Page 251 of Cross the Line
My heart chooses now to riot. I can’t tell him Rio figured it out—that he knows the anonymous victim is him. So I go with, “Christina’s avoiding him again. He thinks she’s blocked his number.”
“Has she?” His nose scrunches. “Fin said she’s been busy with work and college. They’ve barely seen each other since Fin’s birthday last month. Did you tell him that?”
“Nope.”
“Oh, you’re so evil,” Eli chuckles, tugging on the rag as he asks, “Is Fin here yet?”
“She hasn’t texted.” I hold up my phone and, taking it from me, Eli slips it into the pocket of my gym shorts.
“Probably stuck in traffic,” he says with a scrunch of his brow.
The expression on his face has my insides wrenching.
Has she seen the news?
Is she okay?
Fuck, I need to call her. We need to check on our girl.
As if he can read my mind, Eli taps my bracelet a couple times. His usual tap-tap that is quickly responded to with Fin’sbuzz-buzz-buzz.
The corner of his mouth quirks up at our girl’s reply. “Ready to get rolling and release now?”
Goddamn, I love this man so much that it physically tears me up the longer I resist the urge to touch him.
My hands clench around his hips, bringing him closer. “Are you going to help me?”
A slow, wet lick coats his lips with an inviting sheen. “How’s that even a question?”
Unlike the last few days, he’s been in a good place today. The call from Natasha eased the apprehension he was feeling about tonight’s game. I wish I could say it did the same for me. Even though Presley’s not here in person, I still have to go out there and face the rest of the Wolves.
Every time I think about playing them, I get a knot in my stomach. I see the cunt and all the shit he’s done. It’s like looking at all the faint scars on Eli’s body and knowing that Presley is part of the reason they’re there. He put them there, and I want to kill him for it. For every drop of blood Eli’s bled because of him. Every gulp of air Finley choked on because of him.
Him.The bastard. The monster. The devil.
I hate him. So much that it overwhelms the natural instincts of my body. I can’t breathe. I can’t see straight…
“JJ?” Eli pushes the stick off me, bringing his body flush to mine. “What’s going on in your head, Sunshine?”
For a man that’s all hard edges, he’s so damn soft. He’s seen the worst in humanity, and he’s still got so much will to hope and love. Every part of me melts at the tenderness swirling in his eyes.
“They arrested him.” It’s the only thing I can say when his hand molds to my jaw and he scratches his thumbnail along the short stubble.
My already crazy heart completely loses it at his touch that I can’t help but nuzzle into.
“I know. Dylan announced it back there,” he says, tipping his chin toward the two-touch circle.
I watch him closely for any sign that he’s overwhelmed. That his head is spiralling to that dark place wheremynightmares live.
“They’re all going to figure it out.” Eli’s brows pull into a frown. “Like Rio has.”
Fuck.
My gaze snaps to his.
I can’t lie to him, but I’m also too scared to confirm what he’s deduced. Even if he appears resigned to the fact. However, with Eli, the outside isn’t always accurate. It’s what’s on the inside that worries me.
“There’s no rewind button, Jayden. No going back.”
