Page 144 of Dare To Fall

Garrett’s words send my thoughts into a spin. “But why? No one knew who I was when I first arrived.”

“Lacy did.” His voice is low and serious. “I overheard her telling Maggie that she knew you were being sent to the school by Eli’s dad. His marriage to your mom was all over the Country Club before you even arrived.”

“So, it wasn’t a coincidence,” Eli says. “Her ending up in Zoey’s old room was planned from the start.”

Garrett frowns. “What does Zoey have to do with anything?”

Kellan smiles tightly. “Nothing.”

I kick him under the table and nod at Garrett. Tell him.

Narrowing his eyes, he shakes his head. No.

Eli takes my hand and squeezes it gently in a warning. Trust Kellan.

They don’t want Garrett to know about the texts or how everything is linked to Zoey’s death. Do they suspect him even after I’ve told them I trust him?

“Shit.”

Miles’ mutter sends my attention to the cafeteria door. Bret, Kevin, Brad, Jace, and Evan are standing there. The stares they give us are chilling. Brad’s lips twist with a look of disapproval.

Eli moves his hand around the back of my chair as he leans back. “They aren’t going to do anything. Not with us all sitting here.”

Miles swallows hard. “Are you sure?”

Eli’s hand plays with the end of my ponytail. “Positive. Are you staying or going, Garrett?”

The other jock hesitates for a split second. “Staying.”

“You sure? You’ve seen how they’ve treated Miles because of our friendship with him.”

Brow furrowing, he searches my expression, his mouth tight. “You’re right, Arabella. We aren’t on different sides. I want to be your friend, and if I want to sit with you, then real friends wouldn’t turn on me for that decision.”

The group of jocks move to join the cheerleaders at their table. As soon as they sit down, Lacy starts whispering to her boyfriend. A thick tension fills the cafeteria, the students around us glancing up uneasily as if they sense it too.

Kellan wraps an arm around Miles’ shoulders and places a kiss on his cheek. “I think we should go and move your stuff into our dorm room.”

“Agreed.” Eli’s tongue flicks out to play with his lip ring.

“I can help. We’ll get his things moved quicker with the five of us helping before Bret comes back,” Garrett offers.

I remain silent as we all rise from the table. I take Eli’s hand as we walk toward the door. The sensation of being watched burns into a spot right between my shoulder blades, but I don’t glance back.

Even with Eli’s reassurances that we’re safe because he can remind them why they all fear him, I can’t shake the horrible sense of foreboding that’s weighing down on me.

Chapter 97

Eli

We have everything out of Miles’ room and in ours before the bell rings to signify the first class of the day. When we reach the room for math, Mr. Drake is already in there, but tension is thick in the air as we take our seats. I purposely slow down when I reach Bret’s desk and hold his eyes as I move past him, a small smile tipping up one side of my mouth. His throat moves as he swallows, and his eyes dart away from mine.

The group of jocks are the first out of the room when the class ends, but Lacy and the cheerleaders linger. I grab my bag and Ari’s, take her hand and walk across the room, only to stop when Lacy steps in front of us.

“Whatever she’s doing to keep your attention, I can do it better.” Her gaze moves over the bites I’ve left on Arabella’s throat. “You like to mark your prey, but why stop at just using your teeth? I know you like knives, Eli. I’d let you use one on me.”

“Because I drink the blood of my victims, right?” My voice is dry.

“I’ll do anything you want.” She runs her fingers up the front of my shirt.

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