by Clara Bayard
“Shit. We have to get them out of here,” I shouted to Ryan.
“No kidding. Do something!”
I rolled my eyes and went back to the man we’d just spoken with. “Sir, I really need your help with this crowd. Someone will get hurt.”
“Security is on the way,” he said calmly.
“That’s great, but if we’re going to be here for hours, we need to move. Is there somewhere private we can go?”
“Let me make some calls.” He turned back to the desk and picked up a phone. I couldn’t hear a word he said, but within a few seconds he was hanging up and smiling. “One of our private lounges is being emptied for your use. When the security team arrives they will escort your group over there.”
“Thank you so much.”
“No problem. And frankly, it is helping me too. I don’t need more chaos.”
I nodded and went back to tell Ryan the good news.
“Fine. But next time you should think about this sort of thing. Plans and contingencies, Rebecca.”
“Yes, Ryan. Of course.” What a jackass. Like I could have foreseen a mob of fans, storms and a packed airport?
Fortunately the promised security detail arrived quickly. After a quick chat with our own security, Red, they surrounded the guys and walked them over to the lounge in a sort of scrum. It was actually kind of hilarious.
And once we were all comfortably ensconced in the well-appointed lounge with a gorgeous view, I did let myself have a chuckle. This was the strangest job in the world, and at that moment, I wouldn’t have traded it for anything.
Ryan and I split up tasks. He stayed in contact with the airline and I handled making back-up plans for Paris if we were delayed too long. Everyone I spoke to was very understanding and helpful and I was soon certain we’d be able to handle whatever occurred.
After about an hour airport staff brought in food and drinks for everyone. I stepped into the business center attached to the lounge for a little peace and quiet.
“You’re not hiding from me, are you?”
I smiled and turned around. “Of course not, Dex. Things were just a little frantic there for a while. I needed a short break.”
“Still stressed? Can I help?”
Glancing at the frosted glass door that hid us from view, I stepped close to him. “What did you have in mind?”
“All sorts of things. In fact, I have a list.”
I grinned. “You do?”
“Yes. You’re a good influence on me.”
“Tell me what’s on your list.”
“Well first, I could have you give me an opinion on the song I’ve been working on. Or we could say to hell with everything and just get naked in here.”
“That’s only two options, Dex. Not really a list.”
“Ah, but it is. Option number two allows for many different scenarios. All of which I’m imagining right now.” He pulled me tight against his body and leaned over, burying his face in my neck.
“No. Stop it. We’re literally steps away from everyone else.”
“But we could be stuck here for hours. How am I supposed to control myself that long?”
“I have no idea. Why don’t we start with you telling me about the song and we’ll go from there.”
“Damn. I knew I shouldn’t have told you about option number one.”
“Be a good boy,” I teased.
“Do I get a prize if I am?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
I tangled my hands in the hair at the nape of his neck. “I’ll find us a really private spot. Just you and me.”
Dex kissed me on the chin and pushed me away. “In that case, down to business, Ms. Hall.”
With a laugh I sank down into one of the swivel chairs in front of the computers. “I do believe I’ve found the trick to motivating you.”
“Mmhmm. Used to be booze. Now it’s you. My new drug of choice.”
“How flattering,” I said drily.
Dex grinned and sat down next to me. “You know what I mean.”
“Yes. I do.”
We stared into each other’s eyes for a while, just enjoying a moment of quiet together.
“Okay,” I finally said. “About this song.”
“Right.” He cleared his throat and shoved his hair back from his face. “I’ve got most of the melody, I think. And some lyrics, but they’re rough.”
“That’s okay. Sing it for me.”
He nodded and moved his fingers over his thighs as if playing his bass. A few seconds later he began to sing. I realized I’d never heard his voice like this. Without wailing instruments and the others guys joining in. It was low and gravelly, insanely sexy.
And as he sang on, certain lyrics hit me like darts, stinging my heart beautifully.
“Let me in, we can go deep. Don’t be afraid of the light we create, no price is too steep.”
I flashed to a memory from my childhood. Sitting in the studio with my dad. One of the rare times we’d been alone there, no “friends” with drugs and girls to peddle. No other musicians messing with the kid for fun. Just us. He’d pulled me into his lap and held me there as we listened to what he’d recorded earlier. The magic of my father’s voice and the piano accompaniment hypnotized me. I sat there, listening with my eyes closed, transported inside the song. It was safe there, and perfect. Nothing to be afraid of. That was the day I realized that no matter what, music would always be a part of my life. And as I grew older, and the things I saw became scarier and more dangerous, I held onto that memory. Holding it out against me as protection to keep me from abandoning that first love.
And now, seated across from Dex, I felt the same thing. But so much more. The song was beautiful. Melancholy in a way, but hopeful.
“How long have you been working on it?” I asked when he stopped singing. My voice was thick with emotion.
“Not long. I started the first time I kissed you.”
I blinked back tears. “It’s beautiful, honey.”
“No. You’re beautiful. The song needs work.”
“What’s it called?”
“Deep.”
“I like it.”
“Good. It’s your song, Becca. It’s everything you’ve done to me. I’m not afraid of anything anymore. I can do anything with you by my side. You make me my best self. And I want to be even better than that. Be a good man, the kind you deserve.”
“Dex, you’re so much more than I deserve.” I got out of my chair and went over to his, climbing onto his lap. It was something I’d never have considered for a second a month ago, but now I did it without reservation. I just needed to be touching him.
He grabbed my head and pulled me in for a kiss. It was sweet and deep, just like his song. My lips pressed against his with bruising pressure, and it still wasn’t enough.
I moaned and shoved my hands up the front of his shirt, needing his bare skin. He grasped me tightly and pushed his tongue into my mouth hungrily.
My heart was pounding in my chest and I dug my nails into him, trying to communicate something I didn’t have words for. When I was a kid my father once told me the thing about music is the magic in it. Makes everything bigger, more intense. Better and worse.
I never really understood until that moment. I was falling in love and losing control. And I’d never been so happy.
Dex and I stayed there, kissing and groping for a long time. It was really uncomfortable in that chair but I didn’t dare move away for even a second. I was drowning in his kiss and his touch. And it was perfect.
That is, until the door behind us opened.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”
My eyes flew open and I looked over. Ryan was standing in the doorway.
“Oh shit.” I hopped off of Dex, almost falling over in my haste. He steadied me and left his hand on my waist.
“I thought she was crazy,” Ryan said.”
“What? Who?”
“She told me something was
going on between you two. But I didn’t believe it. I thought you were smarter than that, Rebecca.”
I refused to hang my head. “Look, I’m sorry. I know you didn’t want this to happen, but it has. But my relationship with Dex has no effect on my work.”
“Like hell it doesn’t.” He swiveled his head to look at Dex. “And you, what the hell? DO you have to stick your dick in every woman you come across?”
“It’s not like that, man.”
“Don’t tell me what it’s like. I don’t want to hear it. I know you, Dex. I’ve seen you. I know you can’t go five minutes without a drink or a screw, but taking advantage of my assistant is pretty low, even for you.”
“Ryan,” I interrupted. “No one is being taken advantage of.”
He shook his head. “Damn it. I hired you because I thought you were better than this. Getting blinded by his bullshit.”
Dex stepped forward into the other man’s face. “Watch it.”
“No, you watch it. How many times have I cleaned up your messes? How many times have I gone to bat for you with the other guys and the label?”
I was confused. I knew Dex had a reputation as a hard partier, but I’d never heard anything this serious was going on. “Look, why don’t we all calm down and talk about this.”
Ryan’s cold eyes turned back to me. “There’s nothing to talk about. Dex, go back out and sit with the others.”
I saw the muscles in my lover’s back tighten, but he just cast a short, sad glance at me and then did as he was told.
“Please, don’t be hard on him. He’s been going through a rough time.”
Ryan held his hand up. “I don’t need you to tell me about my guys. I know them all a hundred times better than you ever will. And this is as much for you as the rest of us.”
“What is?”
“Me sending you back to the States on the next flight out. Buy a ticket on the business card. I’ll pay you for the rest of this leg of the tour and call it even.”
“Wait, what? You’re firing me?”
“Yes.”
“You can’t do that.”
“I can, and I did. You can make a scene if you want, but the result will be the same. Save what little dignity you have left and go graciously.”
“But…”
“But nothing. Your father would be ashamed. His smart daughter turned into a pathetic groupie for an alcoholic rock star. What a cliché.”
I sobbed and covered my face with my hands. Any response I might make was drowned in anguish, but I forced it back. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Right, sure. Let me guess. You share something special. A real connection? Give me a break. He’ll feed any line he needs to in order to get what he wants. I told you before, they’re all children. Instead of sucking on a pacified he uses a whiskey bottle. And instead of a security blanket he uses whatever naïve girl falls for it.”
“You’re wrong.” I shoved past him and out to the lounge, not caring that my face was red and tears dripped from my eyes.
Ryan followed me, his stomping feet echoing in the room.
Everyone went silent when we appeared. Dex was sitting next to Matthew. He didn’t even look at me.
I cast a miserable glance around the room. Liss looked ill, sitting with Joe’s arm around her. Mia was curled up in the corner, smirking. None of the others would even turn my way.
“See?” Ryan spat over my shoulder. “There’s nothing for you anymore, Rebecca. It’s time to go.”
I looked around one more time and then hung my head. I picked up my purse and carry-on and walked out of the lounge, wiping at my cheeks. The whole time it took to walk back to an information desk I was waiting for something to happen. For Dex to run up and beg me not to go. To tell me he wouldn’t let me go.
But he didn’t come. And he had let me go. All those words and the song was just that, words. When it came to actually fighting for me, being on my side, he was nowhere to be found. Just the flaky attention-hungry musician I’d feared he was from the beginning. And I was what Ryan thought. The naïve girl who fell for it.
It was time to go home.
A Note from the Author
Thank you so much for reading Deep Rocked. If you want to be one of the first to read my next book, please go to my website, www.clarabayard.com, and enter your email address to join the announcement list.
Also, I love hearing from readers to feel free to send me an email at [email protected] and I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible.
And finally, if you enjoyed this book please consider leaving a review.
- Clara
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Also by Clara Bayard
One Night of Danger:
#1 One Night Stand
#2 One Night More
#3 One Last Night
Rocked (Joe & Liss):
#1 Rocked
#2 Rocked On the Road
#3 Rocked to the Core
Rocked (Becca & Dex):
#4 Hard Rocked
#5 Deep Rocked
#6 Well Rocked
Table of Contents
Deep Rocked
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
A Note from the Author
Also by Clara Bayard
