Page 144 of Dare To Break

“Can’t be Miles. He was sucking my dick while you were sucking Arabella’s face.” He crosses to his bed and stretches out, tucking his hands behind his head. “No, he has no reason to out her. It looks bad on him if his girlfriend is off doing nasty shit with another guy. They’ve already had a disagreement over …” He lifts his head, smiling.

“What?”

“Didn’t Jace try to kiss her once? Or maybe it was Lacy. She’s always trying to get into your pants. Maybe this isn’t about Arabella, but about you?”

“It doesn’t fucking matter who the target is. She thinks I did it.” It annoys me. “I’ve never been anything but upfront about the things I’ve done to her.”

“You mean, other than stripping her naked, taking photographs of her, and eating her pussy without her knowing it’s you?” Kellan’s voice is dry.

“That’s different. She wants it like that. She likes not knowing who it is.”

Besides, the only reason I do it is because her diary talks about her secret desires, the darkest part of herself which gets off on being made to do things, dirty things with a masked stranger. I thought it might prove that she was just like her mother, willing to turn tricks for gifts and money. The only thing I’ve managed to discover is that I’m addicted to her.

I spin to the door. “I need to talk to her.”

Kellan shoots upright. “Is that wise, Eli? She’s angry right now. Do you really think going up and telling her it was your face she was coming all over last night is the right thing to do?”

“I’m not going to put it like that.” I glare at him.

“What other way is there to put it? You’re not thinking straight.”

“She fucking thinks I set her up!”

“You are setting her up!” He lowers his voice, and sighs. “Just not about the photograph.”

My head is spinning. I’ve never had a problem with getting blamed for things I haven’t done before, but this time it’s different, and I can’t leave it alone.

“I’m going to find her.” I pull open the door and walk out before he can stop me.

***

I walk up the stairs to the next floor and stop outside Arabella’s room. I can hear voices inside, but not the words they’re saying. I knock before I can talk myself out of it.

The door opens a second later, and Arabella’s eyes widen when she sees me standing there.

“We need to talk.”

When she goes to close the door, I slap my hand against it, shove it out of her grip and walk in. Miles is there, sprawled on her bed, and he jumps to his feet when he sees me.

“Get out.”

I summon up a sneer. “Make me.”

We glare at each other, until Arabella steps between us, her hand resting on Miles’ arm. My jaw clenches.

“What do you want?”

“Him to fuck off, so I can talk to you.”

Her chin rises and she meets my eyes. There are still sparks of fury in their depths and, sick bastard that I am, it turns me on. “Whatever you have to say, you can do so in front of Miles.”

“Oh, can I?” I shift my attention to Miles. “You should leave. Unless you’d like to talk about what you were doing on Halloween?”

Her fingers tighten on her boyfriend’s sleeve. “Do you know what, Eli? Just get out. You have nothing to say that I want to hear. You’ve had your fun. Got your kicks.”

“It wasn’t me.”

Her laugh is high-pitched. “Of course not.”

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