Page 51 of The Third Baseman

It was as I was slipping into bed that I heard a noise – a thud, followed by some soft banging. I launched myself across the room and pressed my ear as hard as I could against the door.

Voices. A man’s voice… and Marnie’s.

I pressed harder, seeing if I recognized it. I didn’t.

My stomach plummeted. I never imagined she’d bring a guy to her room.

Then I remembered whoshewas. No, there was no fucking way she was having a hookup. Not the Marnie Matthews I knew.

Though… did she know I was next to her?

Maybe she was trying to make me jealous. Mission accomplished, if that was the case.

After a minute, where I’d barely let out a breath, I heard the door shut. Sprinting to mine, I yanked it open and peered into the corridor, but there was no one to be seen.

I returned my ear to the connecting door.

IthinkI could make out the shower.

My heart was pounding harder than it had during the game tonight.

Then I heard a thud… some furniture moving, possibly. And was that a scream?

Yes, it was definitely a scream.

I pressed harder against the door. A cry?

“Marnie!” I banged on the door. “Marnie!” I rattled the handle. “Marnie!”

No answer, or maybe there was some mumbling.

Shit.

The door looked pretty flimsy, plus it opened from the inside. I lowered my shoulder and slammed into it. It gave an inch and the newly formed crack by the handle meant it wouldn’t take much more to knock through.

Two more times in fact. I fell into the room to find Marnie looking up at me from the floor, her face filled with horror, and maybe a little fear. I ran to her as quickly as I could.

“Where is he, Marn? Did he hurt you? Are you okay?” I scanned round the room. Unless the guy was hiding in the bathroom, there wasn’t anywhere he’d be able to go. “Star?”

I glanced back down at her, wondering if perhaps she’d been scared mute… which is when I realized she wasn’t scared; she was angry. In fact, seething to the point her body was vibrating.

“Jupiter! What on earth do you think you’re doing? The door!” she screeched.

I turned around to see it was hanging off its hinges.

Shit. I’d need to pay for that in the morning.

I stood up and held my hand out to pull her up, but she batted it away.

“Answer me!” she ground out.

“I heard you scream, I… thought you were in trouble… I…” I looked around once more, and it quickly became apparent I’d been very,verywrong. “You screamed.”

“I stubbed my toe!”

“Why are you on the floor then?” I shot back accusingly, though we both knew I was on the losing end of this argument.

“It fucking hurt!”

---