by K E Osborn
K E Osborn
Pick
The Recoil Rock Series #1
By K E Osborn
Copyright 2017 K E Osborn
This book is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this eBook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this eBook and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
ISBN: 978-0994609229
Book design by Swish Design & Editing
Editing by Swish Design & Editing
Proofreading by Fiona Dreaming – Proofreading
Cover design by Kellie Dennis at Book Cover by Design
Cover Model: Johnny Kane
Photographer: Eric Battershell
Cover Image Copyright 2017
Danger—it's a word that strikes fear into most people.
But for me it's not just a word, it's a legacy, a lifeline, my name.
My life has been crazy—ups a downs like the highest rollercoaster you've ridden.
On tour with the world’s biggest rock stars and on my way to being one myself.
Then I met her.
The woman who ruined me completely.
Fast forward through the shit storm that was my life—I lost the girl, I lost my band. Hell, I lost it all.
My only choice was to run.
And running was the best thing for me.
Because I ran into a pink haired beauty and everything started falling into place.
My band reformed and we’re pushing to be right up there with the best of the best.
But when you’re fighting to get to the top, is the pressure too much to keep your band, and the girl?
In the end, if your heart’s in danger, can love truly be enough?
To Kristy.
As Danger’s number one fan, this could only be your book!
Thank you for loving him so much and believing he needed his own story.
This one’s for you!
As always my first thank you goes to my editor, my friend, my confidant, my rock, my source of endless plotting parties, my mother and my friend – Kaylene Osborn. Without your support and guidance, I wouldn’t be able to have the career I love and adore. So thank you for making my dreams come true and helping me not only achieve them but support me in them as well. All daughters deserve a mother like you!
To my family – For your continuous love, friendship and humour. Without you guys, my life would be very dull and boring. So thank you for supporting me without question and for always being there.
To Jane – My sister from another mister. I don’t have enough pages, let alone words to describe how much I adore you. You’re my best friend and I hate there’s a bloody great big ocean between us. Thank you for everything you do, all your support, your friendship, your guidance, but most of all your crazy. I love your crazy! Keep me laughing, you do it so well!
To Kristy – Without your support and determination, I don’t think this book or series would have been written. Your adoration for Danger was and is contagious. I know it’s taken a damn long time for me to get to his book (sooorrry) but it’s because of you and your love for him that I’ve made it happen. I hope I’ve done you proud.
To Carol – You are amazing! You are always here for me, no matter what, any time of day or night and you drop everything for any favour I ask. You are a true gem in a mountain of clay. I don’t know what I did to get you into my life, but hell if I’m not a lucky son of a B to have you! Thank you for EVERYTHING. You are the best and I love you!
To Kim – OMG girl the fun we have plotting is ridiculous and I love having our little plotting parties! I can’t imagine a better plotting partner to have, sure we come up with some wacko ideas, but through the stones we come up with some pretty freaking awesome diamonds too! I’d be lost without you. Not only are you my plotting partner but one of my PA’s too and what a mighty fine job of that you do. I know the Starlets appreciate Fridays ;p.
To all of my amazing BETA readers – Thank you for once again putting in your thoughts and ideas into this book. I appreciate all of your energy and ideas, and together we make a great team. Without you beautiful ladies, this book wouldn’t be at its best potential. So thank you, every single one of you.
To my beautiful, playful and utterly adorable pup, Bella – I know I’ve thanked her a few times now, and you may think it’s silly, but she really does play a significant role in the creation of my books. So thank you, Bella, for being here with me every step of the way and helping me create exciting characters and for keeping me occupied when I need a distraction.
Last of all, I want to thank YOU, the reader. Your continued support with my writing career is both humbling and heart-warming. I love the readers so much and honestly couldn’t keep going without the love and support you all show me each day. Thank you for believing in me, and I hope I can keep you entertained for many, many, years to come.
Thank you,
Much love,
K E Osborn
xoxo
This book has been written using US English but contains some euphemisms and slang words that form part of the Australian spoken word.
Please remember that the words are not misspelled, they are slang terms and form part of the every day Australian lifestyle. Some euphemisms or slang terms have been provided below for your information.
If you would like further explanation, or to discuss the translation or meaning of a particular word, please do not hesitate to contact the author—contact details have been provided, for your convenience, at the end of this book.
As Lunar is an Australian, she pronounces the word mom as mum and hence it has been spelled that way throughout the manuscript when in Lunar’s dialogue or POV.
Aussie: Australian.
Bevies: Alcohol usually beer.
Bloody: Bloody is a curse word or mild swear word, mostly used as an exclamation of surprise.
Bogan: An uncouth or unsophisticated person, regarded as being a loser.
Down Under: Australia.
Fairy Floss: Cotton candy.
Having A Go: Telling someone off or having an argument.
Knickers: Panties.
Mate: Slang term for a friend.
Oz: Australia.
Ute: Utility is a vehicle with a cargo tray in the rear.
Yanks: Another term for an American.
Blurb
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Information and Dictionary
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Tw
enty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Epilogue
Connect With Me Online
About the Author – KE Osborn
Danger.
That’s the name I go by.
My life so far has been a series of events. They range from catastrophic lows to unimaginable highs.
As I think back now, growing up as the son of two hippies was never going to be easy. But finding my peace in music was the only way I could survive through to maturity. In music I found my haven, my place to belong, my inner peace.
Forming my band Recoil was something that came as a natural progression. At school, I met twin brothers, Matt and Nate. Ryan joined the band not long after we left school. Our foursome was tight, our music solid, our sound electrifying. Everything was going great. We’d found our niche and were able to tour with the world’s greatest and number one band, Slayed.
Touring and playing alongside Staked—Slayed’s kids’ band—as their backup that’s when everything changed.
That’s when I met… her.
Ella Slade.
Daughter of Colter Slade, the world’s biggest rock star, who herself was an up and coming rock goddess.
I’m your typical lead singer—broody, selfish, arrogant, rude, egotistical, womanizing, the list can go on for ages—but then Ella swooped in changing everything about me. She made me realize that belonging to one woman is maybe not such a bad thing. That living your life with and for that one person—that means everything to you—is actually pretty fucking special.
And Ella is that, pretty fucking special, and she’s everything to me. So much so that I’ve left my band Recoil in the States to be with Ella full time. I’ve left my life, my career, and my one shot at fame to be with her in England. Sure, some might say that’s a dramatic step—to leave your country for a woman—but my Ella’s worth it. She’s the light of my life, and even though we’ve had our ups and downs, believe me, she’s definitely worth everything in my eyes.
When I asked her to marry me, it was the best day of my life. I arrived on her doorstep after some time apart, and she had no idea I was even coming. She said yes, of course, and we’ve been in blissful sync ever since.
We live in a quaint little house near Ella’s parents’ manor on the outskirts of Oxfordshire, and her dad has arranged for his band mates and Ella’s band mates to spend a holiday together in Hawaii.
Now while this might sound like a dream to most people, to me it sounds like hell. Purely because Chad fucking Everly will be there and he’s been a thorn in my side ever since I met Ella. It’s not bad enough that they’re in a fucking band together, but his undeniable love and adoration of her is unwavering.
And now? Now we’re going to be holidaying together.
Ella constantly reassures me that she loves me and that there’s no feelings other than friendship from her toward Chad. But I know before I came back and proposed that they had something going on. I know this because he was here when I arrived and he left very pissed off. She never told me if they had something more than a friendship going on, but I suspect they definitely shared some intimate moments.
God knows while I was gone I certainly wasn’t a saint, so I guess Ella must have struggled with it too. We don’t talk about the past—the past is exactly that, in the past—we only discuss our future. We’ve decided when we get back from Hawaii we’re going into full wedding planning mode.
I’m hoping Ryan, Matt, and Nate will come over for the wedding but I’m not sure they will. They’ve been distant since I left the band, and I know they’re dirty on me for leaving them without a lead singer right when we were starting to really get somewhere.
But my heart is with Ella, not Recoil—I had to be with her. I know they don’t understand, but maybe when they find a true love like mine they will get it.
I’ve been in the UK for about a year now and I needed a job. I still love music, so Colt, Ella’s father, managed to get me a position with Rob, their Agent. I’ve been helping him with a range of things, and because of that I’ve had to stay back an extra day while the two bands flew off to Hawaii on their private jet. I know they should have touched down before my flight departed, and I tried to get a hold of Ella before I boarded but to no avail.
I’m now arriving at the hotel in Honolulu to meet up with everyone. There’s a flurry of activity surrounding the hotel and there’s reporters everywhere. I figure they obviously know that the world’s two biggest bands are in town, so I don’t take too much notice of the chaos and mayhem as I continue through the crowd into the hotel.
It’s early morning, so I don’t know what the paparazzi are expecting? I doubt Slayed and Staked are going to come down and give any of them interviews. Idiots.
I check in and make my way to the elevator. When I arrive at my floor I stare down the hall to see Aston, Ella’s sister’s boyfriend. “Hey Ast,” I call out.
When he turns around his body slumps and he visibly sighs. He looks like shit to be quite blunt. I furrow my brows wondering why his skin is so pale and the bags under his eyes are so vibrant. He steps up to me frowning and flares his nostrils like he’s having trouble holding it together.
“Shit dude, are you okay?”
He winces shaking his head. “You don’t know?”
I tense instantly raising my eyebrow at him in curiosity. “Know what?”
He exhales loudly. “The jet… um, yesterday… on landing… the landing gear failed… the plane crashed. Chad’s parents and the air hostess were killed. Everyone’s a mess.”
My stomach churns and my heart races frantically as I look around the hall. “Ella?” I ask breathlessly.
“No, she’s fine. Just shaken up. We all are. Poor Chad, though, he watched as his parents were sucked out the side of the plane into a wall of fire. It was…” he trails off.
As much as I hate Chad for loving my girl so deeply I do feel sorry for him in this moment. No one should have to witness that.
I shake my head. “Shit! Umm… I have to find Ella. Make sure she’s okay.”
He nods as I pat his shoulder in a comfort gesture and then I turn heading for our room.
All I want to do is to get to Ella, check over every inch of her beautiful body and make sure she isn’t hurt in any way. I want to hold and comfort her, make sure she’s all right.
I feel sick with worry knowing that Ella will want to be there for Chad.
Of course, she will.
But I’m also worried she’s hurt or injured in some way. I need to see for myself that she’s fine because right now I’m kind of freaking out. My hand swipes the keycard and I walk in expecting her to be in our room but it’s empty. Her luggage is nowhere to be seen and the bed definitely hasn’t been slept in. I draw my bottom lip into my mouth with my teeth and gnaw on it furiously wondering where the hell she is, but knowing in my heart where she probably is and that thought terrifies me.
Grabbing my cell I dial her number and it rings out. I try again, and again, then groan with frustration. After the seventh time of no answer—then ringing her parents and them not knowing where she is—I start to pace the floor running my hands through my hair in utter panic.
The click of the door makes me look up as it opens and I notice Ella walking through. My entire body sags and I almost break down because I’m just so happy to see her—not only alive, but in one piece. Instant relief floods me when I notice she isn’t hurt in any way—she just looks pale and emotionally wrecked. Rushing up to her, I drop my cell to the floor and pick her up swirling her around. Her blonde hair fans out around the room like a fucking super model. Even when she’s a mess, she’s beautiful. But she’s stiff in my arms even as I hold her tight.
“Where have you been? I’ve been trying to call you for ages. I heard about the crash and no one knew where you were. Your cell kept ringing out. Jesus Ella, I’ve been so fucking worried. I’m dying here.” I hold her so tightly I’m sure I’m squashing he
r but I can’t bear to let her go just yet.
“I’m sorry, I have no idea where my phone is. I was with Chad all night looking after him…” she replies and trails off.
Those few words are all I need to let her go. Hearing she was with Chad sets off insane jealousy and I really hate myself for it.
I want to trust her.
I do trust her.
But I don’t trust him.
She walks over to the bed and sits down so I follow and sit next to her, the mattress dips just enough that we slide together and our legs touch slightly.
“You okay? It must’ve been really horrible witnessing Chad’s parents…” I trail off this time and start again, “... Aston told me all about it. Chad must be really hurting.” I wrap my arm around her shoulders as she bursts into tears. It makes my chest squeeze to witness her this upset, and I fucking hate it anytime she cries. “Oh, hey Sugar, I’m here for you,” I tell her pulling her to me, but she wriggles away shaking her head.
“I can’t do this,” she murmurs.
I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion. “I know it’s hard to lose people. Especially two that you’re so close to. But I’ll help you get through this, Sugar.”
“No, I can’t do…” she waves her hand between the two of us, “… this.”
My heart stops in my chest as all air leaves my lungs.
“What do you mean?”
Ella looks down to the floor avoiding my gaze. “I’m not in this one hundred percent, Danger. I love you, but I’m not in love with you,” she declares.
That little statement is like a thousand volts running through my heart. It causes me to instantly stand up and pace the floor. “You need to be very clear right now, Ella. What are you saying?”
“I’m saying we need to break up,” she whispers.
My throat closes up, my stomach lurches wanting to expel the breakfast I had on the flight over. Taking a loud intake of air through my flared nostrils, I run my fingers through my hair in frustration. “I gave up everything for you, Ella.” My voice is calm as I try to hold it together, but all I want to do is scream and stamp my foot on the floor like a spoiled child.