Page 71 of Promise Me Never

Janey pulls the girls back as my fist connects with the bastard’s stomach. He doubles over, and my knee connects with his nose. From the crunching sound I know it’s broken. Good. He straightens with blood pouring from his nose and spits in my face before landing one punch. The pain feels good, grounding me in the moment. I never release my feelings like this.

I land a few more punches, as does he, before he ultimately drops to his knees in defeat. The sound of sirens drawing closer filters into my awareness as Sam and Colt push me toward the back exit.

One of the bartenders opens the door and slaps my back. “Those two are a menace. None of us called the cops.”

Colt hangs back and thanks him, slipping him a handful of one hundred dollar bills. Janey whips the SUV around the back of the building, already knowing the drill from the months following Amy’s death. I spent a lot of nights getting wasted and starting fights. I think it’s one of the reasons she rarely drinks, and when she does, it’s only one or two drinks.

Amber and Eli are in the third row, whispering back and forth. I’m too ashamed and worried to look back and see the judgment in Eli’s eyes. I know her well enough to know that physical violence isn’t something she’s going to be okay with regardless of whether it’s in her defense or not.

My knuckles are bloody and already swelling as I look down. The metallic taste of blood fills my mouth as I lick a cut on my lip. My cheek throbs from the one blow he landed to my face. But I’d do it all over again for her. Even if it pissed her off.

Twenty-Seven

ELI

* * *

“Let me see.” I shoulder past Luke into the bathroom attached to his room.

He was out of the car before Janey even had it in park. Having Luke come to my defense like that shocked the hell out of me. I knew he wouldn’t like seeing me dance with another guy, so I told the guy no, but he just wouldn’t take the hint. I was about to get really mean when Luke walked up and decked him.

I grew up in a house where we don’t use fists to settle disputes, but watching Luke defend me like that definitely did something to me. I’m an uncomfortable combination of irritated that he did that but weirdly turned on at the same time. But most of all I want to understand why he won’t look in my eyes now.

“It’s fine.” He shrugs a shoulder dismissively and pulls his shirt over his head.

I suck in a breath at the purple bruise creeping along his side. His abs flex as my fingers trace the edges. I lean forward and lightly brush a kiss over the contusion.

Our eyes meet for the first time in what feels like an eternity. His eyes are dark pools, uncertainty swirling in their navy depths. We stay locked in that standoff until a knock on the door breaks us apart.

“Do you need help?” Janey pokes her head in.

“No.” Luke turns around and shows her all his injuries. “Nothing needs stitches.”

“Okay.” She lingers for a second looking curiously between us. “Let me know if something changes.”

He flips the bathroom door lock and turns back to me. “Are you okay?” His fingers wrap around my waist as he effortlessly lifts me, setting me on the cold marble counter.

I try to scoot off, startled by the cold under my bare legs, but he blocks me with his hip.

“It’s cold,” I say.

He smirks as he pulls me toward the edge. It’s obscene, my skirt is practically around my waist now and even more of my skin is exposed to the chill. I can feel the heat of his leg through the denim now pressed against my core.

“You’ll warm up.” He leans around me and starts washing the blood off his hands and knuckles.

“Let me?” I look up at him even as my fingers move through the pinkishly tinted suds covering his hands.

He straightens and nods, giving me control but not removing his thigh from between my legs.

“Wanna tell me what that was about?” I ask as I gently clean his knuckles under warm water.

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“You got there so fast. He had just started saying mean things, and poof, there you were.”

“What did he say?” His gaze sharpens on my face.

“Slut and body shaming bullshit. It doesn’t bother me.”

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