Don't Break My Heart (Straight from the Heart #3)
Read Don't Break My Heart (Straight from the Heart #3) Online
Authors: Breigh Forstner
Don’t Break My Heart
(A Straight from the Heart Novel)
Breigh Forstner
Don’t Break My Heart
Straight from the Heart Series Book # 3
Copyright © 2015 by Breigh Forstner
Cover designed by: Madelene Martin
Editing: Editing by Rebecca
Amazon Kindle Edition
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
The characters and events portrayed in this book are a work of fiction or are used factiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
This is dedicated to all of my readers, friends and family. Never settle!
Lucy
I love this life.
I have been playing on stage at least 300 days out of the year for the past six years.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
My body practically humping my Schecter Nikki Sixx Signature model bass onstage in front of over 4,000 fans, I can hear people screaming my name while I strum my bass line and put on a show. This feeling is what kept me breathing most of the time. The sound of rock ‘n’ roll music pulsating through my veins, I let myself go and put everything I have into playing my instrument.
My best friend and lead guitarist Paul, better known as Pauly, stands beside me as we let the music take over and finish our last song of the night. Damon Charming, the lead singer of Ignite the Flames, lands his typical high note scream and the people go wild, especially the ladies. Apparently, they like guys that can sing high notes like a girl.
“Thanks, all you crazy fuckers, for coming out tonight!” Damon growled into the microphone as the pyrotechnics fired off. Even when I was far away from the flames burning on each side of the stage, it still made being on stage hot as hell. I couldn’t wait to get out of the sweaty clothes that clung to me and showed off every little ounce of fat I had. “We’re Ignite the Flames. Glad you all came out to be a part of the freak show. Stick around for the after party; you don’t want to miss it.”
This was news to me. But this was Damon’s ploy to score more women. I knew him like the back of my hand. The only time I had seen him fall for someone was when he met Bryn Schaefler, the new lead guitarist in Everlasting, when she first joined the band and toured with them. I’d dated the lead singer, Cale Pelton, for over two years but he broke up with me after he found out I cheated on him with his best friend Tyler Donahue, who is also in the band.
Yes, call me a slut, I still feel horrible about it to this day, but Cale and I are on friendly terms now which is better than nothing after the long history we had. I also love Cale’s girlfriend Bryn. I met her the first night they came on tour with us, her first show. She reminded me of myself back when Ignite first started playing major venues. She had this sweet, good girl personality about her, and we clicked instantly.
“So where’s this after party, huh, Charming?” I nudged him as we headed toward the tour bus, letting our roadies get the equipment put away for us. Damon draped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to him, squeezing me tight.
“In my suite, of course,” he winked. “If I’m going to get lucky tonight, it won’t be on the bus, that’s for damn sure.” I rolled my eyes and giggled. Typical Damon. It never got old.
“Yeah I’m glad I’ll be sleeping far from you tonight. I don’t want to hear those girls screaming your name at three in the morning,” I told him, and he shrugged.
“I can’t help that, Luce. The ladies love me. I must be doing something right.” He winked at me as he stepped onto the bus. “Better start getting the alcohol ready because this is going to be a long ass night my girl.”
“Nah, man, this is my girl,” Pauly interrupted as he emerged from the back of the bus. I kept my mouth shut, but really, it wanted to drop straight to the floor. I’ve seen Pauly Donovan shirtless hundreds of times before over the years, especially since we grew up together. Why was it today that I felt myself getting wet just staring at his hard rock abs? They were chiseled to absolute perfection, and not one ounce of fat on them. Pure muscle. All 6’5” of him was standing in front of me, and I was at a complete loss for words, a first for me.
That’s my secret ladies and gentlemen: I’m in love with someone I should consider my brother and he just happens to be my band mate.
His black jeans rode low on his hips, revealing the colorful snake tattoo that he had done to wrap around his entire waist. I had the sudden urge to lick it, among other things, but Damon snapping his fingers in front of my face quickly pulled me out of that dream.
“Sorry, what’d you say, Pauly?” I asked him, wishing he would wipe the smug look off his face. It was driving me crazy.
“I said you’re my girl, and you’re hanging out with me tonight,” he repeated, using the towel in his hand to wipe the sweat off his forehead. “You, me, a bottle of this brand new wine I’ve never tried before, and a hotel room all to ourselves.”
Damon snorted, and I slapped his shoulder in response. “You’re skipping out on my after party so you can have sexual relations with my sister here?” I wasn’t really his sister; that was just what he liked to call me. Pauly’s eyes widened in response. He didn’t look shocked to hear that since it was coming from Damon’s mouth, but he looked at me with a cheesy grin on his face.
“You like the sound of that don’t you, Damon?” Pauly teased. “I can hang out with a girl without wanting to rip her panties off, unlike you.”
Damon looked back and forth from me to Pauly, still not comprehending what Pauly told him. “Whatever you say, man,” he replied, shaking his head. “I give it a month and you’ll be at it like bunny rabbits. We all see it’s there.” And with that, he walked away, our other band mates, Alex and Mike, passing us as they started chanting for beer.
“I sometimes question my sanity,” I murmured to Pauly, rolling my eyes. He laughed again and flashed a smile.
“You’re just as crazy as the rest of us, tommy girl.” He ruffled my hair and gave me a huge bear hug. I’ve been stuck with that nickname ever since we were in school and the guys treated me like one of them, and the fact my last name was Tomlinson. “So do those plans sound good or do you want to party with the rest of those pussy- hungry men?”
“Of course I’ll hang out with you. Do I get to pick what we eat?” I asked, my eyes gleaming up at him.
“Whatever you say, tommy girl. I’ll pick the movie, though. I’m in the mood for some scary shit tonight.” Pauly actually sounded excited, but I wasn’t sure if it was at the prospect of cuddling with me because he knew I still got scared during scary movies. He was going to use this opportunity to his advantage.
“Just not
Saw
please!” I begged him. “I’ve seen that series one too many times with Cale and I really don’t want a reminder of that relationship.”
Pauly shook his head as he ran back to his bunk to grab a shirt and pull it on over his head. I inwardly frowned, disappointed that I couldn’t get another glimpse of his abs. He reemerged, his white Sublime shirt clinging to him in all the right spots, and I had to wipe some drool away dribbling down my chin. Damn, he’s gorgeous.
“Don’t worry, best friend, I’ll pick something extra gory that’ll give you nightmares tonight.”
“You’re a jerk sometimes, you know that?” I told him. “If I have nightmares, I’ll be sleeping with you tonight.”
“You’re catching on, tommy girl.” Pauly grinned, playfully slapping my butt, leaving me confused. “Now let’s have some beer with the guys before we start on that wine.”
***
I thought I was a crazy partier, but drinking with my band mates made me feel like a chump.
“Awww, come on guys you know you want to come to the suite with us and get trashed.” Mike, our rhythm guitarist, linked his arms with Pauly and me as we all packed into the elevator at the hotel we were staying. “Damon just got off the phone with some dude and he’s getting some strippers with a makeshift pole.”
Gag.
That was the only downfall with being the only girl in a group full of men. The way they talked about other girls drove me insane. I didn’t want to hear about sucking tits and wet pussies. However, after a while, you learn to tune it out and just nod your head when they’re talking to you and act interested.
“Dude, I told you I’m just hanging out with Lucy tonight.” Pauly tried to explain, but then the other guys started hooting and hollering, tuning out his voice.
“Fucking party pooper.” Alex, our drummer, frowned, pretending to be sad. “Oh well, more for us and our lady friends to drink.”
I laughed, patting Alex on the back as soon as we got to our floor, which was at the very top of the hotel where all the fancy-schmancy suites were located.
Pauly clasped his hand with mine as we headed the opposite way down the hall. “I BETTER NOT HEAR ANY LOUD NOISES LATE IN THE NIGHT YOU CRAZY ASSES!” He yelled.
“Oh, I’ll be knocking on your door just to piss you off fucker!” Damon yelled back, fifths of alcohol in their hands as they struggled to open the door to Damon’s suite.
Pauly shook his head as he used his free hand to open up his suite. “If he knocks on my door tonight his ass will be thrown off the roof,” he mumbled under his breath and squeezed my hand. “At least it’s just the dynamic duo tonight, right?” He then turned to look at me and gave me a sincere smile. “And I promise I will be a perfect gentleman.”
Just one look from his piercing honey eyes, along with him squeezing my hand, put me in the kind of mood I did not want to be in when around my best friend. He was my best friend and ONLY that. We were incredibly close and had been since we were little. Around me and only me, he was the perfect gentleman. For a long time I had thought ‘what if?’ What if we were normal, not rock-stars? Could we make a relationship work?
My mind flashed back to the night when I told Bryn that I was in love with Pauly. It was the truth. However, he didn’t know that and he could never know that.
It would ruin everything.
“Damn, I need to buy this suite from the hotel and keep it for myself, this is amazing.” Pauly beamed as he let go of my hand and walked over to where our luggage stood courtesy of Lennox, one of the road crew slash does whatever we want guys. “And look Luce, even a huge California King so you don’t have to be worried about us being up to no good when we shouldn’t!” He grinned, and I rolled my eyes.
“Let me take a shower while you put the surprise movie in.” I was anxious to get out of my sweaty clothes and wet panties. I felt dirty and grubby to say the least. I unzipped my small suitcase, grabbed a pair of old cheerleading shorts and worn out tank top, locking myself into the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror before I undressed. My almost 24-year-old face stared back and I took a moment to study my reflection. My stick straight black hair had its usual colored streaks in them, which I put in myself, and my blue eyes were still covered in dark eye shadow and starting to smear because I was so sweaty.
I stripped down to nothing, and turned on the water for my shower. I cooled down the water and stepped in, closing the curtain behind me. Over the sound of the water, I could hear the television outside the bathroom blaring and I sighed, forgetting about the world outside as I finished washing myself.
“Lucy Ann Tomlinson, the food out here is getting cold!” Pauly yelled through the bathroom door, knocking on it at the same time. I had just slipped my tank top over my head and over my waist while pulling up my shorts. Placing my wet hair into a high ponytail, I opened the door and there stood Pauly with two dishes of Thai food in his hand. My stomach instantly growled as I set the wet towel down beside me. “Sure you won’t get cold wearing that skimpy stuff?” He asked as his eyes slowly raked over my body, landing on my breasts. That’s when I realized I wasn’t wearing a bra.
Shit,
I cursed to myself, but I had to remember Pauly
has
seen me naked before, so why was I making such a big deal out of this?
I whipped my wet ponytail back and forth so water landed on Pauly’s face. “I think I’ll manage,” I replied, eyeing the Thai food that was looking more and more delicious by the second. “How did you get that so quickly?”
“I have connections downstairs at that restaurant.” Pauly winked. When he said connections, it was code for he’d slept with someone who worked there. “I also said if the food was not up here by the time my girl was done taking her shower then I’d go stay someplace else.”
My girl?
That was the second time he’s said it tonight over the course of a few hours. Typically, I’d get a ‘tommy girl’ or ‘Luce’, which I’ve grown to like, but him calling me his girl gave me instant butterflies. If anyone heard him call me that, they’d assume we were dating.
And we were far from that.
“Well, thank you, Pauly, you know the way to my heart,” I joked, sitting down at the dinner table that sat parallel to the mini bar, and began digging into my food. The smell of spices and soy sauce filled my nose as I devoured every bit of food on my plate. I looked up; Pauly was already done and his plate was pushed to the side.
“I take it that it was good, huh?”
I groaned and clutched my stomach in response. “Like you wouldn’t believe.”
I got up and then plopped onto the California king bed and dived under the covers as Pauly put in his movie choice. As soon as the main titles displayed on the flat screen, my mind immediately flickered back to a time when I was in my pre-teens and cried during every sappy movie I watched with my mom and sisters.
A Walk to Remember
.
Now I knew Pauly was up to something. What happened to wanting to watch something scary?
He pressed play and dove onto the bed in a belly flop, causing me to grip the sheets.
“I’m not up to anything Luce, I swear.” He put his hands up in defense. “I just remembered that one time back when we were 11 and…”
I covered my face from embarrassment. “Yes, you tried to kiss me; how could I forget? I started bawling my eyes out when Jamie told Landon she had Leukemia and you took advantage of that!” I remembered that day as if it was yesterday.