Page 170 of Dare To Fall

The house is quiet as I walk through it. I wonder if my dad has gone back to work, but then the door to his study swings opens, and Elena steps out.

“Eli!” She smiles. “Arabella said you were still sleeping.” Her hand touches my arm. “How do you feel?”

“I’m okay, I think. Is Dad in there?” I jerk my chin toward the room behind her.

She nods and steps to one side. “I’m sure he’d love to see you. I was just going to see if I can talk the cook into making lunch early. Would you like something?”

“No, thanks.” I move past her and enter the study, then pause and glance back. “You should probably be here for this conversation.”

She follows me inside. My dad looks up as I approach his desk. He stands and strides around to meet me halfway across the room. His hands land on my shoulders and we stare at each other, then he folds me into his arms.

“I’m sorry, son. I know the last few days have been difficult for you.”

This close to him, I come to the sudden realization that I’m taller. When did that happen?

“I miss him.”

His hand rubs between my shoulders. “I know.”

“I’m sorry I was such a dick when Mom died. It must have been worse for you.”

“It’s okay, Eli. I should never have left you to be responsible for everything, no matter what I was going through.” He pulls away and pulls my head close to his. “I love you, son. I need you to know that.”

I nod. “I love you, too, Dad.” Sucking in a deep breath, I straighten and take a step back. “Ari said you walked in on us.”

He chuckles and skirts back around his desk to sit down. “Elena has been saying since Christmas that she was sure you two were sneaking around together, but with the way you were fighting, I wasn’t convinced.”

“It’s been … gnarly.” I tell him about the way I treated her when she first joined Churchill Bradley, careful to keep any mention of our late-night assignations out of the story. Then I tell them how we started having feelings for each other over Christmas, which leads to the things Ari did when I returned to school.

“So, Evan was behind all those videos being released, the cell being planted in your locker, and then blackmailed Arabella to push you to … what?”

I rub a hand down my face. “That’s just it. When I got the text to meet Kell …” I pause to lick my lips. “He … Evan, I mean … I’m not sure I got the sense of everything he said, but it seems like he has been trying to take everything that he thought was mine since we were young kids. He kept talking about how I had everything, and he should have it all.”

“You didn’t tell that to the detective.”

“I wasn’t really thinking about it. But I’m pretty sure he killed Zoey, Dad. He said something about how he tried to talk to her in the cemetery, but he had to punish her. That it was my fault she’s dead.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“I know. I know it’s not. Have they found him?”

Elena shakes her head. “No. He hasn’t been home or been in contact with his family.”

Chapter 114

Arabella

Sitting in the back of the Uber, I unlock my phone and find Miles’ messages. My heart is hammering behind my ribs, and my hands are shaking with apprehension.

Me: I’m on my way to meet Jace at the Country Club. You know where I am if things go wrong.

I hold on to my cell and shift nervously in my seat. It was hard for me to tear myself away from the warmth of Eli’s body this morning. I’d left him sleeping soundly, looking peaceful and relaxed.

Maybe I should have told him where I was going.

But he would have tried to stop me, and I need to know what Jace has to say. Whatever he wants to tell Eli, it must be important for him to risk my boyfriend’s wrath.

My phone pings.

---