Jane's Surrender (Hard World Tour #2) (4 page)

Then, it serves her right for putting me in this position in the first place. Didn’t I tell her this shit wouldn't work? But, of course, no one listened to me.

Carissa gasped and covered her mouth with her hand as tears slid down her cheeks.

Marcus’s eyes darkened, and he fisted his hand so tightly I was surprised he didn't break the fork he was holding.

However, the most surprising reaction came from Ben, who stopped eating, got this serious expression on his face, let go of his fork, and ran toward me, hugging me close, his syrupy hands leaving stains on my white T-shirt. He pushed his face in my stomach, and whispered, “You can’t go, Jane. I love you!” His words made me feel something. My chin trembled, but I didn't allow myself to cry. Tears were a sign of weakness, and I couldn't afford a weakness right now.

“
I love you, too, Ben.” And it was the truth. I would miss him the most. I was so into the moment with him that, for a second, I didn't register the presence of two people behind me. Then I was in Marcus’s arms, and he hugged me so close that it was hard to breath.

“
Jane, no one will ever take you away from us.” He sounded furious. “This is your home, and we’re your family.“

“
You don’t want to give me back?” I whispered and sobbed at the same time. I felt Carissa’s soothing hand on my back, and she rested her chin on the top of my head.

“
No, sweetheart. You are part of our family now. How could you even think that?” She moved in front of me and took my hands in hers. “We wanted to talk to you about summer vacation and what we have planned. We wanted to make sure you would be okay with our plans. Nothing else, honey.” She wiped away my tears and smiled. “But I’m glad you asked, because now you know for sure no one will touch you or take you away from your rightful place,” she said forcefully, and for some reason, I felt as though a deeper meaning was behind her words, but I couldn't grasp it.

“
Let’s clean you up, and then you guys can go.”

I nodded and glanced at them one more time. Finally, I understood that I was part of a family who wasn't about to throw me away like unwanted trash.

5 months later at the summerhouse

I always loved to read books, but there never were enough for everyone in foster care. Then Carissa and Marcus allowed me to have whatever, so I used the opportunity to read all the classics, fantasy, and even some historicals.

When I found the family library, I looked through the shelves and found some weird books with a man and woman on the cover, in some kind of embrace, and looking through the book, I found some weird scenes.

Like sex scenes and kissing.

I’d never read this kind of book.

I put it back in its place because Carissa called us for dinner, but for the whole evening, I wanted to know what that book was all about.

Sneaking to the library in the house felt weird, but curiosity had gotten the better of me. I opened the door, made sure no one was in the hallway, and then tiptoed to the huge-ass room on the first floor. The summerhouse we stayed in was dark, and only moonlight was shining brightly through the curtains, allowing me to see the way. Finally, I reached the massive door, pushed it open as quietly as possible, went inside, and closed it behind me. I shivered slightly; it was cold here for some reason. I turned on my flashlight and looked around. Books were everywhere on shelves, like thousands of them, and the air had the familiar smells of old novels. Taking a few steps inside, I took the strange book and sat in the far corner. Even if someone had made their way to the library, they wouldn’t know I was there.

Once I was comfortable, my flashlight clenched in one hand, I opened the book.

That was the first time I discovered romance novels with dashing heroes and true love.

Heroes who loved their women and were ready to do anything for them.

Handsome, adventurous knights, pirates, and kings.

And those worlds were beautiful and made me dream that someday I would meet someone like those heroes. He would love me unconditionally, always be faithful, and for him, I would always come first. He would never, ever let go of me, and he would kiss me hard, making my knees shake.

That and music were my dreams from then on.

New York, New York

Jane, 18 years old

My fingers drummed impatiently on the dark wood of the oak table, while I tried to ignore the annoyance that was building up inside me. The girls weren’t here, and I was about to meet this new guy on my own. Jeremy apparently had a big plan to make us the biggest stars of our generation, and we were having a meeting here to decide if we wanted to have him on board. Not that we had much choice anyway, since no one in the industry could be bothered with us. My ass was numb from all the waiting. I stood up to grab some water from the tank that stood in the middle of the wide-spaced room, when a man walked inside. My breath hitched when my eyes landed on him.

He was magnificent.

My rapidly beating heart pounded beneath my breast. My palms were sweaty and my ears buzzed.

Just like the books described.

Tall, he towered over me, lending the air of a protective cocoon where I could hide. His half smile made him appear even more handsome, and his amber eyes sparkled with interest and kindness. His straight, honey-brown hair fell to his shoulders and appeared soft as silk; my hands itched to touch it. His milk-pale skin seemed almost glowing in the sun. His black suit hugged his wide shoulders and muscled arms, as well as his narrow hips and strong legs.

A hero.

My dashing knight in the finest armor.

Still smiling, he extended his hand to me, and all I could do was stare.

In that moment, I believed that dreams did come true.

“
Hey there. Nice to meet you.” Since I was still silent, he frowned and was about to take back his hand, when I grabbed it with all my might, earning me another surprised look.

“
Hey. Nice to meet you, too.” His soft hand was strong; he would have the power to slay all the demons and dragons.

“
You’re the one behind every song, aren’t you? Jane Armstrong.” His smile was gentle, his voice gruff, which for some reason made me feel calm, just like the sound of waves crashing over rocks.

“
Yes.” I was surprised I was able to answer his questions.

“
You have some great songs here.” His comment caused me to blush. I rarely heard a compliment, and I had no idea how to react properly. I raised my eyes to his exquisite amber ones looking at me with admiration, and I was lost in them. Just as I was about to say something, I heard the door behind me open, and his eyes moved in the direction of the sound. The air left my lungs when I saw his expression change from admiration to deep heat and longing, as though he was a starved man seeing his next meal. The look was quickly replaced with one of indifference, but it was too late. He hadn’t hid it from me. With crystal clarity, I understood that the one man I dreamed about, whom I finally found, my one and only, would never be mine.

Because his heart belonged to my best friend. Once again, someone was more important than I was. Even for my dream man. And I would have to live with the pain and knowledge for the rest of my life.

Las Vegas, Nevada

March, 2013

Jane, 21 years old

“
Come on, Jane. Live a little!” Ariel shouted in my ear and gave me yet another shot of tequila, and I just rolled my eyes.

The girl was crazy, but she probably didn't give a shit. That made me smile, especially when I thought about all the things she did in life. I shook my head and moved the shot to the side. I didn’t feeling like drinking, and maybe I just wasn’t in the mood.

We were in a crowded Las Vegas nightclub, where the music was so loud you had to shout to be heard, and the booze was flowing. This club was one of the most exclusive places in the city. We paid a lot of money to get into the VIP lounge, and even I had to admit the design was fabulous.

The lounge’s golds and reds were mesmerizing as they glittered vividly from the colorful club light. A big chandelier with crystals sparkled, emphasizing its beauty. On the huge dance floor with fog and lights, people danced and brushed against each other, drunk and out of control. The DJ above, wearing headphones, his eyes closed, moved his arms to the beat of the song. He appeared to be unaware he was in the crowded room. The bar was filled with eager, slightly tipsy people who wore designer clothes. Comfortable couches were scattered around the space.

The friendly staff consisted of long-legged sexy waitresses in short black uniforms, black stockings, and high heels. The bartenders were seriously hot guys with cocky smiles and flirty winks. They wore leather pants and tight shirts, which gave the women customers a good look at their amazing chests, and probably contributed to very good tips from the horny ladies.

The club had some of the best dancers in the world. A few cages hovering above the floor were filled with graceful, hot women who alluringly danced to the songs and did wonders with the ropes. I found it hard not to be jealous of their flexibility.

The club, Resisting Me, opened a few months back, and quickly became a hit. No one knew much about the owners, but a rumor hinted at twin brothers who liked to get their kinks behind closed doors.

We’d been dying to go for ages, so I had no clue why I felt out of sorts.

Sam, Bella, and Megan danced wildly. Their arms waved above their heads while they shook their asses to the music. Several guys moved in closer, but my friends didn't pay any attention to them.

They were too into girls’ night to mess with the guys, and besides, they promised Nick to behave. Nick was Bella’s brother, or rather the brother of the whole band, and long-time boyfriend of Megan. He was crazy about his girl, and it took us some time and bribes to convince him to let her go unwind a little with us. I was glad she was enjoying herself. However, that meant no sex for the girls.

Well, at least not in the club. I knew the girls would find a way to sneak some guys into the hotel rooms. None of them wanted anything serious, but they loved to unwind sometimes, and who could blame them? I would have done it too, if only I could.

Ariel sighed in frustration, pinned her hair in a knot on top of her head, and moved closer. She took a sip of her drink and then pointed a finger at me.

“
You aren’t having fun at all. This is our night out, and for the first time since we became famous, we don’t have to hide. It took us ages to convince everyone to let us go out, and here you are making me mad.” Her finger jabbed into my arm.

Vicious creature.

Nonetheless, her words were filled with truth.

We became famous three years ago. The minute the world heard our group, Hard World, we became an overnight sensation. Millions of likes on YouTube, platinum albums, tours, multi-million dollar contracts, everything a successful rock band wanted, which also included wild wrap parties, exclusive hotels, and vacations. We enjoyed luxury life at its best.

That, however, had two sides, because it meant we had to be extremely careful what we did and where we did it. We couldn't exactly go to regular places and have fun all the time. Especially because Jeremy, our manager, had a hissy fit about it. He hated all those parties.