Page 63 of One Week in Paradise
God. Is there something wrong with me? Something fundamentally wrong about me that makes me only attractive to men like this? Is this my future? My destiny? Always the side piece, never theone?
My vision blurs, and I stumble against the wall. This cannot be happening to me again. Not with Cash, of all people. It can’t.
I can hear the muffled sounds of Bea and Sara jumping to defend me, but I can’t bring myself to respond. My heartbeat quickens even more, and I clutch at the wall behind me. It’s getting harder to breathe. Each breath that manages to come out is shallower than the one before. I take several large, gulping breaths, hand pressed tightly against my chest as I try to coax some air into my lungs. It doesn’t work.
All I can hear is blood rushing through my veins as I struggle to breathe. My chest feels tight, and my legs begin to buckle.
I can’t do this. It’s too much. I can—
‘Bailey,’ Cash says.
For one long moment, everything around me seems tofreeze. Lacey’s yelling quietens to a muted whisper, my heartbeat slows down, and I can breathe again.
Cash is standing by my side, one arm wrapped protectively around my shoulders, squeezing lightly as his thumb rubs soothing circles over my collarbone. His brows are knit together with worry, and I can see the question already forming on the tip of his tongue.
I lock eyes with him and remember what he told me last night.
I will never hurt you, Bailey.
Not like Ethan.
Not like anyone.
You can trust me.
I take a deep breath and collapse into his embrace. I bury my face in his chest, relishing the way his strong arms come up to circle me in a tight hug, and I decide that he’s right.
Icantrust him. And we need to talk.
Before anyone else has the chance to speak, I lunge for Cash’s arm and drag him away down a small, dark corridor. As we disappear from their sight, I hear Lacey starting up again, trying to convince the others that I’m the evil slut she’s made me out to be in her mind.
‘Bailey?’ Cash asks, worry tinging his tone. ‘What’s happened?’
I wait till I’m sure we’re out of eavesdropping distance from the others, then grind to a halt and turn and facehim. I cross my arms over my chest and try to steady my breathing.
‘Who’s Naomi?’
Several emotions flurry across Cash’s face. Surprise. Worry. Anger. Irritation. He settles on a weird mix between surprised and irritated.
‘She’s my ex,’ he says tentatively. ‘Why?’
I feel a small bit of relief at how readily he gives up that information. I’d half been expecting him to deny any knowledge of the name. ‘Lacey seems pretty sure that she’s your girlfriend. Yourrealgirlfriend.’
Irritation morphs into anger. His face twists into an uncharacteristic scowl, and he glances over his shoulder as if he expects Lacey to be behind him, sneering at us. ‘What?’
I tell him what just happened with Lacey before he arrived, and I watch as the anger on his face melts into panic. He takes a step closer to me, grabs my hands and presses them against his chest.
‘I would never do that to you.’
That tightness in my chest eases up.
‘Iwon’tever do that to you.’
‘I know,’ I whisper. And it’s the truth. I know down in the deepest parts of my soul that Cash would never hurt me like Ethan did. ‘But why was she posting you only three weeks ago?’
Cash sighs. ‘I didn’t know that she was still posting. I told you I don’t use Instagram very often. I mainly just kept it to check in on you every now and then. You know, as the leader of your fan base and all that.’
I laugh, and the sound seems to cut through some of the tension that’s been building. I immediately feel a little lighter, and he can’t help but crack a smile too.
