Rock Star: The Deal (Book 3 of a Bad Boy Romance)

C
opyright
© 2015 by Kate Ward

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Rock Star: The Deal
is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

F
or my Family

I
t matters not
who you love, where you love, why you love, when you love or how you love, it matters only that you love.

R
ock Star
: The Song

Rock Star: The Contest

Rock Star: The Deal

A
ll of the
Rock Star books are stand-alone reads, however, you may find they are best enjoyed in the following order so that you can see the change of the characters over the course of the series.

For more on the author visit
www.katewardbooks.com

T
he dangers
of being a rock star were always far from her, until Chase makes a deal that forces Meghan to make a tough decision.

Torn between love, ambition and discovering what she really wants, she must decide whether to stay in Lakeside or go on tour for three months.

To make matters worse someone from Chase's past surfaces.

Now she might not only lose love but it looks like she may lose her life in the process, as she finds herself at the center of a kidnapping.

G
lass cut
into my skin as I crawled out of the overturned tour bus.

We were on the final leg of the tour, when the bus went over the cliff — sudden, an unpredictable crash, it had threatened to take our lives in an instant.

It had happened in a flash. The same tour bus had broken down several times on the way around the country. It wasn’t unusual to find us parked on the side of a highway, while we waited for roadside assistance. We had experienced blown tires, fuel that had run out and steam pouring out from under the hood, but nothing that placed our lives in jeopardy. Until now.

It all began several very long months ago. Chase Bryan, Luke Claybourne and I were traveling around the United States, filling up massive venues. It had by all accounts been a dream come true. From playing in a café to Madison Square Garden, it was what every singer dreamed of being able to do.

Now it had turned into a nightmare. I had found it hard to sleep on the tour bus. Something niggled me. Maybe it was a gut feeling. But our lives were in the hands of one driver. He was meant to sleep while we played, but numerous times we had found him playing video games or smoking weed. Every time he started that engine, I thought this is going to be it. The night he falls asleep at the wheel. But Chase was unfazed by it. Roger Martin had been his bus driver for over seven years. Never once had they experienced a problem. Nothing had ever given them cause for concern. Except this night was different.

We had finished on a high. One more venue to play in Oregon and then it would be over. Originally I wasn’t meant to be back in Lakeside for twelve weeks and that tour was cut short, for reasons which you will discover soon. I never thought I would say it but I missed that old town. I missed the people and their quirky ways. I missed the insults from my customers, and hearing the Dancing Jelly Babies playing their ear-piercing, brain-melting songs on Friday nights.

Now as I tried to make sense of my surroundings, I gritted my teeth, and gasped for air. I was moving slowly, crawling but at least moving. I didn’t know if the bus was on fire, or if Chase and Luke were dead. The entire world had been flipped upside down. I had blacked almost instantly. Blood was trickling down the side of my face. My hair was matted. I was still in the same T-shirt and pajama bottoms I had gone to bed in. With pain coursing through my body the mere effort of trying to crawl on my hands and knees was the equivalent of trying to push a car. It took an inhuman amount of strength and determination. I had no idea if I had broken bones, it took everything within me to fight my way through the pain.

A cold west wind blasted through the smashed windows. Only one thought pushed through my mind. Get out. The thought of being burned alive was worse than any pain I was experiencing in that moment. From beyond the window, between the blood that was blurring my vision, I could see a body. It was so dark outside. It was just the silhouette form of someone lying still. Inside the tour bus the lights had gone out. There was no way to tell if anyone else had survived. My desire to live took over and a voice inside my head warned: This bus is going to blow any minute now.

My hand touched the cold, wet snow. It stung my cuts but the pain served as a reminder that I was still alive. Keep moving. Get clear of the bus. I had no idea where we were. I had fallen asleep hours ago. I knew we were heading to Oregon City and had been playing earlier in upstate New York. We could have been anywhere in the Midwest. My right arm was in excruciating agony. I was pretty sure it was broken. Every movement felt like someone was stabbing me.

Finally I made it out of the tour bus. My entire body sank into the chilly snow. January wind nipped at my skin and began the process of lowering my body temperature. I might have made it out of the bus, but if I didn’t find something warm to wear, I would die from the below zero temperature.

I kept moving towards the unknown figure. Please be alive. Please don’t die on me. It didn’t matter who it was. Traveling that night, there were fifteen people on board. Crew members, Spike, Chase, Luke, Roger the driver and myself. It could have been any one of them.

I had no way of knowing this was going to happen. Nor could I have foreseen that the tour would end on such a tragic note, or that it would claim the life of someone I cared for dearly. Someone I loved.

T
he Carolina Country Music Festival
in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was to be the first venue. It had been a week since I had agreed to go on tour with Chase Bryan. I still hadn’t forgiven him for pushing me into a corner. If I didn’t agree he would have signed away his backlog of music. It would have meant zero royalties.

Then again, there was the fact that I was eager to snap up the opportunity to sing.

Though, I had to wonder if this was the start of something bad. I despised control freaks. Their incessant need to drive the car, give directions, say what everyone else should do. The one who had to be the leader of the pack, or else everyone would pay. Was that who he was? Or was it just a way for him to spend more time together with me?

Either way it was tough to tell Spike and Sophie that I was hitting the road. When the media got wind of it, they ate it up. Luke Claybourne kind of felt a little cheated by the announcement. Chase’s management had tried to explain that it was in the best interests of his career. Having two of the contestants out on tour was liable to draw in more crowds. More venues filled meant more money in his pocket.

However, I don’t think it was because Luke disagreed with me having the opportunity, when he was the one who won the contest
.
I think it was because he had strong feelings for me. He knew that Chase and I were seeing in each other. Now he was going to be forced to be stuck on a tour bus for the next three months, traveling around the country and watching us together.

I didn’t know what to expect that morning when I lugged several suitcases of luggage out the café door and handed the keys to Sophie.

“Now you be sure to call me. I want to hear from you every day.”

Spike was beside her. While he was recovering from the stab wounds in the hospital, they had rekindled their affections for one another. In many ways it had drawn them back together. It was good to see them as a couple. Now they were going to be looking after the café while I was away. Both of them would work full-time. There was no one else I could or would rather trust than them. They knew the business like the back of their hands. They had helped out for years, doing morning, afternoon and night shifts. They were aware of how to order more stock and what they needed to pay.

Until I got back, both of them were going to stay in my apartment. I have to admit I kind of did it in hopes that it would allow them to spend more intimate time together. Though in reality, it just made life easier.

“I will. Thanks again for doing this, Sophie.”

I kissed her on the side of the cheek and gave her a big hug. I turned to Spike. He breathed in deeply. I smiled.

“You look after her.”

“I will, you know that. If you end up in any trouble, you call me, and I will be there in a flash. They lay one hand on you…” He glared at Chase who was leaning against the bus, talking to Luke.

That was one thing I could rely on with Spike. He was as loyal as they come. He would make a good father, a good husband to someone. But to me, he would always be a good friend.

“Is the witch going with you?” Sophie joked about Mia.

“Afraid so, we have to pick her up in New York.”

“Tell her to walk.”

We all laughed. Mia had been acting very strange since Chase had gone behind her back and made the arrangements for me to join him on the tour. I honestly think that she would be seeing the last of me once Luke won. The look on her face was priceless. It probably didn’t help that Chase had threatened to fire her if she tried to make waves.

A whole group of people from the community of Lakeside had come out to see us leave. The sense that one of their own had made it, I think made them feel good. In many ways we had put Lakeside on the map. It would forever be known as the town where it all began. It had inspired people online to pursue their dreams.

Now if I was honest, I couldn’t exactly say I was jumping off the ceiling about it all. I had mixed feelings. It felt awkward to be sharing the same space as Luke. He had won, fair and square. He did receive a hefty cash prize, studio time and the chance to tour. But I hadn’t won, and I was also getting to tour. It just didn’t seem right.

I gave Sophie and Spike one last hug and wandered over to the tour bus.

“Ready to go?”

“As ready as I can be.”

I glanced at Luke. I cringed again. This was going to be difficult on so many levels.

We boarded the bus and it hissed as the brakes engaged and we pulled away. Through the tinted window I watched Lakeside disappear behind us.

Talk about a sleek-looking bus. The inside had state-of-the-art technology. A beautiful full kitchen with marble counters, hardwood cabinets and leather couches for the living area. Chase led me through to where there were several beds. I was surprised to find full-size beds on the bus. I had imagined they would be the size of hammocks, or the kind of things a Navy boat would have. Where everyone is piled together with hardly any room. Not on this bus. This had it all. No expense had been held back. My eyebrow rose as I saw a double bed.

“Don’t get any ideas, buddy,” I said, and continued walking further down the bus until I came to smaller quarters. “This will do me fine.”

“Are you sure? There is plenty of space back here.”

“Share a bed with you, with Luke here?”

“He’s a big boy. I’m sure he would understand.”

“Nope. It’s not happening.”

I heaved my lightest suitcase onto the bed and began the process of unpacking. Chase gave me a hand. He pulled out a pair of panties and held them up. I snatched them from him and tossed them into a drawer.

“Staff quarters are nearer the front of the bus. There are two exits off.” He began pointing to the front and back as if he was a flight attendant.

“Bathroom?”

“There are three. So you shouldn’t have to endure the smell of all us guys.”

“Great,” I grimaced at the thought of entering a bathroom after some of the heavy guys that had been lugging equipment around.

“In fact, one is just for women. Kind of best to keep things separate.”

I nodded in agreement.

There were two living areas. One in the front and one in the back. He said I was free to use either, but that typically anyone he had toured with used the back one and left the front to the staff.

“What, are they below you?”

“No. They want their space just as much as we do. They feel the need to be doing something if we are around. This way they can relax and have a little break from us.”

“High maintenance individuals.”

“I was going to say singers, but sure.”

The next few hours were spent with Chase introducing me to the crew. All of them seemed genuine. Just your typical hard-working guys. Luke had kept somewhat to himself. I could see he felt uncomfortable. Though I wasn’t sure if it was me or just the fact that the reality of what he was going to be doing over the next three months was settling in.

He was sitting in the living area drinking a bottle of water and watching the news on the large-screen TV when I came in. Chase was chatting up front with the crew and making arrangements for the next show.

“Hey,” I said, taking a seat across from him.

His eyes flashed over to me before returning to the TV.

“Listen, I wanted to chat. I know this must seem a little odd, with you winning the contest and all and me showing up. If it’s any consolation, I really was against it.”

“It doesn’t matter. You are here now.”

I nodded.

“What do you make of all this?”

He took a drink.

“Listen, I don’t mean to be rude. But you and I, I think it’s best if we give each other some room.”

I bit down on the side of my lip. “Have I offended you?”

He got up and blew his cheeks out. “No, it’s OK. I just would prefer to keep my head in the game. I need to stay focused.”

I followed him through to the kitchen. He was getting some food out of the fridge.

“Focused?”

“Listen, when I’m around you…” he trailed off. I knew he was choosing his words wisely. “Let’s just give each other some space.”

I frowned and walked away. Whatever his issues with me were, he was going to have to work them out. As this was going to be a really long trip if he was planning on being a jackass. I immediately could tell that being stuck on this bus for long hours, without anywhere to retreat to, was going to be a bad idea. Sure, the beds had curtains that went around them. I could retreat there but I could still hear everything.

I slipped my shoes off, allowing my feet to relax, and I slipped into my bunk bed. I pulled the curtain closed, pushed my MP3 player earphones into my ears and turned on some music. I spent the next half an hour texting Sophie, telling her that I thought this was a bad mistake. She had told me that if it got to be too much, I should just leave. Get on a Greyhound and head back. In that moment, I kind of wanted to, and we hadn’t even begun. But something deep inside hoped that things between us might get better.