Page 113 of Dare To Live

“What the fuck?”

“I’m sorry I tripped.”

“Bullshit. You did that on purpose. This is my favorite hoodie. You fucking spiteful bitch.”

The scene plays out in my head. The way she’d looked so fucking scared. It was before we realized what was going on and I thought she really was trying to piss me off.

Now open the other box.

My eyes snap to it.

I can’t open it.

Fuck that shit. Just open the fucking thing.

My hand hovers over the top. I take a deep breath then carefully peel away the tape.

There isn’t a fucking snake in there, coiled and waiting to bite you.

Being bitten by a snake would be less painful.

I fold the top back and look inside. A camera, cell phone, laptop and another photograph of us. This time, Zoey is in the center, her arms around both of us, and we’re all staring at the camera unsmiling.

I laugh quietly, remembering that day. We’d all tried to outdo each other on how mean we could look. Kellan had set a timer on his camera to take the photographs. There was an entire series of them, but this one was Zoey’s favorite. My gaze moves to the camera. The rest are probably on that. I couldn’t remember Kellan picking up the camera again after Zoey died.

I bow my head, swallowing against the lump in my throat. I should just leave. Get out of here. I shouldn’t have let Ivan convince me to come here. Arabella will be fine without me. There are no monsters here, only ghosts. She has him and Miles to look after her.

I push a hand into my pocket and curl my fingers around my keys. I haven’t unpacked. I could slip away now and be back at the cabin before sunrise.

Standing, I move to the door and step out into the hallway. As I walk along it, I can hear laughter and muted talking from the other rooms, but I don’t see anyone, and I hit the stairs and hurry down them.

The main foyer is empty, and I stride along it, my plan to get out as fast as possible before someone sees me. Pushing open the door I step outside and set off down the path. I turn the corner just as someone is coming from the opposite direction and they crash into me, bounce off my chest with a soft yelp of surprise and lose their balance.

I automatically reach out to grasp their arm before they land and tug them back upright.

“I’m sorry,” I begin, then stop when my eyes collide with blue ones.

“Eli.” My name is a whisper on the night air.

I stare at her.

It’s a shame you can’t go back and have a fresh start. That first meeting for you both set the tone for your entire relationship.

Elena’s words from a few short weeks ago echo through my mind.

I drop my gaze to where my hand is curled around her forearm, then lift again to meet hers. Slowly, I slide my hand down and take hers, lifting it to my lips.

“I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure,” I say softly. “My name is Eli. Eli Travers.”

Chapter 63

Arabella

Eli’s lips brush over my knuckles, and I shiver at the contact. My cheeks heat, my brain stalls.

Why is he the only man in the world who can make me blush this way?

Confusion holds me still while my heart does a little flip-flop in my chest. This is not how I pictured bumping into him again. He’s lost weight since I saw him in New York. His cheekbones are sharper and there are dark circles around his eyes.

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