Slay Me (Rock Gods #1) (14 page)

             
She'd been right about him all along.

             
She was obviously a fool and a glutton for punishment.

             
She tried to stop the images going through her mind. Nick kissing them, touching them.

             
Fucking them.

             
She lost the battle, tears streaming down her face as she ran to her room on a lower floor. She'd specifically asked for a room as far from his as possible. So she didn't have to see girls coming and going. But he'd made sure she knew.

             
It was her punishment for rejecting him.

             
As soon as she was through the door she heard it; the familiar sound of her phone ringing. She must have left it down here. He had her so distracted that she'd lose her head if it wasn't screwed on.

             
She ran across the room but the ringing stopped by the time she got there. She glanced at the screen. She'd missed ten calls.

             
All from the same number.

             
Her aunt.

             
Oh god.

             
A feeling of dread filled her as she called the number back.

**********

              Nick was pacing back and forth like a caged lion at feeding time. Sabrina had yet to show up to the stadium. He'd already performed his first set and come off stage expecting to find her waiting.

             
That was her job, wasn’t it?

             
He needed to see her, to talk to her. So he could explain. He was just trying to get her attention. Make her jealous. That was all. He wouldn't give up on her so easily. Didn't she know that?

             
"You have to go back on now mate. Crowd’s getting restless.”

             
"Where the hell is she?"

             
Marley held out his hands.

             
"If you finish this thing, I will find out before you're back off stage."

             
Nick grabbed his friend by the shirt.

             
"You'll find out now."

             
"Okay Nick. You got it. Just relax, I am sure she's fine."

             
Relax? Like hell he would. He couldn't. He had a terrible feeling that something was wrong. Other than everything that was
already
wrong.

             
In a few minutes Marley was back. This time his face was white.

             
"She checked out of the hotel mate."

             
Nick stomach turned over.

             
"I knew it. Those bloody triplets were overkill. Damn it. I have to get her back. Text her.”

             
"I already tried that. Don't you think I tried that?"

              "Fine. If she wants it this way we'll call Jerry. Get him to fire her if she doesn't come back."

             
Marley was looking at him with an odd look on his face.

             
"Nick, mate, are you sure you want to do that to the girl? Seems like maybe she's just not cut out for this.”

             
Nick was staring at the half full bottle of tequila in his hand. He tilted his head back and poured it down his gullet. Marley was still talking.

“
She’s a decent person Nick. I’m not sure she can take much more of this."

             
Nick stared at his own face in the mirror. He was broken inside. He didn't care about anything anymore, he just wanted to lash out. To make her feel as awful as he did.

             
"Do it. I'm not going back on stage until its done."

             
Marley held his hands in the air, giving in.

             
"Have it your way Nick. You always do."

Fifteen

             
Sabrina lay on the floor her childhood bedroom in the attic, listening to music. Her father had passed away peacefully a few days ago. He'd managed to hold out until she got there. Just long enough to say goodbye.

             
Now the house was hers. Her aunt had left immediately after the funeral. She said something about having had enough of America. She still had family in the old country. People that Sabrina had never met.

             
Sabrina was truly alone.

             
For the first time in her life she wasn't sure what she was going to do. Not just yet. And for once, that felt okay.

             
She'd been let go from the label. She couldn't fault them for that really. The call had come through when she was waiting for a layover in New York. Then she'd flown to Chicago, before catching a tiny plane to Colorado. It had taken her almost 24 hours to reach home.

             
The whole time she'd been mourning her father.

             
And Nick.

             
It wasn't his fault really. In retrospect she realized that the crew may have been exaggerating. It was idle talk, gossip. She was the one who hadn't given him a chance to explain. She knew now that he'd felt for her what she'd felt for him, or at least something close to it. And she'd destroyed it. What did a rock star do when he got his heart broken?

             
Groupies and booze.

             
She sighed and picked up another record. The Sex Pistols. It was one that Nick had bought her that day in London. The records and t shirts were the only things she'd taken.

             
She hadn't had the heart to leave them behind.

             
Her ears perked up. There was a rumbling sound outside. That was odd. The house was in the middle of nowhere on the edge of a ski town. It was the off season though, so it was even more deserted than usual. She hadn't kept up with any of her friends from high school. No one was coming to visit her.

             
Sabrina peered out the window.

             
A motorcycle was parked outside. Nick rode a motorcycle.

             
Sabrina felt something burst open inside her chest. It was hope.

             
But it couldn't be. He was supposed to be taking the stage in Madrid tonight. In less than two hours.

             
She knew the exact time because she'd been following his schedule the whole time. Even now. Wondering who he was with. If he missed her.

             
She had been looking forward to Spain.

             
Ding dong

             
She raced down the stairs, not bothering to check the mirror. She'd been going through the stuff in the house, deciding what to keep and what to get rid of when she went- where? She wasn't sure but it wouldn't be LA. Her life there held nothing for her anymore.

             
Maybe she'd stay in Colorado.

             
Or go join the sharks in New York City. She'd had plenty of offers after B school. Maybe some of them were still standing.

             
At the moment she couldn't think about any of that though. All she could think about was opening the door.

             
She skidded to a halt in the front hall and reached for the doorknob.

             
She opened the door and froze.

             
Nick Falcon stood there, holding a bouquet of wild flowers.              He smiled at her cheekily.

             
"Hello love."

**********

              Nick's heart swelled at the sight of her. She had a smudge of dirt on her cheek. His precious, perfect girl had dirt on her face.

             
Maybe they'd both changed after all.

             
He knew he had.

             
The look on her face was changing from disbelief to- something else- he couldn't quite put his finger on it. But she hadn't slammed the door in his face. That was a start, if nothing else.

             
"Hi Nick."

             
He breathed out. He realized he’d been unconsciously holding his breath. She had used his name though. That was a good sign.

             
He said a silent prayer of thanks to the heavenly mother. And to his own mum, who had encouraged him to drop everything and come after her.

             
Not that he was ever going to do anything else.

             
"Can I come in?"

             
She nodded and stood aside. She was wearing jeans and a ratty old sweater over a rock t shirt. He recognized it as the one he'd bought her in Camden market.

             
A very good sign indeed.

             
He held out the flowers after she'd closed the door.

             
"I was sorry to hear about your father."

             
She took the flowers and lifted her soft, beautiful  eyes to his.

             
"Thank you Nick. You didn't have to come all this way just because of that."

             
"I didn't."

             
She was staring back at him with a look that mirrored his own. Cautiously optimistic.

             
"Come into the kitchen."

             
He trailed her through the well kept home. It was full of antiques and hadn't been updated in twenty years. But it was sparklingly clean and looked homey.

             
Cozy.

             
He liked it he realized. Better than that cold empty house he had overlooking the Pacific.

             
"I wrote a new song."

             
"That's good Nick. You should be writing."

             
She was putting his flowers into a vase. He noticed how careful she was, as if they were roses from the finest florist in London instead of flowers he'd picked along the roadside while he gathered his nerve.

             
"It's called 'Cold Mistress.' Do you want me to play it for you?"

             
She glanced at him.

             
"Not right now. But thanks."

             
"I've been thinking I should stop touring. Get back into the studio. It's been years since I released anything."

             
She gestured to the kitchen table and he sat.

             
"I think that's a great idea Nick. Do you want coffee?"

             
He shook his head.

             
"Tea?"

             
"I'm fine. Are you going to offer me anything else?"

             
She gave a startled laugh from where she leant against the counter. Minimum safe distance he supposed. Not that he blamed her.             

             
"What do you mean?"             

             
"Isn't the old expression 'coffee, tea or me'?"

             
She gasped and looked away. Maybe he'd read her wrong. But he had no choice. There was no turning back now. He had to forge ahead, or risk losing her forever.

             
"I didn't sleep with those girls you know. The triplets. Or anyone else. I was just trying to make you jealous."

             
She lifted her eyes to his and smiled wryly.

             
"It worked."

             
He was on his feet in an instant.

             
"I'm sorry I got you fired. Jerry is going to offer you your job back. I told him he had to or I would leave the label."

             
She shook her head.

             
"It doesn't matter. I don't want to go back."

             
He reached out for her, running his hands up and down her arms.

             
"What do you want Sabrina?"

             
She took a shaky breath and looked at him.

             
"I don't know."

             
"I have a job for you if you'll have it."             

             
"You do?"

             
He nodded solemnly.

             
"I need a new manager for starters. Marley is marrying one of my maids and moving to Argentina."

             
"That's a long flight."

             
He laughed, keeping his hands moving. Soothing her.

             
"That's right, it is."

             
"I've never managed anyone Nick. I'd probably mess it up."

             
"Wait now, you haven't heard my full offer."

             
"Okay."

             
"I've been thinking about starting my own label as well. I need someone to run it. And me."

             
She gave him a glance.

             
"What are you asking Nick?"

             
"I'm bloody well asking you to marry me aren't I?"

             
She stared at him as he pulled out a Cartier box. He'd had the damn thing with him since Paris.

             
"Nick…"

             
"Hush and let me do this thing properly."

             
She waited while he lowered himself to his knee. He pulled the ring out of the box. It was a dark blue sapphire that matched her eyes perfectly. It was surrounded by diamonds. He glanced up at her, hoping she'd like it.

             
"Miss Sabrina Newton, will you be my manager?"

             
She laughed and covered her face.

             
"No, sorry, that's not right. Let's try this again. Miss Sabrina Newton, will you run my record company for me? We can base it right here if you want. I don't care where we live. Anywhere you want. Mars. As long as we’re together."

             
She was crying a little bit while he blundered through the longest proposal in the history of the world.

             
"Oh bloody hell. No more joking. Will you marry me love? Please? I'll do anything."

             
For a long moment he thought she was going to say no. Then she nodded and he scooped her up into his arms and spun her in a circle.

             
Finally he set her down when he started to get dizzy. He slid the ring onto her finger and kissed her.

             
"I thought you were going to say no."             

             
"I thought you were trapped under a pile of groupies."

             
He threw his head back and laughed.

             
"No love, those days were over the moment I met you."

             
"Really?"

             
"Yes really. I've had no interest in other women since you handed me that bloody schedule."

             
She smiled.

             
"You know, running a record label requires a lot of public appearances…"

             
"Oh no you don't. No more appearances until the wedding. That's public enough. Can we do it in London love? It would mean so much to me mum. Don't worry, we can take the boat over."

             
She nodded shyly. His girl. She was finally going to be his girl.

             
Once and for all.

             
And he wasn't ever going to let her go.