Page 60 of Dare (Fighting Fate)

Chapter 42

Eli

Pocketing my keys, I moved between the parked cars and stepped up to the curb. As much as I knew it was a bad idea for me to see Jess, I also knew I had more of a chance getting through to her than anyone else. Regardless of what the judge thought, I knew Zac had become unstable over the last couple of months, and I needed Jess to see that. For her safety, and my sanity.

Walking up to her door, I knocked and waited. A second later, Emmy answered the door. She blinked at me, surprise making her mouth open and close without a sound. I grinned a little. “Hey, Emmy. Is Jess home?”

“Uh . . .” I could see her brain working overtime. “She is. I’ll just get her.” Leaving the door open, she walked over to the bottom of the stairs and leaned around the corner. “Jess! There’s someone at the door for you!”

Turning back toward me, she gave me a smile and picked up her purse. “I was just on my way out to see Mia. Tell Jess I said bye.”

Stepping to the side to let her pass, I breathed a sigh of relief. I really didn’t want an audience for any sort of discussion I was going to have with Jess, but somehow, I thought Emmy knew that. I’d have to thank her later.

As I heard Jess’s footsteps on the stairs, I watched Emmy close the door behind her, a slight mischievous crook to her mouth. But then Jess stepped around the corner and all other thoughts evaporated.

“Eli,” she said, her brow creasing as she glanced around the room. “Where’s Emmy?”

“She said she was just leaving when I got here.”

Jess rolled her eyes before moving toward the kitchen. “Of course she did, the traitor. Why are you here, Eli?”

I watched her grab a glass out of the cupboard before retrieving a carton of juice from the fridge. Walking around the counter, I stopped in front of her, trying not to let the way her eyes widened affect what I had to say. “Jess, I know you’re a strong woman. That’s one of the things I like about you most. And I know you have amazing friends who’ll do anything to protect you.” Her eyes narrowed a little as she tried to work out where I was going with my speech. “And I know sometimes it’s good to be determined to not let shit that comes into our lives affect the way we want to live it. But I need to make you understand just how unpredictable Zac is right now.”

“Eli—” she started, but I shook my head, stopping her short.

“No, Jess. Just listen to me. Please. I’m not saying this out of jealousy or any other ridiculous emotion. I’m telling you this because I don’t want to see anything bad happen to you. Zac isn’t the same guy you saw last semester, Jess. He’s a guy who feels like he’s lost everything. He’s lost his boyfriend, he’s lost his career, and he’s lost his reputation and credibility. As far as he believes, he doesn’t have anything left to lose. He’s a loose cannon, and most people that are loose cannons need someone to blame. That’s you, Jess. You’re the easiest person for him to blame for this. You’re the one he drugged, just so he could get you out of the way. What’s to stop him from still thinking the same way?”

She shook her head. “I just don’t think he’ll do anything, Eli.”

I took her face in my hands, exasperation filling every part of me. “I know. And that’s why you drive me crazy. You might be right. He might do nothing. But what if I’m right, Jess?”

She looked like she was searching for answers, as her gaze held mine, but to what, I didn’t know. “What do you want me to do, Eli? How do you suggest I handle the situation?”

Dropping my hands from her face, I sighed, but I didn’t step back. “Just, no more partying, Jess. Just until he’s put away. And try not to go anywhere on your own for a little while.”

Stepping away from me, she poured herself a cup of juice and returned the carton to the fridge. Leaning back against the counter, she assessed me as she sipped. “Why?” she said, pursing her lips. “Why do you care so much?”

I threw my hands in the air. She was outright impossible. “You know why, Jess. It’s not like you haven’t heard me say it before.”

Her gaze narrowed dangerously as she stood, one arm across her stomach, and the other gingerly holding the glass in front of her chest. “All I’ve heard is you saying you care about me, and then a whole bunch of excuses why we can’t be together, and I’m refusing to listen to it anymore.”

“So, you’re saying you’re not going to take my advice and be more careful? You’re just going to be stubborn—just to make a point?”

Slowly, she lowered her drink to the counter and placed her hands on her hips. “No, I will take your advice, and I will be more careful, but this shit,” she said, pointing her finger back and forth between the both of us, “is stopping right now. I like you. A lot. And I know you like me too, so the fact that both of us are unhappy doesn’t make sense to me.” She took a step toward me. “I know you think that I’m going to be some great distraction and I’m going to somehow make you fuck up your career, and I’m flattered you think that much of me, but it’s just stupid, Eli. What do you think I’m going to do? Tie you up in bed for days on end so you can’t study or go to class? I mean, I’ve got college too. I have exams I need to study for, and assignments I have to get done. It’s a given that there might be times where we might not see each other for days on end, but that doesn’t mean that the times in between can’t be spent together. It’s bullshit, Eli. And if you can’t tell me that you just don’t want to be with me, then you don’t get a choice anymore. I say that we’re going to give this a shot.” She stopped in front of me, her gaze dark and dangerous. “Starting right now.”

Instincts told me to resist—that this was some kind of trick to throw me off, but there was some part of me that knew she was right. I just didn’t know if I could take that chance and let myself go like that.

Placing her hands flat on my stomach, she leaned toward me, her gaze as fiery as her hair. “I mean it, Eli. I’m not playing this bullshit game anymore.”

As she stood there before me, her head tilted back and fire in her eyes, challenging me with every breath she took, I felt it happen. All the walls I’d carefully built to keep her out, were starting to crumble around me. I had nothing left to argue with. Between one breath and the next, I gave in.

Chapter 43

Jess

As Eli’s hands slid over my jaw, his fingers burying deep into my hair, I closed my eyes and exhaled. I was still skept

ical that Adam’s suggestion would actually work. The Eli I knew was so stubborn, I was doubtful he would be willing to bend at all when it came to me. But here he was, seemingly bending. I knew I wouldn’t be able to relax and just let myself enjoy him like I wanted to, until I could see him smile when I was in his arms. But for now, I was going to hope.

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