Lyrical Odyssey Rock Star Series: Box Set 1

by Charli B. Rose

I just couldn’t shake the feeling that Izzy was in trouble. Her unshakable headache was plaguing me. What if it was more?

  Thank God for muscle memory because I sure as hell couldn’t remember the notes or lyrics to whatever we were playing.

  Screw it. When we got to the bridge, I sauntered over to Brooks. His brow quirked up at me in question. He stepped back from his mic but continued to play.

  I shot a look at the rest of the guys, silently communicating with them.

  “What’s up, man?” Brooks mumbled to me.

  “Something’s wrong. I can’t explain it. Just a feeling. I need to go check on Izzy,” I whispered.

  “Go, we’ll improvise out here.”

  “I’m sorry.” I unplugged.

  Brooks clasped my shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “We’ve got you.”

  I waved to the crowd and disappeared off stage. With fumbling fingers, I pulled my guitar off and passed it to one of the techs. I didn’t pause to listen to whatever explanation Brooks offered the crowd. But their answering roar filled the air.

  I ran down the hallway. No one was around. My vision narrowed to just the door at the end of the hall. My dressing room.

  When I got to it, I turned the knob. It was locked.

  I reached in my pocket and dug out the key.

  When the door swung open, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Izzy’s name froze in my throat. She was tied to a chair. My gaze roved the room rapidly.

  In the back, where my stuff was stashed, a woman with pink hair was going through my bag. Cleo?

  When the woman spun around, my heart stuttered to a stop. It wasn’t Cleo. She was vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t place her. A gun dangled from her hand.

  “Oh, hey, Dawson. What are you doing here already?” she asked, smiling brightly at me.

  “This is my dressing room,” I offered with a shrug. Where was Joe?

  “I know that, silly. That’s why I’m waiting for you here. You’re just early. Your show’s not over yet, so what are you doing here now?” She frowned.

  “Uh… I wasn’t feeling very well,” I said with a grimace.

  “Oh, you poor baby. Let me get you something to drink.” She moved to the fridge in the corner.

  I turned to Izzy and mouthed, “Are you OK?”

  She nodded. I reached my hand in my back pocket to turn on my phone. I pressed the button to send an alert to Joe.

  I quickly pulled my hand back when she turned around then came over to me. The woman handed me a water bottle.

  “This little reunion isn’t going exactly like I planned. I’m sorry about that. I meant for the ugly part to be over,” she said as she waved the gun, indicating Izzy.

  My heart leaped in my throat then instantly dropped to the floor.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll make it quick. Then we can get out of here,” she said, moving towards Izzy.

  “Why don’t we get out of here now? You can just leave her here.” I prayed that if I could get her away from Izzy, I could figure something out.

  “But she’ll just come between us again,” the woman whined.

  Come on Joe, I pleaded silently with the universe.

  I reached out and brushed my hand on her shoulder.

  “She hasn’t come between us. I’m here, and I’m offering to get out of here with you right now.” I forced my revulsion down.

  “You offered to go to prom with me too. And then she needed you, and you cancelled on me. And when you carried me to the eighth-grade formal, you talked about her all night. When I gave LO their first paying gig, you dedicated the performance to her,” she shouted and pointed the gun at Izzy. “It was my birthday, and you dedicated your performance to a girl who wasn’t even there.”

  Pieces were clicking. “Casey?” I asked in disbelief.

  “I registered so little on your radar you didn’t even recognize me? That’s rich.”

  “You’ve changed,” I sputtered.

  “Yeah to the type of girl you like. I did it for you. Don’t you see, I’ve loved you from that first day in English class. She doesn’t deserve you. If I was your girlfriend, I would’ve shouted it from the rooftops. Not hidden you away like some dirty secret. And I never would’ve abandoned you when you were in rehab. I would be better for you.” Her eyes beseeched me.

  “You don’t have to hurt Izzy. You know if you hurt her, you’ll go to jail. Then we can’t be together.” Trying to reason with a crazy person was not an easy task.

  “But she loves you too. And you’re obsessed with her. It’ll be easier this way. Daddy owns a house in Comoros. They don’t have an extradition treaty with the US. I’d be safe there.” Casey nodded her head. “Yes, that’s what we’ll do.” She raised the gun and leveled it at Izzy.

  I couldn’t let her hurt Izzy. Her finger flinched on the trigger. I didn’t stop and think. I just threw myself at her. As I knocked her to the ground, the gun fired, and the door flew open.

  When we hit the floor, she dropped the gun, and I grabbed it. My hand trembled as I pointed it at her. “Don’t move.”

  She burst into tears.

  I got to my knees and crawled over to Izzy who was lying sideways, still attached to the chair.

  “Flutterby, can you hear me?” Tears made my voice thick.

  She opened her eyes.

  “Are you hurt?” My free hand ran over her, checking for blood.

  “Just where I tipped the chair over,” she said.

  I untied her and helped her up. While still keeping a wary eye on Casey, I pulled Izzy into my arms.

  “I thought she shot you,” I croaked.

  “Shh. I’m OK.” She rocked me gently. “We need to call the police.”

  That was when I remembered the door swinging open before the gun went off. I looked towards the door. Joe was slumped on the floor, a splash of red on his shoulder.

  “Joe,” I shouted and scrambled over to him.

  “Izzy, call 9-1-1 and take this gun. Don’t let Casey do anything stupid,” I ordered as I ripped my shirt off and pressed it to Joe’s shoulder.

  He moaned and opened his eyes. “Is Izzy OK?” he rasped out.

  “She’s fine. Don’t try to talk. Help’s on the way.”

  The room was filled with the sounds of Izzy’s frantic call for help and Casey’s uncontrollable sobs.

  Izzy and I were finally done at the police station. Casey had been arrested. Joe was resting comfortably at the hospital. Before we went downtown to give our statements, I’d insisted Izzy get checked out at the hospital. Thankfully, the blow to the head hadn’t caused another concussion. Izzy was also fortunate that she hadn’t drunk the entire cup of Rohypnol-laced sweet tea Casey had fixed for her.

  “I’m exhausted,” I said as we signed the last of the paperwork associated with our statements.

  “Me too.” She wrapped her arms around my waist. I sagged in relief against her.

  “Want me to get us a hotel room?” I asked.

  “I know it’s late. But can you take me home?” she asked.

  “Sure. Let me message the pilot and ask him to file flight plans for South Carolina.” I pulled out my phone and pulled up the contact for the pilot Bas had arranged to fly us here.

  She put her hand on my wrist, pushing my phone down gently.

  I looked up at her before I hit send.

  “Not my home. Not South Carolina. I want to go to our home in LA,” she said softly.

  “Does this mean you’ll move in with me?” I asked, tears swimming in my eyes.

  “You are my home. I’m tired of spending time apart when we don’t have to be. I love you and want to be with you every day. Take me home.”

  She kissed me deeply.

  “Yes ma’am,” I said when she pulled back. “Let me text everyone.”

  It felt like an eternity, but really it was only an hour later we were on a private jet, taxiing down the runway. Izzy leaned against me, asleep. She’d passed out the moment we’d buckled up. I gla
nced at Brooks, Jett, Maddox and Wilder. My family.

  “Thanks for covering for me tonight,” I whispered, trying not to disturb Izzy.

  “Of course. I’m just glad you had that feeling,” Brooks said.

  “Me too. I can’t even imagine…” my voice cracked, and I had to swallow hard to get rid of the lump blocking my throat. “If I hadn’t gotten there when I did, there’s no telling what would’ve happened.”

  “You can’t think like that. You got there in time,” Maddox said, leaning forward to pat my knee.

  “I still can’t believe Casey from our school was your stalker all this time,” Brooks said.

  “Aren’t you glad you never slept with her?” Leave it to Wilder to bring up sex with the crazy chick.

  I shuddered at the thought.

  “I can’t believe the tickets I gave my family are what allowed her to stay close to you. I’m so sorry, dude,” Jett said, his voice full of regret.

  “It’s not your fault. You didn’t know,” I said as the plane leveled out.

  “So, how long’s Joe going to have to stay in the hospital?” Wilder asked.

  “Probably just another day or so. Mom’s going to take care of him until he heads back to LA,” I replied.

  The fasten seatbelts sign flickered off. The guys all shifted to head to the front of the plane where a gaming system was set up.

  “Why don’t you go rest in the bedroom?” Brooks said as he stepped into the aisle. “She can’t be comfortable sleeping like that.”

  I glanced down at her. Her neck was at an odd angle, propped up against me. Carefully, I unfastened both of our seatbelts.

  “Flutterby,” I whispered in her ear.

  A smile spread across her face, though her eyes remained closed. I brushed a kiss across her lips.

  The smallest sigh of contentment slipped from her lips, and her eyes peeked open.

  “Hi. Are we there yet?” she asked me.

  “Not yet. We’ve still got over three hours of flight time left. But I thought you might be more comfortable napping in the bed. Want to go lie down with me?”

  “Yeah.”

  I stood and took her hands. Together we made our way to the small bedroom in the back of the plane. Once inside, I shut the door.

  She turned down the covers and sat on the edge of the bed. I toed off my shoes then kneeled to remove hers.

  “Scoot back,” I told her.

  But she didn’t. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her mouth to mine. Our kiss was desperate and grateful. We were both so happy to be alive and together.

  She pulled back. “Make love to me,” she murmured against my lips.

  “Always.” And that was the truth. It had never been only sex with us. Since the very first time, it had always been making love. Even when we weren’t an official couple.

  With reverent fingers, I undressed her, kissing each inch of skin I uncovered. When she finally was stretched bare before me, I got up long enough to strip out of my clothes. I started to ease myself over her.

  She sat up, meeting me halfway. Her soft fingers glided over my skin, waking up every cell beneath her touch. Her eyes were staring deeply into mine as her hand slid down my torso and gripped my cock. I groaned before taking her lips with mine. She stroked me with a frantic rhythm. I kept our kiss slow, languid, matching the tempo of my touch on her body. My fingers dipped inside and circled around her most sensitive parts slowly. My touch adagio and hers allegro. We were in perfect counterpoint, rising to matching crescendos.

  I moved my hips back, taking my cock almost completely out of her grip. Stretching my legs out on either side of her, I tugged her onto my lap. We were both trembling, nearing release. I needed us to be fully connected when that happened. Slowing my fingers on her body, I used my other hand to guide her center over me. In perfect harmony, she lowered herself as I thrust upwards. When we were completely connected, matching moans slipped from each of us into the other. It was a moan of completion, of oneness.

  “This right here, us, this is forever,” I vowed to her.

  I moved slowly inside of her, marking her as mine and marking me as hers, until we fell apart together.

  Epilogue

  Izzy

  Several months later…

  The air buzzed with excitement. I couldn’t believe I was sitting a few rows from the stage at the American Music Awards. I clutched Dawson’s hand as I gazed around at everyone sitting near us.

  Brittany bumped my shoulder. “Did you see who’s sitting across the aisle? That’s Vail. And behind them is Darkest Days. And over there is Dangerous Noise,” she exclaimed excitedly, her gaze darting around at everyone.

  The lights dimmed, and the host walked to the podium. “We’re going to kick the show off with a performance from Rogue,” he announced. The crowd went wild as the lights illuminated the award-winning band opening the show.

  I bounced in my seat as their sound filled the theater. “Excited?” Dawson whispered in my ear.

  “How could you tell?” I asked with a laugh.

  “Just a hunch.” He pressed a kiss to my lips. “Is Britt having fun?”

  “I think so. I don’t know why she was hesitant to come when you had me invite her. No one in her right mind would turn this down,” I said with a shrug, still not quite believing I was here myself.

  When Dawson first told me, they were going to be performing at the AMAs and were up for an award, I was so proud of him and the guys. It didn’t dawn on me that he’d want me to attend with him. I didn’t put two and two together until he had Tansy take me shopping for a red-carpet appropriate gown. I was ecstatic.

  Dawson told me to invite Brittany and even offered to buy her a dress because he didn’t want me to have to sit alone during the time the band would have to be backstage and on stage. When I first asked her, she had told me no. It actually took a lot of coaxing to get her come, but she finally relented.

  As the show went on, my nerves increased. And it seemed, so did Dawson’s. Finally, the award for best new single was about to be given.

  The clips played on the giant screen. As “Dear Universe” played, I leaned over and kissed Dawson’s jaw. “No matter what, I love you,” I mumbled in his ear.

  He squeezed my hand. “I love you too.”

  “And the award for best new single goes to… Lyrical Odyssey for ‘Dear Universe’.”

  I jumped to my feet as Dawson stood, his face awash with awe. He pulled me into his embrace and kissed me hard before he made his way to the aisle followed by his bandmates.

  He let the other guys speak first. They thanked the fans, their families, their old label and everyone they could think of.

  Then Dawson took the mic and tapped it three times. “I agree with all these guys and their expressions of gratitude. But there’s one person in my life who deserves more. My heartbeat, my muse, my flutterby. Thank you, Izzy. Without you there would never be any music in my soul.”

  Tears filled my eyes as he blew me a kiss. A camera cut to me, showing my face on a split screen. The love was evident all over my face. I mouthed, “I love you.”

  He mouthed it back and held the award up in the air. The crowd went wild.

  The guys climbed off the stage and started making their way back to our seats. I couldn’t wait for him to get back to me. I didn’t care if it was unsophisticated, I jumped up from my seat and dashed down the aisle to him. The crowd around us cheered on my enthusiasm as I launched myself into his embrace. His arms wrapped tightly around me.

  “I’m so damn proud of you,” I said as I held his face in my hands.

  “Did you just cuss?” he asked in astonishment.

  “Shut up and kiss me,” I said and laid one on him that was probably not quite appropriate for the setting we were in, but I couldn’t find an ounce of care to give about it. I kissed him like we were the only ones in existence.

  He growled against my mouth, “We have to stop. You’re giving me a hard on, and we’
re on national TV.”

  “Oops. Sorry.” I slid down his body and flushed a deep red.

  With my head down, I dragged him back to our seats.

  Brittany hugged each of the guys as they filed into the row past her. Something flickered in her eyes when she met my gaze, but I couldn’t interpret it. I’d make her spill later. Right then, I couldn’t focus on anything but the pride I had for Dawson.

  I didn’t hear anything else for a long while. I’m not sure Dawson did either. He kept glancing at me every few seconds.

  Eventually, an usher came over to get the guys because they needed to go backstage and get ready for their performance.

  I gazed up at him, my cheeks aching from smiling so hard. “Rock out,” I said fiercely as I pulled his head to me.

  Dawson kissed me before he hurried to catch up with the guys.

  Brittany squealed in my ear. She wrapped her hand around my bicep as we watched the stage, waiting. I didn’t know who they were going on after. We cheered as Falling Down and Blush performed together, bringing down the house.

  “I can’t believe you thought about not coming,” I said without turning to her.

  “Yeah. Me neither,” she said quietly.

  “Is everything OK, Britt?”

  “What? Oh, yeah, everything’s good. Hey look, I think that’s them in the background over there,” she said, pointing off to the side of the stage.

  The host stepped up to the podium and said, “You guys have been waiting all night to watch them perform. Let’s welcome LO to the stage.”

  The crowd roared as the guys rushed onto the stage. They’d changed out of their suits and into their normal concert clothes. Dawson looked so sexy in dark jeans and a V-neck shirt. His guitar was strapped across his chest.

  My blood heated as I watched him saunter to the center of the stage. He tapped on the mic three times.

  “What’s up LA?” his voice boomed in the theater.

  A roar went up across the audience.

  “I know you guys are probably expecting us to perform ‘Dear Universe’, and normally we would. But tonight, we have a treat for you all. We’re going to give you a sneak peek of a song that isn’t even fully written yet. It’s a song I’ve been working on for years.”