Rock Star Romance Ultimate Volume 2

by Mankin, Michelle

  Craning my neck, I tried to decipher whether this would be a good enough place for me to stay when the bus pulled out. I scowled as I realized we were out in the middle of nowhere and probably miles and miles away from the nearest airport. I seriously doubted taxis came out here either.

  A black SUV screeched up beside me. Thankfully the window rolled down to reveal Frank. “Hey Angel, what are you doing out here?”

  “Oh, I, um, just needed a little fresh air.”

  He gave me a knowing smile. “Jake getting frisky with Bree?”

  I flushed while ducking my head. “You could say that.”

  He chuckled. “Come on then. You can go into town with me and get some groceries. I swear those boys go through food faster than I can buy it!”

  “Sounds like my brothers,” I replied with a smile. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”

  “It’d be my pleasure.”

  “Okay then.” I opened the door on the Tahoe and hopped inside. After I buckled my seatbelt, Frank gave me a wink. “You know my motives weren’t all sincere, Angel.”

  “Oh really?”

  He grinned as he put his foot down on the accelerator. “Yeah, I figure the trip will go faster if I put you to work with the list.”

  I giggled. “I thought as much.”

  As we sped out of the bus lot and onto the highway, my curiosity about Bree got the better of me. Fidgeting in my seat, I turned to Frank. “So what’s the deal with Jake and Bree?”

  He exhaled noisily. “That girl is nothing but trouble, and the last thing Jake needs is more trouble in his life. I mean, a part of me feels sorry for her. It wasn’t like she had the best parents in the world.”

  “Oh?” I asked casually, trying to goad him for more information.

  “You haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her father yet?”

  “He works for Runaway Train?”

  “Yep. Lyle’s a roadie like me.” Frank wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Well, you could say he’s only risen as far as he has by using Bree to get to rockers.”

  I gasped. “Seriously? He like…pimps her?”

  Frank chuckled. “Oh Angel, I can’t believe you just said that.” He glanced over at me. “It’s not like he’s officially prostituting her. She has always willing gone to all the guys and offered herself. She joins Lyle along the stops—somehow she has the money to travel as much as she does. Lately, she has her eye on one particular rocker, and no one else will do, which couldn’t make her daddy prouder.”

  A knot suddenly formed in my throat, and I hated myself for it. “Jake?”

  He nodded. “Of course, Jake really doesn’t care about her—he’s never cared about any of the girls he’s been with since the band made it big. They’re just objects for him to fulfill a need.” He gave a wry smile. “And does that boy ever have needs.”

  My mind was assaulted by the horrible flashback of Jake’s bedroom antics. “Yeah, he does. Too bad that gets in the way of him actually being a decent guy.”

  Frank jerked his gaze away from the road to pin me with a surprised stare. “Don’t tell me you’re falling for Jake’s charms”

  I squirmed in my seat. “I just said he wasn’t a total jerk.” Frank obviously cared for Jake, so it wasn’t like I could say everything I was feeling about him, which mainly consisted of what a complete and total asshole Jake was. So to curb my tongue I tried focusing on Jake’s breakdown last night and our songwriting session rather than his behavior with Bree. “I mean, any guy who loves and adores his mother so much can’t totally be terrible to all women, right?” Obviously he can by the way he just pretended to be interested in you and then tossed you aside for someone who will give him what he really wants—sex.

  “I’m glad you can see through his tough façade to the real man inside. I mean, I love him like he was one of my sons, and I couldn’t do that if I didn’t know what he was really like.”

  We rode along the highway in silence for a few minutes before Frank cleared his throat. From the way he fidgeted in his seat, I knew he was about to bring up something that made him beyond uncomfortable. “You know, Jake could really use a girl like you.”

  I stared at him in surprise. “I would laugh, but you’re not joking, are you?” When he shook his head, I mumbled under my breath, “First AJ and now you.”

  “What?”

  “Nothing.”

  “I’m more than serious about what I said. Jake is going through such a difficult time right now, and what’s to come is even worse. He doesn’t need darkness like Bree.” He turned to smile at me. “He needs light, and damn if you don’t have such a beautiful light about you, Angel.”

  “Yeah, well, considering he asked me to join him and Bree for sex ten minutes ago, I don’t think he truly cares anything about my light unless it’s between my legs!”

  As his eyes bulged in horror, Frank sucked in a breath. “Oh God,” I murmured before ducking my head in mortification. Had I actually just told Frank that? Twenty-four hours on a bus with a bunch of raunchy guys had completely taken over all of the manners my parents had instilled in me. “I’m so sorry. That was totally uncalled for.”

  “I, erm,…” he stammered.

  Warmth filled my cheeks. “What I should have said is that while I appreciate the sentiment, Jake is never going to be interested in a girl like me. We’re so different, and we want different things out of the people we date.” I winced. “I mean, Jake doesn’t date.”

  Frank took a few moments to absorb my comments. “He could if he was given the chance.”

  I snorted contemptuously. “Are we talking about the same guy here?”

  “Why do I have the sneaking suspicion that your feelings and reactions might have been a tad different if we’d had this conversation this morning?”

  Before I could bite my lip or hold my tongue, I blurted, “I’m not being a spiteful little bitch. You don’t know how much it hurts that he ignored me all morning and then chose Bree, okay?”

  “Aw, Angel, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have mentioned anything.”

  “It’s okay. You were just trying to look out for Jake. But even if he hadn’t done what he did and actually gave me the time of day for longer than a minute, I don’t know if I could deal with the Brees of Jake’s life.”

  Frank pulled into a teeming Wal-Mart parking lot. After he put the SUV in park, he cut the ignition and turned to me. “Look, when it comes right down to it, I’m just an old fart widower who doesn’t know much but the love of my high school sweetheart. But I’ve seen the way Jake looks at you—” When I opened my mouth to protest, he held up his hand. “And no, it’s more than just you’re a piece of meat he wants to devour.” He smiled. “He’s seen past the pretty packaged outside to see the beauty within. I guarantee whatever he was doing with Bree this afternoon was about more than just his needs. He wanted to get you off his mind.” At my continued apprehension, he swung the keys back and forth on his finger. “So do an old man a favor and keep an open mind along with an extra forgiving heart when it comes to Jake, okay?”

  I fiddled with the door handle, trying to avoid Frank’s intense stare. “I can try, but I’m not making any promises.”

  A wide grin curved on Frank’s face. “Good, I’m glad to hear it. And if it doesn’t work out, I’ve got a son not too much older than you.”

  I laughed. “Do you ever stop with the matchmaking?”

  “Nope.” He opened his door. “Come on. Let’s go get the boys some food.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  * * *

  Jake

  A long moan erupted from my lips as my eyes rolled back in my head with pleasure.

  Bree was riding me like a crazed cowgirl. Her fingers dug into my hips, sending her acrylic nails scratching across my skin. She bounced and jerked on and off of me as I thrust up to meet her frantic movements. “Fuck,” I muttered as she tightened her walls around me. If there was one thing Bree knew, it was how to please me and give me the best sex, along with t
he best head, I’d ever had in my life.

  But when I opened my eyes, I didn’t see Bree’s back arched in ecstasy. Instead, Abby straddled me—her expression one of wide-eyed wonderment. She gazed down at me lovingly, not with eyes hooded with lust like Bree always did. “Angel?” When she didn’t respond, I murmured, “Abby,” to which she smiled. I rose up to take her swaying breast into my mouth. I suckled the nipple causing her to moan.

  “Yeah, do me harder, Jake!” Bree’s voice roared through the bedroom.

  I blinked my eyes, trying to clear Abby’s image from my mind. This time when I looked back, it was no longer Abby, but Bree scratching her fingernails harshly down my chest as she rode me. Shaken by what I had hallucinated, I tried focusing on Bree’s writhing form. What the hell was happening to me? I had a sex goddess screwing my brains out, and I was fantasizing about a blushing virgin. A growl escaped my lips as I flipped Bree over on her back and started pounding her hard.

  “YES JAKE! Yes, just like that!” Bree cried, smacking my ass.

  I sucked one of her nipples into my mouth and teasingly bit it. She screamed and clutched her legs harder around me. But when I raised my head from Bree’s breast, Abby stared up at me. “Oh, I’ve wanted to make love for so long, Jake. I’m glad you’re my first.”

  I blinked my eyes a few times, but it was still Abby smiling up at me. A pleading expression took over her face. “No man has ever made me come before. Please be the first.” Hearing those words on her lips was my undoing, and I felt myself start to shudder.

  “Abby! Oh God, Abby, yes, yes!” I cried as I came hard into her.

  The room became eerily silent. “What the fuck did you just say?” Bree demanded. Before I could finish coming down from my high, she shoved me off of her. “You asshole!”

  “What’s your problem?” I gasped, trying to catch my breath.

  “You called me Abby, you douchebag!”

  Oh fuck…I had. I’d not only fantasized about banging Abby, but I’d actually said her name when I came.

  Bree shook her head. “I cannot freakin’ believe this. I thought I heard you say it earlier, but now I know you did! What the hell, Jake?”

  “I don’t know why I did that. I’m drunk.” I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to still my nerves. It wasn’t like I owed Bree an explanation—she was just a groupie I banged frequently. It was more that I was so freaked out myself at what I had done that I wanted to rationalize it.

  “That’s not an excuse!”

  Talking my thoughts aloud, I mumbled, “She comforted me last night about my mom. Maybe that’s why I was thinking about her.”

  “Yeah, thinking about her while you were fucking me!” Bree shrieked, throwing her dress over her head.

  “You’re making a big deal over nothing. We’re not exclusive, so we’re free to fuck or fantasize about whoever we want to.” I then narrowly dodged the heel she threw at me. “Are you insane?” I shouted.

  “Go to hell, Jake!” she screamed before she stormed out of the room, leaving the black heel that had almost whacked me in the head.

  “I need a drink,” I muttered before staggering into the hallway.

  By the wide-eyed looks of the horror the guys were giving me, I knew they heard what I’d did. Without another word to me, Bree stormed off the bus.

  AJ leaned forward. “Dude, did you seriously just call out Abby’s name?”

  I groaned and stalked over to the fridge. I snatched out a beer and took two long pulls. When they continued peering expectantly at me, I shrugged. “Maybe I did. Don’t tell me you’ve never said something crazy when you were coming.”

  “I sure as hell never called the girl the wrong name,” AJ replied. Brayden bobbed his head in agreement.

  When I glanced at Rhys, he gave me a sheepish grin. “In my defense, it was a three-some. I kinda lost track of who was who.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Look, it’s nothing. Bree’s spent the last few months trying to get her hooks further into me. It’ll be better if I just find someone else to fuck after the show.”

  A growl came from low in Brayden’s throat. “Pricks like you make me sad for my sweet, innocent baby girl back at home,” he grumbled as he headed for the bathroom.

  Once he slammed the door, AJ leaned forward in his seat. “So don’t you think you might want to take a second to think about why you called out Abby’s name?”

  Rhys nodded. “Were you like fantasizing about her when you did it?”

  I finished the beer and tossed the bottle in the trash. Without hesitating, I grabbed out another one. “Pace yourself, man. We’re going out tonight to hear Bray’s cousin’s band play, remember?” AJ warned.

  Ignoring him, I took a long gulp of the foamy beer. When I thought about how I’d pictured Abby riding me and asking me to make her come, I shuddered. How could someone who was so not my type get me so hot?

  “So you did fantasize about her?” Rhys asked, a knowing smile on his face.

  “And what if I did?” I countered.

  He snorted. “You’re out of your mind if you think you can seduce Abby like Bree or one of your other groupies.”

  AJ grinned. “Rhys’s right man.”

  Closing the gap between us, I asked, “Is that a challenge?”

  AJ’s expression darkened. “No, it’s sure as hell not. And I’ll kick your fucking ass if you try anything with her.” When I narrowed my eyes, he inched closer to me. “Don’t you think after her little performance last night, I might have wondered about what it might be like to get it on with her? To have her legs wrapped around my waist and those lips on mine.” He sucked in a ragged breath while a tremble rippled through him. Once he came out of his fantasy, he shook his head wildly back and forth. “But that’s all it’s ever going to be to me is a thought. Abby is the relationship/marrying kinda girl, and I sure as hell can’t give that to her right now. And I respect her too much to try to put the moves on her, and I don’t want to see her get hurt.”

  “Gotta admit that goes for me too,” Rhys added.

  I rolled my eyes at the two misguided Knights in Shining Armor. “The last thing in the world I want is to start something up with her, got it?” I hissed.

  Rhys shook his head. “Keep on telling yourself that, man. You’re already drowning in her, and the longer she’s on this bus, the deeper you’re going to get in.”

  A shiver ran down my spine at Rhys’s words. Was he right? Was seeing Abby while I was screwing Bree some weird double meaning that after a brief twenty-four hours I was starting to like her? My mind flashed back to her holding me while I cried, the tender curves of her body pressed against me, her whispered words of encouragement. No, no, no! This couldn’t happen. I wouldn’t let it.

  “Ugh, I’m going back to the bedroom. Wake me when it’s time to leave.” Before they could protest, I snatched up a bottle of Jack Daniels from the cabinet—desperately hoping to wipe any sexual thoughts, or any thoughts period, of Abby Renard from my mind.

  ***

  After downing half the bottle of Jack, I must’ve passed out because the next thing I knew AJ was standing over me, shaking my shoulders.

  “Wake up, douchebag.”

  I groaned and rubbed my eyes. “What time is it?”

  “Six. Cade’s set is at seven, so we gotta get hustling.”

  Glancing over at the digital clock, I realized there would be no time for showering. I’d have to go out smelling like a mixture of booze and Bree. When I swung my legs over the side of the bed, the room spun around me.

  “Jesus, Jake. You’re completely plastered,” AJ lamented as he smoothed on some cologne.

  “I am not,” I grumbled, staggering to my feet.

  When I lurched forward and had to cling to his waist to keep from passing out, he grunted in frustration before reaching out to steady me. “Why do you do this shit to yourself man? Susan would hate to see you like this.”

  Jerking myself upright, I jabbed a finger into his chest. “Do
not bring up my mother,” I growled.

  When I caught a glance at AJ’s face in the darkness, he wore a pitied expression, rather than a pissed one. “I’m sorry, man. You know I love her, and I love you,” he murmured.

  My shoulders drooped in defeat. Christ, I so did not need this right now. Trying to deal with my mother was one thing. Throwing in what had happened with Bree and Abby, coupled with AJ getting all emotional on me, was way too much. “Look, I love you too, but I can only handle so much without absolutely losing my fucking mind.”

  “Fine. I understand.”

  “Fuck, my head is about to explode. Did Frank get back from the store with the Advil?”

  “Yeah, he and Abby got back a little while ago.” At the mention of Abby’s name, I tensed as I realized what I had said and done to her earlier with Bree. “Um, did she…you know, with me and Bree?”

  AJ quirked his dark brows and crossed his arms over his chest. “Of course she heard you. All your grunts and groans embarrassed the hell out of her, but she finally freaked out and ran off the bus at your ‘Suck me harder!’ line.”

  I cringed. I had a special gift for fucking up around Abby that was for damn sure. She probably hated me now. Who was I kidding? She’d hated me from the moment we met, and last night and this morning was all just a pity party. I shook my head. Wait, why did I care if she hated me or not? No, I could not care about Abby—not in any way that wasn’t sexual.

  With AJ’s back turned, I grabbed the bottle of Jack off the nightstand and started chugging. Pinching my eyes shut, I let the harsh alcohol burn a fiery trail down my stomach. My binge was unceremoniously cut off when the bottle was snatched away from me.

  “Dammit Jake! You’re already a mess! How the hell are you going to go out tonight like this?”

  “Fuck off,” I grumbled before staggering out of the bedroom.

  The aroma of tomatoes and spices hit my nose and caused my alcohol-filled stomach to churn. Someone had actually cooked? I peered ahead of me to see Rhys and Brayden relaxing at the table with empty bowls of what must’ve been chili in front of them.