Page 97 of Dare To Take

Where are you, Miles?

“What the fuck happened?”

I stiffen at the voice. Kellan strides toward us through the trees, expression grim.

“Where’s Miles?”

“Not coming,” he growls.

“How—”

“He told me that you’d texted him. What happened?”

“Eli was acting weird, and then he threw up and collapsed.”

He drops to a crouch in the snow. “Define weird.”

My fingers brush Eli’s hair away from his forehead. “He kissed me, said he missed me, and then tried to have sex with me.”

Kellan examines his friend, and frowns when Eli mumbles incoherently. “He’s out of it.”

“I’m sorry.” I choke the words out.

Kellan goes rigid, his attention shifting to my face. “What did you do?” The question is delivered in a slow, measured tone.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know what was going to happen. I didn’t want to hurt him.” The truth is ripped out of me. I keep my eyes on the snow in front of us, unable to meet his watchful gaze.

“Arabella, what the fuck did you do?” he repeats, and the edge to his voice hikes up my fear.

I shake my head and get to my feet. Terror drives me with the primitive need to escape, and I take off through the trees and away from both of them.

If anything happens to Eli, it’s on me. This is all my fault. I won’t be able to live with myself.

Lost in my torment, I’m not looking where I’m going and miss the figure who steps out in front of me.

A hand grabs my arm. “Bella?”

I throw my head up and find myself staring into Miles’ worried face. “I did something stupid. Oh god, what have I done?”

“Slow down. What did you do?”

“Let me go. Please … you need to help Kellan.”

“What’s happening?”

“I-I can’t.”

I pull free of him and flee back in the direction of the school.

Chapter 61

Eli

“Eli? Open your eyes.”

“Kellan. Hey. What are you doing here?” Flopping onto my back, I smile up at my friend.

He doesn’t smile back. “Can you sit up?”