The Loneliest Tour

Welcome back to the world of Brothers of Rock!

A series built on love, life, and rock n
’
 
roll romance!

The bestselling series continues with rock band,
 
Willow Son
!

Meet the band!

Colby (lead singer)

Jett (guitar)

Van (bass)

Ryker (guitar)

Brantley (drums)

_____________

Sign up for the official
 
Karolyn James
 
newsletter and you
’
ll never
miss a new release!

Sign up here
–
 
www.
tinyurl.com/KJSignup

Stay social with Karolyn James here...

www.KarolynWrites.com

On Twitter @KarolynWrites

https://www.facebook.com/KarolynJamesAuthor

Amazon author
page: http://amzn.to/1N2DEXp

NOW
...
 
are you ready for some
…

BROTHERS OF ROCK!

THE LONELIEST TOUR (A Brothers of Rock
–
WILLOW SON
–
novel)

Just as he was
self-destructing...she walked into his life. Now they need to save each other.
Arrested.
 
Hounded
by the press. Under pressure to make this tour rock. Guitarist Jett has enough
problems without getting involved with a woman. But he didn't figure on Masie,
with her seductive dancer's body and a smile that puts life back into his
world. He has to have her...but Masie has problems of her own, enemies who are
determined to stop her following her dream.

*

Alone.
 
Masie
has been betrayed too many times to let anything jeopardize her big
break...especially not getting involved with a bad boy of rock she has to share
the tour bus with...however hot his glances make her. But as she gets to know
Jett, she realizes all his alleged excesses may just be a cover for the real
pain inside...pain that's not so different to her own.
If they're going to make this work, both of them are going to need to learn to
trust again. And when disaster strikes, Jett's going to have to decide which is
more important: the tour, or the woman he's falling for....

(1)

What good was a rock band without
some controversy?

That
’
s
what Colby told Jett before punching him square in the mouth. The punch hurt
like hell and Jett went flying back into a desk, unable to brace himself since
he was in a set of handcuffs. Jett ended up knocking papers all over the floor
and lying on the desk for a few seconds, staring up at the bright white light
on the ceiling, trying to make sense of everything gone wrong.

But that was weeks ago. That didn
’
t matter right now. Well, the
punch didn
’
t matter. And
neither did the handcuffs, the interrogations, or the meetings with the
lawyers. It was all simply background noise now for Jett and the band.

Jett stirred a little, red straw in
a coffee cup.

The meeting had split up,
finally
,
and half the group gathered to keep their conversations going while the other
half bolted out of the basement of the church, wanting to get away from the
empty feeling of it all.

Jett understood both sides.

He was famous, which made the
meetings famous. There were some people with dark pasts who sat in the metal
folding chairs, bearing their souls in a way that was gut wrenching. For Jett,
it was a little simpler than that. He enjoyed the way he felt when he took some
of the pills. That was it. Sometimes the guys liked to down a bottle of whiskey
and get crazy. For Jett, it was taking a few pills and just feeling very
relaxed.

The coffee was like sludge and
tasted like death.

He had to wait in the basement for
the room to clear out. Then he could make a call and a car would come get him.
The press was always waiting, wanting to catch sight of one of the guitarists
for Willow Son as he came out of meetings that were part of a deal to keep Jett
’
s ass out of jail.

The sting operation had been mostly
a bust, except for getting Jett. Even that was dumb because it was the first
time Jett had bought anything in a long time. It was still illegal though. The
truth was that the detectives wanted the source. Jett wasn
’
t the goddamn source. If
anything, he could have done what other rockstars did and had someone else take
care of it for him. Buy the stuff. Find a supplier.

But Jett was addicted.

I
’
m not addicted.

He told that to the band, too. And
Harry. And on over the phone to Portis.

What hurt the most was how bad he
fucked things up. Willow Son had played a big show on the beach. They
’
d been signed with Portis. They
were ready to record new music and hit the road.

Now the brakes were locked tight.

Really right.

“
Hey,
uh, Jett, right?
”

Jett turned and a short man with
glasses stood next to him. He wore what looked like a heavy, ugly sweater. A
smile crept across his face.

“
Hey.
That
’
s me.
”

“
I
’
m Todd. I try to meet everyone a
few times as they come and go. We get a lot of people who come and go
…
and never come again.
”

“
I
don
’
t think I
’
ll be here much longer myself,
”
Jett said.
“
I hate the attention this brings
to everyone else. They need the help. Not me.
”

“
That
’
s a noble thing to say,
”
Todd said.
“
I mean, for a guy who was
publicly shamed for a drug problem.
”

Jett smiled.
“
Not a problem. Just enjoyment.
”

“
I
’
m sure there
’
s a lot of people like you who
could say the same
…
but can
’
t because they
’
re buried.
”

“
Look,
I get what you
’
re doing. I
appreciate it. I know you care about everyone here. If you want the truth,
Todd, I was looking for a good night. That
’
s
all. I could have gotten it some other way.
”

“
But
you decided on this way,
”
Todd said.
“
It
’
s in your mind.
”

“
Maybe
so,
”
Jett said.
“
But you
’
re better off focusing on someone who matters.
”

“
You
don
’
t feel you matter?
”

“
Are
you a psychologist or something?
”

“
Nope,
”
Todd said.
“
Just a survivor. And in this
world, you need friends. Good friends. People that you can count on.
”

Jett rubbed his cheek. The cheek
where Colby had punched him.
“
Yeah,
I
’
ve got those, Todd. I
’
ve got those.
”

“
Okay,
”
Todd said.
“
I just wanted to offer my
services. My knowledge. Hell, just my care. And I wouldn
’
t put you on a pedestal because you
’
re famous.
”

“
Thanks.
”

“
Although,
if we
’
re being honest, I am
a fan. I like Willow Son.
”

Jett eyed Todd up and down.
“
You
…
rock music
…”

“
I
don
’
t look the part?
”

Jett laughed.
“
I don
’
t judge a book by its cover. Ever.
”

“
I
’
m a big fan, actually. Was
really upset when you were dropped by that label. Hopefully it doesn
’
t happen again.
”

“
You
and me both,
”
Jett said. He
put the coffee down.
“
I
have to get rolling. Studio time. That
’
s
my best therapy. Me, a guitar, and the ability to create. That
’
s what hurts me about being
here, Todd. A lot of these people are still suffering from deep within. They
can
’
t find their way out.
Find the light. Find their purpose. I have all that.
”

Todd pointed at Jett.
“
And yet you do something stupid.
”

“
Ouch.
”

“
Truth.
”

“
Thought
you were here to help.
”

“
You
don
’
t want my help,
remember? So I
’
ll just
throw you some honesty.
”
Todd inched closer.
“
My
younger brother was fucked up on things. We couldn
’
t save him. On and off
…
but he was never off. He was always on it. Never
could get away. And it took him. The night it happened was the night after
Thanksgiving. Yeah, Black Friday, right? Go out and save ten bucks on a
toaster. We would always cook. It was our chance to spend time as a family. So
we all got together. My brother was there. Completely there. We talked,
laughed, hugged. It was such a good feeling. That night, he went home and shot
up. And kept going until he died. I
’
ll
never forget it. A smile is only worth the soul behind it, Jett. So what
’
s your soul feel right now?
”

“
Jesus,
”
Jett whispered.
“
I
…”

Todd cleared his throat and wiped
the corner of his eyes.
“
You
have a good night. Enjoy the studio. Write another hit.
”

“
I
plan on it,
”
Jett said.

He watched Todd walk away and then
turned, heading for a different door. It smacked shut behind him with an echo.
The hallway was mostly dark and narrow, almost some kind of sick testament to
his own life right now.

Jett stuck his hands into his
pockets and walked the hall slowly. At the back door he opened it and stepped
outside. Right on time, a black car waited for him. The alley was darker than
the hallway. The press could have easily snuck around but they didn
’
t. Jett wasn
’
t sure why. Maybe they didn
’
t give a damn about the story
anymore. After all, there was no real story. Jett wasn
’
t addicted. He wasn
’
t
in rehab. He didn
’
t kill
anyone. That would have made for a great story.

Jett opened the back door of the
car and there waited three people.

Colby. Harry. And freaking Portis.

“
I
thought the car looked nicer than normal,
”
Jett said as he climbed inside.

He sat down and Colby reached out
and grabbed Jett by the shoulder.
“
How
was the meeting?
”

“
Sad,
”
Jett said.
“
Okay? It
’
s sad. The people in there are really in need of
help. I
’
m not.
”

“
Tell
that to the lawyers,
”
Portis
said.
“
Not to mention the
goddamn police. You know the money
…”

“
Portis,
”
Harry said.
“
Ease up.
”

“
No.
That I won
’
t do. I can
’
t believe this is still
happening.
”

“
Look,
what else do I have to say or do here?
”
Jett asked.
“
I
’
ve owned up to everything. I had
a guy I
’
d call for help. I
was in an accident and hurt my leg. Yeah, it was five years ago, but I liked
the way the pills made me feel. The painkillers were good. So I bought some
that I shouldn
’
t have and
took them. I shouldn
’
t have
made arrangements like I did. Or at all. I
’
m
sorry for that. I
’
m really
damn sorry for that. I
’
ve
gone to the meetings. I
’
ve
worked with everything. I can
’
t
let the band down anymore.
”

“
Then
stop,
”
Harry said.
“
Ask for help when you need it.
”

“
I
don
’
t need help.
”

“
Jett,
take a breath,
”
Colby said.
“
I know we all live with
some heavy memories. That
’
s
fine. We didn
’
t come pick
you up to attack you. At all, man. I promise.
”

“
Then
what
’
s with the car full?
”
Jett asked.

Portis turned his phone around and
showed Jett the screen. It was a picture of a song chart. Sitting at number one
was Willow Son.

Number one.

“
Congrats,
”
Portis said.
“
You guys are number one. The
fans want you. I want you in the studio and on the road. But how can I trust
all this? I mean, this isn
’
t
the past, guys. This isn
’
t
party time. It
’
s a goddamn
business. Sure, we can have fun. You want to get high, Jett? I
’
ll make arrangements. But I won
’
t tolerate illegal activity
happening like that. You in the storm. And I
’
m
not going to deal with the death of a band member.
”

Portis stopped talking and let it
sink in.

Jett looked at Harry, then to
Colby.

“
Nobody
is going to die.
”

“
You
should be sitting in jail,
”
Portis said.

“
Then
take me there.
”

“
No,
”
Harry said.
“
All the arrangements
…”

“
So,
I
’
m that now? The celebrity
factor gets me out of trouble.
”

“
No,
”
Colby said.
“
There
’
s no need to stick your ass in jail. You have
nothing to offer.
”

“
Thanks,
bro,
”
Jett said.

Colby put a hand to Jett
’
s shoulder again.
“
But you do have something to
offer in the studio. We were working on a couple new songs. Everything is
waiting for you. Brantley and Van flew to Los Angeles for some press. Ryker is
waiting for me and we
’
re
going to a meeting with a music company about sponsorship.
”

“
So
I
’
m going solo?
”
Jett asked.

“
That
’
s right,
”
Colby said.
“
You
need to work all this out. See if it
’
s
all good.
”