Bassist Instinct (The Rocker Series #2)

by Vanessa Lennox

  “Connor fucking Damon is my brother?” Liam said for the third time.

  “It could be worse, Tate could be your brother…Oh wait; he isn’t, is he?” Xav said to Billy.

  “Bite your tongue, lad,” Billy said. They all looked across the room at Tate and Fiona kissing on the loveseat. “Who’s his Mam, though?” Everyone looked very uncomfortable for a moment.

  “Maggie Dylan,” Xav said looking at Billy very carefully.

  “Oh, that’s all right then, she was only ever after Danny Malone.”

  “Yes, and she was a married woman while you were out there casting your seed far and wide.” Tate bellowed across the room at him. Billy chuckled.

  “Take a look in the glass boyo, you’re the spit of Danny Malone.”

  “I’m the spit of me mam, you gobshite,” Tate said.

  “Christ, enough!” Connor yelled at him. “Do you know how hard it was for my mam after you left her eight months along? You bastard.”

  “Liam, care to tell him how bad it would have been if I stayed? Or even ask the girl.” He waved his hand in Fiona’s direction and sat up to face his eldest son. “I was seventeen, Christ, even ten years later I was shite at being a da. I did you and your mam a favor, so I did.”

  “You were twenty two, she was seventeen, you lying git,” Connor bellowed but Billy shrugged.

  “Kathleen told you all about me, did she?” He sounded a little hopeful.

  “She never said a word,” Connor said. “And who could blame her?”

  “I loved her. I named my first child after her.”

  “Excuse me?” Liam said.

  “Excuse me,” Connor said.

  “I meant girl child, of course. Christ, the egos in this room,” he said to whoever would listen.

  “This is like a soap opera,” Xav said to Tess.

  “Except better, Fiona’s my aunt,” Tess said.

  “By marriage,” Xav said.

  “Oh. Right.”

  “But that also means Don Juan over there is our Granddad,” Xav said.

  “Only by marriage, lassie,” Billy said to Tess eagerly.

  “Ew,” she said back to him. Billy shrugged again.

  “It was a damn sight easier when I was in the band.”

  “Christ. You will stay away from my daughter, you old lecher,” Connor said and Genna walked across the room to him and took his hand and brought him to the sofa. She touched his face and he pulled her into his lap, burying his face into her neck, inhaling her. His eyes lifted to his father’s. “And my wife.” Billy rolled his eyes.

  “It’s a great deal of faith you’re having in my sexual prowess, sonny, I need the blue pill to get anything done these days.”

  “Goodnight everyone, we certainly don’t need any blue pill images in our young impressionable minds,” Xav said and went to kiss his mom goodnight. He and Tess left the room in a hurry.

  Tate looked at Fiona whose eyes were drifting closed from the pain killer.

  “We’re out, too,” he said and Fiona’s eyes popped open when Tate shifted her and they, too, left the room.

  “I’ll get you a cab, Dad,” Liam stood.

  “Fine,” Billy stood and looked down at Connor. “I know I was shite, but I’m very proud of all my children. Each of you has a gift.”

  “My ego doesn’t need stroking, it’s as big as yours, man; the lassie’s is not. Did you bother mentioning that to Fiona who just played her heart out to a pack of strangers while she damned near bled to death on the stage? No, you didn’t. Did you say anything at all to her?”

  “We don’t speak lad, not that it’s any of your business. But I’m here, ain’t I?” Billy whined and Liam raised an eyebrow.

  “She’s my sister in more ways than just blood now, and I’ll not have you hurting her anymore, aye?” Connor gave him a threatening look.

  “You’re a McBride and no mistake, lad,” Billy said proudly.

  “Will you be celebrating the New Year with my lovely bride and me, you old reprobate?” Connor asked.

  Billy nodded at Connor and walked out the door.

  “Liam, you too,” Genna said.

  “Thanks, that’d be very nice,” he said smiling at Genna. Liam couldn’t believe the rock star’s wife was so wholesome and good natured. It wasn’t what he had expected, in fact the whole crowd was impressively down to earth. Connor Damon was his brother, which meant excellent concert seats for the rest of his life. He lifted a hand in farewell with a giant smile on his face and left with his father, leaving Connor and Genna alone on the sofa.

  “Genna my love, you are my serenity amid the madness.” He kissed her and could feel the feet (or elbows) of their child kicking him in the side. He put his large hand on her belly and she laced her fingers with his. “In a lifetime of incredibly good fortune, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I love you more than life itself.”

  “And I love you, Connor. Hey, we’re in Boston, how ‘bout a walk in the Common?” She grinned at him and he grinned playfully back.

  “How ‘bout I love every inch of you and then, if you can still walk, we’ll have a walk in the Common,” he suggested.

  “I like that idea, I’ve seen the Common in the dark already, now that I think of it.”

  “Just bloody kiss me woman, before I burst into flame.” She laughed and kissed him.

  ***

  “You knew Connor was your brother, didn’t you?” Tate asked as they brushed their teeth.

  “Yes. That bartender was pretty obvious. I sent a picture of young Billy to Liam, hoping he’d see the resemblance. When I saw the pictures on the pub wall of the two of them, I couldn’t deny it. I think Ryan figured it out, too.” Tate nodded at her.

  “He did, he’d never looked too closely at the Ballyhoos before, none of us did, but he saw it immediately, and then he told Connor. Tess is calling it the ‘big reveal’, and Kathleen, Connor’s mam, wants to meet you. Why didn’t you tell him?”

  “How do you tell someone that sort of thing? I didn’t want to do it over the phone, and by the time I knew for certain, things were crazy again.” She rinsed her mouth out and walked to the bed shedding clothes. “Come hold me, Tate.”

  “That would be my pleasure,” he called from the bathroom. He took the friendship bracelet out of his ditty bag and crawled into bed.

  “Which arm, Fi, I don’t want to hurt you?” Silence met him. “You’re asleep, aren’t you?” More silence. He tied the bracelet around her slender wrist and turned out the light. They could catch up with each other tomorrow or the next day or even the next. This one was not getting away from him. “I love you, Fi,” he said and carefully drew her to him and held her, sleeping better than he ever had in his life; complete at long last.

  Epilogue

  One year later on a small island in the Caribbean

  “I’ve never seen a more beautiful bride,” Tate said quietly into Fiona’s ear as they walked along the secluded beach, the warm sand under their bare feet. She smiled up at him.

  “Nor I a more gorgeous groom,” she said and pointed at the ring on his third finger. “Is that going to chafe?”

  “Never in life. Will yours?”

  “Probably not,” she sighed and he chuckled. It took him a very long time to convince her to marry him, he thought. She didn’t want to be rash, she kept telling him, and it just about killed him every time. Razz and Mary married very soon after they started dating, Ryan had to wait for Christie to become of age, and Connor planned his wedding all without Genna’s knowledge. He didn’t think that would float with his lemming, though, he did it the old fashioned way. He begged. “I love you, Tate Dylan.”

  “And I love you, Fiona Dylan. Christ, I like the sound of that.”

  “You just gave me goose bumps,” she said and they both laughed. “Do you know the best part of our having gotten married?”

  “Aye, the fact that I can now fill your womb with my babes.”

  “Okay, second be
st,” she said with a grin.

  “The fact that you’re mine for eternity.”

  “Okay, third best,” she laughed.

  “The fact that I can stop pleading with you to marry me?”

  “Ooh, that one might have to be the best,” she said and they laughed.

  “You’d better tell me, lass,” he relented.

  “Watching Kelly and Kathleen go after each other,” she said and he guffawed.

  “That was lovely, that was,” he said still laughing.

  “Tate, I’ve never laughed so much in my life as I have in the past year. Even through some terrible times, you’ve kept me happy and laughing. Thank you.”

  “We’ve only just got started, I have a hundred tales to tell you. And when we’re senile I’ll just tell them to you again. Neither of us will ever know,” he giggled like an evil ten year old.

  “Perfect.”

  “Aye.” He put his lips to hers and knew he was the luckiest gobshite in the world.

  About the Author

  Vanessa Lennox writes contemporary, historical, and fantasy novels of romantic intrigue. Born in Scotland she was stolen away by her dashing husband to the Americas where she now resides with a pair of border collies and one harried cat. She spends as much time as she can in front of the fire with her beloved and her single malts.

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  Other Titles by Vanessa Lennox

  Between Rock n Roll and a Hard Place - Genna Fleming's world revolves around her children, Tess and Xavier, and her writing, but events spin out of control when Irish rock star Connor Damon bursts into her life. Connor first alarms, then charms Genna when a hotel mix up - or is it fate? - throws them together. As he and his band kick off their North American tour in Boston, Connor is smitten and begins his pursuit of Genna. Her days of solitary writing, readings at small bookstores, and caring for her horses shifts into the fast-lane of super-models at after-concert parties, crazed fans, and ravenous paparazzi. Genna is soon too caught up in the man and his music to consider the consequences.

  Genna's children are thrilled with all-access passes and first-class whirlwind trips, but they are even happier that their mom has found a caring and honorable man... well, rock star. Celebrity appears to attract danger when Tess is nearly kidnapped. Genna, it seems, has a secret too. Can Connor and his bare-knuckles entourage protect Genna's family?

  At Both Ends - Will it all go up in flames?

  When ER Doctor Cate St John stitches up firefighter Lucas Cartwright's injured leg, sparks fly. Lightning strikes on their first date, and passions ignite. Friends in the ER gently tease Cate about her new romance, but her love life seems to draw unwanted attention as well. The intrusive anonymous phone calls to Cate suddenly double, and someone breaks into her house. Lucas anticipates Cate's every need, but he has a secret that could destroy their relationship.

  The mystery and danger escalate as the two strive to reconcile their demanding careers saving lives with their burning desire for each other. Will their love endure? As Lucas might say, "That's a second date kind of question."

  In Love and Legend, Jules Flannery makes everyone feel better. It's a gift. But this particular gift just may get her killed.

  The day of the funeral, Jules is assaulted and loses Uncle Charles' urn to the thief. Her Uncle's odd last request offers Jules an unexpected new beginning. Jules, a sweet but accident-prone art teacher, and Bingham, a terse and potentially dangerous Navy SEAL, must unravel, and ultimately fulfill, their part in an ancient prophecy. Villains are out to orchestrate their own nefarious interpretation. The two lovers face Gallic and English thugs, coax a troubled boy out of his gloom, and discover that they have a strange and powerful connection. Their mission: find an Arthurian artifact kings have coveted for 1500 years. The trick is to not get killed in the process.

  Love and Legend breathes contemporary life, dangerous action, cookie baking, and steamy love scenes into the myths surrounding King Arthur's era.

  Maine Attraction - Nightmares haunt Brie Spenser. Her needy boyfriend's reminders to pick up his dry-cleaning aren't helping. Brie's not looking for romance any more, she just needs a break, from the city, from Phillip, from her past.

  Brie escapes to her Maine cabin, only to stumble upon a major drug ring, dead bodies, and the love of her life - Ian Devereux. Brie and Ian team up to investigate, sparks fly, and they find themselves in the criminal's sights. Can the writer and the fishing guide dodge the bad guys long enough to solve the case, save the lodge, quell Brie's nightmares, and find passion?

  Lies, arson, murder – that’s a lot of mayhem for art historian Joss Erickson to handle. The legend of the “Frenchman’s Gold” rumored to be cached on her dad’s Montana ranch has stirred the unsavory interest of an ex-con, bikers, and the Feds. She finds an ally in Buck, the tough, but decidedly savory, overseer at the ranch. Together they might put a stop to the deadly shenanigans.

  Can she trust him? Buck may be after the gold for himself. Joss has few options, and this bad-boy may be her last best chance. In the meantime, she’s enjoying the ride.

  Breaking the Bad Boy embroils Joss and Buck in passion, danger, and the struggle to possess a legendary treasure in Montana's Big Sky Country.

  Original Sins - Young and in love, Samantha Banks and Jackson Hendricks skinny dipped, tangoed, and explored the world. They loved life, and assumed life would always love them back.

  Three years ago all that changed. Careers on different coasts, mistakes, and misunderstandings separated the lovers, and the magic drained from their lives. A chance encounter sparks the flame back to life, giving Sam and Jax a second chance. This time they don't take it for granted, and carefully circle forgiveness and redemption to find enduring love.