Page 4 of Dirty Rock

Presley stood taller before he shoved my shoulder. “I happen to like her tits and mouth just the way they are,” he said smoothly.

He was smooth. Since the day I met him, Presley West had that whole cool king vibe down, and from the start, every member of the band had known he would be the one to draw the women’s attention our way. He was the rocker with the blonde surfer waves, black worn leather jacket he never took off when not on stage, and the too cool for school attitude that went with it. It pissed me off, the way he didn’t have to try, but I happened to love the guy anyway, despite his treachery. Still, Pres was in love or some bullshit, and he was a vital part of this band’s success. Without him, we were just another alternative rock piece of wank. My voice made us float. Presley’s beats were what carried us.

Watching the way Tessa wrapped her arm around his waist, and the way she rested her head on his chest made me fake gag in front of them.

“I’m getting out of here. You two make me want to puke.”

“So long, sucker!” Tess called out when I strutted away, looking around the backstage area for anyone who could hold my interest who wasn’t sickeningly in love.

Instead, I came chest-to-face with my short-haired publicist, Julia fucking Speed.

Organiser of our lives and reputation.

Pain in my absolute arse when I was buzzing like this. One look at her and I sensed a come down approaching.

She smiled up at me with sparkling chocolate eyes that promised to annoy me. Jules was tiny, with a delicate frame, pointy cheekbones, and black hair that rivalled that of Demi Moore’s in that film where she makes clay pots in the middle of the night before her fella dies. But Jules pulled the look off. In fact, she could probably be beautiful if she wasn’t so fucking terrifying.

I ran a hand through my soaking wet hair. “Let me guess. You’re about to give me a lecture.”

“Would I do that?” She arched a perfectly shaped brow and folded her arms over her chest.

“Yes. Every day.”

“Weird how those lectures never seem to sink in, huh?”

“I tune out when I’m being spoken to like a four-year-old.”

“Don’t act like one, you won’t get treated like one, pretty boy.”

“You’ve been in front of me for less than thirty seconds, and you’re already annoying.”

“It’s a skill that’s taken years to perfect.”

“No kidding.” I blew out all the air in my cheeks. “Fine. Let’s get this over with, shall we? No, Julia, I won’t misbehave tonight. I won’t go near the press with white shit around my nose. I won’t lock myself in the toilet, pass out, and make you have to call maintenance to unscrew the door. I promise not to get caught with my tongue in a random woman’s pussy… again. I promise to only drink alcohol served to me by people I trust. I won’t eat too much red meat. I won’t smoke the wacky shit. I won’t piss in any laundry baskets, thinking they’re toilets. I won’t offer a woman with blonde hair ten grand to wrap her lips around my dick and see how long she can stay there for without gagging. I won’t eat green skittles that turn me fucking crazy, and I won’t try and bring a stray dog back to my apartment and ask you if you can get it through customs for me.”

“And?”

I sighed. “And… I won’t ruin Presley’s surprise.”

Julia’s smile broke free. It wasn’t beaming;more a gentle curve of her lips that suggested her contentment at my promise. “You only have to stay quiet until tomorrow. In the morning, he and Tess go their own way.”

“How very Fleetwood Mac of them.”

“That was horrendous. Truly. The worst joke you’ve ever made.”

I flashed a toothy grin in response.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Just hold your tongue. Presley and Tess deserve this moment. He’s nervous. She’s clueless. I’m terrified one of you men are going to ruin it for them.”

“You need to have more faith.”

I glanced over her head and took in the way Presley was wrapped around his girlfriend. The two of them were standing by the bar at the far end of the room. He was cupping her neck with his hands, whispering sweet nothings down on her while she looked up at him adoringly. In all the time I’d been in Presley’s life, I’d never seen him happier than he was with her. Or as calm. That peace that hung over him, protecting him, keeping him immune to life’s bullshit, well…

It pissed me off, and I had no idea why.

My eyes dropped back down to Julia. “But, whatever. Yeah. I promise. Presley’s proposal stays secret with me. I won’t tell Tessa she’s about to have a ball and chain tied to her ankle for the rest of forever.”

“Rhett...” she warned.

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