Page 59 of Striker’s Rebel

“Oh, my God.”

“Shut up.”

For half a second, she laughs.

A real laugh.

The relief hits harder than I expect.

Then the bar gets busy.

About an hour later, the front door opens and Eliana freezes beside me.

I don’t need to look.

I already know.

Jamie walks in.

His face looks worse than it did last night. One cheek is swollen, there’s bruising near his mouth, and he moves like every step reminds him exactly what happened in the parking lot.

Good.

The thought comes without guilt.

Eliana drops the towel in her hand and goes straight to him.

“Eliana.”

She doesn’t stop.

Jamie opens his arms and she folds herself into them.

Something ugly twists in my stomach.

Jamie looks over her shoulder.

Straight at me.

There is resentment there.

Then he bends his head and says something into Eliana’s ear.

I can’t hear it over the music.

Her body goes rigid.

She pulls back and looks at his face.

Then at me.

The expression on hers changes so fast I barely recognize it.

She comes toward me.

“What did you do?”

I stare at her.