by Watkins, TM
Sahara
A Night Fire Novel
By TM Watkins
Copyright 2015 TM Watkins
Copyright © 2015 TM WATKINS
This book is a work of fiction. The names of characters, places and incidents are products of the writers imagination and are not to be interpreted as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locals or organizations is entirely coincidental. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without the written permission from the author.
If you wish to make contact with the author, please visit:
http://www.tm-watkins.com
All rights reserved.
~To my wonderful followers from Wattpad,
thank you for your love and support~
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Epilogue
Coming Soon
About the author
Acknowledgements
Chapter One
The sound of my phone filled the quiet night air, I had been blissfully asleep until the sound of a song echoed loudly. I groaned, rather dramatically of course and picked up the phone. Working as an assistant to America's hottest rock band hasn't been easy. I've been at their beck and call for a month now and already I'm tired. I think I'm coming down with a cold. Yes, that's right. A cold. It's called Night Fire-itis. Symptoms include lack of sleep, flashing in front of my eyes from an external source, headaches that could possibly be tumors. I think I've got five of them and each of the tumors has a name.
I had thought that the tumors named Fraser, Jaxon and Evan were the worst of them all but I was wrong. The two tumors that were the quiet and unassuming ones had turned out to be the biggest headache of all. Curtis had recently landed them all in jail due to causing a fight in a restaurant, being the hero to a woman that would later become his wife. And quiet Austin, he managed to get himself and his half naked girlfriend splashed all over the internet as they swam in a not so secluded lagoon.
The PR department of the management company went into meltdown, more so over Austin's incident than Curtis. Now they were all on management imposed good behavior bonds and that particular bomb was slowly ticking closer to the explosion that would create one unholy mess. No doubt it would result in another tumor for yours truly.
But back to the symptoms of Night Fire-itis. It also includes being woken up at any hour, regardless of when you might have actually managed to fall asleep. Picking up, dropping off, following, holding up when excessively drunk, picking up the mess, deleting offensive emails. Some of them could give a porn star blushed cheeks. Shooing away the leaches both of the male and female variety. And let's not forget the cost. Yes, having Night Fire-itis is actually expensive. It's lucky I get paid so well. The life of an assistant to five rock gods is certainly interesting.
Wearily I sighed and pressed the green button on my screen.
“Fraser, it's one thirty in the morning.”
“Yeah.”
His voice sounded on edge, almost panicked. I could imagine a multitude of things that this could be about. Let's go through some of the issues from today. One, he broke a string on Evan's guitar and he didn't want him to find out so I had to find a new one and re-string it. Did I know how to do that? No. I had to get Jaxon to do it for me. The cost for that was listening to Jaxon talk about the first time he ever strung a guitar and having it turn into his first time for other things. Things that I really did not want to know.
Issue number two, the slice of pizza disappeared from his plate when we were having an early dinner at the clubhouse. Somehow it was my fault because I was the last one at the table. It was there when I left for the toilet and where it had gone after that I do not know. So I walked back down to the pizza place, ordered another pizza and brought the thing back to him. Did he want it? No. He wasn't hungry anymore. Did I want to cram it down his throat? Yes I did.
And finally issue three, because I can no longer think straight at this hour of the morning but rest assured, there were a lot more issues. Issue three was the zip on his jeans was broken. A ploy to get me to play with the zip while he was wearing them? No, sorry. He'd actually brought the pants to me in order to make me fix them. Like I knew how to fix anything. I didn't even know how to turn a sewing machine on. So I told him to take them to someone or throw them out. Apparently he doesn't throw out perfectly good jeans and I was the someone he was taking them to fix. I had spent my afternoon on the phone trying to find someone to fix a pair of jeans. Things weren't looking good.
I tuned back to the panicked and heavy breathing. If I didn't know it was Fraser, I would have thought it was a pervert caller.
“Listen dude, I need you to get 'round here. Quick as.”
Dude. Yep, I wasn't female at all. Not sure when my penis fell off but there we have it folks. I was officially male now.
“What's the matter Fraser, can't it wait until a decent hour?”
“It can't wait. This is just shit. I can't do this.”
“What's the matter Fraser? Do you want me to call security for you?”
I sat up listening to the anxious tone in his voice, I could even hear him pacing over the wood floors in his house. Whatever was going on had him in a panic worse than I'd ever seen or heard.
“Do I need to call a lawyer for you?”
“Just... Eden just get here fast.”
The line went dead and I sat on my bed completely bewildered. With a deep exhalation, I closed my eyes and tried to find my paradise. It was the Sahara Desert. Far, far away from anything to do with rock stars, cell phone reception, life in general. I dressed quickly and made the ten minute journey to Fraser's place. It was an average place, not like the fancy place that the drummer Curtis had or Jaxon's swank apartment.
I actually found it a little concerning that he was so exposed to the world. At least Jaxon had a doorman that could refuse entry to anyone. But Fraser lived on a suburban street, pretending he was one of us normal people. Not that I was normal. I was driving to my boss's house at two am in the morning because he told me to. No please, no thank you. Do as I say Eden, I've snapped my fingers Eden so hurry up.
The house was lit up which was a little odd, he never mentioned having a party tonight. I pulled into the driveway and locked the car. Not sure how long I'm going to be here, so it was better to be safe than sorry. I hadn't been in Las Vegas very long so I didn't know what the crime rate was like. Yes, this job came with a new home as well, one that was a long way from my apartment in Los Angeles.
As I walked the path to the front door, I watched the shadow pacing back and forth behind the curtain. Fraser was definitely worked up about something. A little concerning to say the least. The idiot probably dropped a bottle of Johnny on his precious hard wood floors. With that thought in mind I pulled my long black hair back into a pony tail and straightened my clothes. Selecting jeans might have been a wise choice.
The door flew open before I could even press the doorbell or knock.
“You took your damned time.”
He stepped bac
k to let me into his house, not that I really wanted to venture over the threshold. His forehead was slicked with a sweat, no doubt a panicked sweat. He'd removed his shirt, showing off that taut body covered with tattoos. I really hated it when he walked around half naked. It wasn't fair. The man was such a whore. Every time I turned around he'd be chatting up some woman, blink and he's opening the bedroom door for them.
The man would have to be riddled with some kind of STD. Probably not, he seemed to help himself to the stash of condoms on a regular basis. That was one of my expenses, much to my disgust of course. Lucky for them I get reimbursed at the end of the month otherwise the damned things would be stuffed down their throats. I'd never bought condoms before this job, to me it was a man thing. Or at least, that's what my last boyfriend said. But apparently rock stars can't be seen buying them so it became one of my jobs. Not sure on who did it before me, I didn't want to ask or know. So now I was proficient in selecting all sorts of types and I was also good at driving around Las Vegas to varying stores so that I didn't look like a slut. Yay for me.
“So what's the deal Fraser? Got a dead hooker somewhere?”
“Hilarious.” he grumbled as he shut the door. “In here.”
He led me into the lounge room, the place was eerily quiet. In the large room Fraser had a black leather u shaped lounge that faced one wall. A monstrous flat screen television was mounted to the wall, below it was a low line cabinet that had rows upon rows of DVD's.
“That's… yeah. That's…” he sighed as he gestured to the box on the table.
The flaps were open but hanging over it and keeping the contents a mystery.
“There's not going to be a head in there, is there Fraser?”
He huffed with a roll of the eyes but offered nothing. Carefully I pulled the flaps back and looked upon the pile of blankets. They were pink. My heart thumped hard as I pulled back the bunny rug to see one little cherub face, asleep. Holy shit. A baby.
I turned to Fraser in disbelief. He held out a note.
Fraser,
Nine months ago you gave me this. I don't want it so I'm giving it back. I've made contact with your lawyers, signed everything that they could shove at me.
Nina.
“Well that's just cold.”
What a lovely mother. I don't want it. Didn't even bother to refer to the child as a little girl.
“Does she have a name?”
Fraser shrugged. Then he fell to the lounge with his head in his hands.
“I'm about to go on fucking tour Eden, how can I deal with... her?”
“You will deal with her and this situation as best you can. Did she put the child in the box and dump her on your doorstep?”
Fraser nodded.
“Did she give you anything else?”
He shook his head. Well doesn't that make life interesting?
“Right. I will make a list of things that you can go and get, okay?”
“Me?” he looked at me with shock.
“Yes papa, you. Suck it up and accept that your man whore ways have got you in the shit. You will accept responsibility for this child and you will raise her. As so help me, if I have to kick your ass while you do it then I will. Pen and paper, now!”
He scuttled off, shame faced and head low. My lips twitched with anger as I narrowed my eyes at him. There is no way in hell that he is going to give up this kid.
I turned back to the box, pulling the flaps back again.
“Well little darling, how old are you? Papa is going to have to get you some formula.”
Your pathetic mother said nine months ago, so we can assume that you are one new baby. Her eyes opened and then closed as she yawned. Gently I picked her up, she was so tiny, so fragile.
“Aren't you just adorable?” I cooed as I put her against my chest.
As I rocked with her in my arms I turned to see Fraser standing at the entry. Fraser was a solid boy, even before the muscles he would have been reasonably built. His thick brown hair was a mess, probably from his hands running through it as he paced. Him standing at the entry of the lounge room was almost like the door being closed.
“Have you held her?”
He shook his head, still with a look of shock on his face.
“Well then papa, put the pen and paper down and come on over.”
Hesitantly he rounded the lounge and dumped the pen and paper, then rubbed his hands on his jeans.
“Don't be scared, she might be tiny but she won't break. Well unless you drop her.”
His eyes widened at me.
“Well, don't drop her Fraser, simple.”
I pulled her out from my chest, hearing a soft whimper as I put her into his arms.
“There you go papa.”
My hand caressed the soft smattering of hair on her head, a dark brown like her daddy. We won't talk about her bitch of a mother, she was nothing like that vile creature.
“Papa's going to have to pick a name for you 'lil lady.”
I looked up to Fraser who was looking down at the baby, a soft smile crossing his face.
“Have you spoken to your lawyers yet? Are you sure she's yours?”
He shrugged.
“Did they call you about this?”
“They rang at lunch today...” he frowned. “Yesterday, said that someone was claiming that I'd fathered a child and that she was meeting with them in the afternoon. They said that the woman sounded pretty adamant that she's mine. I haven't heard the results of the meeting.”
“What great lawyers.” I scoffed.
I picked up the pen and paper and began to think about the things that he would need, as a temporary fix. Formula, bottle, dummy, wipes and nappies. That will do until the department stores are open and I can go searching for more things while I yell at some lawyers.
“So the formula and nappies, you need to get newborn. Okay?”
“I'll be seen, you should go.”
I scoffed as I ripped the piece of paper from the pad.
“As if I won't be recognized. It's only been a month yet I'm just as popular as you are. Go to the seediest part of town and put a cap on. Don't get shot.”
“This isn't LA, Eden.”
Fraser handed the baby back in a rather awkward way, somehow managing to get a bit of a feel in while he was passing her over. Pervert. He totally did that on purpose. Okay, so that was a lie. We can go with, accidents happen.
“And think of a name while you're gone.”
He nodded and waived the note in the air, walking out of the room.
“One hour Fraser, she'll be hungry soon.”
The bastard took my keys.
“Don't make me call you!”
I narrowed my eyes at the closed door, looking to the hall stand where his phone was sitting.
“Oh monkey balls.” I sighed wearily.
This was not how I had planned to spend my sleeping hours. In fact, I doubted that I could have ever imagined this would happen to me. To him, yes I could completely imagine this happening. The tart deserved everything that was coming to him.
Chapter Two
The baby was awake now and remarkably she was quiet. I wondered how long it would last. She was looking at me or at least I thought she was. How far could a newborn baby see? Internet answer, eight to twelve inches. So I moved into her range and smiled at her. She blew a spit bubble at me. I suppose it was better than crying, that could have been a little crushing.
I propped the baby into the corner of the lounge, surrounding her with pillows so that she was upright and could see me. Luckily I had brought my bag with my laptop, so now I was researching baby stores in Las Vegas. I had also messaged his lawyer and asked that he call me as soon as he got the message, under threat of a fork in his nether region.
While I was doing the research, baby and I were talking. Okay, so I was talking, she was sitting there making more spit bubbles. Adorable. I had to find things that could be packed and transported easily. Taking a baby on tour wasn't
going to be easy.
“Well baby, I don't know about you but I think I need to find my paradise again.”
I sighed and put the laptop onto the table, falling back to the seat.
“My paradise is hiding in the Sahara Desert. What about you?”
Her hand moved, clasping the other one.
“Mm, I see. You'd like to stay with your papa and get to know him, right? You don't need to worry about your momma, papa's gonna be there for you. Even if Eden has to clip him across the head occasionally.”
“Sahara Desert huh?”
I looked up and saw Fraser standing at the entry, pretending to be a door again.
“No phone reception. No headaches.”
“Heat stroke, dehydration, fried skin. Weren't they putting in towers?”
“As if.” I scoffed.
Fraser dumped the bags beside me and rounded the lounge. Taking a peek I saw that he had done pretty well.
“Your timing is impeccable. She just filled her nappy and lucky you, as papa you get to change it.”
“No.”
“Not negotiable Fraser.”
Color rose in his cheeks as he looked away, refusing to look at me or the baby.
“Fraser, she's a baby. She needs to have her nappy changed and you are her father.”
“It too seedy, I can't.”
“Oh rubbish.” I frowned. “Get down here and learn how to do it. I've had to put up with the stink, now you can deal with it.”
I pulled the rug out of the box and folded it onto the table, setting it up with the clean nappy and the wipes.
“Come on, lift her up and gently place her onto the rug. Support her head and underneath her backside.”
With a lot of mixed emotions, Fraser did as I said. He looked at her little outfit with confusion.
“Studs at the bottom.”
He knelt in front of her, pulling the studs open and it was like someone opened the door to the sewerage plant.
“Ugh.” he groaned.
“The joys of unprotected sex Fraser.”
“I always use a condom, always.”
Of course you do, that's why you've got a baby in front of you. Jackass.
