He comes to an abrupt stop, yanking me before him with a sneer. “What the hell are you doing?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the guy.”
Shit.
“What guy?”
“Don’t play dumb with me, Blair. I know you better than that.” He backs me against the wooden slats that make up the old barn.
I don’t know exactly what he saw, so I have to play it safe. He’s never been outright violent with me, but Riley’s anger issues have gotten worse over the years. They were part of the reason why we broke up in the first place.
“He’s no one. Just some guy I met tonight.”
“You expect me to believe you whored yourself out for some guy you just met? That you got down on your knees for a nobody?” He grips my wrist so hard I’m worried it might snap.
“Riley, stop. You’re hurting me.”
“I’m hurting you?” He squeezes my left boob with his other hand, and I grit my teeth. “What the fuck is this then, huh?”
“Stop it!”
My attempt at trying to calmly diffuse the situation flies out the window as panic kicks in at the assault. Blood pumps in heavy thumps in my mind as oxygen struggles to find its way into my lungs. I try to throw out from his hold, desperate to get away from him, but I have the strength of a gummy worm.
He presses my wrist beside my head, splinters poking into my arm.
“You seem to be forgetting you’re mine. I—”
Water pours down from the sky and onto his head, splashing me in the process.
No. Not water. Beer by the smell of it.
“What the fuck?” Riley jumps back, releasing his hold on me.
I don’t wait. I use the opportunity to sprint away, putting as much distance between myself and Riley as possible. Before I get too far, though, I glance over my shoulder, looking up at the roof and spotting a man perched on the edge.
Phantom.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ELI
“Oh, sorry about that, man. Didn’t see you there.”
“You,” he growls.
“Do I know you?” I crush the beer can in my hand and let it drop to the ground, narrowly avoiding his feet.
I probably shouldn’t be poking the bear, but considering the alternative would be stabbing the bear, this seems like a slightly healthier option. And Ireallywant to stab him. Not only does he treat Blair like trash, but he thinks he can lay a hand on her as well? Yeah, right. He is lucky I am letting him keep those disgusting fingers right now.
“I’m Riley fucking Manning, and this is my girl.”
He gestures to the space Blair used to be, emphasis onused tobecause she took off like a rocket the second his attention turned. And because his attention is still on me, he doesn’t even realize he’s pointing at blank space.
“I’m not seeing any girl.”
“What the fuck?” He jerks his head around, searching, but she’s already rounded the corner and is out of view. His jaw clenches as he juts a finger up at me. “You better stay away from Blair.”
