Page 34 of Dare To Fall

A tremor rolls through me. “It could still happen, though, couldn’t it? If I stop playing their fucked-up, twisted game, they could do to me what they did to her.”

The reality of my situation slams into me hard, and I draw my knees up and hug them to my chest. I can’t stop shaking, the coldness enveloping me going bone deep. What if’s start to circle in my head, the possibilities of what the future could hold chilling me to the core.

Eli wraps his arm around my shoulders and tugs me into his chest. “Nothing’s going to happen to you.” He accurately guesses the direction of my thoughts.

“You don’t know that. How can you be sure? All it would take is one slip-up. If they realize you know what they’re doing, anything could happen.” The words spill out of me in a terrifying rush. “They already tried to hurt Miles. That was my fault, and they said they’d kill him if—”

Eli’s fingers press against my chin and tip my head up. His mouth smothers my words, silencing my fears. He plunges his tongue between my lips, and kisses me thoroughly, until my body melts against him. I feel the contact through every inch of my body. Thinking is paralyzing, and all I want to do is get washed away in the pleasure he can give me. Hide in his arms where nothing can reach me.

“Nothing is going to happen to you.” Eli nips at my lips with his teeth. “We’ll protect you, Hellcat. I promise.”

I have to wonder if he’s making the promise to me or himself.

They never saved Zoey.

But they hadn’t realized what was happening until it was too late.

Kellan pulls a t-shirt on. “I’ll go down and grab us some breakfast. I could do with a coffee.”

“If you intend to talk to Miles, be careful.” Eli keeps his arms around me, stroking my spine, and I burrow into his warmth.

“Be careful of what? Letting people know he’s gay or that we’ve been fooling around? He’s hiding in the closet, and it’s not like we’re dating. I’m a free spirit until then.”

“What are you doing with him?” I lift my head to search Kellan out.

“He sucks my dick, and we’ve fucked once.”

“Miles wouldn’t be this upset about finding you in bed with me, if he didn’t like you a lot.”

“I think he was more upset about finding me in bed with Eli.” Kellan rakes a hand through his hair, moving for the door. “He needs to make up his mind, because I’m not going to be his dirty little secret for much longer.”

He walks out, and silence descends. Eli tugs me backward until I’m lying on the bed and then stretches out beside me, arms wrapped around my waist. I rest my head against his shoulder, letting his presence keep me from spiraling from all the chaos in my head.

I can’t stay in their room forever. The texts are already coming. I’m trapped in this deadly game, and I have no idea what will come next. It might be the weekend, but that doesn’t mean I’m safe.

My thoughts shift to the diary hidden in my room. Zoey’s diary. Do I tell them about it? I should, but the need to read it for myself keeps me quiet.

I have to know what happens. If she wrote about the dares. When things changed. If she had an inkling of who was behind it. She failed the night of the Halloween Ball, and I can’t make that same mistake.

“You can’t watch me every second of the day,” I break the silence.

Eli’s arms tighten around me. “You’d be surprised by how much I watch you, Hellcat.”

I lift my chin so I can meet his eyes. “I’m serious, Eli.”

He moves down the bed until we’re face to face. “Zoey didn’t know what was going to happen. You do know what could potentially happen, which means you can be prepared for it. Use the other phone to keep in contact with us. Tell us everything. No secrets, Ari. That is the only way this is going to work. Do you trust me?”

“No,” I reply honestly.

A flash of irritation crosses his face.

“You lied to me for months. You bullied me. Did you really think a night of wild sex would make me trust you so easily again?”

“Ari, I need you to—”

I place a finger over his lips. “Trust is earned, Elliot Travers the Third. If it’s true about the link with Zoey, I’m only in this mess because of you. Would I still have a target on my back if you’d left me alone?”

He doesn’t reply.

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