Page 9 of Dare To Take

Please let Elliot be okay.

I send up the silent prayer with a guilt-ridden heart. I’m the cause of his heart attack. If I hadn’t run away, he’d be here right now.

With a ragged breath, I sink to the floor. I want to go to the hospital to see him, but my mother has forbidden me from leaving the house unless I’m accompanied. She made sure the staff was under strict instructions not to let me leave before she’d gone to see Elliot.

Where am I going to go? I have nowhere left.

A helpless laugh escapes me. This might be a castle of luxury, but it’s still a cage.

I find my phone and sit with it clenched between my hands. I can’t hide from what’s out there anymore. No matter what I do, it will still be waiting for me. I take a deep breath, switch it on, and watch the screen spring to life. It only takes a moment for the texts and notifications to start to flood in.

Miles: What the hell, Bella? What did you do?

Miles: Who are the men in the video?

Miles: I thought we were friends. Why didn’t you tell me? I can’t believe you’d do something like this.

Miles: I tried to call you, but it’s going to voicemail. Call me back.

Miles: Bella, where are you?

Miles: Everyone is asking me where you are. They think I’m one of the guys in the video. I’m fucking denying it. All the cheerleaders and jocks are giving me hell.

Miles: Everyone is saying Eli leaked the video. Did he make you do those things? Did he hurt you?

Miles: Where are you? Eli’s dad had the school contact me to see if I knew. No one knows where you are.

Miles: Just let me know you’re ok.

My heart feels like it’s squeezing out of my chest, and my lips tremble. He won’t want to be friends with me now. Not after what’s happened.

I click on the notifications for the school’s social media app, and stare down at the comments and posts.

Arabella Gray—cock-sucking whore.

This girl is going to be popular down on her knees.

Look at the tits on her.

I can’t wait to have those lips wrapped around my dick.

I see a gangbang in her future.

The cruel and lurid commentary goes on and on. The video of me naked, on my knees giving Sin a blowjob, is everywhere.

Disgust and shame build within me. I wipe a tear off my cheek, but more fall.

What happens if I am pregnant?

From the way she acted, my mom doesn’t know Eli and I had sex. He could easily deny it now with the video exposed. Say one of the men in it fucked me and got me pregnant.

Will Elena and Elliot arrange to have it terminated? Just like my dad wanted to get rid of me when she got knocked up.

Another round of texts pops up.

Lacy: You are no longer a member of the cheer squad. It was a unanimous vote.

Lacy: The school has agreed to give me another room. Nothing personal, but I have a reputation to keep.

---