Page 148 of Dare To Break

The darkness is absolute. Without any flashlights or cell phone displays, there is no natural light source inside. I’ve been here often enough not to need any, and I take another step forward, then sink to the ground.

“You’re having a spectacular pity party, Kitten. Is it a solo event or can anyone join in?”

“It’s not a pity party! You weren’t there. You didn’t see what happened.”

“I heard about it, though. So, you were caught swapping spit with a guy who isn’t your boyfriend. Who the fuck cares?”

“I care.”

I laugh softly. “Do you? What part do you care about? The part where people found out or the part where you liked it?”

“I did not like it.” She almost spits the words at me, and in my head, I envision the fire in her eyes.

I tut. “Oh, Kitten, are you lying to me now? I’ve seen how your body responds to pleasure. I couldn’t have slipped a credit card between the two of you. You were plastered against him, head to toe.”

“He surprised me.”

“Do you often react that way to surprises? I’ll be sure to shock you more often.” I rise to my feet and feel my way across to the coffin. My hand touches her shoulder, and she jumps.

“Hmmm. That would be a no on shocks causing kisses.”

“You were there!” It wasn’t a question.

“I was.”

“Did you take the photograph?”

“No. I didn’t take it and I didn’t share it. But what does it matter who did it?”

“Because he did it to destroy any friendships I’ve been building.”

“And you know that for certain, do you?”

“Yes!”

“Then why are you cowering away, like you’re the one who did something wrong? Where’s the girl who walked to a bench in the middle of the night, took off her clothes and stood there naked so a man in a mask could look his fill at her? Where’s the girl who let that man and his friend touch her? Where’s the girl who rode through five orgasms on a stranger’s tongue, then went home and fucked herself to a sixth?” My fingers slide around her throat and grip it, pulling her back until her head rests against my chest. “Where’s the girl who demanded my attention? Because I don’t see her here. I see a weak, pathetic mockery of that girl.”

I lower my head and run my tongue over her ear. “If that girl was here right now, she’d be naked, her legs spread wide while I feasted on her. That girl deserves my attention. But she’s not here. You asked why I picked you, but really what you should be asking is, what reason are you giving me to stay? If you’re too weak to play, then …” I flex my fingers, drop my hand and step back.

“You asked why I stopped daring you. So here you go, Kitten. Here’s my dare to you. Get up and fight. If you want a place at this school, fight for it. Fight the world.” I press my lips to the side of her neck. “Fight your stepbrother.” I tug the opening of her hoodie away from her shoulder and seal my lips against her throat, sucking hard enough to leave a bruise just over where the pulse beat rapidly. “Fight me.”

Chapter 95

Arabella

The pull of his lips as he sucks on my neck makes me wet. I moan, tilting my head to give him more access, but he lifts his mouth from my throat.

“Fight me.”

My body heats up at his challenge. His impassioned words ring out in my head, feeding the anger I keep on burying. I’ve been keeping my head down all my life. Staying out of trouble. Why shouldn’t I let my fury out? I’ve swallowed it down for years, and where has it gotten me? My home is gone. My secure life has been torn apart. My mother has shipped me off to boarding school. I have a stepbrother who probably wants to kill me.

Every monster has a weakness.

What is Eli’s?

A hand finds my jaw, his thumb brushing over my bottom lip. My tongue darts out to taste it. Possessed by the need to please him, I suck the tip into my mouth.

“Fuck,” he mutters.

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