Page 215 of Dare To Live

I’d been driving back to the cabin when a car skipped the junction and hit the side of mine. It sent me careening into the nearest tree. The collision must have triggered the airbag and knocked me out.

That meant …

“Hello, Eli.”

The blood freezes in my veins and I can’t do anything but watch as Evan Ridley comes to a stop in front of me. He doesn’t look much different from the last time I’d set eyes on him—during the trial for the murder of my best friend. He’s still slim, almost boyish looking. The only differences are the shaved head and the scar crossing one cheek.

If he does manage to take you by surprise, stay calm. We won’t be far away.

Bret’s words rattle around my head. This is what we’ve planned for. I have to see this through to the end, and fucking hope that the tracking device they put in my shoe hasn’t been found.

“Evan.” My voice is rough but calm.

“I didn’t think we’d ever get to sit down and talk again. You’ve been very difficult to find.” He drags a chair over and settles on it, crossing one ankle over his knee. “But my pet here assured me that if I was patient you’d come.” He smiles. “And here you are.”

“You could have just called.”

“And have you refuse to take my call?” He tuts. “That’s not how it works, you know that.”

“How what works, exactly?”

If he takes you, keep him talking. Give us a chance to get to you.

Evan scowls. “Don’t pretend like you never knew the game we were playing.”

“We were playing a game?”

“Don’t fucking act innocent, Eli. Every girl I liked; you fucked them. Every friend I had, you wanted them. So, I changed the rules of the game.”

“I didn’t take any of your friends.”

My head snaps sideways when his fist connects with it, blood spraying outward. “Don’t fucking lie!” Spit leaves his lips with his scream. “You wanted Jace. You took Zoey. You fucked Maggie and Lacy. Even my pet here craves your fucking dick.” He swings out a hand and knocks the blonde standing quietly beside him back a step.

My gaze flicks to her. “Why are you doing this? You can see he’s fucking insane, can’t you?”

I know the second the words leave my lips that I shouldn’t have said them. Evan launches himself from the seat and comes at me, raining blows over my face and chest.

“You were so fucking perfect. Father, mother, son. The perfect family. Happy, rich, wanting for nothing. Always taking trips, always laughing. What did I fucking have? My mother was dead, my father didn’t give a shit. I had one friend. One. And. You. Took. Him!”

I can’t think properly, my head reeling from the constant punches, but I force myself to respond. “Kellan wasn’t—” The words come out thick and slurred.

“Not Kellan!” He hits me again.

The coppery taste of blood fills my mouth. The eye I was able to see out of is slowly losing focus, but I fight against it, try to keep it open.

“Who? Who did I take from you?”

“Jace. You took him to your birthday party. Him, not me. When he came back, he was always talking about how nice you were. How you weren’t the piece of shit I told him you were. He wanted to be your fucking friend.”

“Evan, I—”

“And then Zoey. Zoey was my friend, my girl. But she refused to play the fucking game. She wouldn’t break you. She had to go.”

In my head, I’m back in the chapel, with him screaming similar words at me. Kellan is on the altar behind me, the colored reflections from the stained glass spilling over him.

Hold it together, Eli. My best friend’s voice whispers through my mind. You have to hold it together.

I’m trying. I’m fucking trying … but my vision is swimming in red. I no longer feel the blows hitting me, and I’m slowly losing the fight to stay conscious.

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