Chapter 178

Dashiell was about to retort, to argue that he wasn’t that boring, that he had depths she hadn’t yet seen, when he looked down and saw that Elodie had drifted back to sleep, her chest rising and falling rhythmically. Sleep, or perhaps escape, leaving him alone with the echo of her words and a turmoil of emotions clawing its way out. He cursed under his breath. She was right. Ari was the antithesis of everything he was—mysterious, unpredictable, even dangerous. Those were the very same qualities that drew him to Ari years ago. Frustration gnawed at him as Dashiell stared at Elodie. He hadn’t realised how much she craved excitement and danger. And as much as he hated to admit it, part of him envied Ari for being able to give her that. Dashiell sat on the edge of the bed, watching Elodie sleep, lost in thought. *** Elodie blinked, her eyes adjusting to the soft light filtering through the curtains of the hotel room. As she stirred, the events of the previous night began to trickle back in