Page 131 of Dare To Live

Her cheeks flame.

“I didn’t think you’d appreciate me mentioning it, so I didn’t reply. You were drunk, and I promised you a long time ago that I wouldn’t fuck you when you’re drunk.”

She doesn’t get a chance to respond to that because Miss Winters claps her hands. “We’re going to head into the main education block now, where you’ll have the opportunity to catch up with some of your former teachers. If you’ll follow me …” She moves along the hallway to the doors leading outside.

I drop my hand from Arabella’s face and link my fingers with hers. She doesn’t say anything as we walk with the group to the building where we spent most of our school day.

Chapter 73

Arabella

“Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“You could have stayed with Ivan and Miles if you didn’t want to come,” Eli says.

“No way am I leaving you alone with Jace.”

“He’s looking for closure like the rest of us.”

“I’m still not convinced he didn’t have more to do with what Evan did,” My words come out in a fierce rush. “Especially after seeing him the day I got snatched.”

Jace is already waiting for us by the bleachers. Head down, hands in his pockets, he doesn’t look our way as we approach. I can almost hear the crowd’s roar and the cheerleaders’ chants while a home game is being played. If I squint, I can see the field full of players, the stands full of students and teachers. Not that I’d ever bothered after I got kicked off the cheer squad, and the only time Miles showed up to a game was if he wanted to watch one of the players.

The kids we used to be are nothing but echoes now. The ghosts of the past haunt this place just as much as the ones from the graveyard in the forest.

Eli pulls me to a stop and steps in front of me. “He said at the trial he didn’t know Evan was going to take you.”

I scowl up at him. “If he tries anything, I’ll take him down.”

“Are you going to beat him up, Ari?”

“Damn right. I’ll do what I have to protect you.”

His lips curve up. “Are you my bodyguard now?”

I stare up into eyes that have caused me both pleasure and pain. “I’m whatever you need me to be.”

Eli searches my expression for a long moment before he nods. Without another word, he leads me toward the waiting man. There’s no one else on the field. To our right, the bleachers are empty and silent.

Jace glances up. “Arabella. Eli.”

Shaking my hand free of Eli’s hold, I step protectively in front of him. “What do you want, Jace?”

“To talk.”

“Yeah, I remember how that went last time. I ended up in the hands of a psychopath.”

Jace’s expression clouds. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know he was there. I would never have asked you to meet if I had.”

“Ari, stand down.” Eli’s arms wrap around me from behind, secure, warm, and safe. “What did you want to tell me?”

“I’m sorry about what happened.” Jace breaks eye contact to lower his gaze to the grass. “It’s taken me years to wade through the mess Evan left in my head. My therapist said I have a lot to deal with.”

“No shit,” I mutter. “Just like the rest of us.”

“Ari.” Eli’s arms tighten.

“I got a deferred sentence. Community service instead of jail time for my part in what happened. My parents disowned me.”

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