Steele Promises

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Chapter 1

March 19, 2011 Annapolis, MD

"Chey stop crying," Preston said. "I'll fix everything. I'll be there in a few hours and I'll stay for a week. Everything will be just fine."

He hung up the phone and ran his hand over the back of his head. Over the past twelve years he'd never once lost touch with Cheyenne and when he'd received her latest letter he was hit hard with more panic than he'd ever known. She was in trouble and from the way she was crying on the phone he wasn't sure he would be able to fix it. She'd made him promise to come but she'd said that she couldn't tell him the problem over the phone.

"Hey, Kelley you look like you just swallowed a land mine. Want to talk about it?" Jaxon Steele asked standing in the office's door.

They had just returned from a mission and the moment they'd landed he'd rushed to the nearest phone to call and check on Chey. It was a good thing they were on leave for the next week, Preston had planned to spend the time going from bar to bar picking up girls with Jaxon, but now he had to go home.

"Jax I can't come with you this week. I've got something I have to take care of back home." Preston said.

"Hey, is it something I can help with?" Jaxon asked. He knew that Preston didn't have any family. He had been an orphan, so he was confused as to what business he had to take care of "back home".

"No, I'm just sorry that I've got to cancel on you. Maybe next leave we can hang out, depending on where we land."

"You need a ride somewhere?"

"No, I'll just grab a rental or borrow-" Jaxon reached into his pocket and threw his keys across the room before Preston could finish his sentence.

"Take my ride. It's best I take a cab out tonight anyway."

"I'm not coming back until the end of the week. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, take care of whatever you have to, but one day I'll expect to know what a man with no home has to take care of back at home. Got it?" Preston just nodded in understanding. If there was anyone he would tell about Chey it was Jaxon.

Two hours later Preston pulled up to an apartment building in east Baltimore and watched the crack heads and drug dealers make their conspicuous dealings. He'd known that Chey wasn't living in the best conditions, but he hadn't expected it to be this dangerous. He got out of the car, grabbed his duffel bag and locked the door. He walked into the apartment building and immediately smelled urine and smoke as he made his way up to the second landing. He knocked on the door that he knew was Chey's.

"Who is it?" a female voice called.

"It's Preston," he said loudly.

 He heard several locks unlatch and then the door swung open. It had been twelve years since they'd seen each other and he had to take a few seconds to take in the sight of her. She was still shorter then he was, but she'd grown a few inches. Her hair had also grown out and now flowed straight down to rest just below her shoulders. Her cinnamon colored skin had a healthy glow. Though her eyes were red and puffy from crying they still pulled at his heart strings the same way.

"Wow you've really grown up," she said looking at how much he'd filled out.

His dark chocolate skin looked smooth as silk. He wasn't the same skinny little boy from the group home. His shoulders had broadened and the rest of his body had bulked up to match them.

 "Oh I'm sorry, come on in," she said after taking in his changed appearance.

The inside of the apartment wasn't what he'd expected. It was clean, and the furniture was very well taken care of, even though he could tell that it was old. There was a couch and matching loveseat with a rose print. A lounge chair also with the same print sat across the room with an ottoman in front of it. The coffee table was in the middle of the three pieces of furniture, with a large flower arrangement in the center of it.

. "I'm sorry to spring this on you, but I kind of need your advice, or at the very least someone to talk to." She motioned to the couch and he sat down. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Water would be great," he said, he hoped she had bottled water. He wasn't sure that he trusted the tap in a rundown place like this.

Chey went into the kitchen and returned with a bottle of water and a glass of ice. The bottle was cold, but she wanted to be sure he was well taken care of.

 "So from your letters I know that up until now you've been okay. Tell me what's wrong, Chey."

"I screwed up Preston," She said sitting down on the love seat not far from the couch. "I guess I'll start from the beginning. I was dating this guy, his name's Antonio. He's the most respectful guy around here and at first I didn't want to talk to him, but he wore me down. He actually saved me one night when I'd gotten home late from work. Most times if it's dark when I come home I'll call my downstairs neighbor Tre', and he'll come walk me in. I don't know where Tre' was, but he wasn't home that night so I had to walk in by myself. These guys tried to rob me and Antonio just walked up and told them to leave me alone. The next thing I knew they were giving me back my purse and helping me stand up. They apologized and after that no one would even look at me in a threatening way. The next time he asked me out I said yes, and up until last week we've been together."

"What happened last week that changed your mind about him?"

"I saw him kill a man," she said running a hand through her hair. "I went by his place after work; he'd given me a key so I just let myself in. I saw him beat a man to death. He said that if I told anyone he'd kill me and I believe him." She paused trying to think of a way to say the rest of what she had to. "It's- It's actually worse than that, I'm- I'm pregnant and I know Antonio's always wanted children. I don't want anything to do with him, but I also know that he'll try to take my child if I leave him. I know he has people watching me right now. It wouldn't surprise me if he knew that you were here."

"Does he know about the baby? Did you call the police?"

"No to both questions. I don't know exactly what Antonio does, but I do know that he's got ears in the police department. If I went to them, they would go to him and I would end up dead. I don't know what to do Preston, I'm scared."

"Don't worry about it," he said taking her hand into his. "I'll come up with something."