Page 39 of Dare To Fall

“What do you care?” She gasps when my grip on her throat tightens.

“That’s not your fucking business. Who told you to do it?”

“Do it?”

“Throw the drink on her. I want a fucking name.”

“No one!” Her hand comes up to claw at my wrist. “Eli, please. I can’t breathe!” Her face is turning purple, eyes wide.

I loosen my grip just enough for her to suck in a breath. “A fucking name, Tina. Now.”

“No one! No one. She was fucking mocking us … coming to the party looking like Zoey.” Her voice breaks, and tears spill down her cheeks. “And then she’s all over you and Kellan, just like Zoey was.”

My hand drops, and I step away. Tina sags, one hand lifting to rub her throat, the other dashing away the tears.

Kellan gives a low whistle from beside me. “You were the girl she kept sneaking off to meet.”

She glares at him. “Until you two got your claws into her. She never wanted to spend time with me once she had the two of you.”

“Or she realized what a fucking bitch you are.” I shove my hands into my pockets. “Get your ass back in there.” I jerk my chin to the doors leading back to the cafeteria.

She pouts. “Or what?”

I take a step toward her and she darts sideways. “Oh my god. Fine!”

I’m on her heels as she walks back into the cafeteria and heads to where Arabella is still surrounded by the jocks. I get a quick glimpse of pale features, as well as a hand sliding up her thigh, and … Well, I lose my shit.

My fist connects with Garrett’s jaw and the impact sends him over the top of the chair to crash into the wall.

Chapter 24

Arabella

The burn on my forearm throbs, and I grit my teeth against the pain.

Eli stands over the fallen jock, his hands curled into fists. “I said no one gets to play with my fucking toy until I’m done with her. I’m getting fucking tired of repeating myself. “

“Kellan did,” Garrett whines.

“What can I say?” Eli’s lips curl. “My little Hellcat is hot for big dicks, and I don’t mind sharing with Kellan.” His gaze sweeps over the boy on the floor. “I’m pretty sure she’d laugh if she saw what you’re packing between your legs.”

I balk at the venomous hate in his tone, grab my jacket and stand to leave, only to discover Tina blocking my path, Kellan just behind her.

“I’m sorry about your arm.” Her voice is sullen, but her eyes are filled with malice.

I don’t reply, and step past her, just wanting to escape. Bret, Jace, Kevin, and Evan cut me off just before I reach the door.

“She’s trying to run away,” Kevin calls. “Travers, come and punish her.”

The students around us already have their cameras out and pointed at us in anticipation of the shit show that’s unfolding. They all look eager to see what Eli will do to me.

His murderous eyes swing in our direction, and he doesn’t see Garrett launch himself off the floor at him. As he’s thrown forward into a nearby table by the jock, Kellan puts himself between Eli and everyone else. Kevin grabs me when I try to dash past him. I don’t even think and bring my knee up. It connects with his balls, and he doubles over with a pained howl. The second he lets go of me to cup himself, I bolt.

I head straight to medical, where the nurse tries to question me about my burn, and I lie, telling her it was just an accident. She runs cold water over it, then applies something to soothe the pain over the area before covering it with a sterile bandage.

One of my phones pings when I’m easing my jacket over my arms. When I check, relief floods me when I see it’s not my main one.

Sin: Where are you?

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