Rockstar Secrets (Forbidden Chords Book 1) Page 22
She wins. But what she loved the most, was no longer being alone.
“Do you think Kayla liked me?” he asked, and she glanced up at him.
“Her following you around all night told it all.” He laughed. Kayla was glued to his side. But she was the youngest in the room. None of his siblings had children yet. But Sandra and Imani would change that soon.
“I bet Mom’s downstairs cooking for her now.” His parents insisted they all stay overnight and continue the festivities today. Brione chuckled, the Carters started the spoiling last night. They gave in to Kayla’s every request. And not just his parents but his brother Kyle and sister Lauren too.
“I think we’re going to love hanging with the Carters.”
“No doubt.” Marques rolled on top of her, getting comfortable between her legs. “Are there anymore arranged marriages I should know about?”
“No, sir.” Thank God.
“What about babies?”
Brione laughed harder. “No, Marques. I think I’ve tapped out on my secrets and surprises for a while.”
“My heart thanks you.” He kissed her.
“So your Royalness,” she wiggled against him. “I was thinking. How about we take this act overseas after I graduate?” Traveling the world with him and Kayla felt like a sweet deal.
“Only if I’ll have you both with me.”
“I think we can arrange that.”
“I love you Brione.”
“I love you too.” He kissed her slow and easy, just the way she liked. “I bet you can’t repeat last night and get me to the breakfast table in under an hour.”
An erotic smile crossed his handsome face; she was going to love losing this bet. "Oh princess, I accept that challenge.”
“Prove it.”
“Don’t mind if I do.”
Epilogue
The doors opened, and a collective gasp rippled through the sanctuary as Brione stood in the doorway. Marques was a very lucky man. And he deserved it.
“Uncle…Uncle….” Cameron took his eyes away from the bride marching down the aisle with her father turning to Kayla sitting in the crook of his arm.
“Yes, Sweetheart,” he whispered to the flower girl that was more interested in his bowtie than her mother walking down the aisle.
“This is purple.” She smiled, and his heart melted. Who knew a little girl could turn his family upside down? Her curly hair was pushed back with a silver headband in a white dress similar to her mother’s.
“That’s right sweetie.” Kayla had recently learned her colors, and he was a very proud uncle. He kissed her cheek and patted her back turning his attention back to the ceremony. Kayla rested her elbow on his shoulder and followed his lead.
Brione stopped at the altar, and her father gave her hand to Marques. The two exchanged vows and not a dry eye was in the sanctuary. The wedding was intimate, at the bride’s insistence. Eliana stood with her and he with Marques.
“The ring.” The pastor turned his gaze to Cameron. He pulled the ring off his pinky finger passing it to Marques.
“Preettteee,” Kayla added. The audience laughed.
Somehow, Marques managed to release two albums at the top of the charts, relocate to Houston, and he finalized the adoption papers legally becoming Kayla’s father. The paperwork was merely a formality. His parents, brother, and sister already spoiled their little lady like crazy. And just like that, they all were riding high.
Rockstar Entertainment was making a name for itself, and now Cameron was ready to sign new acts. It was best to ride the wave while the tide was high, after he danced with his beautiful niece at the reception, of course.
The pastor pronounced them husband and wife. As the wedding party exited the church Cameron held on to Kayla and walked with Eliana down the aisle. They blew bubbles as the newlyweds entered the limo. His baby brother was officially a family man.
“The Prince of R&B is hitched," Eliana said reading his mind. She reached for Kayla, and the little girl gladly went to her godmother.
He shook off the thought. “I’m driving out right after the ceremony.”
“Why so early? Brione has everything prepped from South by Southwest,” Eliana said lowering Kayla to the ground as they walked to the car.
Marques was performing at a venue before they left for their honeymoon. Now with Brione officially Marques’ co-manager and handling his events, they planned to drop Kayla off with her grandparents, perform, then head to Torres del Paine National Park for their honeymoon.
“I know. I want to take my time driving to Austin and follow up on a few artists in the area.” He opened the door for them, after getting them settled in, he lowered behind the wheel. “Can you believe it?”
“No, but those two are perfect together. Right honey?” Eliana leaned over and tickled Kayla. “First Bruce, then Damian, now Marques, I guess you’re next.”
“Hell naw.”
“Uncle!” Her little face bunched in a warning glare.
“Sorry Sweetheart. And don’t tell your Poppa,” Cameron begged, Eliana laughed, and he did too. Kayla would tell Marques as soon as she placed her shiny Mary Janes on the ground. He leaned closer to Eliana, “There are too many fish in the sea. Besides I have a wife.”
“RSE doesn’t count.” Eliana secured her seatbelt.
Cameron turned the key in the ignition. He glanced in the rearview mirror at Kayla’s little eyes drifting off to sleep and thought about one day having a child of his own, but not before marriage.
He entertained women here and there but having his heart steamrolled once was enough to show him he was out of his league. Starting and managing Rockstar Entertainment was more than enough for him, the label fulfilled his business goals and his passion for music. That was all he needed. But if he was truly honest with himself, somewhere deep down inside Cameron wondered if maybe there was a happily ever after out there for him too.
Thank you for reading ROCKSTAR SECRETS! I hope you love Marques, Brione, and the RSE family. The story continues with Cameron Carter in ROCKSTAR SINNERS.
Read on as the driven music executive is hypnotized by a soul singer with a questionable past.
Sydney “Lady Bird” Jones took sex, drugs, and rock ’n roll to the extreme—literally—until she woke up determined to put the limelight in her rearview mirror.
Cameron Carter can spot raw talent a mile away with his eyes closed and ears plugged. And when he stumbles into a small Austin showcase, the songstress captures his attention and ultimately heart.
Will they learn to look beyond their personal shortcomings and transform their hot nights into a lasting love? Or will a lapse in judgment cut their happily ever after short?
One-click ROCKSTAR SINNERS now!
Dear Reader
Dear Rockstar Romance Reader,
Marques Carter entered the outer edges of my mind over ten years ago. He’s a mixture of heart, soul, and music.
ROCKSTAR SECRETS tells of an emerging R&B rockstar and a woman with a secret. And it is the first book in the Forbidden Chords series.
Actually, it feels more like book three…in HIDDEN DESIRE you met Bruce Daniels and Damian Hughes in AS YOU WISH. They are three of the six partners in Rockstar Entertainment, the indie record label featured in Forbidden Chords.
The Forbidden Chords Series follows the drama of the rockstars heading Rockstar Entertainment. This indie record label makes more magic between the sheets than on the tracks.
The music is cutting edge. Their love lives are hot as sin. But if they aren’t willing to choose between the two, they’ll risk everything they’ve worked their whole lives to pursue fame and fortune on their own terms.
Family over fame is their motto...now sit back and watch them blaze a trail to the top.
I hope you loved it and you’re ready for book two, ROCKSTAR SINNERS, featuring Cameron the fearless leader of this eclectic tribe. Look for his story early summer 2018.
Take care and happy reading.
www.janesedixon.com
The Men of Rockstar Entertainment
Rockstar Entertainment (RSE) is the center of the Forbidden Chord Series.
Forbidden Chords follows the drama of five rockstars heading Rockstar Entertainment. This indie record label makes more magic between the sheets than on the tracks.
The music is cutting edge. Their love lives are hot as sin. But if they aren’t willing to choose between the two, they’ll risk everything they’ve worked their whole lives to pursue fame and fortune on their own terms.
Family over fame is their motto...now sit back and watch them blaze a trail to the top.
Bruce Daniels
Caramel Surprise [Ready for Love Book 1]
Love’s Hope [Ready for Love Book 2]
Hidden Desire [Ready for Love Book 3]
Damian Hughes
As You Wish
Andrew “Marques” Carter
Rockstar Secrets [Forbidden Chords Book 1]
Cameron Carter
Rockstar Sinners [Forbidden Chords Book 2]
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You can unsubscribe anytime. But joining means you’ll get updates directly. And hopefully, I’ll “see” you again. Soon.
For more information visit http://www.janesedixon.com.
SNEAK PEEK: Rockstar Sinners
Can she convince him that her only addiction is him?
Sydney “Lady Bird” Jones took sex, drugs, and rock ’n roll to the extreme—literally—until she woke up determined to put the limelight in her rearview mirror.
Cameron Carter can spot raw talent a mile away with his eyes closed and ears plugged. He stumbles into a small Austin showcase, and the songstress captures his attention and his heart.
Sydney believes the sexy executive belongs in her bed as Cameron fights to maintain professional boundaries against the need to possess every inch of her. But when a demon comes to haunt her, he might as well sign his death certificate.
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Chapter One
The Bat City had officially driven him batshit crazy. Cameron Carter wanted to glue his eyes shut and stuff his ears with cotton. He wasn’t prone to theatrics. But layering his desire to build Rockstar Entertainment with a demanding travel schedule turned cool, calm Cameron into an agitated and prickly version of himself.
He groaned rubbing a hand over his face as his head fell back to the cool leather headrest. His eyes slid closed as he scanned his memory of people and sounds he experienced the past ten days at South by Southwest in Austin. None of them would do.
Now, all he wanted was to drive back to Houston to sleep in his own bed. But he told the guys he’d meet them at Smith & Jameson tonight. And Cameron’s word was his bond. His Pops taught him that.
As one of the six partners with Rockstar Entertainment, Cameron’s role as the leader of their unconventional bunch meant he managed their business affairs and he found the talent. They finally launched their flagship artist, Marques Carter, and RSE was ready to sign new talent starting tonight. They were surprising one of their staff musicians, Isaac Jones, with a production deal. So, he guessed the trip wasn’t a total wash. Isaac deserved this shot. But Cameron went to Austin looking for one thing. A queen for RSE.
Marques went from the Prince of R&B to the King in a sea of trap music and hip-hop. And every king needed a queen.
So, his trip was split between attending the daytime sessions to make connections with other music executives and his night club hopping. He went from venue to venue, night after night, searching for a gem in the midst of rubble with no luck.
Giving Isaac this contract would be the highlight of his trip because he failed to find what he was looking for. Granted, he didn’t want just any artist. After their success with Marques, Cameron wanted the female version to embody the sound and heart of RSE. Her sexy had to match their swag.
Rough, yet soft. Sultry, but real. Relevant and soulful.
And she had to sang! Not sing, not hum, not whine. She had to make the hairs on the back of his neck give a standing ovation. He’d settle for nothing less.
He couldn’t. All eyes were on RSE to see if they could produce another star. And it all started with Cameron. But only if he could find her.
Cameron sat in the same spot for almost a half hour willing his body to move. He opened his eyes and glanced at the restaurant across the street then to the digital clock on the dashboard. He had a couple hours before the scheduled gathering with the guys. That would give him enough time to catch up with Asher and Dylan, the owners of Smith & Jameson—a couple of old friends.
Cameron needed to get moving. Since he was in town, they needed him to check on the arrangements. Isaac thought they were coming down to hang out for his birthday. They reserved the VIP suite and planned to pop a few bottles. The entire team would be on deck to watch Isaac ink his deal.
He reached for the door handle, climbing out of the car. He crossed the street gathering his resolve to endure yet another copycat artist on another stage because this was Austin, the live music capital of the world.
The sheer volume of artists with the same sound, same lyrical content about cars and women and money wore him out. Cameron was over it nine days ago. Yet here he was walking into another establishment. After tonight, he didn’t want to hear another note from another soul for at least a month. But he had a soundtrack to score.
Cameron reached for the door and entered S&J. Asher and Dylan opened it a couple years ago, and this was his first visit. The placed looked packed.
He stood in line behind a few people as they inched their way to the hostess. His eyes slowly swept the room. Beautiful dark wood ran the length of the interior. The waiting area had stain-glass walls on either side. Soft music played over the speakers.
Cameron took a deep breath, the mellow, grown and sexy vibe brought a smile to his face. He could feel the tension in his neck relaxing as he stepped forward.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the man himself.” Cameron turned towards the sound of Asher Smith. A smile crossed Asher’s face, a face that hadn’t changed since college.
“The man? Naw, you the man.” They gripped hands, leaning in for a one-armed hug. Then they pulled back to look out over the restaurant. Cameron was impressed. “Look at this place.”
“Thanks. We are truly blessed. Let me give you a quick tour before I show you to the VIP suite.” Asher motioned him inside, and Cameron followed, walking past the hostess.
“You can see the bar here,” Asher motioned to the far wall, “and back there is where we have your gathering set up.”
Cameron nodded. The bar held the same dark wood with a mirrored wall behind it.
“That area is the lounge.” They walked to a doorway, the room held a small stage with instruments. “We have live music tonight.”
Cameron couldn’t suppress his groan.
“Nah man.” Asher laughed, stepping closer to let a couple walk around them. “It’s Isaac and his band.”
“Oh, word?”
Asher nodded. Cameron glanced at his watch. This night was looking up. He planned to drive back to Houston but listening to Isaac’s set may chase away the memories of the autotune, half-naked presentations he’d witnessed all week.
“I’ll have to hang around after our celebration.”
“You don’t have to hang around. They are scheduled to start in about thirty minutes. How about this?” Asher gripped his shoulder and pointed to a set of glass doors. “Head out those doors to the courtyard and grab some food. I’ll get you a table set up in here. We can catch up and listen to them play before you head back to your suite.”
“I’d like that.” And Cameron meant it. He could smell
the food already. He could hear them play, hang with his family, then head home tonight. Yes, this night was looking up indeed.
“Bet.”
Asher headed in one direction, and Cameron went in the other. They didn’t visit each other often, but they talked by phone frequently. Asher and Dylan worked hard to get S&J open and judging by the crowd inside, the people of Austin appreciated their efforts.
Cameron let his nose lead the way as he loosened his tie. His suit and tie made him appear overdressed compared to the casual attire of the other patrons. He removed his jacket and draped it over his forearm as he reached the glass doors.
But the scent of warm honey stopped him in his tracks. Cameron froze and glanced from side to side. The soft fragrance canceled out the aroma of barbecue and the spice of Thai. And his eyes locked with who he presumed was the culprit. His heartbeat dropped to a sultry crawl as her eyes boldly scanned him. He turned in her direction intending to give her a full display.
Her light brown skin and full curly hair made her stand out in the dimly lit room. Her sinful curves were the ones songs were made of. A delicate hand draped on her hip with a body-hugging dress that fell to the floor in a puddle of black sequins.
The flames in her eyes were bright enough to cut through the room and ignite a trail of heated sensation across his skin. It took every drop of resolve to remain put. She looked like the red carpet type. The kind of woman ready to stand in the spotlight. The type of woman he’d take to fancy industry parties and travel around the world. And those weren’t usually the marrying type.
Okay, maybe he didn’t want the marrying type just yet. But there was no way he could sample her and live to tell the tale.