by L. V. Lewis
REDEMPTION
A Rockstar Romance
(The Rock Legend Series: Book #2)
By
L.V. LEWIS
Redemption: A Rockstar Romance—The Rock Legend Series—Volume 2/L. V. Lewis — 1st Ed.
Copyright © 2019 L. V. Lewis
Vintage Carriage Return © Editorial via Dreamstime.com
Photo Credits:
Cover Image – Depositphotos ©
All rights reserved in all media. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the email address below.
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This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination, or used fictitiously and should not be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Printed in the United States of America by Jungle Fever Press
Redemption/ L.V. Lewis
First Edition: September 8, 2019
14 13 12 11 10 / 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Redemption: A Rockstar Romance
The Rock Legend Series: Book #2
By L.V. Lewis
This HOT story contains sex, drugs (in reference to past use), and rock & roll.
___
Can Savage Saban find redemption in the midst of a world tour rocked by subterfuge and near-tragedy?
Brody Kent retired from music after the death of his girlfriend during the heyday of his rock band, The Savages. Now he’s persuaded to take his alter-ego, Savage Saban, back into the limelight in front of a different audience.
Brody’s new girlfriend, pop icon, Skylar Samuelson, is preparing for the domestic part of her World Tour, where together they hope to merge their fan bases.
Grappling with the fame that his notoriety brings once again, Brody reluctantly takes the stage. On his first night performing, he returns to his dressing room to find a message written in red lipstick on his mirror.
Could Kimberly Heart, his dead ex-girlfriend, really have written it?
Blotting out the possibility, Brody continues with the tour, but his relationship with Sky begins to suffer as his old band members turn up at the fourth concert and criticize him for selling out.
And then he receives another, chilling message.
As Brody’s life and relationship with Sky begins to implode, he finds himself pushed to the very brink by someone he never expected. He stands to lose everything he holds dear, unless he can abandon the guilt he’s carried for so long and receive the redemption he craves. Is there any way back for Brody and Sky?
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Epilogue
About the Author
Coming Next From LV Lewis
LV Lewis’s Backlist
Prologue
SAVAGE SABAN RESURFACES ON THE MUSIC SCENE—ROMANCING SKYLAR SAMUELSON
Los Angeles (AP) - The music world was stunned to discover the recent resurfacing of Savage Saban. The former lead singer of the legendary rock band, The Savages, has been living out of the spotlight since his last public appearance after being released from police custody and cleared of having any connections to former backup singer and girlfriend Kimberly Heart’s death.
Saban has been spending the past five years living under his real name, Brody Kent, and most recently took on the role of Skylar Samuelson’s personal assistant.
Our investigative reporters learned that Saban did a stint in rehab immediately after his short stay in the LA County jail, but has been living under the radar for the last five years working odd jobs for an obscure placement firm, I’m Your Man, Inc.
A source close to the couple confirmed that this was how the two met. “I had my doubts about him, but Brody turned out to be the best assistant for Sky. Now that we all know his true identity, I’m sure those two will make great music together.”
Although similarities to Saban and Kent were made, he wasn’t revealed to be the same person until the last stop of Samuelson’s European tour in Athens a week ago.
Videos taken by fans at Samuelson’s concert shows Saban serenading the pop singer on stage. The video details Saban singing an unreleased song followed by an intimate hug and kiss between the singers.
Footage from that event has spread over the Internet and re-ignited music sales for both The Savages and Skylar. Recent photos of Saban and Samuelson surfaced to show the couple holding hands and kissing in Madrid and Athens.
The couple alluded to their new relationship at Samuelson’s concert wrap up in Athens. What this new revelation means for a possible reunion of The Savages is unclear, since Saban refused to take questions regarding his band and fellow band mates.
Whether this is a serious relationship or not has yet to be confirmed, as the couple has not officially announced their romance status or made a public statement on social media.
One
BRODY
I could lie in bed like this forever and never get bored. Waking up next to the woman I love is a high point of my day. Sky is still sleeping next to me, her dark hair fanning out on the pillow, and I refuse to wake her up before I have to. She only had a few weeks off after her European tour, and this is the last free day before we start touring in North America.
She fits perfectly against me as if she is made for me. Dancing and a daily exercise routine keeps her body toned in ways that arouse me even when I’m not thinking about sex. The past few weeks, soaking up the California sunshine, has given her fair skin the beginning of a great tan, and some of her natural red hair is streaking through the dye she maintains for her ‘Skylar’ persona.
Sky looks even younger in slumber than she did when I first met her, the muted Asian features she inherited from her father showing through when she isn’t wearing the full face of makeup her fans recognize. I’m tempted to steal her away for myself—away from her demanding career and loyal fans. If I were even a little bit more selfish, I’d do just that. But I know I can’t. Sky lives for her music and her fans. She will finish her tour no matter what. Her passion is just one of the things I love about her. It’s also a reminder of who I used to be.
Before the lavish parties, drinking, and drugs, there was always the music. That was who I was as Savage Saban. The music was at the core of my identity.
But who am I now? There is no more hiding. My life as Brody Kent disappears each day that the media and fans learn about me being outted as Savage Saban, the contemporary music legend who’d been hiding in plain sight on Skylar’s European Tour. I don’t regret it.
When I sang for Sky, it reminded me of the life I left behind, the high points mostly. I was in the moment and had to show her how much she meant to me.
Ever since then, the press and gossip rag
s have been persistent.
The demons of my past slip further away with each day I hold Sky in my arms and every time she tells me she loves me.
Everything with Sky feels as natural as breathing. She is the fresh sky to my cloudy mess of a dark thunderstorm. Only she can release me. Being with her makes me feel like I can take in the air around me again without choking on it, without having it tear at my lungs, and leaving an open scar for the world to see.
As if knowing I’m thinking about her, she stirs next to me.
I run my finger up her arm, and she sighs. I can’t stop myself from kissing her. Sky’s lips make me think of exotic fruit when I kiss her, so soft and sweet that I can’t help but crave more of her.
She doesn’t need much tempting before she’s kissing me back and entangling her fingers in my unruly, long blond hair, which I usually pull up in a band to keep it out of my face. In bed is one of the few times I wear it down, and her hands always find the loose strands to get lost in.
I groan as her naked breasts brush against my chest. As much as I want to continue my erotic exploration, I also know the day that waits for us. It takes all my effort to pull away from her.
“You can’t wake me up like that and expect me to stop,” she says with a wicked grin on her lips.
“I couldn’t help it,” I say. “You were too delicious to resist, but we have to get up. You have an early press meeting this morning to discuss the tour.”
“Don’t you mean we have a press meeting? I thought you were doing it with me.”
“Yeah about that—it may be better if they don’t interview me again. This is your tour, Sky. I’m just playing one set with you.”
“You’re still a big part of it, Brody. Yes, you’re my manager now, but people still love Savage Saban. Those videos fans posted online of you singing for me have gone viral, and the tour has sold out since then. It makes sense that you’d be by my side for it.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of. If I do this press conference with you, it’ll take all the attention off your tour and turn it into an interrogation of me. I know it.” We’ve been lucky so far. People are focusing on my moment of singing for Sky. All they want is our love story, but I know that can shift in a heartbeat. Whenever I do an interview with Sky, I know it only takes one reporter to ask a question that’ll send all of them searching for gossip like dogs for a bone.
She shrugs and smiles. “I wouldn’t mind sharing the spotlight. Like some people say, all press is good press.”
I laugh as I pull her close to me. “Could you tell my old rocker self that? He was on the side of bad press plenty of times.” My smile fades as I remember some of the depressing headlines that sold to readers ready to believe anything about their idols. The worst ones came after Kim’s overdose and subsequent death.
The press was all too ready to hijack my life after she died. I couldn’t go anywhere without them following me. I had to disappear and find a rehabilitation center in the middle of nowhere before they gave up looking for me. It helped that Savage Saban wasn’t my real name and only my closest friends knew that. I can’t bring that craziness into Sky’s career, no matter how much she loves me.
“Hey,” she says, rubbing my cheek. I’m sure she feels the stubble that lingers there. “Where’d you go?”
“Just thinking. I’ll sit this one out if that’s okay with you.”
“If you think that’s best, I don’t mind. You are my manager for a reason.” She kisses me with more determination this time and makes it even harder for me to let her go.
“That feels like you’re trying to get sexual favors from your manager,” I teased.
“Even if you were my set designer, I’d still claim sexual favors.”
“Good thing I’m easy then.” I nuzzle her neck and plant more kisses on her before we’re forced to get out of bed by the annoying alarm I set the night before on my phone.
Sky showers while I go over her itinerary for the tour and check in to make sure everything’s on schedule. Tomorrow night is the first show of the tour in Seattle. I double and triple check with each location and hotel. Sky’s entrusted me with so much, and I’ll be damned if I let my woman down.
Still there’s an unsettling feeling nagging me. It’s not the responsibility. I know my shit when it comes to the music business. From negotiations to making sure the staff knows what they need to do so nothing goes wrong, I’m on top of it all.
Then it hits me. I’m happy. The last time I felt something similar was when The Savages were at their Zenith. When Kim was by my side. I rode the wave until it crashed down on me and sent Kim to an early grave.
With Sky, I finally have a woman who knows my messy past in its entirety and is still with me despite it. What’s stopping another crash from spiraling into the new good in my life? My personal priority now is Sky, and her career comes a close second to that. I refuse to allow my shit to derail what she’s built in the industry.
I shake the ominous feeling off. It’s nothing. I attribute it to anxiousness from the endless tasks that need to be done, but I don’t mind the busywork. It keeps me focused.
Malik, Sky’s most trusted security chief and surrogate uncle, meets us in the hallway as we leave the hotel suite. He is an imposing figure, in both muscle and height, but he has become a friend since I’ve been with Sky. He is one of the few people I trust to always make sure Sky is safe on all fronts.
He dips his head toward us. “Morning Sky, Brody.”
I give him an appreciative nod in return.
“Morning, Malik,” Sky says. “Everything ready downstairs?”
“All the news outlets are here and ready for you,” Malik says. “Sure you’re up for this and what they may ask this time?”
He doesn’t have to look my way for all of us to know what he means. Seems like I’m not the only one worried about the media bringing up more than our relationship. They can be kind when they want to be. They also know how to dig the knife deeper in the wound, too. It’s just some of the territory that comes with being famous.
Sky takes my hand. “We’re ready.”
A small smile appears on Malik’s face but it disappears just as quickly. As the man who puts his body between Sky and any overzealous fans or would-be attackers, he’s got the intimidation look down to perfection.
“Let’s do it,” Malik says. He takes the lead and another one of his men joins us in the elevator as we go to face the sharks.
Sky is a pro as she faces nonstop questions from the press representatives. I don’t know why I was so fucking nervous. It’s just another thing to add to the list of reasons why I love this woman.
It helps that the line of questioning stays on the tour and her music. She’s direct when she needs to be and coy when they least expect it. If she’d been The Savages’s press spokeswoman back in the day, the journalists wouldn’t have known what hit them.
I bristle when one woman holds her hand up. I recognize her from a prominent music magazine in LA. Her people don’t cover Skylar Samuelson’s kind of music. It’s hardcore rock all the way from classics to indie.
Knowing this begins to fill me with dread. What could she possibly ask Sky?
“Loni from Grunge Nation,” the woman says. “Is it true Savage Saban is your new manager?”
Of course she asks a question that sets off a firestorm of others.
Sky gives her the smile she’s perfected for the public. Only I notice the tiny shift in her body, the one that shows the small tension in her shoulders.
“That’s true,” Sky says. “A damn good one at that, but he’s Brody to me.”
“Isn’t that a little odd?” Loni asks. “Dating your manager?”
Sky leans over the press table. “You work for a music magazine, Loni. You should know in this business nothing’s ever odd. Next question about the tour.”
I take a breath, happy she’s able to redirect the topic. I should have known she’d be able to handle herself.
; “Does that mean you fired your mother?” another reporter asks.
“It means we have creative differences. That’s all,” Sky says.
“Isn’t such a drastic change like that risky before the domestic leg of your tour?” a guy in a blazer over a plain t-shirt asks.
“Not when she has my full support,” a voice in the back of the room says.
Everyone turns to the voice as Skylar’s mother stands up.
The woman wears heavy eye makeup and equally dramatic lipstick, a bright leather jacket fits her like she found the most exotic animal in the world and had it shot for her pleasure to wear it, and a gaudy string of pearls are wrapped around her neck. There is no doubt about it. She’s dressed to be noticed.
“Mrs. Samuelson?” Loni asks. “Does this mean you and your daughter still work together?”
Her mother smiles. “My daughter and I may have had a few disagreements in the past, but she’s still my daughter, and I stand by her choices as an artist.”
“Even her rumored performance with Savage Saban on her North American tour?” another reporter asks.
She looks over at her daughter and smiles. “Of course. I think having Savage Saban perform with Sky is a brilliant idea.”
“I don’t like this,” Malik says as he moves up to me. “Wish I could snatch her out of here.”
I nod. “You’re not the only one. I just hope Mama Samuelson doesn’t cause more trouble for Sky.”
“Knowing her mother, that’s more likely than not.”
All I can do is watch as the press scene unfolds and hope the woman cares enough for her daughter not to embarrass her in a room full of cameras ready to capture everything on film.
