Fatal Seduction (Fatal Cross Live! Book 3)

by Theresa Hissong

  Fatal Seduction

  Fatal Cross Live!

  Book 3

  By

  Theresa Hissong

  Disclaimer:

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead is purely coincidental. The names of people, places, and/or things are all created from the author’s mind and are only used for entertainment.

  Due to the content, this book is recommended for adults 18 years and older.

  ©2017 Theresa Hissong

  All Rights Reserved

  Cover Design:

  Custom eBook Covers

  Editing by:

  Heidi Ryan

  Amour the Line Editing

  Formatted by:

  Wayne Hissong

  Cover Model:

  Stefan Northfield

  Cover Photographer:

  Eric Battershell

  For more information or how to contact Theresa Hissong, please visit:

  http://authortheresahissong.com

  www.facebook.com/authortheresahissong

  Other Books by Theresa Hissong

  Fatal Cross Live!:

  Fatal Desires

  Fatal Temptations

  Fatal Seduction

  Rise of the Pride:

  Talon

  Winter

  Savage

  The Birth of an Alpha

  Ranger

  Book for Charity:

  Fully Loaded

  Dedication:

  For those who’ve fought addiction and to those who are still finding their way out.

  To Angela & Lynda:

  You were strangers to me,

  but I will never forget you.

  Rest in Peace

  Contents:

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Prologue

  Braxton

  Remembering

  The devil creeped through my blood, taking a part of me with him when I removed the needle from my vein. Delicious oblivion tickled my brain as my eyes rolled into the back of my head. The demon had become my best friend, being there for me in an instant, taking away the stresses in my life. I was learning that I couldn’t live without him.

  I didn’t know how long I had passed out, but by the time I awoke, I was able to stagger to my feet and scoop up my keys from the table by the door.

  That night was mostly a blur. My Abby was there in the car, her sweet scent swirled around me and was the only thing in my life that was pure anymore. I flinched when I noticed the scowl on her face, which led me to believe that she knew exactly what I’d been doing. Her eyes drifted to my arm, and I tried to bend it to keep her from seeing the marks that signaled my use like a bright beacon. When she voiced her thoughts, I knew she was more than pissed.

  “Braxton,” she gasped. “Are you doing heroin?”

  “No,” I growled, trying to blink the haze out of my eyes. I could feel the high slowly subsiding, and I wondered for a moment how much longer it would be until I could be alone to get another fix. “Leave it alone, Abby.”

  “No,” she snapped, her tiny hands reaching out to take my arm. “Damn it, Braxton! What have you done? Let me see them.”

  “Don’t touch them!” I jerked my arm back as fear raced up my spine at the possibility of her fingers coming in contact with the poison that now owned my body. The last thing I wanted was Abby to touch the spot where I’d shot up, because the thought of her innocence being tainted by getting the drugs on her skin absolutely terrified me.

  “Why, Braxton?” she cried, reaching for my arm again.

  “Damn it, Abby! I said…SHIT!”

  The steering wheel jerked to the left when I tried to yank away from her, forcing the tires to point toward the center median on the highway. I tried to correct, but it was too late.

  Her screams were all around me, echoing through my mind. My own wounds were nothing…non-existent as I tried to move toward the sound of her voice, but I couldn’t find her. No matter how hard I fought, no matter how hard I pushed my broken body to move, she was out of reach.

  The smell of smoke and burning flesh surrounded me, making my stomach revolt. Strobing lights and sirens were the only things visible through the darkness while her screams continued…my name falling from her lips.

  There was one thing I would forever remember about that night…something that would haunt my dreams for the rest of my life.

  Abby’s voice as she screamed my name…

  “Braxton!”

  “Braxton!”

  “Braxton! Please help me!”

  Chapter 1

  Braxton

  I came awake with a hard jerk, sweat soaking the sheets underneath my body. I was tired of the nightmares…the dreams of her. I was haunted by guilt, and I doubted I would ever be free of that which plagued me.

  Abby.

  My Abby.

  I’d taken something that was mine and destroyed it through my own stupidity. There had been times in my life where I’d done things I would always regret. Hell, all of us had that one thing we wished we could’ve changed; that one thing that kept you up at night as you tossed and turned, hoping you’d fall asleep before you slowly went insane.

  Mine was the night I almost killed the woman who owned my heart, because I’d decided to drive after I’d stuck a needle in my arm to get high. My life would never be the same again, because it belonged to Abby…It’d always belong to Abby.

  I only had the music to help me cope, but it would never help me forget my past.

  Abagail Hampton, or Abby, as her friends and family called her, was the woman I saw when I used to daydream about my future plans. Still to this day, I could picture her long, blonde hair pulled up into a sloppy ponytail as she walked toward me with her hands resting protectively around her pregnant belly. I’d always had this dream of us, but now…that had changed into a living nightmare.

  Now, my visions only included fire, crumpled metal, and her beautiful skin covered in burns.

  Three years ago, I decided to pick her up after I’d gotten home from touring with my last band. I’d been partying nonstop for two months and had no plans on stopping. A few hours before I picked her up, I’d shot up and passed out, waking up to the sound of my phone ringing like crazy. I had managed to look presentable and, once I was done, I felt like I could at least pick up my girl and take her out to dinner.

  The one thing I remembered from that night…the one thing that had stuck with me, were her screams and the fact that my legs were shattered. I was thrown from the car, and Abby was trapped inside when it caught fire. Her screams were incomparable to anything I had ever heard.

  After I was released from the hospital, I was taken to jail for my crime. I was tried and given six months. I put myself into a drug treatment facility when I was released after only serving three months for good behavior. I completed the program, swearing I would never touch another illegal substa
nce for as long as I lived.

  During my stay in the hospital, I wrote Abby a letter, telling her I was letting her go. I couldn’t even look her in the eye and pretend that everything was okay, and there was no way I could expect her forgiveness. My sister delivered the note, and when she returned, I was told that Abby was in a coma and her burns were severe. I think I actually died inside that day.

  The one thing I did before I was put into jail was to have all of my worldly belongings sold and for my bank accounts to be changed over to a fund to pay for Abby’s medical expenses. Her mother graciously accepted the offer, and I was told that Abby would not know that the money came from me. It was the least I could do.

  Things changed shortly after that. I found a new band and a family in the three other men who shared my love of music. There was a bond there; one that was forged through our pasts. Each and every one of us had used drugs to the point it almost killed us. Even though our stories were different, we all knew the horrors of addiction.

  I spent my nights touring and playing for thousands when I was alone inside. The music was my release, and the only way I knew how to survive what time I had left here on this earth. I yearned to forget Abby, but no matter how hard I’ve tried, she has been etched into my soul for all eternity. If things had been different, she would’ve been mine, and I would’ve cherished everything about her.

  I heard Cora curse when she rushed past me to finish putting the final touches on our set. Presley was just coming off the stage when I finally got my shit together and made my way into the venue. Ace took his woman back toward the green room, and I stepped out of the way so I could stretch my arms, preparing them for the next hour.

  Squeezing my eyes closed, I tried to push away the memories that haunted me. I’d lived the life of fast cars, heavy music, and drugs for too damn long. The past was always there; always reminding me of my failures against the woman I’d loved with my every breath. I wasn’t sure if I would ever get to a point in my life where I would be able to forgive myself for almost killing her.

  “You’re on in five,” Coraline said, reaching up to squeeze my shoulder. “You okay, Brax?”

  “Yeah,” I sighed. “I’m good. I’m ready for a break.”

  “Last show for a while.” She smiled at me. “Go be a rockstar, my friend.”

  I grinned as she looped off toward the front of the stage. Coraline had come into our lives right when we had needed her most. Thankfully, Taylor had talked her into working for us, giving us a chance to tour without any worries.

  She looked over her shoulder and gave me a thumbs up just as the lights went down. I didn’t need a flashlight to find my kit, but Liam, one of our roadies, was there anyway, hunched down and out of sight.

  “Ready when you are,” he said, slipping away as I took my seat. I saw Ace, Taylor, and Cash waiting for my nod. It was time to play.

  A bright flash of lights started the show. Ace jumped off the riser, growling out the beginning of the song as I beat out my frustrations on my kit. Well into the second song, one of my drumsticks broke. I quickly tossed it out into the crowd, scooping up a new one within a heartbeat. Sweat poured down the side of my neck as I continued to play, feeling the burn in my arms. Cash thrashed his head from side to side, making the women scream louder. His long hair covered his face, but that didn’t hinder him from playing.

  We moved through the first five songs and then started our current release. Ace screamed for all he was worth and the fans were slamming their bodies against each other as the music raised their adrenalin. Lights swirled around the stage and the crowd, lighting up faces in different colors. Coraline was sitting crossed-legged off to the side of the stage and behind a black curtain, watching us perform with Taylor aware of where she was at all times. Since she’d announced that they’d be having a child, he’d become even more protective of her, and I didn’t blame him one bit.

  The lights passed through the crowd as they swung wildly and with no real pattern, highlighting the faces of the fans. A split second before the venue went dark on the final song, my eyes zeroed in on a woman. My heart froze, and then began to gallop wildly in my chest. Her beautiful blonde hair fell around her shoulders, and I would know those dark blue eyes anywhere. I growled low in my throat as our gazes locked from across the venue floor. Her eyes widened when she realized I’d recognized her.

  It was Abby.

  My Abby.

  And I was fucking pissed!

  I stood from behind my kit, every ounce of blood in my body rolling through my veins like an out-of-control train. I heard Taylor curse when I jumped off the stage and into the crowd, my fists clenched at my sides. People moved out of my way as I stomped toward her. She was still standing as close as possible to the wall, her back pressed tightly against it so she was out of the way of people who were making their way toward the exit. I didn’t stop until I was nose to nose with her.

  “What the fuck are you doing here?”

  “Well, hello to you, Braxton,” she greeted, her voice barely above a whisper. Her scent washed over me, and I swayed where I stood from the rush of memories that flashed through my head. Memories of better times. “Is that any way to greet me after a year?”

  God, had it been a year since the last time I’d seen her? She’d been in town when I was home from a tour and we’d bumped into each other. She tried to talk to me, but I made an excuse and walked away…just like I’d done all those years ago.

  “Why are you here, Abby?” I pressed, looking around at the multitude of men watching her from the corner of their eyes. I wanted to beat them all within an inch of their lives. “This isn’t the type of place for you.”

  “What?” she barked, her eyes narrowing. “Am I not allowed to go to a concert?”

  “Fuck,” I snarled, pinching the bridge of my nose. “What I mean is, what are you doing here alone?”

  “I’m not alone,” she smirked, placing a tiny hand on her right hip. “I came to see you.”

  “You know what I mean,” I replied, finally taking in her appearance. She wore a shirt that carefully covered the scars on her arm, but left the damaged column of her neck exposed.

  “I’m fine,” she said, gritting her teeth. Her words were cut off when a few fans came up to shake my hand and ask for an autograph. I kept watch over her out of the corner of my eye, turning my body so she was protected from the small crowd that had gathered.

  Ace, Cash, and Taylor spotted us as they came out from behind the stage with Cora and Liam escorting them to the front of the venue to sign some autographs. The fans that lingered in the building cheered and clapped as soon as they came into view. Ace’s steps faltered when he got a look at who was behind me. He’d never met her, but had caught me looking at a picture of her a few weeks ago when I thought I was alone on the bus. I’d been so deep in thought, I didn’t even hear him approach. Obviously, he remembered what she looked like from the photo.

  “Brax?” Coraline frowned as she approached, casting a wary glance over my shoulder. Everyone stopped beside me, and Liam asked the crowd to go make a line out by the tables.

  “Guys…” I swallowed, turning to the side. “This is Abby Hampton.” I held my hand out toward her and watched as all of their eyes widened in recognition. Taylor was the first one to compose himself and step forward with an outstretched hand. Everyone introduced themselves, but Ace waited and watched her for a moment before approaching her, a soft smile on his face.

  “I’m Ace,” he said. “Nice to meet you, Abby.”

  “Hello.” She smiled and looked up at me through her long lashes after she released his hand. “I need to talk to you, Braxton.”

  “Now isn’t a good time, Abby,” I lied. I really didn’t want to talk to her. Talking to her put my head in a place that I didn’t like…a place I’d worked so hard to avoid at all costs.

  “When will be a good time, Braxton?” she snarled, her eyes narrowing. “It’s been a year since I last saw you, and it’s been thr
ee years since you left me in that hospital bed! Three years of avoiding me…avoiding us!”

  “You need to leave,” I growled, leaning over her so maybe, just maybe, I could intimidate her with my size, but she wasn’t going to back down. I should’ve known that. Abigail Hampton wasn’t easily pushed around, and that bratty side got her mouth into more trouble than necessary.

  “Fuck that, Braxton Keller,” she swore, taking her tiny hand and making a fist in my shirt. “I want to know why the hell you’ve been paying all of my medical bills!”

  “You two need to get out of here,” Ace said in a rush, taking my elbow and steering me away from the wall. “Take Abby in the back so you can talk.”

  “I have nothing to say,” I warned, narrowing my eyes on her. She didn’t need an explanation. No one needed an explanation for the things I did.

  “Well, I do,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. I didn’t even look at what that did to her breasts. I wouldn’t let her distract me.

  “Now,” Ace ordered, giving me one last push.

  “Come on,” I mumbled, taking her by her uninjured arm. I didn’t drag her, but she did have to take faster steps to keep up with my longer strides.

  “I’m not a child, Braxton,” she huffed, jerking her arm away. When I turned my head to glare at her, she narrowed her eyes but wisely kept her mouth shut.

  “But I see you’re still a brat,” I mumbled, pushing open the backstage doors.

  Chapter 2

  Abby

  My Abby,

  I will never be able to forgive myself for what I have done to you. It kills me to let you go, but I have done things that I will have to live with for the rest of my life.

  You deserve happiness with someone who will treat you like a princess.

  I don’t know if you will ever be able to forgive me for the things I’ve done, but I hope in time that you can.