Love Rock'ollection: The Brutal Strength Rock Star Trilogy, books 1-3 (16 page)

AVERY’S CELL PHONE rang just as she started to nod off. Marcus’ picture flashed up on the screen. She slid open the call. “Hello.” Her voice was as dry as a dirt road after a drought.

“Hey. It’s Marcus. You sound tired.”

“Yeah, hard night.” She’d hadn’t even slept. “What’s up?”

“You see the Besille thing?”

“Yeah.” She glanced at the clock. She wasn’t ready to deal with this right now. Not with him. Not when she was so exhausted and unprepared.

“What a load of crap, huh? You see why I can’t stand the guy, I’m sure… Hey, I know we planned to work today…but listen I don’t want you going outside the hotel by yourself this morning. I’m betting the press has figured out where you’re staying and are camped outside. I’ll send Ray over. He’ll pick you up in the lobby.” She started to protest, but he spoke before she could. “No arguing. Ray says he’ll meet you by the inside elevator to the parking garage. See you in a few.”

“YOU WERE RIGHT about the paparazzi,” Avery told Marcus as soon as she stepped out of the private elevator into his apartment. “When I went through the lobby, I could see them all outside.”

Avery didn’t mention what else had happened. She’d run into an overzealous female fan in the lobby. Not satisfied with just an autograph, the woman had propositioned Avery. Very explicitly.

Seriously, could her life get any weirder?

“I’m really sorry, Avery.” He smiled apologetically, shrugging his wide shoulders.

“For what?” This was all on her as far as she was concerned.

“I shouldn’t have gone off the way I did with Besille. My overreaction made him think there was a story where there wasn’t one.” He sighed, raking his fingers through his hair. “That jerk knows how to push my buttons.”

“I don’t know how you deal with it.”

“Obviously, not too well, if yesterday was any indication.” He grimaced. “Like it or not, you’re in the spotlight now.”

“It’s ok.” She wished she could smooth away the lines of concern from his handsome face. “I feel kind of detached from it all. The press doesn’t really know anything about me. They can believe what they want to, I guess.”

“Yeah, you have to keep reminding yourself that it’s all garbage. They assume they know who you are personally because they know
about
you. I hate having my image defined by them. I’m hoping Beth can work some of her magic on that though.”

“If anyone can, she can. I’m glad she’s on our side.” Avery lifted her chin toward the kitchen. “Hey, you got any coffee? I’m really beat this morning. I need some liquid energy.”

“Way ahead of you.” Marcus nodded and laughed. “I just made a pot. I’ll get you a cup.”

When she was finally seated on the sectional across from him, a blessed mug of caffeine cupped in her hands, she peered up at him from underneath her coppery bangs. “I was wondering if we could try to finish up the songwriting by the end of the week.”

Marcus raised his brows. “In four days?”

“Four and a half if you count today,” she countered with a hopeful smile. “We already have three songs. We just need seven more.” She nudged his foot with her own. “Come on, old man, afraid of a little challenge?” she teased.

While she could probably manage the lyrics on her own, the music would be a real struggle without his help. She held her breath, waiting for his answer.

“Why, Avery?” He studied her with narrowed eyes. “What’s the rush all of a sudden?”

She should have known he wouldn’t make this easy. “I just figured we’re on a roll right now, and that it would be good to get it out of the way. So we can both focus on other things, right?” She finished her rehearsed words in a rush, avoiding his eyes by staring down at the rug.

After several moments of uncomfortable silence she looked up to find him glaring at her.

“What’s this about, really, Ace? Give it to me straight. Skip all the bullshit. You think there’s some truth to that stuff Besille said.” He stood and started pacing, his agitation obvious.

Ok, this day officially sucked. Avery was too punchy and too tired to prolong this. Enough was enough. She sprang up and confronted him, hands balled at her sides. “For a guy who’s usually so observant, you’ve got it all wrong this time.” Her voice reflected her exasperation, and she threw her hands up in the air for emphasis. “Come on Marcus. Please. Seriously? You and I are friends. That’s it.”

Avery shook her head and flopped down on the sectional. She glared at him a minute before she leaned forward to pick up her coffee. She muttered over the rim, “Geez, defensive much?”

Marcus stared at Avery while she watched him, her foot tapping impatiently. The stare-down was on. It continued for several long moments, neither budging.

Marcus was the first to give in. His lip twitched right before he burst out laughing. She shook her head at him which only made him laugh harder.

“Ace, you’re such a trip,” he conceded in a droll tone as he sat beside her.

“Apology accepted,” she muttered. She knew that with Marcus, a guy who liked to be right and who was used to getting his own way that was the closest to one she was ever going to get.

“OK, you wanna get this done?” Marcus patted her shoulder and stood. “Let’s do it. But I still wish I had punched that clown when I had the opportunity.”

FOR A COUPLE of hours they recorded themselves as they plunked around on their instruments in Marcus’ studio.

“Hey, I like that,” Avery decided. “Play it again.”

Marcus obliged. They tinkered with the melody until it began to have a southern swamp
,
Lynyrd Skynyrd vibe. He nodded. “Yeah, that’ll work for sure. What do you think of calling this one ‘Fools Gold’? Maybe the lyrics could be a cautionary tale about how material things never satisfy?”

“Sure. Give me a minute.” Avery scribbled in her journal while Marcus continued to work on the melody. Working together, it wasn’t long before they had the song fleshed out. Marcus forwarded an MP3 of it to Dalton.

Avery stood and stretched. “I’m worn out, Marcus.” She yawned. “What time do you want to get together tomorrow?”

“How about nine? If you’re still determined to have this done by Friday, we’ll need to start early.”

She nodded.

“Ok then Ace, we’ll give it a shot.”

“HAVE YOU SEEN it?” Dwight asked, catching Marcus outside the recording room at Black Cat.

“Seen what?” Marcus asked cluelessly. He’d been out of the loop all day long. After Avery left his apartment, he’d been called in by production to do additional vocal filler for “Siren Call.”

“Avery’s performance.” His brother shook his head in disbelief. “He was brilliant, man.”

“What are you talking about?” Marcus asked, now completely confused.

“Avery was on
Good Morning America
today,” Dwight explained. “Didn’t you know? I would have thought he would have told you.”

“No. He didn’t say a thing.” Marcus’ brow furrowed, wondering why Avery had withheld the information.

“Beth has the full recording of it up in her office if you want to see it.” He patted Marcus on the back. “I’ll catch you later, bro. Lisa is expecting me for dinner.”

“Yeah, ok, sure,” Marcus mumbled, heading up the stairs to Beth’s office.

“Hi, Marcus.” Beth smiled, smoothing her hair as she greeted him. “Come on in. I thought you might show up soon.”

“Why am I always the last one to find out about these things?”

“Well, Avery and I didn’t want to make a big deal about it, especially if it didn’t work out the way we planned.” She shrugged. “That guitarist of yours has got a real feel for PR. If he wasn’t such a good musician, I’d be afraid he’d have my job. See for yourself,” Beth reached for the remote on her desk.

Marcus watched silently, his eyes glued to the screen as Avery fielded a couple of questions about being the new lead guitarist of Brutal Strength like a pro. When the interviewer asked about the Besille rumors, Avery rolled her eyes. “People will say what they’re gonna say. We’ve been so busy working on the new album that I haven’t had time to even think about my love life. Not that I don’t have my eye out for the right girl when she comes along. I’m afraid the days of Marcus being the only chick magnet in the band are over, if you know what I mean. There’s a new hotter guy in BS now.”

“What’d I tell you?” Beth crowed as the screen went blank, “That’s the third time I’ve seen it, and I still love it. He looks really great on camera, doesn’t he?”

Marcus didn’t say anything. He didn’t feel comfortable answering that question.

“We’ve already had thousands of hits and comments on the band’s website from girls who think they are the
right
one.” She smirked and went on excitedly about how good all the publicity would be for the band. Finally pausing to catch her breath, she examined him with a raised brow. “Are you even listening, Marcus?”

He dutifully nodded.

“Good. By the way, some guy with a thick accent named Vito called asking about Avery. Said he was a close friend from New York. Did Avery ever mention him to you?”

Marcus gave her a blank look and shook his head.

“Yeah, it seemed a little shady to me. I told him to contact Trevor. Anyway, I’ve got the music video set up to film this Saturday, and I spoke with your mom, too. She said there’s plenty of room at the farm for everyone. So, I’ll see you there, I guess.” Beth laughed. “I think I’m in love with your guitarist.”

“Sounds like you’ll have to take a number,” Marcus quipped drily, refusing to analyze his own confusing feelings about Avery.

AVERY ARRIVED AT Marcus’ apartment early Monday morning bearing gifts, café lattes from Café Artigiano, with double shots. “Hellooo…” she called from the entryway, a little surprised when Marcus wasn’t there to greet her.

“Be there in a sec, Avery,” he called his voice carrying from the bedroom. “Running a little late. I worked out with Coleman again today.” As he strode down the hall toward her, his long hair still wet from the shower, Avery found herself staring. Her mouth went dry tracking the tiny trails of water that slid down the masculine planes of his face and soaked into the collar of his Vancouver Canuck’s t-shirt.