Rockers After Dark: 6 Book Bundle of Sexy Musicians Read online

  About the Books

  A Look at Defining Destiny

  When destiny fails…

  Singer-songwriter Lucy Moore thought her life was perfect. At just twenty-one, she’s already met her soul mate and together they’ve landed a recording contract. But when her father dies and the love of her life betrays her in more ways than one, she returns home to pick up the pieces. On the shores of Mendocino, California, Lucy has some decisions to make. Should she start a solo career? Or should she leave it all behind for some semblance of normalcy in the quiet town she grew up in? And what about Seth, the tortured artist who always seems to be there when she needs him?

  Seth Keenan has demons of his own. Eighteen months ago, he was involved in a horrific accident that he never talks about. His career as an accomplished oil-paint artist has been abandoned, replaced by the buzz of his tattoo gun. And women—well, he never sticks around for longer than a few hours of pleasure…until he meets Lucy. After one evening of listening to her seductive voice, he’s pulled under. But what about the vow he made to never get close to anyone again?

  In a world where everyone has one true soul mate, can these two find love in the arms of each other?

  A Look at Still Life with Strings

  The story you are about to read is set in my home city of Dublin. It may not seem this way to strangers, but it is in fact a very small place. Lives can be interconnected in little ways that may seem unbelievable, but are actually very possible given how tiny the city, and indeed the country, really is. My heroine, Jade, works in a concert hall that is loosely based on but not a one hundred percent accurate portrayal of the National Concert Hall on Earlsfort Terrace. Similarly, my hero Shane is the concertmaster of an orchestra that is loosely based on but not a one hundred percent accurate portrayal of the RTÉ National Concert Orchestra. Just a short walk from the concert hall is Grafton Street, where Jade busks as a street performer, and just around the corner from Grafton Street is St. Steven’s Green, where Jade’s mother used to sell her paintings. If all this information seems random, I promise it will make better sense once you’ve read the story. However, if like Jade you are a dreamer at heart, you can simply choose to put it all down to destiny.

  I sincerely hope you enjoy Still Life with Strings.

  A Look at This Time

  A phone call that changed our lives...

  I’ve lived my life in a daze, trying to save someone hell bent on destruction. But when my phone rings and I’m told that Angel, my on again off again boyfriend has OD’d for the second time in two years, I’m so numb. So tired. So when Tor Boler, the sexy Norwegian and drummer of Fok asks me to stay with him, I stay. We were friends and I needed to be held. To be loved. It was just supposed to be one night of reckless passion. One night where I could forget how screwed up my life had become.

  ...a night of passion with far reaching consequences

  I’ve wanted Jamie Sullivan since the day she walked through my tattoo shop eight years ago. There’s a soulfulness to her blue eyes that reminds me of the arctic fjords of home. She calls to me. There’s only one problem standing in our way- Angel Romero. I want her, and she wants me too, she just doesn’t realize it yet.

  This time... we’ll get it right.

  A Look at Forever Ours

  Music is an important part of this series. Some chapters in this eBook begin with a musical note. The musical note links to a YouTube video of a song that pertains to or is mentioned in that chapter. Most of these links are mobile-friendly and work on internet-ready devices such as smart phones, tablets, and computers. These links will not work on all e-readers. If you are reading Forever Ours on an incompatible e-reader, feel free to open the playlist on a compatible device and listen as you read.

  A Look at A Seductive Melody

  She has the scoop of a lifetime, but only if she betrays his trust…

  Ethan Kelly lost his best friend and bandmate to an overdose, but staying clean is proving harder than he thought it would be. His only safety net during his first weeks of sobriety is fellow recovering addict, Becca. As she guides him through the darkness, he begins to trust her not only with his secrets, but also his heart.

  After years of trying to be the daughter her socialite parents wanted her to be (and failing miserably), Rebecca Shore finally has her life on track. Sure, she’s just an assistant at Moderne magazine when she’d rather be pursuing more serious journalism, but it’s a foot in the door. She’s just waiting for the scoop of a lifetime that will take her to the next level. But when she’s asked to help the reclusive and enigmatic rock star, her heart is torn between the career she’s always wanted and the man who bares his soul to her.

  A Look at STEP

  Sinister Mayhem lead singer Step Vasiliev likes his women wild, his sex rough and his partying hard—but his reckless lifestyle has finally caught up with him. His thirtieth birthday ends with a humiliating face-plant onto the floor of his luxury hotel suite.

  But hardworking hotel maid Jemima Coates comes to his rescue. Her kindness enthralls him, but it’s her sweet, innocent beauty that ensnares him. One stolen kiss—and Step knows he’ll do anything to protect her.

  So when her younger brother is kidnapped by her stepfather’s enemies, Step will do whatever it takes to get him back, even if that means knocking on the door of Russian mob boss Nikolai and calling in favors from his infamous enforcer cousin Ten.

  Because Step has finally tasted happiness, and he’ll fight like hell to keep Jem in his life…

  Rockers After Dark

  Defining Destiny

  Book One of the Destiny Novels

  Deanna Chase

  Beginning

  Mid-Point

  About the Author

  Still Life with Strings

  L. H. Cosway

  Beginning

  Mid-Point

  About the Author

  This Time

  Book Three in the Moments Series

  Marie Hall

  Beginning

  Mid-Point

  About the Author

  Forever Ours

  A Shattered Hearts Prequel

  Cassia Leo

  Beginning

  Mid-Point

  About the Author

  A Seductive Melody

  Book Five in The Kelly Brothers Series

  Crista McHugh

  Beginning

  Mid-Point

  About the Author

  STEP

  S&M Boook 1

  Roxie Rivera

  Beginning

  Mid-Point

  About the Author

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2014 Bayou Moon Publishing

  Copyright © 2014 Deanna Chase

  Copyright © 2014 Lorraine McInerney

  Copyright © 2014 Marie Hall

  Copyright © 2014 Cassia Leo

  Copyright © 2014 Crista McHugh

  Copyright © 2014 Roxie Rivera

  Cover Design: RBA Designs

  Interior Layout: The Printed Page

  ISBN: 978-1-940299-22-8 eBook Version

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the p
rior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locals, business establishments, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.

  Contents

  About the Books

  Rockers After Dark

  Contents

  Defining Destiny

  Beginning

  Midpoint

  About the Author

  Still Life with Strings

  Beginning

  Midpoint

  About the Author

  This Time

  Beginning

  Midpoint

  About the Author

  Forever Ours

  Beginning

  Midpoint

  About the Author

  A Seductive Melody

  Beginning

  Midpoint

  About the Author

  Step

  Beginning

  Midpoint

  About the Author

  Defining Destiny

  Book One of the Destiny Novels

  Deanna Chase

  Dedication

  For Trisha, Sarah, and Megan.

  He’s not gone, only waiting.

  Acknowledgments

  A huge thank you to Susan Sheehan, Lisa Liddy, Chauntelle Baughman, and Anne Victory. You four keep me out of trouble. And a special thanks to my MAD girls for making this year special. You know who you are.

  Chapter One

  Dear Reader,

  The Destiny series is set in an alternate reality that is just like ours with the exception that everyone really does only have one true soul mate. And that connection has a magical element that affects not only the couple, but the people around them. This is Lucy and Seth’s story.

  Lucy

  Exhilaration. It’s the only word to describe the post-concert high. At least for me. The cheering audience is in another state altogether. Peaceful. Joyous. Enlightened. It still amazes me that this is our gift to the world.

  “Amazing show!” Les calls over the roaring crowd and gestures to Cadan and me. “I swear, that connection you two have gets stronger every day.”

  Cadan gives me a self-satisfied smile. “See, Lucy? I told you they’d love the new songs.”

  Irritation sours my good mood and I snap, “They would’ve been just as happy with the old ones.”

  His smile turns patient as he puts an arm around me. “Oh, come on, babe. They’re great songs. We had to debut them at some point.”

  I slip from his grip. “No. We didn’t. Besides, they’re mine. It was my call, not yours.” We have a bunch of songs we’ve written together that are fan favorites, but in the last twenty minutes of our set, Cadan had started singing the new ones I’d written. He’d managed to get the band to practice the music without me even knowing.

  “It was a surprise. For you.”

  When I don’t respond, he frowns. “What’s wrong, Luce?”

  Jesus. He never listens. “I wasn’t ready yet, Cadan. I told you that.” Those songs are important to me. They’re the ones I wrote a few months ago after my father died, and while I’m proud of them, they’re deeply personal. They’re for me. I’m not even sure I want to release them.

  “Oh, babe,” he says softly and pulls me to him. “I didn’t realize this would be so hard for you. But look at what happened out there. Everyone was deeply moved. Think about what you gave them.”

  It’s the only thing that got me through the three songs he’d sprung on me. Twenty seconds into “You’re Always Here,” the crowd hushed as the bittersweet lyrics and melody wound their way into their hearts. The connection with the audience had touched me to my core. But that was beside the point. I was tired of Cadan steamrolling me. “I admit—”

  “Encore,” Les yells over the noise and pushes us back onto the stage.

  Cadan’s amber-flecked eyes flash with triumph, then he leans in close to my ear. “I knew you’d come around.”

  It’s too loud for me to correct him. I’d been about to say I was pleased with the reception, but I hadn’t been ready and I was still pissed as hell he’d forced the situation. Not to mention how utterly violated I feel by the way he’d exploited something so personal to me.

  We take our positions center stage. The deafening volume of the crowd ratchets up a few decibels. I beam at them. This is what makes being on the road three out of every four weeks bearable. The soul-mate connection Cadan and I share is meant for them. Not me. And not Cadan. Though I’m pretty sure he thinks it’s all about him. He’s twenty-four and full of rock-star ego. Reining him in is impossible most days. It’s only during the rare, quiet moments we get together that he’s anything like the guy I fell in love with two years ago, before our records hit any charts and before our lives were turned upside down by success and fame.

  Cadan gives the cue, and I mentally prepare for “After the Fall,” our most popular song. It’s how we close every show. But instead of the strum of the guitar, the keyboard player starts a slow, haunting melody. My heart stops, and I gape at Cadan.

  He pretends to not notice my reaction, but his knuckles are turning white from his death grip on the mic. He’s worried. And he should be. Because I’m frozen. The words are clogged in my throat.

  Tears are already burning my eyes as emotion chokes me. Cadan cuts his gaze to me, waiting for me to sing the first lines of the song. I shake my head violently. How could he do this to me? I can’t do this. I’ll never make it through the lyrics. My heart will burst wide open on the stage.

  But then I glance at the rapt audience. Their faces are turned up expectantly, already drawn into the sad music filling the club.

  And when Cadan takes over, singing the part that I can’t, he hits every note perfectly with his clear tone. Haunted by memories and the melody, I want to bolt. To be home, hiding under the covers the way I had for almost three weeks straight after Dad passed. But I won’t leave the stage with the audience expecting more from me… and Cadan knows that. The bastard.

  He holds out his hand to me, and I have no choice but to take it. The media frenzy if I dismiss him during a concert would be a shit-storm resulting in official statements to the press where no one wins.

  The moment our fingers touch, something inside me calms. Cadan is my soul mate. And I don’t just mean he’s someone I have a deep connection with. He’s my destiny in a magical sense. The one supposed to understand me better than anyone. And together, we make music that is beloved by millions of people around the world. Everybody has one true soul mate. I’ve been told we’re lucky. We found each other three years ago.

  The first notes of the chorus start, and with Cadan’s emotional support, the words come out as a whisper. It’s enough for the magic to take over, and the effect is instant. A collective sigh reverberates through the crowd, followed by a few gasps. Tears are streaming from one of the fans in the front row, and I have no doubt she’s not the only one. It’s a stronger reaction than usual, but it’s because of me. My emotions for this song in particular are too raw. I’m giving too much. How can I not?

  I’m counting the days until I see you again.

  Until then, keep an eye on me.

  There are no good-byes. Not today.

  For now I’ll say

  Until we meet in heaven, until I see you again.

  My voice catches on the last line, and Cadan gives the signal to wrap up the song. It’s too much for me. I’m not ready for this. Not this song. He knows and pushed it anyway. Why?

  The crowd is on their feet, though instead of the roar, they are silent, waving their arms back and forth to the painfully gorgeous melody our keyboardist is sti
ll pounding out.

  Cadan takes the lead and pulls me into a bow for the audience. It’s the signal the show has ended. I’m barely conscious of what’s going on as Cadan gently tugs me backstage. His arms come around me, and he pulls me close, cradling my head with one of his hands. “Shh,” he says through my sobs. “I’m sorry, babe. I messed up. Don’t cry.”

  I sob harder, memories of Dad flashing through my mind like a slideshow. Christmas morning as Dad dishes up pecan pie for breakfast. Dad laughing as we race personal water crafts across Lake Shasta. The way his eyes crinkle when he makes up stories of his childhood. And a million other memories of him coming to every singing recital and competition within a two-hundred-mile radius. Then the days when he lay in the hospital while I waited for him to recover.

  Only he hadn’t. And I’d been left alone.

  I still have family. My mom isn’t too far away. Then there’s Cadan and my best friend, Jax. But none of those relationships come close to the one I shared with Dad. He was my rock. The one I long to talk to when I have news, good or bad. He was my anchor.

  Now all that is left is his house on the side of the cliff.

  Cadan walks me backward until we get to the couch. Then he sits and tugs me into his lap, whispering how much he loves me and how sorry he is.

  He’s always sorry. But that never stops him from hurting me.

  A knock sounds on the door. Cadan ignores it, all his intensity focused on me as he rubs my back and kneads the base of my neck. This is what he’s good at. Keeping me from losing it in front of millions of fans. Lord knows there’s been plenty of opportunity lately. I’m not exactly handling things well.

  “You need some rest. I think a break is in order.” His arms are so comforting wrapped around me, and the light scent of his cologne is so familiar that I almost forget it’s his fault I’m barely holding it together. That song. He had no right.

  Reluctantly, I extract myself from his embrace and nod my agreement. I need my bed. Need to crawl under the covers and block out the world. “You’re right. I do.”