Six Guns and Six Strings: 13 Book Excite Spice Cowboys and Rock Stars Mega Bundle (Excite Spice Boxed Sets)

by Selena Kitt

  Two hours later, she patched me into her video feed from my laptop, and I saw reporters and news crews setting up and mulling around in the hotel banquet hall where it was scheduled to take place.

  Danny was in khakis and a dress shirt, sleeves rolled up. He looked nervous, pacing and scratching at the exposed skin around his cast.

  Matty, never fancy, was in a jean jacket in the shape and style of a suit coat, but he looked cool as always. The two brothers and the keyboardist that made up the rest of Itchy Fringe were not with them. And of course, Puck was no longer in the wolf pack at all.

  When the crowd sat down and conversations petered down to whispered conversations, I could pick out biting words like ‘killers’ and ‘doomed’. Not good.

  The butterflies in my stomach created tangles and knots.

  Danny and Matty sat down at a table with their lawyer, and Nina and Raquel stood off to the side with their arms crossed. They were whispering in one another’s ears and dread punched my chest and stifled my breath for a moment. They looked nervous too. They probably had no clue if the new clients were loose cannons or not. They definitely could be, and I knew that with the sturdiness of a steel door.

  Cameras and mics were all faced towards them and every chair was soon taken.

  Danny and Matty were introduced my some male correspondent. “With me here today are the two founding members of Itchy Fringe, Danny Zane and Matty Bitola. They have some important news to share today.”

  Danny leaned closer to the mic in front of him. “Uh, hey. Thank you all for coming to hear Matty and I address you today, especially since there’s nothing that can be said that can remove the brutal sting of death. There’s no rainbow comment here, only agony for everyone. First we’d like to express our deepest sympathies and condolences to the family and friends of Heather Frakes who tragically perished when band bus crashed on Wednesday evening. Your great loss is heavy on our hearts and always will be.” He opened his mouth and then looked down with it clammed shut. I think he stopped to compose himself. “Um, although the investigation is still ongoing into how exactly the accident occurred…”

  “You killed her with your stupidity and drunkenness, that’s how!” some dude shouted.

  Danny paused, took a deep breath, and curled his lips in at the sucker punch. He clenched his fingers tightly, despite the pain I knew was shooting through his broken right arm now. Physical agony could never match the burn of those words. “Um, uh … to move forward as a band, we, uh … we felt it best to fire and cut ties with Puck Waverly, our,” he coughed, “former lead guitarist.” I could see his jaw grind as he choked down on his slash of betrayal. He let out a sigh.

  “That is correct,” Matty took over, seeing that Danny was down and out for the count. “He’s no longer with Itchy Fringe. We are not above reproach, certainly, but our band has always been committed to professionalism, and we will continue with that mission. This new direction we are taking without Middleton Records will sadly also be without Puck. Substance abusers have no safe haven with us.”

  “Apparently, neither do innocent girls, you misogynistic a-holes!” some female yelled.

  “Right,” Matty whispered with his eyes closing.

  Danny and Matty were both visibly shaken and refused to answer questions, cutting off their mini-conference in unison with a curt, “Thank you.”

  More ugly shouts broke came at them like darts, which rocked and sank Danny’s shoulder.

  I teared up as they stood and waved off the vultures descending with a cacophony of commotion and insults.

  They were escorted from room with bodyguards surrounding them, as well as their press team and law representation.

  Wow. That was a disaster. I’m not sure how Nina can possibly spin this or have the band come out smelling like roses within the coming weeks. How they end up responding and dealing with the negative barbs will matter in a huge way. I hope they can keep their cool. Matty’s the most protective one and he can turn grizzly bear with a snap.

  I switched my viewing to the TV because my feed was zapped off. But all I heard were horribly nasty things, so I turned it off and prayed Itchy Fringe could bounce back from this. I also prayed for Heather’s family. They could very well crush this band into nothing but dust and rubble. I’d hate for that to happen.

  I was waiting for Danny to call, but he didn’t. Maybe he was too stressed to chat.

  The next day, I kept peeking at my silent phone through all my classes and got nothing. What was his deal? I’d think he’d want to vent or whatever. But as I was heading back to my dorm, a young redhead I didn’t know grabbed my arm and literally jumped up and down as she said, “Oh my god, you must be so relieved.” She was so chipper and smiley.

  And I was majorly confused and crinkled my nose at her. “What? Relieved. About what? Why?”

  She gasped and stopped jumping. “Wait! Aren’t you Danny’ Zane’s sister? Someone told me that! And I’m a huge, huge fan, oh my god, maybe like the biggest one ever. Like, I’m talking huge. Matty’s so damn hot. If Alicia was kidding about you being related, I’ll kill that skank.”

  “Kill? No don’t do that. Yeah, I’m kinda his sister, step, but what must I be relieved about? His band was just involved in that fatal crash and is getting hammered by the press. Nothing cool about that.”

  “No! No! The bus! It wasn’t their fault. I knew it!” She pumped her fist. “Some guy did it. Go look online for the vid. I swear. You’ll see. Some guy, he tampered with the brakes and emergency brakes or something like that. Police dropped all charges on that guitarist driver they just gave the heave-ho to.”

  “Wait! Puck?” I cried. “They did?”

  “Uh huh. Some gas station owner checked his surveillance from that night for the heck of it, and near where their bus was parked, he spotted someone poking around and going under and into the engine. The tape got turned in to police. And it’s been all over the news for like an hour and everyone’s talkin’ about it.”

  “But … Puck was …”

  “Not drunk. He had no alcohol in his system, according to tests he had done at the hospital. His lawyer released the report today. So all charges have been dropped. Isn’t that cool? He’s such a cutie. Maybe they’ll get him back. You think?”

  “Oh no, oh no. Shit.” I covered my wide open mouth with both hands. “Danny’s gonna absolutely kill me! He’ll hate me forever.”

  “I doubt that,” the chirping church mouse squeaked. “Isn’t this good news? I thought you’d be happy like me?”

  “Yeah, it’s good news for them. Thanks.” I ran off, frantically texting Danny along the way. “Oh my god, oh my god. Don’t hate me, don’t hate me, don’t hate me. Please.”

  Danny did hate me. He was not picking up or responding to me at all. He was certainly pissed that I strong-armed him into firing Puck and making that kiss-off statement to the press.

  He was. And I learned that hideous truth second-hand from an equally furious Matty because Danny wouldn’t damn call me back. Or text. Or email.

  He tossed me into a total blackout that gave me the most severe panic attack of my life. I was practically hyperventilating in my room and crying uncontrollably with tissue in hand. I was trying to calm my frantic pulse and stop my steady stream of tears and ugly, soul-crushed sobs. Oh my god. I felt like I was going to die. Danny was my … everything. I never realized I’d ever be in a place where I’d actually crave his shouts. Shouting was far, far better than the gashing, deafening blow of silence and unresponsiveness.

  I couldn’t stand not hearing from him. I can’t take being dropped. I can’t. I can’t. Not after she fucking did that to me without a word. She left Bill a note, but not me, her own daughter. No kiss goodbye. No card. I got nothing. So I hate to get cut off like this without a word. What she did ruined me and left me with a scab that can be ripped open at any time, and Danny tore it off and chewed it up, and left me bleeding and all alone. I can’t take this!

  And he left
me hanging for four days of sheer hell and unspeakable torture.

  When his number finally graced my phone, I was so brittle and weak and afraid to speak because I’d only burst into tears. I answered my phone without saying anything.

  “Lex?” Danny said.

  I let out a long breath and said, “Yeah,” but even that small word cracked. My throat felt dry and my voice, lacking in power and tone.

  “You know how pissed I am with you right about now?”

  “Have a pretty good idea,” I said flatly. “But … you called me. Does that mean you’re no longer as pissed? Are you a little calmer?”

  “Hardly. Oh my god, I just don’t even know what to say to you right now. You made me fire Puck! And I didn’t even fucking have to?”

  Danny made me cry and I blubbered out, “I’m sorry. That was always your choice though. I didn’t make you do anything. I only suggested. Please don’t be mad at me! Please don’t hate me, Danny. Please!

  “Uh, I feel like I could rip out your throat.”

  I crumpled to my knees and coughed as my sobs slashed their way out. “I know. I know you’re mad, and I’m sorry. You can’t … cut me off like that though. You can’t!” I screeched and pounded the floor with my balled up fist. “Don’t. Please.”

  “Lex,” he groaned.

  “You have to know what this kind of shit does to me. It messes me up so bad. I can’t even take it. I have abandonment issues or something like that. I can’t lose you. Just the thought of it sends me into a panic, but you are actually putting me through hell.”

  “I’m not cutting you off like that, like her. I swear! I just need … distance. That’s all. I can’t even think right now. My stalker sent me a threatening note, and that compelled me to call you. I had to make sure you were all right.”

  “Well, I’m not, Danny. I’m fucking not.” I wiped away the snot dripping. “I’m a damn mess. You only called me because of some psycho’s threat? Are you kidding me? Why not just to clear the air? Why not just to talk?”

  “I can’t … drop it like that. I can’t. Not yet. Uh … man, I have to work really hard to strangle all my poison words right now. I just need space and time to cool down, so I don’t tear your head off.”

  “My head? Really? You’ve already slashed my gut and ripped out my heart too. What’s one more vicious swipe, Danny? Take your best shot.”

  “I’ll, uh … call you next week or somethin’ maybe, all right? I can’t talk about this right now. I have to … process and … chill out.”

  “Whatever, Asshole. Aren’t we supposed to conference with Nina this week?”

  “I’ll see. I don’t know. I don’t even want to hear anything from PR peeps right now. I just lost my guy. He’s done with us, which I don’t blame him. You’re okay for now, right? Nothing’s happened to you? I mean, you haven’t been threatened or anything or spotted anything suspicious?”

  “No, of course not. Nothing. But … you’re scaring me.”

  He huffed. “I’m sending security to keep an eye on you, just in case.”

  “An eye on me?” I cried, getting back up to my feet. “Fuck that! It’s bullshit.”

  “Well, I don’t know what’s goin’ on. Don’t know if you heard, but today they caught the guy on the video that’s everywhere, and he’s swearing it wasn’t all his fault and that some chick paid him fifty g’s and his mom needed the money to save her house or somethin’ like that. Fifty grand? That’s insane. She fucking tried to take us out. I know it. This is no joke and is becoming deadly serious with the threats and whatnot. Until I figure out what’s what, or who’s out for blood, I’ve gotta keep you safe. He won’t be intrusive, I promise, but I need someone to keep an eye on things, an eye on you.”

  “Wait. What kind of threats are you getting? They’re about me? Me, specifically?”

  “Uh, yeah. Blatantly. But I’ll take care of it.”

  “Tell me, Danny.”

  “No.”

  “Tell me!” I screamed.

  “It’ll only upset you and freak you out.”

  “I am already well-past upset. Fucking tell me!”

  “Um, okay. I should’ve said something before but I didn’t want to scare you. But … she was in your room before. Back in January. And she put, um, a camera in there, some little bear on the bookshelf. We never knew it, but that night when…”

  “Oh my god! The night? I know what fucking night! Ohmygod! She saw that? What I did?”

  “And our kiss on your bed. She sent it to me with a note that said, ‘If I can’t have you, no one can, especially not her. You are so disgusting, getting it on with your own SISTER’, sister in all caps.”

  “Wait! Who has it now, Danny! Who? Who saw it, dammit?”

  “Well, Jed. I had to show him. But, um, police have it now of course. It’s evidence.”

  “Noooo!” I screamed and fell back down to my knees in a crumpled ball. “No, no, no. Oh my god! This cannot be happening. Uh, this is such a nightmare! You know that’ll get out. It will. ’Cause it’s damn juicier than getting fucked senseless in a pool of lemonade. This is horrible, horrible, Danny. Oh my god! I could die! I fingered myself, no, not just that, but with you fucking standing there and telling me to! That’s so humiliating! Oh my god. I could pass out. And I can’t believe you weren’t going to tell me this? Are you crazy! So, what … I’d just wake up one lucky morning to the fabulous sight and sounds of ME coming for your pleasure, splashed all over the goddamn web? Oh my god. Bill, he’ll see it, and he’ll look at me with disgust forever. And grandma? Ohmygod, Grandma? She just might have a heart attack or something. The ladies at bingo will never shut up about it. You know that. She’ll never live this down. And she’ll hate me.”

  “It won’t get out, Lex.”

  I stood, my heart racing so fast, and I started pacing as my world crashed and crumbled to pieces. “You fucking don’t know that! You can’t promise that.” Sobs gurgled out and my words smeared together. “She damn near killed your band, so she’s clearly nutzo! Ohmygod, ohmygod. This is the worst day of my life, worse than when she ditched me, and that’s saying a lot. This could destroy everything, my whole damn life. She’s out there, with copies or a ready-made file, just waiting to unload that shit and knock me out, wherever she desires.”

  “I’m gonna fix this. I’ll find out who it is, and I’ll bring her down and make her pay.”

  “Yeah, right. Your determination doesn’t mean squat, not with the ammo she’s got. I can’t see how you aren’t more upset about this.”

  “I am. But I need to focus on finding out who she is and beating her in her vicious game. I’ll let you know what’s going on in a few days, after I’ve had time to unwind.”

  “Whatever. Fuck off.” I hung up. Oh my god. The bliss and heat I felt in Danny’s arms wasn’t heaven like I assumed. All the deliciousness between us just turned into the worst nightmare imaginable. And some unhinged psycho held my well-being, my life, my sanity, my happiness in her greedy little nutcase paws. Fuck that!

  10

  Danny – 10 Props for a Brat

  After the police left my house, my security team ran another sweep of my place, my cars, and the studio, just to be sure there were no other spy gadgets left. The only camera and listening device had been in Alexa’s room. Her room. That had me freaked out more than anything.

  This psycho stalker of mine saw something between us long before I did, which, for me, was honestly just this week. I’ve lusted for that hot piece, sure, but I’ve never actually entertained the notion of really going for gold and stripping off her panties, which I would’ve done if it hadn’t been for that crash. My last girlfriend, who I was actually fucking when I got that insane picture in the mail, never elicited such a reviling. How could that crazy chick know I’d get spiked in the heart and nuts like never before and that no one else would end up comparing to my own damn stepsister? She knew I’d crave Alexa, while I never saw it coming.

  I looked around Le
x’s room with a glare of fury. I fumed with my fists clenched and all my exhales firing out of my nostrils with promised threats attached.

  That crazy woman had better not lay a hand on my sister or touch a hair on her head. I’ll shoot her in her goddamn face, but not until I make all her limbs bleed with deep gashes from a carving knife. You don’t mess with my loved ones. They’re my most prized treasures. You don’t mess with what’s mine.

  My anger at Alexa’s prodding to fire Puck was dissipating that much faster because thinking of life without her was absolutely unbearable. Even Heather’s death had shaken me and I didn’t even know her. Alexa, brat that she is, had somehow, for some reason, become my most favorite jewel of all time. I can’t let anything happen to her.