Page 11 of Dare To Fall

“Am I a prisoner here, then?”

“Of course not.” I shrug and drop the sweats onto a nearby chair. “Look, take them, don’t take them. It’s up to you.”

“Eli.” Kellan’s voice is a soft warning.

“I’m trying, Kell. But she has to meet me halfway.”

She laughs, the sound hard and sharp. “Don’t you know you can’t change the nature of the beast, Kellan?”

I shake my head. “I’m not doing this with you, Ari.”

“Doing what?”

“Fighting with you. I understand why you’re angry with me, why you don’t believe me, but I’m not going to let you goad me into proving you’re right, Kitten.”

“Stop it.” Her voice is brittle, razor-sharp.

“Stop what?”

“You don’t get to call me that. You’re not him.”

I sigh, lifting my eyes to the ceiling and begging to any deity that’s listening to give me patience.

“You know there’s a way he can prove it to you,” Kellan says around a mouthful of food. He waves a hand at me. “Lift up your shirt.”

“Kell—”

“We’re going to go around in circles, otherwise. Just do it.”

It’s with extreme reluctance that I pull the front of my shirt up, baring my chest. I know what he wants me to show her. And it’s not anything she hasn’t already seen … mostly … but she didn’t realize it the last time she saw it.

Kellan points his chopsticks at me. “See it, Bella?”

She’s scowling, looking everywhere but at me.

Kellan rolls his eyes. “Bella, Bella, Bella.” He places his food down and stands. Stepping up beside her, he touches her face gently and turns her head toward me.

“See the tattoo?”

“I was there when he got it.”

“Are we done?” I feel like a slab of meat as they both stare at me.

“Of course, we’re not done.” Kellan flicks his fingers toward the words across my ribs. “Look closer, Bella. What do you see?”

“Exactly the same as you.”

“Don’t be awkward, pretty girl. Read it out.”

She sighs. “It says, Nasty Little Monster.”

“What else does it say?”

“Kell.” I growl his name.

“Show some patience, Elliot Travers the Third.”

“What?” Arabella’s eyes widen.

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