Page 4 of Striker’s Rebel

Why did she need to go out when they could stay home?

Why was she always telling me everything?

Each little thing was easy to excuse. Together, they had started to look a whole lot like control.

Jamie reaches the bar.

“Hey, babe.”

Eliana gives him a quick smile.

He bends to kiss her.

She turns her head at the last second.

His mouth lands near her temple instead.

Right above the bruise.

I see his eyes flick toward it.

I’m done.

“Did you hit her?”

Eliana makes a quiet sound beside me.

Jamie looks at me. “Excuse me?”

I come around the bar.

“Her face. Did you do that?”

“June, stop,” Eliana says.

Jamie gives a humorless laugh. “She told you what happened?”

“You mean the bathroom door?”

His expression changes for half a second.

Enough.

“She fell,” he says.

“Into the door.”

“Yeah.”

Behind him, one of his friends looks away.

My pulse starts pounding.

I step closer.

“Stay away from her.”

Jamie’s eyebrows rise. “What?”