Page 65 of Cherry Beats

“Only one thing, Tessa.” He paused. “You promise to never answer the door to Presley West ever again. You guarantee me that, and I’ll set things in motion to keep Janey and the rest of them away from you.”

I searched Molly’s face, and her eyes were begging me to refuse.

But peace was a girl like mine’s dream. Peace was an invaluable gift.

Peace for me.

Peace for Presley.

Peace for what we could have been.

Peace for what we never would be.

Without Presley, peace was the only other thing life could give me that I’d treasure for the rest of eternity.

“Do we have a deal?” Dicky asked.

Chapter Seventeen

Molly decided to spend the night, opting to sleep in my bed beside me. But listening to her soft snores while I stared helplessly at the night’s shadows on the ceiling made me restless, so I found myself making my way to the sofa in the living room, where I curled up into a ball with a fluffy cream blanket wrapped over me. I’d left all the curtains open, choosing to watch the outside world for a while instead of letting myself drown in the dark.

What was I doing? What had Idone? How could I try to pretend that Presley didn’t mean what he meant to me?

My eyes burned for sleep, but my busy mind had other ideas. There was a constant knot in the pit of my stomach, tugging and teasing at my every last nerve. That only got tighter when the screen of my phone lit up the living room, remaining silent so as not to wake Molly, but alerting me anyway.

Sticking a hand out of my blanket, I stretched and reached over for it before pulling it closer to me. The minute I saw his name, my heart began to beat to the rhythm of one of his songs.

Presley:Are you awake?

I began to type back a witty response, but then I remembered the promise I’d made to Dicky earlier, and instead, I sat up and stared at my screen in total confusion. Presley had never text me before. I didn’t even know he had my number, and I definitely hadn’t ever stored his on my phone.

“He must have done it while he was here,” I whispered to no one but myself. “You promised not to open the door to him again, Tess,” I said, closing my eyes to try and control my breathing. “Don’t answer—”

The phone in my hand began to vibrate, and my eyes shot open to see Presley’s name lighting up the screen again—only this time he was calling me.

I didn’t answer the first three attempts he made, and by the time his calls stopped, my hands were shaking, and it felt like I’d chewn a chunk of my bottom lip out.

Presley:I know you’re awake. I saw the bubble come up when you first started to reply… before you chickened out. You better answer my next call or else I’m about to make my way back to your place and knock your damn door down.

Fuck!

Right on cue, the phone rang again.

“Hello,” I answered quietly.

The noise coming from the other end was explosive, with the heavy bass of music pouring into the quiet of my little apartment.

“Cherry?”

“Yeah.”

“What the fuck is with the shitty mind games? Not answering my calls. Ignoring me. Pretending you’re asleep. Don’t ever do that again. That’s not who we are.”

We...?

I heard a door slam, a lock turn, and the noise around him dilute just enough to let me hear his caramel, smoky voice a little clearer. Presley was cursing under his breath, wheezing down the phone like he’d just run a damn marathon.

“I’m just going to fucking ask this outright because for once I can’t find the words to say what I want to say,” he admitted sharply, his tone off. “Did you make a deal with my management about me?”

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