It was just a regular Saturday. Sarah and I were at the beach, walking along the shoreline in our bare feet, letting the waves hit our ankles. She was talking about some party Topper was throwing later, and I was only half-listening, more focused on the sun on my skin and the way my bikini bottoms kept riding up.

I was wearing the white set—the one with the gold hardware. The one I knew looked too good. I knew what it did. I knew what it would do to him.

I didn’t think Rafe would be there, though.

But he was. Sitting on the dunes with Kelce, beer in hand, a hat on backwards. I caught his eyes the second he saw me. And I knew. I knew that look.

His jaw clenched. His mouth twitched. I could feel the heat of his stare like the sun was burning right through me.

Sarah leaned in. “Don’t look, but your psycho boyfriend is watching you like he’s about to murder someone.”

I laughed it off, even though my stomach turned.

Five minutes later, I felt someone grab my wrist hard and pull me off the sand.

“Rafe, what the hell?” I snapped.

“What are you doing here?” I hissed. I tried to pull my wrist away, but he only tightened his grip.

“Better question—what the f*** are you doing?” he shot back, eyes dropping to my bikini and then snapping back to mine. “You really out here playing dress-up for every guy on the beach?”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re delusional. It’s a bikini, not lingerie.”

“You know what you’re doing,” he said, voice low and sharp. “You wear sh*t like that when I’m not around, but when I’m with you? Suddenly it’s sweatshirts and attitude.”

“Yeah, ‘cause I can’t even wear a crop top without you acting like I’m cheating on you,” I snapped.

He stepped in closer. “Do you like this? Having me lose my f***ing mind over you? You want me jealous, don’t you?”

“No, what i want is for you to use you brain for once which is clearly not happening today.” I shot back

And then it happened.

He slapped me. Quick, hard. Right across the cheek.

His eyes didn’t show a trace of regret. In fact, they were colder now, colder than I’d ever seen them. He didn’t apologize. Didn’t flinch. Just stood there, watching me like he was waiting for me to say something.

And this definitely wasn’t the first time he’d hit me.

“I dont want you to wear shit like that.” He said, his voice low but hard and firm.