Unchained

By Sandra Alex

He sings behind powdered courage. She’s got his greatest hits album in her backseat. And just when they think the grass is greener together...it turns blood red.

Storm is the sexiest man alive. He just doesn’t know it. What he also doesn’t know is that I’m his biggest fan. Until he shows up at a mutual friend’s place of business one day, and there’s no denying it. But behind those musical lips is a man standing on a ledge, and I’m not sure who or what can talk him down off it. But I’m not about to abandon him. At least, not by choice...

***

The second she walks into Ray’s office, I’m done. Dez is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, hands down. But I can’t tell her why I’m here, at a psychiatrist’s office, so, instead I tell a lie that I’ll later regret. And just when I think that I’ve led her on, she shows me in a way that I never dreamed, that she already knows. We fall fast and hard for each other, despite my secret, despite how bad things get at a time when they should be getting better.

And then it happens one night. The other shoe falls during a show, but the world is shocked to learn who sets our course on a different path...and who will be the one clinging to life.

Rock star romance
Second chance romance
Medical romance
Medium heat
Drinking
Drug abuse
Swearing
Cliffhanger ending

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sandra Alex
• Release date: Nov 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9781990807121

Sandra Alex

Meet your next book boyfriend.Love stories that could actually happen.About the AuthorSandra Alex introduces the Ford brothers. Five sexy, rich, swoon-worthy men that will make your toes curl. Each book features one sibling. This sizzling series will knock your socks off!Proceed with Caution:"White knight, prince charming romance. This book was an awesome read. I enjoyed every page. Who doesn't love a prince charming and white knight! I liked the story, the characters, how it was written, the hot scenes and the HEA. I'll be reading more from this author." -5 stars from M. Hebert on Goodreads and BookBubEnter at Your Own Risk:"This book was a great read! I loved the main characters and how they were able to deal with what life threw at them. Sexual situations that were steamy and hott! Relatable heroine. I wanted to cheer for them as a couple. Bridezilla was funny too!" - 5 stars from C. Kasner on GoodreadsHandle with Care:"This poignant story draws you in and touches your heart. Garrett and Nora are a testament that true love never dies." - 5 Stars from M. Jelks-Emmanuel on GoodreadsJoin Sandra's newsletter to get an exclusive prequel and an extended epilogue, plus other....treats.Visit https://www.sandraalexbooks.com to subscribe.

Book preview

Unchained

Big Bands, Big Hearts Series

Sandra Alex

Keep in touch with the author by Subscribing.

ISBN 978-1-990807-12-1

ISBN 978-1-990807-13-8

Copyright © 2022 Sandra Alex

All rights reserved.

Table of Contents

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

Runaround

Keep in Touch

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Author’s Note

Alright!

Haaa ha ha ha!

You say, I cannot get there from here, baby

Then I don't care where I'm goin'

Here's to your thin red line

Mmm, I'm stepping over

Thought you'd never miss me 'til I got a fat city address

Non-stop talker, what a rocker

Blue-eyed murder in a size five dress

Change, nothin' stays the same

Unchained, and ya hit the ground runnin'

Change, ain't nothin' stays the same

Unchained, yeah ya hit the ground runnin'

I know, I don't ask for permission

This is my chance to fly

Maybe enough ain't enough for you

But it's my turn at a try

Thought you'd never miss me 'til I got a fat city address

Non-stop talker, what a rocker

Blue-eyed murder in a size five dress

Change, nothin' stays the same

Unchained, and ya hit the ground running

Change, ain't nothin' stays the same

Unchained, yeah ya hit the ground runnin'

Change, nothin' stays the same

Unchained, yeah ya hit the ground runnin'

Change, ain't nothin' stays the same

Unchained, yeah ya hit the ground runnin'

Woo hoo! Take a look at this!

Hey man, that suit is you!

Woo-whee! You'll get some leg tonight for sure!

Tell us how you do! Hoo hoo hoo!

(Come on Dave, gimme a break)

Hey hey hey hey! One break, comin' up!

Change, ain't nothin' stays the same

Unchained, yeah ya hit the ground runnin'

Changed, ain't nothin' stays the same

Unchained, yeah ya hit the ground runnin'

Change, ain't nothin' stays the same

Unchained, yeah ya hit the ground runnin'

Change, ain't nothin' stays the same

Unchained

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Edward Van Halen / Alex Van Halen / Michael Anthony / David Lee Roth

Unchained lyrics © Wb Music Corp., Mugambi Publishing, Diamond Dave Music

Chapter 1

Blaze

Beads of sweat form on my forehead as I sit directly across from my attorney. He’s reading my nightmare, just received earlier today, from a guy with a clipboard, announcing that I’ve been served. It didn’t look good, standing in front of my girlfriend, whom I’ve only been with for a matter of a week. The expression on his face is impassive, and I don’t know how to take that, so I ask. What do you think? Am I fucked?

After a beat, he swallows. I pay him very well to meet me on a moment’s notice, and he doesn’t forget. Not at all. A paternity suit is pretty cut and dry, and the attorney should know this. He pauses. We demand a paternity test once the kid is born and go from there.

Yeah, well, the bitch should be in jail for attempted murder, but daddy dearest seemed to have no problem getting her off that, with all his millions.

It’s a lot more difficult to put someone behind bars when the defendant lived, Raymond. He informs, calling me by my first name, making me nervous as hell. A paternity suit is very black and white. It’s either your kid or it’s not. Simple as that.

So I have to wait until the kid is born to know whether or not my nuts are in a vice?

Unfortunately, yes. But the good news is that it’s a simple blood test done at birth, and then you’re home free.

Or not. I scoff.

Did you use protection with this woman?

Yes, but you know as well as I do that the only thing that is one-hundred-percent effective is abstinence.

While that may be true, if you did use protection, there is a ninety-seven percent chance that you are not the child’s father.

But either way, I have to sit for the next nine months, wondering whether or not this chick is going to hang me to dry.

Chris, my lawyer, is older than me. I’d say by about ten years. But he’s cool and honest, and he’s been there for me since day one, not letting me get hosed by any record company, agent, or anyone, for that matter. Truth be told, I think I’m his first priority, and all other clients are second fiddle on his bill. You want me to send her a settlement? See if she bites? Sometimes if you offer these pieces of shit enough, they pull back, especially if they know that they’re going to lose in the end.

How much?

Let’s start with twenty grand. That would be a minimum. If this chick knows what your net worth is, though, she’ll laugh, but only if she really is pregnant.

But won’t that be an admission of guilt?

Did you sleep with her?

I stare at my hands. Yeah.

This may be the lesser of two evils here, Blaze. He grunts, sitting up straighter in his leather tufted chair. Tell you what. I’ll send her a registered letter with a settlement offer. If she bites, then we’re free and clear, and I’ll make sure that there’s plenty of legal verbiage in there to make it so that she never tries to pull anything like this ever again. If she doesn’t, then we sit tight, and hope for the best. Hope that she’s as much of a whore as you think she is.

I can’t believe she’s pulling this shit, man.

Think twice next time you hop in the sack with someone, Blaze.

I give him a look. I’m done with that. I’m with the one I’m going to be with for a long time now.

Are you sure?

Never been so sure of anything my whole life, man. Liz is the one. Hell, I’d marry her now if I didn’t think she’ll run for the hills after this debacle.

You think if this is your kid that she’ll run?

I don’t know. I don’t know what kind of hell this bitch is going to put us through, if it is my kid. I pause. Just wait until Roxy finds out.

You haven’t told her? Like I said, Chris has known me since the beginning. He knows all about the band and about Roxy and her sobriety, and how Roxy and Jett are a couple, everything.

No. She’ll be out for blood after what this chick has already done. I scoff. Shit, Regan nearly killed Liz, like I said. If it weren’t for her daddy being a millionaire tycoon, she’d be behind bars.

Well, no amount of money is going to get her out of this, Blaze. That, I guarantee you. You can’t fake a paternity test.

Knowing Regan, she’ll find a way.

"Blaze, not to worry. I will counter with our terms. The test has to be done by a lab of our choosing, and the results will come to me first, and then I’ll report back to her attorney. There is no way out of this for her. That I promise you."

I hope you’re right about that.

Do you have good security at home?

Not the best, no. I admit.

You should invest some in that. A crazy like this…no telling what else she’ll try to pull.

What about the restraining order?

That’ll seal the deal in court if she’s caught doing something, but it only catches her if she’s caught. You see what I’m saying?

Yeah. That I should sleep with one fucking eye open.

It’s not uncommon for celebrities of your caliber to have twenty-four-hour security, Blaze. You might want to consider that.

Great. I’m facetious.

So, do you want me to send a settlement?

I think about it for a moment. What’s to say if I’m not the father, or if this bitch isn’t even pregnant, and I give her twenty grand for making my life a living hell. I’m paying her off. And she’s in the media, man. She works at a goddamn radio station. Who’s to say that she won’t blab it all over that I gave her twenty grand to keep her mouth shut?

He frowns, considering my point. So, we wait it out then. It’s your call, buddy.

"What would you do, man?"

He sucks his teeth and draws in a deep breath. I’ve seen shit like this all the time. People that start this kind of shit are relentless. Especially, if like you said, her daddy’s a rich man, she’s been given everything handed to her on a silver platter. He licks his lips. I wouldn’t give her a goddamn cent.

I slap the table. Done. Don’t give her shit.

Works for me, partner. I’ll respond with the paternity test request and we wait. Can you handle that?

I guess I have to. But it’s better than paying her off and suffering for it, anyway.

I’m with you.

You think I should tell Roxy?

He nods. Unless you want her to skin you alive after she’s done with this Regan chick.

Good point.

You need anything else, man? The record company still being good to you?

We’ve had a few bumps but nothing requiring litigation. You would have been the first to know.

True. He tips his chin upward. So, who’s the new girl in your life? You want me to check her out?

Na, man. I’ve known her since high school. She’s awesome. She’s the chick on ‘Stars Talk’.

Fuckoff. Her? I can’t tell if he’s impressed or shocked.

That’s the one.

Fuck. You weren’t kidding about her nearly getting killed. I heard all about that, man. The media didn’t have much, but they sure made it public who it was that had an unfortunate accident at that movie premiere.

Accident my ass. Regan knocked her out onto the concrete. Left her for dead.

The spin put on it was that she fell.

I’ll bet they had quite the gag order on that story.

No doubt. But there’s no telling what shit will go down now that Regan got off. Pieces of shit like that can put a spin on anything to serve them right.

She pulls any more shit you hold a press conference and clear your name. Easy peasy.

Hopefully it won’t come to that.

You can also do an interview once the restraining order is in place.

We already banned the radio station where she works and the publication company that works for the station too. But clearly that wasn’t enough because the bitch obviously still has her job at the station. Idiots.

That’s likely daddy dearest she can thank for that. He’s probably funding their airtime or something. She clearly doesn’t have to work if her daddy is as rich as the day is long.

Then why sue me for fucking child support?

He shrugs. Notoriety. Daddy may be rich but he’s a nobody. Chicks like that want it all. She’s probably dying to say that she’s carrying your child. Your love child, no less. You better pray that she’s lying through her teeth, man, or I bet you dollars to donuts that she’s going to make you wish you were never born.

Unless I can get dirt on her.

Think you can manage that?

Roxy hates her like a damn disease. There’s gotta be something. I snap my fingers. Actually, yeah, Roxy said that Regan used Roxy’s name to get the job at the radio station, seeing as Regan is as dumb as a fucking rock and there’s no way she passed college. She also nabbed Roxy’s home phone number by giving a blow job to someone on our security team when we went to a release party a couple of months ago. That ought to count for something.

"If you can get some solid evidence of those facts, we may have something. She may pay you off to keep your mouth shut if it’s rock solid."

I’ll see what I can do. But I have to come clean with Roxy first. She’s my only in to evidence.

Gotcha. You think you can get a solid answer today?

I’m not sure.

Best decide now then. I don’t want to put off a response any longer than necessary. I’d say that this needs to go to the courier first thing tomorrow.

Let me go talk to her now. I’ll see what I can find out.

Chris hands me a photocopy of the lawsuit. I’ll be waiting.

***

I see the rage in Roxy’s eyes as I show her the document. Jett is sitting next to her, as we’re in their room, in private, as I requested. Fucking douche bag. She swears, her voice raised an octave.

Chris says that if I can get some hard evidence against her, that we may have something to put her off. You told me that she name-dropped to get the radio station gig, and she blew someone on security to get your home number, right?

Her hand is in her hair. Jett is rubbing her back. She pulls at a tuft of her long black hair as she lifts her head. Fuck. I can’t prove any of that, Blaze. You know how many security guys we have here now that there’s two goddamn groups?

Possibly three. Jett interjects. Storm wants to rejoin us as an opening act. He raises a hand when Roxy gives him a look. We’ll…talk about that later. Sorry, babe.

Her gaze is on me again. You’d be better off getting proof that she tried to kill Liz. That’s way more than a blow job or a name-drop, man. We’re talking some serious shit here.

I’ll talk to Chris again. I’ll get on the horn with him right away.

I’m surprised that shit for brains didn’t think of that, Blaze. Seriously. Roxy points out. Make sure he knows what the fuck he’s doing. Regan and her clan will eat you for dinner if you don’t have your shit together. She’d love nothing more than to fuck us all up.

Roxy, relax. I raise a hand. I’ve got it under control.

She lifts her brows. Do you?

It’s cool, babe. Jett interjects. He’s a big boy. He can figure it out.

Roxy looks at Jett. You don’t know these people, babe. They’re mean and jealous and have truckloads of money. You don’t know about half the shit I went through living under their roof for the short time that I did. Then she addresses me. If your lawyer isn’t up to snuff you let me know. I’m fucking serious.

The conviction and care in her voice and eyes is palpable. Thanks, Roxy. I nod. She nods, pursing her lips for emphasis, and I excuse myself to call Chris back. His receptionist puts me straight through, stating that he’s been calling around, looking for me.

Blaze, thank God, man. I thought, shit, what are we doing, pissing around worrying about nailing her for piddly shit like getting head or name-dropping, when she tried to kill someone. He states.

That’s exactly why I’m calling you, man. Roxy says she doesn’t have any proof of that shit, anyway, and she said that same thing.