Jax (Broken Strings #1) Read online

  Jax

  (Broken Strings #1)

  CHERRY SHEPHARD

  Copyright © 2015 Cherry Shephard

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN:

  ISBN-13:

  For my very own rock star, Pat. You inspired this story (and, of course, the cover). Thank you for believing in me!

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Thank you Pat for being a great cover model, and such a good sport when I was constantly in your ear asking questions about musicians.

  Thanks to Brisbane based rock band, JAK, who kindly donated their song, Bonnie & Clyde, to this series. You can follow them at www.facebook.com/JakLivesHere

  To Steve Genis, thanks for pushing me through those late nights of writing (and interrupting me with entertaining phone calls)

  To Joyce Drummond, for being a terrific PA, and helping to promote the hell out of Jax

  Thank you to everyone who purchased this book!

  Thank you to all of the bloggers who shared and reviewed my work, I wouldn’t be where I am today without you.

  Thank you to my children, who encourage me every day. Extra thanks to my eldest daughter, who spent hours helping me make guitar necklaces.

  Thank you to my fans, I love and appreciate every single one of you !

  PROLOGUE

  “Hey everyone we’re Manacle. Thanks for coming out tonight you all look amazing!”

  Jax looked over at Tessa as she began strumming the opening chords for their next song. Manacle were playing the prom, a gig they’d be vying for all year.

  He squinted his eyes under the bright stage lights and looked out across the sea of swaying students, every single one of them trying to out-dress their friends. It was a farce, a charade of happiness, and he wanted to be anywhere else.

  His eyes roved around the room, searching for the one reason why he’d agreed to the gig.

  There she was, standing by the punch bowl dressed all in white like an angel.

  Probably spiking the punch, he thought with a wry smile.

  There was no question that Amaranth Delancy was an enigma. As beautiful as she was mysterious, she often skipped class to smoke in the girls bathroom or hang out at the local skate park.

  He was fortunate enough to sit next to the pale faced, dark haired beauty in art, and he knew she drew the most amazing portraits he’d ever seen.

  He clearly remembered the first time he’d seen her, she’d sat next to him silently through art, her long dark hair hanging over her face as she bent over the page, drawing the fruit bowl Mrs Holmes had placed on a table at the front of the room.

  He hadn’t thought too much about it, until she’d asked to borrow his sharpener.

  He’d become tongue tied, unable to answer her or even think clearly as he’d stared into her large violet eyes, framed by long dark lashes.

  By the time he’d snapped out of it, she’d asked someone else, and that was the last time she’d spoken to him.

  The song ended, and he was brought out of his memory by the sound of the crowd applauding. He glanced over at Tessa, to find she was looking at him strangely.

  Then again, she’d always been a little strange. At just seventeen years old, she was a year younger than himself and the drummer, Kane.

  Tessa had joined the band at the start of the year, when Kane heard her singing to herself in the music room. Jax had to admit her talent was extraordinary, though he wasn’t quite sure how to deal with how…. Affectionate….she was towards him.

  He cleared his throat and stepped up to the microphone, belting out the opening lyrics for the song he’d written earlier that year, especially for her.

  Hypnotized by your devil eyes

  an angel undercover

  she's a late night cool sweat wildcat lover

  His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth as she suddenly turned towards the stage and looked up at him.

  Regaining his composure, he sang his song directly to her, as though they were the only two people in the room.

  By the time he was finished the song he was drained. He shielded his eyes as the crowd cheered, and searched around the punch bowl.

  Amaranth was gone.

  Their gig ended and Kane came off his drum kit and walked over to Jax.

  “Dude,” he said, a smile on his face. “That was fucking epic!”

  Was it? Jax thought. He honestly didn’t know. After he’d seen Amaranth all conscious thought had seemed to disappear from his head.

  “Guys, that was amazing!” Tessa’s voice carried over to them.

  Jax turned and looked at the younger blonde.

  Tessa had joined the band at the beginning of the school year. She was a weird little chick, a year younger than the rest of them.

  She’d transferred to their school from New York, but her Scandinavian background made her stand out amongst any company.

  With her ice blonde hair and pale blue eyes, she was gorgeous…. And had made her attraction to Jax very well known.

  Under any other circumstance, he would have jumped at the opportunity to snag a woman as hot as Tessa Falk.

  But he only had eyes for Amaranth.

  As he packed away his bass guitar, he kept an eye on the crowd, searching for her.

  He’d almost given up when he saw her exit the women’s bathroom.

  The quick, subtle wipe of her hand across her nose didn’t fool him, and his heart sank as he realized she’d been doing lines of coke in the bathroom.

  A guy he recognized from gym exited the bathroom behind her, placing a hand on her neck. Jax clenched his fists as she visibly recoiled from his touch.

  He took a step to move off the stage, but a strong hand stopped him.

  “Jax,” Kane’s voice came as a warning.

  He stopped, but didn’t unclench his fists.

  “He needs to get his fucking hands off her,” he growled.

  “Let it go,” Kane said, practically dragging Jax away. “Come on, we gotta get this shit packed up.”

  Jax allowed himself to be lead away, yet he couldn’t resist one final glance over his shoulder.

  Violet eyes stared back at him.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Jax sat in the smoke filled club, nursing a whiskey and coke. He kept his hat pulled down low over his eyes, not wanting to be recognised or disturbed.

  All around him, dancers undulated to the pounding of the bass that came through the speakers.

  “Now,” the DJ said over the loud speaker as the song ended. “Let’s give it up for the temptress herself – Amaranth!”

  Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer” began playing, and Jax raised his eyes in shock as the crowd cheered and a dark haired beauty appeared on stage, surrounded by smoke.

  He stared as the object of his six year lust grinded against a pole, her tiny ass dropping low to the ground before getting back up. She stripped off a black leather jacket to reveal a purple and black bra beneath.

  Jax looked around at the men crowded at the edge of the stage, holding out money. Downing the rest of his whiskey, he moved to an empty seat at the stage, careful to shield his eyes with his hat as he held out a one hundred dollar bill.

  Her boots passed by him on the stage, and his breathing grew ragged as the stopped. Fingers brushed against his own as she attempted to take the money, but he held onto it.

  He watched beneath his hat as she dropped to her hands and knees, her enhanced cleavage staring him in the face.

  Then, and only then, did he look up.

  Violet eyes clashed with his, and he registered the shock on her beautiful face as she recognised him.

  He released the money and stood up, moving away from the stage towards the exit. He felt her eyes on him, but refused to tu
rn around.

  When he was outside the club, he leaned heavily against the brick wall and lit a cigarette, inhaling deeply as he stared up at the sky.

  What the fuck is Amaranth doing here? He wondered.

  His cock had hardened instantly the moment he’d heard her name, he hadn’t been able to sit there for another moment without fearing he’d cum inside his jeans.

  His phone rang in his pocket and he fumbled for it.

  “Hello?” he mumbled.

  “Jax? Where the fuck are you?” Kane’s voice came through the phone. He sounded drunk.

  “Sorry dude, I had to get away for a bit. I’m at…” he paused as he pushed away from the wall, blinking up at the neon sign. “The Hanging Flower,” he said.

  “Hold on, I’ll send a car for you,” Kane promised.

  “No you don’t have to do that,” Jax said, but Kane had already hung up.

  Jax sighed and lit another cigarette, leaning his head back against the wall, his thoughts turning to Amaranth.

  What the fuck was she doing stripping in a seedy bar in LA? His cock hardened in his jeans as he remembered the way her breasts had pressed against his face in the club. When had she had the surgery done? He couldn’t remember them being that big in High School.

  A car horn sounded behind him, and he looked to see the band’s manager, Toby, pulling up beside him in a sleek black BMW.

  Jax pulled open the passenger side door and slid in, shooting a grin at Toby.

  “Hey man,” he said. “What’s going on?”

  “Oh, you know, the usual,” Toby grinned. “Kane has a couple of girls waiting for you, and Tessa’s worrying that they’ll rob us all.”

  Jax laughed as Toby put the car into gear and pulled out into traffic. “Sounds like I’ve been missing all the fun.”

  Toby nodded, concentrating on the road. “What were you doing in a strip club?” he asked teasingly.

  Jax didn’t tell Toby about Amaranth, sure the older man wouldn’t understand why he was still letting a woman get under his skin after six years.

  “Just checking out the local talent,” he joked.

  “Well, don’t get too attached,” Toby said. “We’re leaving for Michigan after tomorrow’s show.”

  Jax nodded mutely and turned to stare out the window. It had been a long time since he’d last been home. His parents had died when he was a baby, and he’d been brought up by his drug addicted aunt, Sharon. She’d balked at the idea of him leaving her to tour with Manacle, but he’d taken the opportunity to get the fuck out of there while he could.

  Toby had become a pseudo father to him over the years, he didn’t know what he’d do without the man.

  Still, it didn’t change his past, and the closer they got to Michigan the more anxious he became. What was he going home to? Would his aunt even be alive anymore?

  Once upon a time he’d dreamed that he could find the courage to tell Amaranth how he felt, that she’d feel the same way and they’d settle down together. Once upon a time he’d believed in love.

  That was before he’d seen Amaranth at the prom with another guy. His heart had lurched at that sight, and he’d realized that there was no such thing as a happily ever after.

  Since then, Jax had spent each night with a different woman. He couldn’t remember their faces, and he certainly couldn’t remember their names. Which worked out well for him, he didn’t like the idea of having to deal with any emotions he’d long since abandoned.

  Seeing Amaranth tonight was a shock, and he couldn’t deny that even after all these years he still wanted her just as fiercely. But he was leaving tomorrow night, he couldn’t let himself get sidetracked with a woman who held his cock captive so many years ago.

  Still, he couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed that Amaranth had once again slipped through his fingers.

  CHAPTER TWO

  The blonde smiled seductively as he closed the door. He watched in fascination as she unbuttoned her white shirt and exposed her lace covered breasts. His cock strained against the front of his jeans as a second pair of hands appeared under the blonde’s arms, grasping her breasts and lightly plucking at her nipples. A beautiful brunette appeared over her shoulder, giving him a wicked smile as she lowered scarlet lips to her companion’s neck, slowly licking her way down to her collar bone. Jax shucked off his shirt and kicked off his boots, his eyes never leaving the two women that sat on the bed His cock grew impossibly harder, his balls tightening so much that he was briefly afraid they would be sucked up into his body. The blonde was now naked, spreading her legs open wide so that he could see the small landing strip of blonde that led down to her wet centre. The brunette trailed her fingers down the blonde’s stomach, dipping lightly between her legs. The blonde moaned, running her wet tongue over her full bottom lip, catching it between her teeth as the brunette sank two fingers into her slit. Jax sat on the edge of the bed, his fingers lightly running up the inside of the brunette’s thigh, feeling the dampness on his fingers. The two women playfully pushed him down onto the bed, the brunette kissing him as the blonde pulled his jeans off, freeing his erection. His eyes rolled back in his head as she sank her soft lips down over the head. Jax dug his fingers into the brunette’s hips, urging her up and positioning her knees on either side of his head. His mouth watered as he looked at her bare pussy, just inches away from his lips. Leaning up, he ran his tongue along the soft folds, savouring the tangy flavour and drinking in the sound of her lusty cries. The blonde took his cock all the way into her mouth, and he responded by sucking the brunette’s clit into his own, his teeth grazing lightly as he tugged on the sensitive nub. She cried out as she came, squeezing her knees around his head tightly. When she was done, she climbed off his face, sliding her way down his body. As her nipples reached eye level, he couldn’t resist leaning up and capturing one between his teeth, biting gently. She giggled and slapped his arm gently, before continuing her way down his body. The blonde kissed her, and Jax leaned up on one arm, his fingers running lightly over the head of his cock as he watched the two young women making out. The brunette lay the blonde down across the bottom of the bed, before burying her head between the other woman’s legs. Jax couldn’t stand it any longer. Releasing his grip on his cock, he climbed to his knees and sat behind the blonde, his strong fingers determinedly tugging and rolling her nipples around in a deliciously slow circle. She moaned and closed her eyes, her head dropping back against Jax’s shoulder. Her body trembled as the brunette continued to lick her pussy in long, slow strokes.

  The blonde reached her hand down and lightly stroked Jax’s cock with the tips of her fingers. But it wasn’t until she cupped his balls, her nails digging slightly into the sensitive skin, that he lost control. Moving from behind her, he shifted to the end of the bed behind the brunette. Rolling a condom onto his erection, his eyes fixed firmly on the blonde as he gave her a wicked smile and grabbed the brunette’s hips and slammed home. Christ, but she’s tight, he thought, struggling to maintain control of his raging hormones. He thrust hard against her once, twice, three times…. She cried out as one of his hands moved between her legs and lightly pinched her clit. The blonde gasped and plucked at her nipples, leaning up on her elbows as she spread her legs wider, allowing the brunette better access to her pussy. The brunette obliged, sucking the blonde’s clit deep into her mouth, sucking

  rhythmically as she pushed two fingers deep inside. Jax groaned and renewed his efforts, picking up speed as he almost pushed them all up the bed. The blonde cried out as she came, the brunette sucking her clit even harder, drawing it out as long as she could…. Until Jax took control of the situation once more. He squeezed her clit lightly between his thumb and index fingers, rolling it around until she gasped. He thrust harder, burying himself in her to the hilt as she tightened impossibly around him, cutting off all movement. He emptied himself into her as she continued pulsing around him, her head falling against the bed as the blonde shifted, closing her legs and drawing the b
runette’s head into her lap, stroking her hair quietly. Jax withdrew and discarded the used condom, picking his jeans up off the floor and pulling them on, not bothering with underwear. “Thank,” he winked at them as he pulled open his bedroom door. The brunette giggled from where she lay, exhausted. He pulled the door closed and walked down the hall. Rapping on another door, he waited a little impatiently as he heard the lock turn, then Kane pulled it open. “What? Finished already?” he joked as Jax stepped into the room.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Jax wiped his face on the edge of his singlet as he walked off stage. A roadie grabbed his bass out of one hand, and placed a cold beer in the other.

  Jax smiled his thanks before he took a large mouthful, allowing the cool liquid to calm his raw throat after performing.

  “That was a great show,” Tessa beamed as she joined Jax along with Kane and a small army of hair stylists and make-up artists.

  “Is all this really necessary?” Kane asked, looking a little uncomfortable.

  “Come on dude, think of the chicks,” Jax said with a grin as he pushed on the large doors that led to the backstage area. They resisted for a second before giving way, and Jax couldn’t suppress the grin that spread across his face as he saw a young woman fall flat on her face.

  Serves her right for standing in the doorway, he thought. Unfortunately, it was not in him to stand back and watch as a woman was trampled under a small crowd. Groaning, he stretched down and grabbed her shoulder, hauling her to her feet. Violet eyes looked up at him, and shock slammed into his gut as though he’d been sucker punched.

  Amaranth Delancy.

  He sucked in a breath, looking at her as though he’d seen a ghost. What the hell was she doing here?