Rock Solid: Rock Star, #3

By Tabitha Levin

Band manager Monty Keller never stopped loving his wife, even after she left him five years ago. Now Charlotte has returned, demanding he give her half the house. 

She won’t leave without the money and he won’t give in. The attraction between them is proving difficult to ignore. 

He’s used to being the solid one, but everything is spiralling out of control. 

Monty must decide whether to fight her request or give her what she wants and say goodbye forever.

Book three in the rock star romance series. Can also be read as a standalone.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tabitha Levin
• Release date: Feb 12, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386625346

Book preview

Chapter 1

Monty

Monty was still on the phone when the car pulled up into the dark street .

There weren’t many streetlights here for good reason. You didn’t come here to get noticed, you came here so you didn’t. 

The Soft Burns won’t take the royalty cut, Tom. You know that.

Monty, we’ve been over this. The ‘Burns are on the out. They aren’t hot anymore. If they want to sign their next album with us they need to accept that things have changed.

Monty could hear Tom Addison’s wheezing voice cough after he finished talking. He nodded to the driver and got out of the car, closing the door behind him.

We’ll discuss this tomorrow. I’m about to jump into another meeting.

Tom’s voice trailed off. Get them under control, Monty. If there are more bad press about Vegas marriages or knocked up affairs, then I can’t guarantee we’ll be able to offer anything more.

Monty hung up. He didn’t like others telling him what he should and shouldn’t do. He was the one that told the Hollywood music industry how things worked with the band, not the other way around.

But Monty agreed with Tom about one thing. Personal lives should never get in the way of becoming a successful band, especially when they were still promoting the last album. The guys should know that.

He made a note on his to-do list for tomorrow to follow up on the new contract. Then added another note to plan a meeting with the band so he could instill the urgency of them not messing anything else up, at least not until he’d got the next contract stitched up. The media was still hinting at trouble and it wasn’t easy to smooth the story over anymore.

The calendar app alerted him about his next meeting. He closed it, he didn’t need the reminder. This was something he'd been looking forward to it all day. He always did.

Pocketing his phone he walked across the street to the two-story building.

The neon light on the dark bricks glowed the word Stiletto’s in a san serif font. Classy, yet not in your face like some of the other places at the end of Hollywood Boulevard. 

Monty pushed open the heavy black lacquered door and walked inside. Greeted with the familiar smell of heady perfume intertwined with cigar smoke. 

The woman at the front counter looked up at him. Good evening, Mr. Keller. Desire’s already upstairs, as usual. Her strong red lipstick outlined a plastered smile. 

Monty nodded and looked upstairs toward his destination. Desire wasn’t her real name, but he didn’t care about that. He only cared about what she looked like, he’d been specific about it. 

He quickly glanced over at the waiting area. A group of young men, possibly a bachelor party, were receiving lap dances by scantily dressed women. One woman, a bottle blonde, was topless, her nipples rosy and red from an eager scruffy haired man in his early twenties, tweaking and fondling them. They clearly didn’t know how to treat a woman’s body the right way.

Glasses of half-drunken liquor and bottles of beer filled the mirrored side tables. The soft furnishings gave a more comfortable feel that contrasted with the scene. The light was low and moody, almost as dark as a nightclub, but not quite since the men needed to see which women to choose.

He turned his attention back to the staircase in front of him and stepped onto the velvet carpet treads as he headed upstairs. 

It was quiet on the top landing, each room heavily soundproofed to ensure nobody could tell what was going on behind each closed door. The doors were painted the same color as the walls, a soft neutral beige. The only distinguishing feature was round silver plaques with room number etched into them. There was nothing else up here, no paintings on the walls or plants to make it homely like downstairs. Only the dark bubbles in the ceilings that hid the security cameras, and soft lighting so you could see where you were going.

At the end of the corridor he stopped outside room twelve. Monty reached into his pocket and pulled out the gold ring engraved with a date. He fingered it, letting the gold metal glint under the soft lights.

Before he had a chance to put the ring on, the door opened and Desire stood in front of him.

The room behind her was lighted better than the hallway, showing off a bedroom that was modern and clean. He’d never seen the other rooms so couldn’t tell if they all looked this way, but he doubted it. This room was set up for him, or clients like him.

Desire moved to the side to allow him entry into the room. She knew the way he liked her to look. Her dark brown hair curled up into a messy bun on the top of her head and her makeup was soft and natural. She was wearing a white dress today, fitted, but not so tight that you could see every curve. If you passed her on the street you would think she was in corporate business, her attire more fitting to the business world than the sex industry.

You’re the only client I have who puts on their wedding ring when they come to see me. Most men take it off.

He slid the ring down his finger. It still fit the same as it did the first day he put it on. But he wasn’t the same man anymore.

Desire turned her back and Monty unzipped the dress letting it slide down her body and fall to the floor. Underneath she was wearing simple white lingerie. A bra and underwear that was classy and sophisticated. Nothing like the lace scraps of fabric the women downstairs wore.

He reached his arms around her and pulled her tight to his chest. 

She murmured softly and turned, caressing his cheek before leading him toward the bed.

Desire sat down, crossing her leg over her knee demurely as she waited. Her breasts looked amazing in the bra. He had always been a breast man.

Monty kept his gaze locked on hers as he undressed. He unzipped his jeans first, kicking off his shoes before sliding them over his legs. He kept his black t-shirt and boxers on. 

Desire shifted higher on the bed until she reached the pillow. Crisp white linen contrasted with her dark hair as she undid her top bun and let her it fall to her shoulders.

Monty kneeled onto the soft mattress and crawled toward her. Desire turned to lie on her side facing away from him. Monty lay behind her, letting her soft body curve naturally into his, her back against his chest, their ankles crossed together.

He reached his arm around her and held tight, listening to her breathing, feeling her chest rise and fall. He closed his eyes, inhaling the soft rose scent in her hair as he lay his head on the pillow.

Did you want to talk tonight? she whispered.

Later. I’m tired now.

He closed his eyes, not thinking he’d fall asleep.

Monty was startled out of a dream by Desire’s alarm. His arm was still around her body when he opened his eyes. It looked like she’d been napping too. Her features soft and sleepy as she turned to face him.

She smiled and kissed him on the tip of his nose. Sorry, I have another client in an hour.

Monty stiffened. Even though he knew the deal, he liked to forget that this was a transaction to her.

Of course. 

He didn’t move straight away, nor did she expect him too. She would let him hold her for as long as he needed, as long as she had enough time to set up for her next appointment. He’d never asked her how many men she met with. He was certain she'd be honest if he asked, but he didn’t want to know. This was fantasy, not reality. He had to keep reminding himself of that.

Thank you, he said.

Desire’s soft pink lips turned up into a genuine smile. You say that every week.

And you tell me that the pleasure was all yours when I know it wasn’t.

She tilted her head to the side. Just because we don’t have sex doesn’t mean I don’t get pleasure from our meetings.

You know I can’t.

I know you won’t. But I respect it.

Monty sat up and leaned against the wooden headboard. He pulled Desire into his lap, his cock stirring underneath his boxers. He could. He just wouldn’t.

Chapter 2

Charlotte

Charlotte glanced at the time on her phone. There was still two more hours before her flight would land at the Los Angeles International Airport. It was running on time and it would land at eleven p.m .

She’d chosen in the aisle seat so she would be free to move about the cabin, although in reality, she’d only gotten up once to use the bathroom.

Sitting so long was becoming troublesome. Her leg cramped and she reached down to rub it.

She looked past the man sitting next to her toward the small window. Clouds covered the stars so it was dark outside except for the small red lights on the wing of the airplane. Everything else looked like a thick black blanket had smothered it.

She considered asking the man if he’d consider swapping seats for the last few hours of the flight. Then she could look outside and watch for the ground lights as they crossed America. It was unlikely that she’d see anything yet though, they still weren’t low enough. She swallowed. It had been too long since she’d been back here and her stomach was a ball of knots.

The man beside her glanced in her direction as she shifted in her seat again. He dog-eared a page in the novel he was reading, closed it and placed it in the front pocket of the seat in front.

We’re nearly there, he said.

Yes, I just checked the time.

He arched an eyebrow. You've got an English accent. Are you from London?

Dual citizen. Both here and back home. Home. It wasn’t a word she’d used that often to describe her parent's place in Bristol. She always thought that her home was here, in Los Angeles. So much had changed over the past few years.

Lovely. So is this trip for business or vacation fun? He glanced down at her finger briefly, possibly checking for a ring, which made her instinctively ball her hands so he couldn’t see.

I have some loose ends to tie up. I won’t be here for long.

Staying in L.A? I’m in Santa Monica if you need a guide to show you the sights.

Charlotte turned her head so he wouldn’t see her grin. She bent forward and pretended to look for something in her bag under the seat in front. Thanks. I’m good.

I’m Chip by the way. Chip Jones.

He stuck out his hand for her to shake. Not wanting to appear rude, she took it. Charlotte. Charlotte Keller. Although I prefer Charlie. She folded the phone cover back over it and placed it into her bag.

Like the perfume.

Sorry?

There’s a perfume called Charlie. My mom used to have it.

At the word ‘mom’ Charlotte winced. Oh, yes, right. I see.

You don’t have that perfume in England?

I guess. I’m sure they do. I don’t know, I’m not really a perfume girl, but I’m sure I’ve heard about it.

Ahhh. The man nodded his head like he knew some big secret they both shared. You’re one of those women.

One of what women?

Tomboys. Girls who like girls. He leaned forward. You don’t look all that butch, but I’ve seen plenty of them now to know that you don’t always look a certain way.

Charlotte narrowed her eyes. You think I’m gay? If it wasn’t for the innocent look on his face she would have thought he was joking right now.

He held his hands up in a defensive pose. Hey, I’m all for choosing whatever lifestyle you want. It’s not my business.

You think I’m gay because I didn’t know whether they sold a particular perfume in England that your mother used to wear. Are you serious?

It’s a very popular perfume.

I’m not gay.

You’re not? That seemed to please him. He turned his body to give her more attention. How about taking me up on that offer. Let me show you around. Just as a friend, of course.

She shook her head. No, thank you. I’ve been to LA before, I know my way around.

Suit yourself. He turned back, obviously unwilling to spend any more time on her now.

Look. I know you’re just trying to be friendly, she said. But really, I’m only going to be here for, actually I don’t know how long, but probably not very long, and I’d like to get it done and leave.

He shrugged. Hey, it’s cool.

If you must know I’m married. So you see, I’m not gay, I’m married to a man, and thus it would be inappropriate for me to let someone else show me around, given my situation.

He turned his attention back to her, obviously amused at her blurting out information that he never asked for. Lucky man.

Well… She cocked her head to the side. I’m not sure he’d agree with that opinion. She took a deep breath as she thought about what Monty was going to do when he saw her again. Knowing him he’d probably give her the cold treatment. There would be no yelling or fighting. As long as he didn’t beg her to stay then everything would be fine.

Divorce?

No, we’re not divorcing.

But you aren’t together. He