Page 56 of Protecting Hailey

“Do you think I would get back together with you after everything that happened?”

“I was honest about the reason I had to take a step back.”

“That’s not it. You kissed that girl.”

“You kissed your bodyguard,” he yelled, pointing at Christian. “We’re even.”

“This isn’t a game, Trey. You left me when I needed you the most. You only cared about yourself.”

Her voice cracked, and I placed my hand on the small of her back. Trey’s face flushed red, and he shouted, “Are you with him now, then?”

“Yes.”

“Well, that didn’t take very long.”

“Shut up, Trey.”

“It took you forever to put out with me, but for him, your legs are wide open.”

My fist tightened at my side. “Shut up, Trey,” I reiterated Hailey’s words.

“Fuck that. Make me.”

I rarely got pushed into a fight. It was pointless. I’d seen too much bloodshed in my life to want to spill any more. But for the first time since I’d left the army, I wanted to hurt someone. Because he had hurt her. But I knew I could hurt him badly.

“I think you should go,” I told Trey and walked toward the front door to open it for him.

“Don’t do this, Hailey. We need each other. I don’t even care that you kissed him.”

“Well, I care, Trey. I care that I kissed him.”

Trey looked at me standing at the door and back at Hailey. He pulled her aside and whispered something in her ear.

“No, Trey,” she said.

“Come on, Hailey.”

“No!” She slapped him and he froze.

Tension built around us and I felt the pull in my gut even before he raised his hand. I wasn’t sure if it was my military training or my instinct to protect her, but I reached him before he could touch her.

I pushed him away from her, and he staggered back. I stepped forward to hit him because I wanted to hit him so damn bad, but a voice in my head stopped me.

He’s not worth it. Don’t lose everything because of this asshole.

But Trey rushed at me. He swung towards my face. I easily stepped back to avoid the punch. Off balance, he tried again, but I swatted his arm away.

“Ahh!” he screamed in frustration and ran towards me with his shoulder down. I braced for the impact and managed to keep us both up. This only aggravated him more.

“Stop it, Trey.” Haily smacked his arm, and he swung and backhanded her.

Something in my head snapped. A roar, so fierce that it drowned out Hailey’s cry. I gripped Trey’s T-shirt and pushed him up against the wall. My hands circled his neck and squeezed.

Blood pounded in his veins. His pulse fluttered against my fingers as he choked for breath.

Perspiration gathered around my fingers and his forehead, and his skin became clammy and turned blue.

“Stop. You’re going to kill him,” Hailey cried from behind me. But it wasn’t until I felt her hand on my arm that my muscles relaxed and my fingers fell from Trey’s neck.

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