did to us and to others the urge to talk to Mom overcomes me.

Just wanted to say hi

My first day went well

Mom

That’s great, sweetie. I knew it would.

Have the boys been helpful in getting you settled?

Yeah

Good

Declan is letting me drive his Range Rover home while he’s at practice. I should go for now.

Drive safe! Love you

Love you, too

It doesn’t look like anyone is home when I pull in the driveway, which is fine by me. I prefer it that way. I’ll be able to relax for a bit in the living room before they get home. The bananas were looking very ripe this morning, so I could make some banana bread as a nice gesture.

I don’t know which of Declan’s keys opens the back door to the house that’s by the detached garage, so I walk around to the front door and use my key. As I step onto the porch, I notice a letter slid into the door with just my name on it.

I grab it and open the door, making sure to lock it behind me. Before I open the envelope, I go upstairs to drop my bag in my room and change into comfier clothes. The guys keep the house so cold I have to dress like it’s the middle of January to be comfortable.

Once I’m layered up, I drop down onto the bed and open the letter, completely confused as to what it could be. No one knows I live here, and it couldn’t be from Dad because it wasn’t sent through the mail.

Dearest future wife,

Enjoy the short time you have left but remember you’ll be mine soon.

Stay pure.

What the heck? The only person who could think he was going to be my future husband is obviously Banks, but he would never say anything like this. Plus, he’s three hours away at school in Georgia. Just to be sure I check his location on my phone, and, sure enough, he’s in the university natatorium exactly where he should be.

Did one of the guys plant it as some kind of sick joke? It’s not funny in the least. I’ve spent my whole life feeling unsafe, and while I’m not comfortable here yet, I never felt threatened. But as I look down at the note and the sinister slant of the handwriting, my stomach churns with unease.

Any plans I had of relaxing and baking go right out the window as I stay holed up in my room. With every passing moment I become more and more certain that it had to be one of them. Anger replaces fear as I stew in solitude.

By the time I hear voices downstairs, I’m ready for a fight. I fly out of my room, letter clutched in my hand as I descend the stairs and come upon Declan and Emerson, both shirtless and sweaty chugging water in the kitchen and Cy with a dish towel thrown over his shoulder while he pounds at a few chicken breasts. They all look up at me in unison.

“Whose idea was this?” I hold up the note.

Declan’s eyes harden as soon as he sees it. He reaches across the island and plucks it from my hand. “Where did this come from?”

“The front door.”

I watch his face for any trace of guilt, but all I see is the muscle along his jaw twitch as he clenches his teeth. He reads through it twice and pulls out his phone, his thumbs moving furiously across the screen.

“Who are you texting?” I ask.

“Let me see that.” Cy takes it from Declan, and Emerson reads it over his shoulder.

“Is this from Banks?” Emerson asks me.

“No. He would never write anything like that, and he’s at swim practice right now.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Yes.” I open my phone and click on his location showing that he’s still at swim practice hours away.

“It’s not Banks,” Declan says as he sets his phone down. “You and your mom have been getting a fuck ton of creepy letters. People are either obsessed with your dad or pissed at him.”

“What do you mean? I haven’t seen anything before.”

“We’ve been intercepting them.” He scrubs a hand over his face. “I didn’t think anyone would figure out you were here though.”

“You didn’t think it was something I should know about?” The audacity to hide something like this from me.

“No.” He looks completely confident in his answer. “Why worry you when you’re absolutely safe with us?”

“Did you know?” I look accusingly at Cy because he’s been the one I’ve warmed up to most.

“I had no idea.” He holds his hands up, but I swear there’s a flicker of guilt in his eyes. Just as soon as I notice it though, it disappears.

“Just because Banks’s location says he is one place doesn’t mean he’s really there,” Emerson says. “FaceTime him.”

“He can’t answer if he’s swimming laps.”

“Just try.”

I roll my eyes but step away and call anyway. It rings several times, and then suddenly he’s filling the screen with water rolling down his shoulders and googles across his forehead. A smile lifts my lips immediately. Warmth fills my body at the sight of him.

“Hi,” I say. “I’m sorry for calling you at practice. I just wanted to ask if you sent me a weird letter or anything?”

“No.” His brows draw together. “What kind of weird letter?”

Declan grabs the phone. “How long have you been at practice? ”

“Two hours,” a hard edge bleeds through his tone. “Let me see the letter.”

Declan switches the camera around, so Banks can read it.

“What the fuck?” he says, his voice seething. “Give the phone back to Harper.”

Declan hands it back, and I switch to the front camera again. “Apparently Mom and I have been getting weird mail like this for a while, and Cillian and Declan decided not to tell me.”

“So you wouldn’t be freaked out,” Declan says.

“It’s not too late to transfer to UGA. I can ask coach if there’s any way to pull some strings.”

“Absolutely not,” Declan says.

“She’s fine here,” Cyrus adds.

“Is she? She didn’t even know she needed to be careful because you were keeping this from her. How can she trust you guys? She doesn’t even know you.”

“How can you keep her safe when you’re practicing and going to meets?” Declan shoots back.

“The same can be said for you and soccer,” Banks volleys back.

“I’m here when they’re gone,” Cy says.

“Three is better than one,” Emerson adds.

“I don’t like this,” Banks says. “I’m going to come see you this weekend. I don’t have practice Sunday, so I’ll be there Saturday night.”

“Okay.”

I hear someone call his name in the background, and he looks over to the side. “I have to get back in the pool. I’ll call you tonight. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”