Page 95 of Dare To Take

“What are you doing?”

A tiny voice inside my head echoes the question, but I ignore it. Squash it down. I don’t need to answer it. It’s not important.

“You’re so pretty.” I skirt around the altar, and she does the same, keeping distance between us.

“You look like an angel.” My lips twitch into a smile. “With hair like silk and eyes so blue, I think I could drown in them.”

She frowns. “Is this another one of your games?”

“No game.” That inner voice screams at me from a distance. I shake my head, dislodging it. “Don’t run from me, Ari.”

Her eyes widen at my words, but she doesn’t move when I close the gap between us and take her hands. My thumbs rub over her wrists as I lift them to place against my chest. Her fingers curl into my shirt.

“What are you doing?”

“How are you so warm?” I run my knuckles down her cheek. “So fucking soft.” I cup her chin and tilt her head up. “So sweet.” My head lowers and I brush my lips over hers.

She doesn’t respond, so I do it again, flicking my tongue out to lick over her bottom lip.

“I miss you, Ari.”

Chapter 60

Arabella

I miss you, Ari.

Those four words echo through my head, making me feel even more wretched than I already am. I’ve been torturing myself over giving Eli the coffee, knowing it was a curse in disguise. I threw up this morning when I’d found a new text from my stalker. It had been a warning about what would happen if I went to Principal Warren again. Then the next instruction came at lunchtime to pick up the drink and give it to Eli.

I should have said no. Whatever is in it is affecting him. He’s acting … weird.

What if it’s dangerous?

He curls his hand around the back of my neck and crushes his lips to mine. Deep, hard possessive, a forceful demand which leaves me trembling. Stress and desire twist me up inside. I’m playing with him because I have no choice. I’m pushing him to get the reaction my blackmailers want.

I want to keep him at arm’s length.

I want to hold him close.

Eli smiles against my mouth. “I think you like it; you know. All the fighting and the hate. The more it hurts, the hotter it feels, doesn’t it? You want me to fuck you again. You want me to punish you with the way it burns between us, don’t you?”

I cradle his face gently in my hands. “Eli, I’m sorry—”

He silences me with his kisses and backs me up until I hit the altar. His hands are everywhere, roaming restlessly over my body.

“You’re so fucking beautiful.” He nips my lip and tugs my coat down my arms. I don’t stop him.

“Eli, you’re not yourself.”

He ignores me. His fingers slip under my top and unclip my bra. Shoving my sweater up, he lowers his head and takes one of my nipples into his hot, hungry mouth. I can’t stop a moan at the contact and tangle my fingers in his hair, head tipped back.

I’ve been starving for this. The intimacy between us. Even if the sex doesn’t mean anything, I still crave it. I’ve become addicted to what Eli can give me.

He’s a dirty addiction that makes me feel good when I need it the most.

With his mouth on my body, I can pretend I’m not being blackmailed. That the videos don’t exist. That there’s no hate between us.

“I need to be inside you so bad, Ari.” My name leaves him with a tortured groan, his mouth trailing a wet path between my breasts.

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