A Second Chance at love The Rocker Girls Series

by Jennifer Byars

  He didn’t even bother with an answer. He jumped off the bed, stripping off his clothing quickly, then stripped her bare. “You on top or bottom?”

  She smiled, biting her lip. “Top.”

  He picked her up, laid her on the bed, and she crawled on top of him.

  “Win, you can smack my ass if you want to. I kinda like that too,” she whispered to him, getting into position.

  He groaned loudly. “Holy fuck, angel! Too bad you weren’t betting with the girls right now. You’d definitely win the five-minute bet!” She chuckled, right before she took him with her mouth.

  ***

  South had gone to the gym after he dropped Trish off, knowing that Addison and Win were in the midst of things he’d rather not think about, back at the apartment. He’d never seen Win lose his cool before, and the way he burst through the door…

  He knew it was his boxing night, and everyone was meeting up at The Tab to maybe get some new song ideas. The last couple months they’d been pretty fucking dry, with Andy all pussy-whipped and Rex fighting and fucking Margie.

  Their once clear-cut world had been turned upside down because of these chicks, and all he knew was that he wanted that record deal. He wanted his own Addison.

  Win was right about one thing: Ad didn’t want all the things he wanted. That was going to help him do what he wanted to do. If his friend was willing to be the man she needed then he wouldn’t stand in the way, but damn it, it hurt. And he thought it always would.

  Win came through the door twenty minutes later, looking much more relaxed than he’d seen him in a while. “Dude, you calm now?” South asked, grabbing a water.

  His bag dropped on the floor as he made his way to the kitchen. “Yeah, sorry about that earlier,” he said, grabbing a protein bar.

  “I think you and Andy have gone mental.”

  “Yeah, I’ll give you that one.”

  “Are we going to the Tab tonight to get some ideas out?”

  “Yeah, give me five,” he said, going to take a quick shower and change.

  “Hey, do you pick up Ad at some point tonight?”

  Win walked out wearing a pair of jeans. “No, she’s off tomorrow at nine in the morning, and Marge is picking her up.” He put on his shirt and shoes. “But she’ll be able to watch us play tomorrow night.”

  “Shit, how long have you been dating now, six months? Is the newness wearing off yet?”

  “Isn’t it pretty clear it’s not? Damn it, I can’t get enough of her. It’s a good thing she works all the time, because I wouldn’t have her out of my bed otherwise.”

  “All right, ass, don’t need to know some things. Come on, let’s go get a beer,” South said, shutting the door behind them.

  Chapter 11

  The Tab was completely full tonight, everyone waiting for the guys to take the stage. Margie and Rex were doing really good and she seemed happy. And to make Marge happy was some feat for their quiet girl.

  Tia was completely and hopelessly in love; she was finally over Howie. She would tell Addison about the long talks that she and Andy would have. They were talking about a life together, and the one thing that Tia had always wanted was a family of her own. Addison thought she might be in a wedding sometime in the near future.

  The only thing missing was Mindy lately. She wasn’t at home, and she didn’t show at the last two shows, so they had Tia fill in for her. They were starting to panic and about ready to call the cops when she walked in the apartment one day, packed some clothes, and walked out.

  But after all the damn drama, no one from their old life had shown up. Their life in Cleveland was going pretty good, and they all were pretty happy. They loved their jobs at the hospital, and Margie was building a good clientele, so they were making good money.

  Margie brought over the drink Addison ordered. “One cranberry, Sprite, with a twist of lime,” she said, sliding over the drink, and took a sip of her beer.

  “Thanks.”

  “Hey, are you really quitting smoking and drinking?”

  “Yup, and I’m doing it cold turkey.”

  “What does Win think about that?”

  “He doesn’t smoke…and he says he’s not drinking anymore either,” she told Marge with a grin.

  The guys got on stage and the crowd went wild. Tia sat with her knees up in the chair and made some obscenely loud whistle so Andy knew she was there watching him. He gave her his signature wink, making her giggle.

  Win’s eyes fell on her and she couldn’t help herself, she blew him a kiss. It was corny as hell, but he seemed to like it as the smile grew on his face, and he gave her his own wink. She smiled back, getting herself comfortable just to sit back and watch him play.

  Lynn came in with some guy tonight, sitting next to Addison. “Hey you, this is Hank. He’s a friend of mine,” she told Addison.

  “Nice to meet you,” Hank said, reaching over Lynn to shake her hand. Addison took a good look at this guy, and wow, he was really clean cut. Her eyes slid over to Lynn, who was ignoring her.

  “Hey, what happened to Betsy?” she whispered in her ear. Lynn shrugged and watched South start singing their first set.

  The energy was kickin’ tonight; she heard four new songs, including one called Acid Love. She wondered who that one was written about…it had some pretty dark lyrics but very catchy. Win was really into it tonight, or maybe she just thought so because she rarely got to see them play. He hit the new chords, looking over at Rex and laughing as one girl shouted she loved him.

  The girls were all over South as he reached down, touching their hands. One even grabbed hold of his foot; he very calmly reached down, still singing, taking her hand off and singing to her. Just like a pro. She thought Nickels might be right about marketability.

  “We’ll be back in two weeks. So we’ll see you then!” South shouted. They all gave their manly bow, and started putting away their things.

  “Tia, did you know they were leaving for two weeks?” Margie asked, baffled.

  Tia’s face told them everything that they needed to know.

  After a couple of minutes the guys came from the back, South grabbing the closest groupie and the others making their way to them.

  Andy sat down next to Tia, who was not very happy at the moment. “You didn’t tell me you’re leaving?” she accused him.

  “Well…”

  “We just decided today that we would fly out together to California and talk to Mr. Roman. He called the other day, saying that they’d like to sign us,” Rex told them.

  Lynn sat forward. “That son of a bitch!” she hissed, starting to get out of her seat. Addison grabbed onto her arm.

  “They have to do what they have to do, Lynn,” she said quietly.

  Lynn looked disgusted as she took Hank’s hand, pulling him out of his chair. “Come on, let’s dance. I need to burn some energy.”

  Win came and sat next to her. He reached out, pulling her into his lap. “It’s only two weeks,”

  he said. She looked away, shaking her head in understanding.

  “Hey, I’m not going anywhere, angel. In fact, I was thinking when we come back maybe you and I could go look for a place together.” She turned to look at him. “You know, maybe get a puppy, name him Tennessee.”

  She smiled at him but it wasn’t a heartfelt smile. She knew what was going on, she just wasn’t going to interfere if this was something he wanted. If he didn’t do this and they did end up together, she never wanted it to come back that she’d hindered his chances for a music career.

  He kissed her, wrapping his arms around her. When he released her lips she took his face in her hands, kissing the piercing on his lip tenderly. “I’m going to get myself another drink, okay?”

  Margie’s arms were crossed and she had a scowl on her face that Addison had seen many a time growing up. The man Addison knew she was in love with was trying desperately to talk to her but she was ignoring him. “You know, Ad, I could sure use a drink as well,” she h
issed over at Rex.

  “Tia honey, you want something?” she asked as she saw her sister trying to hold back the tears. Andy took her hands; her lip trembled, making Andy lose his mind, and she just shook her head at her.

  Win didn’t look like he quite believed this accepting attitude she was showing him. Reluctantly he let her go, holding onto her hand, but released it as Margie came up to Addison. She took Addison’s arm, frowning at Win, and they squeezed through the crowded club floor.

  “This is fabulous! You know what’s going on, don’t you?”

  “Of course I do. But I’m not going to stop him if this is what he wants,” Addison told her, making her way to the bar.

  “Only Nickels would be this vicious.”

  “Well, I think he thinks we’ll come home with this move.”

  “Would this make us go home?”

  “Do you want to go back?” Addison asked.

  “No, I really like it here.”

  “Would you say that if Rex wasn’t in the picture?”

  Marge was quiet for a minute. “What about you? Would you go back?”

  “I would only go back if Tia wanted to be with Andy, and Andy was one hundred percent genuine about his feelings for her.”

  “Oh, Addison. You know what’s waiting for you if you go back. Win won’t be part of the picture either, Jimmy will make sure of it.”

  “Then I suck it up and go back to Jimmy. That’s all there is to it. But I don’t know if Andy wants what the other three want. He might want to just stay here with Tia.”

  “We can only hope,” she whispered.

  They ordered their drinks. Ad really wanted a shot, but didn’t want to break her promise to Win.

  “Go head, Ad, after this new tidbit of information that’s just dropped on our heads, I think we all deserve a drink. Heck, when they leave I’ll go cold turkey with you!” Marge said, none too happily.

  “A shot of Jack, and a beer,” Ad told the bartender.

  Marge chimed in, “Make that two.”

  As they walked back to the table Rex, South and Win were all huddled around each other. Andy had Tia in his arms, talking down at her, but she was shaking her head at whatever he was telling her.

  Win’s eyes met hers; he saw the drinks in her hands and he frowned. She was thinking of just throwing one back before she made it to the table so Win wouldn’t stop her from having it. But before that decision was made, someone walked in front of her.

  Margie gasped aloud as a tight black t-shirt with a graffiti hoodie met her eyes, and when she looked up her mouth dropped open at who stood in front of her. “Mickey?”

  His dark eyes looked down at her, his dark brown hair flowing freely past his shoulders, just the little bit of a goatee on his chin. She saw that around his neck he was wearing the necklace she bought him for his birthday.

  The piercing in his eyebrow lifted as a small smile made its way to his face. “Hey, Addie,” his voice rumbled softly, very personally. Then he grabbed hold of her, taking advantage of her open mouth and kissing her graphically in front of everyone.

  The drinks dropped from her hands as she tried to push him away from her. She heard Lynn swear, “Oh fuck!” as a chair scraped along the floor, possibly getting turned over. She heard South yelling at Win, when a massive hand clutched Mickey’s shoulder and pulled him free from her.

  Win cocked back, punching Mickey in the face and causing him to fall over some tables. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing touching my girl?” he roared.

  Mickey’s hand went to his face, then that look came into his eyes. “What the fuck am I doing? Who the hell do you think you are? That piece of ass is mine!”

  Win started to go over to attack him again and South and Andy jumped in to stop him. But Addison walked in front of Mickey, pushing his chest. “You did not just refer to me as your piece of ass!” she seethed.

  Troy and Buddy came running up next to him. She saw Troy frown at her apologetically. “Addie, baby…” But she smacked his face, storming out of the club with Tia and Margie following behind her.

  Lynn chuckled. “You were always a stupid ass, Mickey. She dumped you…get a fucking clue.” Then she looked over to Troy. “Need to keep your boy on a tighter leash.”

  ***

  Win watched Addison storm out of the club. Whispers of “Mickey Tamms and Win were fighting” could be heard all around them. “I say we take this outside so I can beat the living fuck out of you,” Win growled.

  Mickey laughed, “You think so? Let’s go then, hot shot,” heading out the doors along with his friends. South pulled Win by the shoulder to talk to him. “You know that’s Mickey Tamms from Acid Pool, don’t you?”

  “I don’t give a fuck who he is! If he touches my angel, he’s going to be hitting the ground just like any other fucker!” he seethed, pulling his shoulder free and stalking outside.

  When he got outside he looked around for Mickey, and found him again trying to talk to Addison. The girls were all yelling at them, and Mickey and some other guys were yelling back at them. Troy looked to be trying to calm down the situation. When Win walked closer he could hear Addison fuming at Mickey.

  “How did you find me?” Addison asked, clearly upset by his appearance tonight.

  Mickey looked over at his friends and chuckled. “Hell, baby, it’s all over YouTube about some hot girl band in Cleveland, and when someone posted a video of you with your guitar…blonde hair or not, I would know my Addie Richardson anywhere.”

  It was then Rex turned to look at her, as her name struck a chord. “Holy shit, you’re Addie Richardson?” he said, like pieces of a puzzle that he couldn’t put together in his head, this whole time they’d known the girls, just clicked into place.

  Addison stood very still, frowning, her shoulders tense as Rex made the declaration of who she was. Win had seen pictures of Addie Richardson of course, but not until Rex said her name and placed it with his angel, did he see the resemblance.

  He looked over at Tia, who was looking at this Mickey with absolute hatred. Lynn and Margie were right next to her, and now he could remember seeing them in magazines as well. A tall white-haired Lynn he remembered, with Addie Richardson at some movie premiere on TV.

  He and South always thought Addie Richardson was the hottest damn woman on the planet, and how they’d love to meet her if they ever made it to the big time. But when he really looked at all the girls, he saw them as they were in the life they once lived. They were the same, just not as flashy.

  One of the guys laughed, looking at Win. “Holy fuck. Are you telling me none of you stupid asses knew who she was?”

  “Fuck, they must take stupid pills out here, don’t you think, Mick?” said the one with the dreads. Win’s mouth went hard and he was ready to explode.

  It was Mickey who looked at Addison, then glanced at Win and saw there was something going on between them. “So I take it this dipshit thinks he’d dating you,” he chuckled, then stopped. “Are you seeing him, Addie?”

  “Yes.”

  He looked surprised by her answer, but then looked over to Win. “So you think she’s, like your girlfriend?” he questioned him in disbelief.

  Win stood glaring at the man who was standing in front of Addison. “She is my girlfriend, asshole,” he growled.

  Mickey’s hand flew to his head in disbelief, and his one friend laughed at Win. “Addie Richardson doesn’t have boyfriends, you stupid fuck. She has men throwing money and jewels at her, begging her to marry them.

  “She’s the world’s most famous female guitarist, and married to the rock god James Richardson from Death Ever After! Who are you to think she’s yours now?” he laughed cruelly. Win’s head whipped around to look at Addison, who just stood there, not denying anything as tears rolled down her face.

  That’s when he remembered reading about Addie Richardson, married to the lead singer of Death Ever After. Shit, that’s when he first saw her. On stage at a concert about eight years ago,
when he and the guys went to see them in concert, and she played with Death Ever After…

  “You guys totally suck!” Tia yelled at them.

  The guy with the dreads started to laugh again. “You were always good at sucking, baby,” he said in a very intimate voice, letting everyone around them know that they had been together. Tia gasped at his hurtful words, and Addison ran over and punched him in the face even before Andy could do anything about what he’d said.

  “You don’t talk to her like that, do you hear me! You’re a piece of shit, Buddy!” She smacked him one more time before that fucker Mickey pulled her off him. She shrugged off his hands, walking back to the girls.

  Andy took hold of Tia, who looked as if she thought Andy might be mad at her after what the asshole just said, and he pulled her from the scene. She held onto him like she needed help to even stand up. Win could hear her whisper “sorry” to Andy as he rubbed her back.

  Mickey shook his head. “Really, I thought I was going to come here and have to deal with Jimmy or Dax. Man, I was shocked that you were still even here since the video I saw was two months ago.” He looked over at dread-man. “I thought for sure he already would be making your ass go back home to him.” Then turned his head back at Addison angrily. “I didn’t expect to be fighting a little nobody for you!” he yelled at her now.

  She looked over at Win and crossed her arms, looking confidently at him. “He’s not a nobody. He’s more of a man than you and Jimmy will ever be.”

  Mickey got pissed at that statement. “You want to give up everything, Addie? The fame and money, to be a nothing little doctor, in some nothing little town?” He ran his hands through his hair.

  “Yes, that’s exactly what I want,” she told him.

  “You finish your schooling and you just up and disappear from me? There was a time you said you’d marry me, what about that!”

  Win’s eyes widened hearing that, and he thought back to the night of Nickels showing up and asking if he “wanted to marry her too.” Addison’s mouth dropped open in complete contempt of this man. “I can’t believe you! What part of ‘this is just a fling’ did you not understand? I’m not in love with you, Mickey! And you sure in hell aren’t in love with me! I’m a trophy for you. If you have the great Jimmy Richardson’s wife, then I’ll be the one they’re calling a rock god!” she screamed.