Page 183 of Dare To Break

She stiffens imperceptibly. No one would have noticed the move, but I was watching for it. I pull out the chair beside her and sink onto it. She’s so tense beside me, she’s almost vibrating. I ignore her and tap the tabletop.

“I’m sure the interior designer she hired worked hard.”

“Oh, no, Son.” My dad shakes his head. “This was all Elena. She even painted the walls.” He laughs. “You should have seen her. I came home from work one night and her hair was blue.”

“Elena did the decorating?” I can’t keep the disbelief from my tone.

Arabella stirs beside me. “My mom has always enjoyed decorating.” She sounds like the words are being pulled from her. “We just never had the—” Her mouth shuts with an audible click of teeth, but I could guess what she was going to say.

They’d never had the money to do it. That familiar anger rises, but this time it’s not because I still think she’s using my father for the money he has. Her mom might be doing that, but I’m confident Arabella had no part in her plot. No, my anger this time is because she hasn’t taken advantage of what she’s now gained access to. Even though my dad gave her a credit card with a huge spending limit, she has barely used it for anything. I know that because I saw the statement on the desk in my dad’s office when I walked in there earlier to see if he was home.

“Where is Elena?”

“She’ll be here shortly.” My dad’s voice is more relaxed than I’ve heard in a long time. “Arabella, how are you finding Churchill Bradley? Has Eli been looking after you?”

Kellan snorts from across the table, shoulders shaking as he tries to muffle his laughter. I swing my foot and connect with his ankle. That only makes him laugh harder.

“Something funny, Kellan?” Dad asks.

“No, sir. Not really.” He takes a gulp of water. “Arabella doesn’t hang with us. She prefers the cheer squad and the jocks.”

“You’re on the cheer squad?” Elena claps her hands together as she enters the room. “That’s wonderful!”

If looks could kill, Kellan would be dead on the floor from the glare Arabella nails him with, but she doesn’t say anything.

“What about you, Eli? Your dad said you’re working on something big for your art project?” The blonde woman walks to the head of the table, rests her hand on my dad’s shoulder and presses a kiss to his cheek. “I’m sorry I’m late. The cook wanted me to taste the soup she made.”

“How was it?” He reaches up to squeeze her fingers.

“Oh my gosh. Glorious! I had to concede she was right, and I was wrong.” She laughs and goes to the other end of the table to sit down. “Tell us about your art, Eli.”

I shrug. “There’s nothing to tell.”

“Well, what is it?”

“A sculpture.”

“That’s exciting. Is it clay?”

“No, marble.”

Her eyes round. “Isn’t that difficult? What if you make a mistake?”

“Then I’ve wasted ten grand’s worth of stone.” I sound far more casual about it than I feel. If I fuck it up, I’ll be furious. She doesn’t need to know that.

“That’s a lot of money.”

“It’s fine. School can afford it. Shouldn’t you be asking what your daughter is doing for her project?”

Chapter 117

Arabella

“It’s just a dress,” I mumble when everyone looks my way.

“You always did like to play dress up and make things.” Elena smiles. “Do you remember when you were six, and you put one of my dresses on and pretended to be a princess?”

“Yes, it was the same night—” My words trail off before I can finish, and I touch the two burn marks above my right wrist.

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