Chapter 73

Chapter 73
Garrett's POV

It took a few days for anything to happen. A few damn days of waiting and pacing in the apartment, thinking, overthinking, questioning if I should have gone through with any of this in the first place.

Lila had been… slowly getting better, though she still looked fragile, like a porcelain doll that'd been dropped too many times.

I tried to push that out of my mind, I had more pressing things, but every time I saw her she reminded me of what I was risking.

Then, finally, my phone rang. That ring made my heart jump in a way I hadn't felt since… hell, since before all this mess began.

I looked down at the screen, hands shaking, hoping it was him. It was. The one contact who might actually have the thing we needed, the one piece of information that could make all this worth it.

"Got a place," he said, his voice low and clipped. "You're gonna want to come alone."

"Not a chance," I said before I could think. Lila's been through too much to leave her behind.

He didn't argue. Didn't need to. He just gave a time and an address, something quiet, something safe and free from preying eyes… or at least as safe as it could be with us involved.

I hung up and ran my hand over my face, tried to calm the buzz in my head. This was it. The step that could either fix everything or… well, fuck, I didn't even want to think about the other possibility.

I went to Lila's room. She was sitting by the window, one knee pulled up to her chest, staring outside at nothing.

Her figure was just as beautiful even while she was sitting there, staring out the window. Her hair shifted slightly and I could see her form from underneath the semi-transparent gown she was wearing.

I could see the worry still lingering behind her eyes. She turned when she heard me, half smile, half worry.

"We have a place we need to be," I said, keeping my voice steady, though inside I was not.

"Hospital?" She asked, frowning, a little defensive. "If it's the hospital, you can forget about it. Because I really… I really don't feel like going back there, not today. I need—" she paused, then swallowed, "I don't want to be there."

I shook my head quickly, moving closer. "No. Not the hospital. It's not that." I could see her shoulders relax, but only a little. She didn't trust the world yet, not fully. And who could blame her?

I took a deep breath. "I need you to come with me. Please. Bring the evidence you gathered… everything." My voice hitched a little. "I just don't want to leave you here again."

She nodded, slowly. Just a small motion, but it was enough. Enough to make me feel like maybe we might have a fighting chance.

We both got dressed. I didn't have to wait much for her while I got a few things prepared. She came down wearing a simple brown coat and white top with blue trouser. Though the coat covered most of her body, it failed to cover her beauty.

I walked with her towards the car and when we got in, we drove off. The drive was silent, except for the engine, the occasional shuffle of papers she kept clutching.

I stole glances at her, at the evidence sitting next to her on the seat. The proof she'd fought to get… I hoped it was enough. I prayed it was enough.

When we got there, I immediately saw him. My contact. Standing like he owned the place, but wary, always wary. We pulled up, and I cut the engine, my heart hammering in my chest.

Lila's hand brushed mine, not by accident, but I didn't look. Didn't want to make it obvious that her presence, her touch, mattered more than it should.

"Garrett," he said, nodding as we stepped out. There was relief in his eyes, but also tension. "You brought someone?"

"Told you I wasn't coming alone." I said, stepping slightly in front of Lila without meaning to. I wasn't going to let anything happen to her, not now.

We went inside. The cafe smelled faintly of old coffee and sugar. He gestured for us to sit behind a booth, and I did, though I didn't let go of Lila's shoulder. I wasn't even thinking about it; it was instinct.

"What I have," he said, voice low, "is pure luck. Pure, dumb luck that I got it before… well, before it got destroyed. I was hunted for it, Garrett. They came after me. Closer than you'd believe."

At the mention of trouble, I didn't want any part of this anymore. I felt my stomach twist when he talked about how close they came and I didn't recognize the feeling that came over me. If it was fear or aggression.

My hands itched toward the phone in my pocket. I wanted out. I wanted to grab Lila and disappear, take her anywhere, anywhere but here. "We need to leave," I said, my voice sharper than intended.

"I can't," he continued, oblivious, or maybe choosing to ignore the tension. "If you want to stop what's coming, if you want to make sure she's safe, you need to hear this. It's… too important to ignore right now."

My hands were shaking. I felt heat crawl up my neck. "No. I'm not risking her—"

"Garrett," she called, looking at me. "Calm down. We're not in danger."

I tried to calm down, tried to force myself into breathing and thinking clearly. But even thinking didn't help, my brain kept screaming that one wrong move, one second of distraction, and Lila could be in danger.

Lila looked at me, hesitant, unsure. Her hand brushed against mine again. I felt something tighten in my chest. I didn't want her here, if it was just the two of us, I would feel a lot safer. But with her being here, it wa
s hard.

I pulled out my phone immediately and that's when I saw it.