Page 142 of Dare To Fall

“Thanks, Eli. I’ll see how it goes during class tomorrow.”

“Well, if you need me to … I’m more than happy to remind them why they’ve been scared of me for the last four years.”

Warm lips press against my back, and hands slide around my waist, dipping down. I catch Ari’s wrist before her fingers find my dick.

“We have company, Hellcat. I don’t think Miles wants to see us fucking tonight.”

“I don’t mind watching,” Kellan’s voice sounds through the darkness, then he grunts.

“Miles just hit you, didn’t he?”

Ari buries her face against the back of my neck, and I can feel her body shaking as she laughs.

“Get some sleep. We’ll figure it out tomorrow.”

They go back to talking quietly to each other, and I shift around so I’m facing Arabella. She scoots closer, burrowing into the warmth of my body.

“How are we supposed to act normal tomorrow? They chased us through the woods. Who knows what might have happened if they’d caught up.”

I stroke my hand down her back. “I doubt they would have done anything. They just wanted to scare him. I’ll take a walk down to his room in the morning and see if Bret wants to face me.”

I wind an arm around her waist and roll onto my back, pulling her onto me. “Get some sleep, Kitten.”

***

There’s no answer when I bang on the room Miles shares with Bret before classes start the next morning. I don’t know if that’s because Bret is hiding inside or because he’s left for breakfast early. I shout that I’ll see him in class, just in case he is hiding, and then catch up to Kellan, Ari, and Miles, who are on their way down for breakfast.

None of the boys who chased Miles are at their table when we walk into the cafeteria, but the cheerleaders are there. Lacy’s eyes are on Ari as we walk past her and her friends. Ari’s head turns, and her lips tilt up into a smirk. A moment later, she stops, steps in front of me and pulls my head down to kiss me.

I don’t resist, cupping the back of her head with one hand and tangling my tongue with hers. When we break apart, Ari’s eyes drift to Lacy again, and that smirk returns. I laugh softly, link my fingers with hers, and we continue to our table. Kellan and Miles join us a few minutes later, two trays stacked high with enough food for the four of us.

“Nice territorial display,” Kellan says to Ari as he takes a seat.

She shrugs. “I’m tired of being scared of what they might do.”

A shadow falls across the table, and all four of us look up to find Garrett hovering.

“Mind if I join you?” He doesn’t wait for an answer but slips onto the seat on the opposite side of Ari. “Are you okay?”

“What the fuck do—” My growl is cut off by Arabella’s hand on my arm.

“Garrett got us into the dorm building last night. If he hadn’t been there, they might have caught up to us.”

I lean past Ari to glare at him. “Seems like a huge coincidence that you just happened to be there.”

He shakes his head. “I heard what they planned and was on my way to warn you. Then I spotted Bella and Miles running out of the woods.”

“Eli.” Ari’s voice is soft. “Garrett was the only one who tried to help me the last few weeks before spring break.”

I know what she’s saying. He supported her while I was busy trying to break her. My tongue slips out to toy with my lip ring. His face still holds remnants of bruising from the beating I gave him, but he holds my gaze steadily.

“I’m sorry for—” I wave a hand toward his face. “I wasn’t thinking straight.”

“I figured that out. At the time, it was fucking scary. I thought you were going to kill me.”

“If Kellan hadn’t turned up, I might have. I think that was the point.” I look at Kellan and hike an eyebrow. He shrugs. I turn to Ari. “Do you trust him?”

She doesn’t even hesitate. “Yes.”

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