Infamous Love: A Black Light Prequel

by Livia Grant

  The secret service rushed forward, stepping between the father and son, preventing further punches from being thrown. The room was in pandemonium. It was time for them to leave. His work here was done. Well, almost.

  Jaxson pulled apart from his lovers long enough to step closer to his father. He would get the last word. "You asked for my help in getting attention for your national campaign. I just did you a huge favor. I'm certain that my lovers and I just landed you on the front page of every newspaper in the country, hell maybe even the world. You'll be the lead off story for every newscast. Talk shows will be dedicating full episodes to your campaign for days." He went for broke. "Hell, I bet even Juan will see it down in Mexico. No need to thank me, Dad. I'm happy I could help."

  Jaxson didn't stay to see the remaining fallout. He didn't need to. He knew he'd just put the final nail into the coffin of his father's burgeoning election campaign. While he was sorry his mother would also be hurt by the fallout as his father's political career disintegrated, he couldn't bring himself to do more than pity her. He'd wait a few days before calling and inviting her to get away from it all in Europe.

  They had just hit backstage when a crowd of reporters pressed in, thrusting microphones in their faces, pushing and shoving to get a statement. It was Jaxson they wanted so he released Emma's hand, yelling to Chase to get her safely to the limo and he'd meet them back at the loft.

  He watched as his lovers stopped dead in their tracks, turning and fighting to get back to his side. They each held one of his hands and together they started moving again towards the back door where their limo awaited.

  "Seriously, you two should go on ahead. I'll catch up."

  Emma and Chase grinned up at him and answered in unison, "Where you go, we all go."

  The End

  Afterword

  Did you enjoy Jaxson, Chase and Emma’s story? It doesn’t end here. Coming in December 2016, they will be opening a trendy dance club called Runway in the heart of the Georgetown district of Washington DC. Join them for opening night when their friend and rocker, Cash Carter, opens the club with a bang up show. The excitement won’t really begin until they all hit the secret, underground BDSM club tucked away in the basement. Black Light is the safe haven for the world’s rich and famous to get their most taboo kink on without fear of exposure.

  Please enjoy the following excerpt from book one in the series: Black Light: Rocked

  The familiar strain of the Crushing Stone’s number one hit, Proving You Wrong, filled the crowded venue. The rather stuffy crowd that had just minutes before been sipping champagne in their evening wear seemed to shed their restraint to push to their feet as the curtain opened to expose the band to the cheering crowd.

  Samantha had to resist the urge to follow several groups of scantily clad women who pressed past her to rush the runway jutting out into the dance floor. Within minutes the stage was surrounded, several layers deep, with raging fans jumping and shouting for the missing lead singer who had yet to grace the show.

  Her heart raced, anxious for her first glimpse of Jonah and dreading it at the same time. The second he burst out from back stage the spotlight shone on him, making him the center of attention. She had thought she was prepared, but in that moment Sam found herself fighting down the urge to cry.

  What a fool she’d been. She’d come to get a glimpse of her old friend, Jonah, but one glance at the man center stage and Samantha knew she was too late. Jonah was gone, swallowed wholly and completely by his larger-than-life persona, Cash Carter.

  And he was devastatingly perfect.

  While the room clapped and sang along with the Grammy Award winning band, Samantha sat frozen in the shadows on her tall stool. She couldn’t take her eyes off the six-foot tall celebrity currently working the crowd with his sexy dance moves.

  She struggled to reconcile the current version of the popular musician with the young man she’d felt so close to most of her life. His signature gravelly voice was deeper than she remembered. God, he’d filled out so much and in all the right places, flexing his muscular arms as he fist pumped to the beat of the angry song. His perfect body was encased in body-hugging black leather pants and a sleeveless shirt. Tattoos rippled across his biceps and his shoulder-length dark hair swayed as he moved with the beat of the song. It was when he moved out onto the long runway, getting closer and closer, that Samantha decided she’d got what she came for after all.

  Closure.

  Her Jonah was gone.

  The reality almost crushed her. It was hard to catch her breath and it was in that moment she had to admit the ugly truth to herself. She’d really come with the hope of feeling a spark of their old connection. That invisible thread that had always bonded them together. Even as young kids, she’d felt connected to Jonah in a way that felt a bit like magic. She’d felt his presence before he became visible. He’d been able to read her mind, understanding her at times better than she understood herself.

  The urge to cry was almost too much. Sam swallowed hard, trying to press down the lump in her throat. As the rest of the huge club pressed in around her, she’d never felt as alone as she did watching Jonah reaching down to accept flowers and small gifts from his adoring fans, making tangible connections with strangers he now cared more about than he did her.

  He was so close.

  An irrational thought took hold. What might he do if she approached the runway? What could she offer him as her gift? She’d already given him her heart and he’d trampled it.

  Her fingers flew to the golden heart locket she’d worn around her neck every day since the day he’d given it to her. It had been the day he’d asked her to his senior prom. The day he’d literally swept her off her feet, kissing her until she’d been out of breath. He’d told her it was to be their promise charm to each other. How many nights had she fallen asleep holding that small locket, filled with a lock of his thick hair, feeling closer, if just for minute, to her lost friend?

  He won’t remember you. He’s moved on. And even if he does recognize you, he couldn’t care less about you now.

  Insanity. Tears finally fell as she sat frozen to her spot, unable to move. She should leave, but instead she felt trapped, there to witness Jonah in all of his perfection as he gyrated his sexy hips like the consummate showman he’d become. She could barely make out the lyrics to the next song, Betrayal, for all the screaming fans. It didn’t matter. She had every note, every syllable, every melody memorized.

  By the time the song was winding down, Samantha knew she had to leave. Instead of feeling better, being so close to Jonah had her on the verge of a full-out panic attack, something she hadn’t suffered for years. She was glad now that she hadn’t gone too far into the club. She pushed to her wobbly feet, anxious to get outside to the frigid December air in hopes it would revive her.

  She crossed in front of several tables of VIPs and patrons sporting press passes. She’d have to weave through a screaming crowd of fans to make it to the exit. The pounding music started to be drowned out by the pounding in her ears as she grew more and more light headed. Panic and the compressed space were closing in faster than she could escape.

  The music grew softer, almost subdued. Sam glanced back towards the stage as the band began to play their one and only number one ballad from the year before. The lights that had been trained only on Jonah and the band were now scanning the crowd in a haphazard way as the first chords of Forever began, only bringing her tears harder. She’d always hoped he’d been thinking of her as he’d penned the lyrics so now, seeing him walking out onto the runway to touch the dozens of screaming women as the love poured out of him—well it made her feel foolish.

  So foolish she was paralyzed as she stood grounded at the end of the runway as Jonah made his way closer with each step he took. Twenty feet. Ten feet.

  What she’d give to touch him again, just once. She was as bad as the screaming fans, desperate for any scrap of the famous musician’s attention and it made her sick
to her stomach to admit how much she’d let his desertion hurt her. He’d never hidden his dreams of being a star from her. She had no right to feel the red-hot anger bubbling up. A true friend would be happy for his success. The fact that she resented having lost Jonah to his Cash Carter guise only made her feel guilty.

  He was a mere half-dozen feet away from her now as she stood frozen. Unable to go to him. Unable to leave.

  She’d never know if it was fate or weird luck that trained the spotlight from above directly on her. It lasted only for a second, but in that moment he turned her way and their eyes met. His eyes widened slightly as his brow furrowed with surprise. Her brain shouted at her to turn and run away before he shunned her publicly, completing her heartbreaking humiliation, but her feet stood planted in her fashion boots.

  How much time passed, she’d never know. What she did know was that the crowd was yelling and the musicians were playing the accompaniment to the song Jonah had stopped singing. Groupies pressed closer to the frozen singer, touching his stationary boots while his glare penetrated her to her core.

  He sees me. Really sees me.

  The thought thrilled and frightened her. She held her breath until she was light headed. She was in uncharted territory, unsure if she should turn and retreat or advance on the stage. The roving spotlight was back on her, throwing her into the middle of the show whether she liked it or not. She felt all eyes in the three-story club on her as everyone in the room collectively tried to figure out why the` lead singer had suddenly stopped singing one of his most popular songs as if he’d forgotten the lyrics he’d written.

  She never took her eyes off his, waiting for his expression to give her a hint of what he was thinking, hopeful she’d see her old Jonah crawl out from behind Cash’s polished exterior. She might have been able to handle a nonchalant brush off, but with each second that passed, an angry hatred changed the handsome musician into a frightening adversary.

  That’s when she realized there had been one outcome she hadn’t even considered.

  He sees me… and he cares, alright.

  He hates me.

  About the Author

  USA Today bestselling author Livia Grant lives in Chicago with her husband and two sons... one a teenager, the other a furry rescue dog named Max. She is blessed to have traveled extensively and as much as she loves to visit places around the globe, the Midwest and its changing seasons will always be home. Livia started writing when she felt like she finally had the life experience to write a riveting story that she hopes her readers won't be able to put down. Livia's fans appreciate her deep character driven plots, often rooted in an ensemble cast where the friendships are as important as the romance... well, almost. She writes one hell of an erotic romance.

  Connect with Livia!

  @LBGrantAuthor

  lb.grant.9

  www.liviagrant.com

  lb.grant@yahoo.com

  Also by Livia Grant

  Passion Series

  Wanting it All

  Securing it All

  Having it All

  Protecting it All

  Expecting it All

  Corbin’s Bend Series

  Life’s Unexpected Gifts

  Psychology of Submission

  Red Petticoat Saloon Series

  Melting Silver

  Anthologies and Boxed Sets

  Passion Series Books 1 - 3

  Twist

  The More the Merrier Two

  A Lovely Meal

  Sting of Lust

  Hero to Obey

  Stand Alone Books

  Blessed Betrayal

  Don’t miss Livia’s next book!

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  Thank You from Livia

  Like most authors, I love to hear from my readers. The art of writing can be a lonely activity at times. Authors sit alone, pouring our hearts into our stories, hoping readers will connect with our words and fall in love with our characters. It’s easy to get discouraged at times.

  And that’s where you come in.

  I’d sure appreciate it if you’d take a few minutes to drop me a line or better yet, leave a review to let me know what you thought of the book you just finished. Reader feedback, good and bad, is what helps me continue to grow stronger as an author.

  Happy reading!

  Livia