Page 56 of Pocketful of Us

"How the hell did you do that?" Presley demanded, eyes glued to his free wrist. "I tried everything to get that off. I even watched a damn YouTube tutorial!"

"Maybe I would've told you if you hadn't cheated on me," Sketch huffed, pulling on his shirt and hoodie. "Now you can go fuck yourself. Enjoy the feeling of finally not knowing everything, nerd."

"Okay, I know you're pissed, but can we at least hug it out?" Pres asked, holding his hands out to Sketch. "I've missed you, buddy."

"Quinton Presley, if you touch me with those hands after I know where they've been, I will throw you out of this damn tree."

"Well," Presley huffed, looking outraged. "I could say the same thing about you,pussy fingers!"

"I could use a hug?" I offered, closing the space between us and throwing my arms around Presley. "God, I'm so glad you're okay, Pres."

"A little violated and a lot tender, but I'm good, baby girl," he replied, squeezing me back.

"We need to move," Sketch announced, sliding his gun into the waistband of his jeans. "Edward fucking Scissorhands over there made enough noise climbing up that ladder to wake the dead." Reaching for the gun I had dropped, he swiped it up, pressed some buttons that made weird clicking noises and then held it out to Presley.

Without thinking twice about it, Pres mirrored Sketch's actions and slipped the gun into the waistband of his jeans, and then concealed it with his hoodie.

Catching ahold of my hand, Sketch looked at us both and said, "let's bounce, y'all."

"Yes. Let's," an eerily familiar voice said, causing all three of us to spin around.

The air deflated from my lungs in an audible gasp when my eyes landed onSethblocking the entryway of our treehouse, and armed with a gun that was pointing straight at me.

"Drop the gun, Giacobbe," Seth ordered, glaring at my boyfriend who had drawn his gun in defense. "Or I will put a hole in my lovely sister's face."

"Ah hell," Sketch grumbled, dropping his gun instantly and putting his hands up.

"Yep." Presley sighed heavily and held his hands up, too. "I would call that the understatement of the century, buddy."

25

Presley

That was it.

I'd made my decision.

I had to take a vow of abstinence.

Sex had no place in my life anymore.

Nope, not when it always led to unparalleled danger.

My first lover had been blown to shreds by a loaded gun.

Now, my second lover was threatening to do the same to my friends.

Ugh.

I had theworsttaste in men.

Carrie freaking Bradshaw couldn’t hold my coat.

"Can we at least talk about this?" I tried to negotiate when a group of men led by Lance and Seth marched us through the doors of Romi's childhood home.

I was walking to my death. That, I was sure of. Still, instead of freaking out like I had always assumed I would, I managed to keep it together.

Besides, the knowledge that there was a pregnant girl being shoved along with me was sobering.

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