by Elle Casey
Table of Contents
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ALSO BY ELLE CASEY ROMANCE Red Hot Love (3-book series) By Degrees Rebel Wheels (3-book series) Just One Night (romantic serial) Just One Week Love in New York (3-book series) Shine Not Burn (2-book series) Bourbon Street Boys (4-book series) Desperate Measures Mismatched ROMANTIC SUSPENSE All the Glory Don’t Make Me Beautiful Wrecked (2-book series) PARANORMAL Duality (2-book series) Pocket Full of Sunshine (short story & screenplay) CONTEMPORARY URBAN FANTASY War of the Fae (10-book series) Ten Things You Should Know About Dragons (short story in The Dragon Chronicles) My Vampire Summer Aces High DYSTOPIAN Apocalypsis (4-book series) SCIENCE FICTION Drifters’ Alliance (3-book series) Winner Takes All (short story prequel to Drifters’ Alliance in Dark Beyond the Stars Anthology) To keep up-to-date with Elle’s latest releases, please visit www.ElleCasey.com To get an email when Elle’s next book is released, sign up here: http://www.ElleCasey.com/news
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Text copyright © 2018 by Elle Casey All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher. Published by Montlake Romance Publishing, Seattle www.apub.com Amazon, the Amazon logo, and Montlake Romance Publishing are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. ISBN-13: 9781542047050 ISBN-10: 1542047056 Cover design by @blacksheep-uk.com Cover photography by Matthew Hegarty
For Mary Walker, fellow author and fellow fan of (almost) all things French.
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 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE CHAPTER THIRTY CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE CHAPTER FORTY CHAPTER FORTY-ONE CHAPTER FORTY-TWO CHAPTER FORTY-THREE CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE CHAPTER FORTY-SIX CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT CHAPTER FORTY-NINE BRIGHT LIGHTS. BIG CITY. RED HOT LOVE. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CHAPTER ONE I’m washing dishes at the communal kitchen sink when a low-slung black sports car pulls up to the house. I don’t recognize it as belonging to anyone I know, but I’m familiar with the make and model from a magazine a visitor to the farm left behind last week. It’s a Mercedes-AMG GT S Coupe . . . otherwise known as a sorry-about-your-penis car. My mouth turns down at the corners as I toss my sponge onto the counter. “Barbara!” I shout out into the air. “Someone’s here.” “Who is it, Amber?” my mother answers faintly from upstairs. She’s busy making everyone’s beds, one of the many in-house chores she performs for our large, unconventional family. My other mother, Carol, joins in, her voice muffled as it comes from inside the pantry where she’s running an inventory of the jams and jellies we sell at the local farmers’ market. “Is it that woman from the town council again? Because if it is, I’m fully committed to giving her another piece of my mind. She’s already had two, but I
CHAPTER TWO My sisters and I each have a stack of legal papers in front of us. Em and Rose are too stunned to speak, but unlike them, I’ve never suffered that effect when under stress. “So, what you’re saying is, we all have fathers who are alive and well, and after twenty-five years of ignoring us, they’ve decided they want to give us a pile of money?” I still can’t believe the number I saw on that paper. Eight figures? Ten million dollars each? Utter and complete bullshit is what it is. I can feel my ears burning with the anger that’s building up inside me. I honestly don’t know who exactly I should be angry at right now, but that doesn’t stop me from seeing red. Em reaches over and takes my hand. Her fingers are clammy. “Not exactly,” the lawyer says—Greg Lister, Esq., his business card reads. “They want to meet you. They want to see the women you’ve become. And in exchange for this privilege . . .”—he says that last word with a heavy note of sarcasm—“. . . you will be given an inhe
CHAPTER THREE Three days later, after the anger and disillusionment have abated a fraction, my sisters and I are sitting on my bed in a circle, considering our options. “I think we should just ignore the whole thing,” Em says, twisting the comforter around her finger. “Now that we’ve talked it over with the moms and we’ve come to this place of forgiveness with them . . . aren’t we just asking for trouble by going to New York, especially when we don’t even want their money?” “We can’t ignore it,” I say. “We at least need to tell them what we think about them trying to buy our forgiveness.” I’m still angry when I think about it. Time has not diminished my emotional reaction to finding out that my sisters and I have fathers out there who’ve ignored us for twenty-five years. Forgiving our mothers for being young, afraid, and way too dedicated to the success of these music men is one thing, but seriously . . . Who do these guys think they are, showing up out of nowhere and dangling a fortun
CHAPTER FOUR I step off the plane and flip open my new budget cell phone—one of two my sisters and I bought to communicate with one another while I’m off the farm. They kept one and they’re supposed to keep its existence a secret from our moms. I don’t want the old ladies to try to contact Lister and cause trouble for my big plan. As I make my way to the exit of JFK Airport, I send Rose and Em a quick text, telling them I arrived safely and am headed out into the Big City. I didn’t check a bag because I don’t plan on being here longer than a day, so all I have is my big multicolored-patchwork purse slung over my shoulder. I’m trying to blend in with the crowd and act like a native New Yorker as I make my way through the airport, which shouldn’t be too difficult since there’s every size and shape of person in here with me, but damn . . . all I can do is gawk. I’ve never seen so many people in one place in my life. I was worried I’d stick out in my homespun hippie wear, but I just passed
CHAPTER FIVE I look up at the building that is so high I can’t even see the top of it from inside the cab. So that’s why they’re called skyscrapers. The trip from JFK to this building has officially blown my mind. I always knew Manhattan was a big place. Even living the sheltered life I have, I read about it and saw pictures of the skyline. But intellectually understanding it’s huge and actually experiencing it firsthand are completely different things. There were several points along the way that I lost my breath, but it wasn’t from fear; it was from excitement. This place is so very, very different from the farm, but in a good way. I could probably drive over this bridge every day of my life and never get tired of that view. “Here we are,” the cabbie says. “You want to pay using a credit card or cash? Just touch the screen in front of you and make your choice.” “Are you sure this is the right place?” I check the business card in my hand and the number on the outside of the building.
CHAPTER SIX The elevator doors open into a large lobby. I expected to be dropped off into a hallway, so I stand inside the elevator a little too long as I take in the immense open space furnished with leather chairs and couches, glass tables, and metal sculptures. I feel as though I’ve been riding in a spaceship and I’m being delivered to command central. The doors begin to shut. Thankfully, a man sticks his hand between them, keeping them from closing completely. As they slide open I get a good look at his face. “It’s you,”
I say, surprised to see Mr. Lister standing right in front of me. He does not look happy. “Yes, it is. And here you are.” He looks me up and down. I lift my chin. He is not going to intimidate me by judging me again. “Yes, I am. I have some things to say to you and your clients.” He glances briefly to his left, in the direction of the reception desk. There are three women and one man sitting there. They look very busy, but I get the distinct impression that they’re
CHAPTER SEVEN It turns out that the Four Seasons Hotel is not that far from the lawyer’s office, after all. I follow the security guard’s instructions and walk for twenty minutes amid the cacophony of blaring horns, yelling construction workers, and quickly accelerating taxicabs, and find myself outside the front doors of another big building. This one looks older in style than Lister’s office. It’s also not as tall. Yes, it’s scraping the sky, but not as much of it. And it’s not all glass either, although the front of it has a very tall section that’s split in half by a fan-shaped overhang. There are three men standing outside in uniform. One of them gives me a funny look as I enter, but the others ignore me as they chat between themselves. I enter through the clear doors and make my way across the lobby’s geometrically patterned marble floors and up a short set of stairs to the front desk. I feel like I’ve just entered a palace. I wish I could say I feel like a princess, but when I c
CHAPTER EIGHT What does that even mean?” I ask. A replacement for an irreplaceable man? Ty still seems lost within himself when he answers. “It means that I took over the job of lead guitarist for Red Hot after Keith James died, but according to pretty much everyone in the entire world, I’m not up to the job.” Now the makeup, hairdo, and tattoos are starting to make sense, along with the fact that he was in Lister’s office. “You’re not up to it because you can’t play their songs well enough?” I find it hard to believe that a band as experienced as Red Hot would accidentally hire someone unqualified. “No, that’s not it.” After trying to imagine my mothers’ reaction to him being onstage, knowing how much they cherish Keith James and all the rest of the band members, I nod. “Okay, I get it. You’re thirty years too young, you’re not sporting a teased mullet, and you don’t yet have a beer gut, wrinkles all over your face, or hanging jowls.” He looks up at me slowly, his expression at first
CHAPTER NINE I’m too upset by the way Ty treated me to stay in the room any longer. I’m a nice person, I know I am, but he made me feel like I wasn’t. He insinuated that I’m a gold digger and that I came all the way down here to New York City to fleece the man who claims to be my father. I am not going to lie down on that bed and cry over something some guy who doesn’t deserve a single one of my tears said. I’m way stronger than that. I throw my bag over my shoulder, drop the card key inside it, and leave the room. I’m going to have one of those damn papaya hot dogs before I leave here, no matter what. I need to have something good to tell my sisters when I get back instead of all this bad-news garbage. I walk to the corner and look at the street signs. I’m pretty sure the roads in Manhattan are numbered, and if I just head in the right direction, I’ll eventually hit Seventy-Second. According to what I’m seeing here, I’m at least ten blocks away from my destination, but a long walk is
CHAPTER TEN Rose picks up the phone immediately. “What’s going on? What happened? Tell us everything. I’m going to put you on speakerphone.” Just hearing her voice makes me feel better. A wave of homesickness washes over me and gives me goose bumps. I can’t believe how much I miss my sisters. I haven’t even been gone a whole day yet. “Is she there?” It’s Em, sounding a little panicked. “I’m here. Can you guys both hear me?” Their chorus of voices sounding extra cheerful as they yell, “Yes!” creates a stabbing feeling in my heart. “Okay, cool. So here’s what’s going on right now . . . I need your help.” “Anything,” Rose says in her confident voice. “Whatever it is, we’re here for you. And we feel really bad about letting you go down there alone, by the way.” “Yeah,” Em chimes in. “We should’ve gone with you. We totally chickened out, and we’re butts for doing that.” “No, it’s fine. It’s better you aren’t here. Not everybody is very nice. It’s been a little depressing, to be honest.” Mor
CHAPTER ELEVEN I’m used to doing a lot of hard work at the farm, but for some reason, simply walking to and from the hot dog place has exhausted me. I think New York is draining the energy directly out of my body and feeding it to the surrounding environment. I don’t like this nearly as much as the city giving me its energy like it was earlier. For this reason, I decide a nap should be my next big adventure, but I’m not fifteen minutes into it when there’s a sound from the other room waking me up. I sit up straight as a board and look around, momentarily confused as to where I am. I take in the tasteful wallpaper, the paintings, the expensive furniture around me, and the brightly lit New York City skyline at the foot of my bed, and I realize . . . I’m on a mission. But instead of enjoying my one and only trip to Manhattan, I am sleeping off a hot dog stupor like a senior citizen. A knock at the door reminds me of what woke me up in the first place. I get up and wipe the drool off the s
CHAPTER TWELVE I am so glad I went to James with my problem. He knows everything about this city and its shopping situation. Now that I know I can get pizza by the slice for a dollar and that I’m going to an event tonight that probably will have food, plus the breakfast tomorrow that will probably be paid for by the band, I know how much I can afford to spend on clothing. I soon learn, however, that all the stores I might have gone to without James’ guidance would’ve only afforded me a pair of socks on my shoestring budget. But thanks to the concierge of all concierges, I’m learning everything I need to know about thrift stores—which ones have the best stock, when they get shipments in, and who has the best deals. I’ve also had a full training session from a friendly stranger on how to navigate the complicated subway system. I have visited three stores, located all over the city and in Brooklyn, and I now have a complete outfit that does look pretty damn hot if I do say so myself. I’m
CHAPTER THIRTEEN Whoa! Wait a minute! What the hell is that?!” I shriek. I reverse through the door onto the landing at the top of the stairs. “You never said anything about a helicopter, for Pete’s sake!” Ty has to yell to be heard over the sound of the flying machine whose blades are moving faster and getting louder. “If I had told you, would you have come?” “No!” Riding on a regular plane was difficult enough. This would be akin to dangling myself over the city on a string. He lets the door close so we can hear each other better. “It’s perfectly safe. I’ve been on a hundred of them by now.” “But it’s going to be dark out soon.” “They fly using radar. It’s safe, I promise. And you’re not gonna believe what the city looks like from up there. I swear, it’s something you’ll never forget.” I’m panicking as I envision my fiery, painful death. “But what if it crashes?” Fire. Twisted metal. Smoke. Blood. He gives me a scolding look. “Come on, hippie chick. People ride in helicopters all the
CHAPTER FOURTEEN What Ty calls a little event, I call a monster party. A limousine takes us from the small executive airport in a city I haven’t yet managed to identify to a club that’s been rented out specifically for the thing we’re here for . . . whatever that is. The place is packed, and the minute Ty enters, he’s swarmed by fans. Two large men step up and take positions on either side of him. He quickly grabs my hand and pulls me in close. He speaks to the guy on his left, yelling to be heard over the music. “She’s with me. Don’t let her get lost.” I look at the two guys who appear as though they could be professional fighters and realize they’re acting as bodyguards tonight. They keep the crowd at bay as we move through the throng to the bar. “This is insane!” I yell. People are shoving one another, trying to get near Ty. Women are practically crying when they look at him. Guys don’t seem concerned whether they’re assaulting these women or not . . . they just want a piece of the
CHAPTER FIFTEEN I want to say that the band sucks, but I find myself singing along to every song th
ey play. I’ve probably heard each one of them over a hundred times . . . maybe a thousand times or more in total, so it’s no surprise that I can. I picture my moms dancing around the house and singing at the top of their lungs, hugging one another and collapsing into giggles on the couch. Red Hot music always made them so happy. It makes me sad that they had to leave that relationship behind for my sisters and me. I stare at each member of the band, trying to pick up clues as to who might be my father or Rose’s or Em’s. I don’t see any resemblance to any of us, but maybe it’s because they have so much makeup on and that hair . . . Oh my god, that hair. What on earth are they thinking? I know big-hair bands are coming back in style, but these guys are not pulling it off. I don’t think my critical feelings are coming from the fact that they’re family-abandoning jerks either, especially when
CHAPTER SIXTEEN I want to say that I’m feeling brave and confident as hell, but that would be an utter lie. I’m shaking and breaking out in a cold sweat, and my heart is hammering away big-time. I think the chopsticks in my hair are clicking together to the same beat as my chattering teeth. It feels like I’m walking in subzero temperatures when I know good and well that the body heat collecting in here is warm enough to steam up the front windows of the club. “They’re in a private room upstairs,” Lister says. “There are lots of people up there with them, but we’ll ask them to leave.” We climb a steep set of stairs and go down a long, dimly lit hallway. He stops outside a door that has two bodyguards on either side of it. “Are you ready?” he asks, looking down at me. “No. Definitely not.” I grit my teeth together so he won’t see they’re chattering. His expression softens. “If you don’t want to do this, just say so. I can send you back to New York on the jet, and you can see them in the
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN As soon as I get inside my room, I shut the door and lean against it. I’m so exhausted, my brain actually hurts. The band’s music is still inside there, thump, thump, thumping against my gray matter. I search through my bag as I limp over to the bedroom, looking for one of my homeopathic remedies for headaches. For the first time in my life, I’m not confident it’ll work. I think the problem is that the pain in my head is originating in my heart. I use the kettle in the tiny kitchenette to steep the herbal concoction from my bag before taking out my cell phone. It’s late, but I know my sisters are wondering what’s going on. I finally got a text back from them that told me to call when I returned to the hotel, and Em is a night owl, so she’ll be waiting up for sure. What am I going to say to them? Are they going to be disappointed that I didn’t give those men a piece of my mind? There’s only one way to find out; I dial their number and put the phone to my ear. Em picks
