Page 10 of Dare To Live

“And why didn’t you?”

He looks at me for a long second. “Because I had no reason to. How was I to know that Sin was Eli?”

Sin.

I will myself not to react.

“I swear I didn’t know … not until we walked into that room.”

I head to the kitchen to find some glasses. “I thought you’d told him about your past.”

“Not in detail.” He follows me. “Just that a couple of kids at our school died, and we knew the person responsible. He knows now. I told him everything, and he feels awful for surprising you with the artwork. He had this plan to get you to help him persuade Sin … Eli … to use his gallery exclusively for his exhibits. I love Ivan, but he can be a ruthless bastard when he wants something.”

“It’s fine. I hope you explained that Eli and I aren’t close anymore.”

Miles pulls out a chair at my kitchen table, sits, and accepts the corkscrew I hand him. “We both know it’s not fine. You almost died, Bella.”

I take two glasses down from one of the cabinets and join him. “I received a bouquet of lilies today. That’s six years in a row.”

Six years of taunting at random moments in my life. Of not letting me forget the horror I’d lived through.

“Evan Ridley is locked up in a psychiatric prison.” He pops the cork from the wine bottle and pours the dark red liquid into our glasses.

“But this one was sent to my workplace and not my apartment.”

“He can’t hurt you anymore.”

I smile tightly. “No, he just likes to remind me that he’s still thinking about me.”

The psychopath had been caught, but it didn’t repair the damage he’d already done. He poisoned my life. Turned happiness into discontent.

Sipping his wine, Miles eyes me thoughtfully. “What are you doing for Christmas?”

I shrug. “I thought I would stay home and watch old Christmas movies.”

“You mean become a hermit and live on the contents of your refrigerator while you obsess over those cold-colored pieces of glass.”

“My mother invited me to the Hamptons, but I declined.”

“You are not staying here alone. Ivan is taking me to New York for the holidays, and we want you to come with us.”

I blink. “To New York?”

He nods, “It’ll be fun. Two whole weeks. Parties. Food. New Year’s Eve in Times Square. Don’t say no.”

“Miles—”

“I am not above kidnapping you. My fiancé knows people who can make it happen. Ivan is insisting that you come with us. He’s going to pay for everything. His way of apologizing for his mistake.”

I roll my eyes. “You’re both so dramatic.”

“You’re my best friend, and I love you. I want to see you smile again. We can go shopping and have cocktails.” He waggles his eyebrows. “Eat our weight in chocolate.”

I can’t help but laugh. I have to admit, the thought of leaving L.A. for a while is more than appealing. “Okay, I’ll come.”

His face lights up. “You will?”

“I’ll have to book the time off work, though.”

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