Exposed: A Jaded Regret Novel

by L. L. Collins

  Yes, we even talked about starting a family. After my health scare, I went to several specialists and got myself straightened out. At this point, there wasn’t any obstacle keeping us from starting a family.

  When the time was right.

  Which wasn’t right before we went on an international tour, but it was on the five-year plan.

  Along with committing our lives to each other.

  I didn’t need the piece of paper to know he loved me, but we talked about it.

  “You guys ready?” I stepped into the room where Fatal Knockout stood, dressed and ready.

  “Ready.” Ginger bounced up and down on her toes. “We’re so excited. And I may throw up.”

  “I understand that,” I said. “You’ll start heading toward the stage in five minutes, okay? You’ll see me waiting there and then I’ll give you the signal to go out.”

  “Thank you, Natalie. Someone pinch me and tell me this is for real. We’re here right now.”

  “You’re here.” I looked around the room at the nervous women. “You’ve got this. It’s only the beginning of our sold out crowds. New York will love you. The world will love you.”

  I shut the door behind me and was just about to open the door to talk to my band when I heard my name through the headset.

  “Natalie, can you come here for a minute?” The voice belonged to Riordan, the manager of the arena.

  I cursed under my breath before hitting the button to respond. “Where is ‘here’?”

  He laughed almost immediately. “Sorry. Can you come to the pit?”

  The pit was an area in front of the front rows where people paid top dollar for the chance to touch one of the rockers. They were also usually the craziest, but it was the most fun.

  “Sure thing. Be right there.” I turned and ran back down the hallway. Jaded Regret would have to wait. They were old pros at this anyway. I was sure they were ready.

  Kai and his friends would sit in the front row for our first concert, and I couldn’t wait to see him. I wondered if he was here already. The way my schedule was the past week, getting ready for tonight, I missed him. Our quality time was much less than usual.

  “What’s going on?” I stopped in front of Riordan and looked up at the stage. The signage for Fatal Knockout was in place, as was their setup for their instruments. “Everything looks fine to me. Is something wrong?”

  We talked through our headset since the crowd was already chanting and screaming.

  Before he could answer me the lights went out, and the crowd came unglued, jumping and screaming behind me.

  “Riordan, what am I doing out here?” I couldn’t even see him it was so dark.

  I knew he still stood there, but he didn’t answer me. Before I could ask again, the lights flashed three times and then stayed on.

  And that’s when my heart walked out onto the stage.

  No, really.

  He did.

  The crowd settled, and murmurs went through the audience as they caught sight of Kai. He looked delectable in a dark pair of jeans, a white dress shirt rolled up to his elbows, his dark, more-than-five o’clock shadow, and hair slicked back. He made my mouth water.

  Not many people knew him unless they were super fans and caught some photos of him and me over the last several months, but there were a few screams in the audience.

  “What is he doing up there?” I knew no one would answer me, but I voiced it anyway.

  Kai stepped up to the microphone and his gaze zeroed in on me. “Hello, everyone. I have something special for you tonight. Would you like to be part of something special?”

  The crowd screamed and hollered, and I felt my heart jump into my throat trying to figure out what he was doing.

  “In case you don’t know me, I’m Kai Pierson. I work for No Limits Recordings, the label that brings you Fatal Knockout and Jaded Regret. Who’s excited about tonight?”

  My throat dried out as I stared at him, my mouth agape. I saw movement behind him, and that’s when I saw Tate, Ian, and Sebby come up and go to their instruments.

  Oh my God. What were they doing?

  Kai turned and saw his friends behind him. “Can you say hi to my friends?”

  The crowd screamed behind me, and the lights went out. I fought through the darkness to find Kai. I saw him walk back to his band and then the lights came back on. My headset was quiet, which meant someone turned me off. It was never quiet during a concert.

  “I would like to ask my girlfriend, the beautiful, wonderful manager of Jaded Regret, Natalie Anderson, to join me on the stage.”

  In the past, doing this would’ve caused nothing but anxiety for me. While I wondered what in the world he was up to, my shaky hands were from anticipation, not fear. I moved quickly to the side of the stage.

  The crowd went wild when I stepped up next to him. He reached for me and wrapped his fingers in mine.

  “Isn’t she amazing? She’s the brains behind this wonderful band. Say hi to Natalie.”

  “Hi Natalie,” the crowd echoed.

  “Now, Natalie is part of the special surprise tonight, even though she has no idea what I’m doing up here right now. Can I get the rest of my special friends out here to help?”

  I saw movement behind me, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Kai. His eyes sparkled, and his mouth quirked up in that adorable way I loved so much.

  But when the fans started going crazy, I had to turn. Fatal Knockout and Jaded Regret took the stage behind us.

  “I’ve been playing in a band since I was a kid. These are my guys. But I know the real talent you came to see tonight is them. Am I right?”

  My eardrums rang as the noise level got to deafening levels.

  “They’re going to help me tonight. I mean, can you get any better than that? It’s their opening night for their new huge tour, and I have them up here to help me.”

  I thought I might die if I didn’t figure out soon what was going on. I was a planner. I knew every second of what was supposed to happen tonight. This was not on the agenda.

  “Everyone ready?” The bands took positions, extra instruments having shown up from out of nowhere. “This song is dedicated to my beautiful girlfriend, Natalie. I love you. The last year of my life has been the greatest, but I hope this is just the beginning.” He turned to the audience. “I hope you enjoy this song, even if it isn’t what you may be used to from these guys. Natalie and I have a mutual love of all sorts of music, and I needed this song tonight. This song is called ‘I Can’t Wait.’ She likes to tease me about country, but as I always tell her, it just fits.”

  I heard someone counting off and then a soft melody began, the guitar and the cymbals starting the song. He got up on this stage to play a song for me. He never ceased to surprise me in the best way possible. Tears sprang into my eyes as Kai took my hands. Bex, Ginger, and Alleigh all began singing together while everyone else played. It was a grouping made in heaven as their voices lifted. I didn’t know the song, but it didn’t take much to figure out it was something heartfelt. It felt strange to hear the rockers singing country, but they put their own twist on it.

  As the lyrics continued, I listened to the soft, soulful words and my eyes widened. Kai nodded, realizing I understood the lyrics to the song.

  When they got to the chorus, and they sang about not being able to wait to be my wife and to live life together, Kai joined in and began singing. Tears streaked down my face as the song continued.

  As the lyrics ended and the instruments faded out, Kai knelt on one knee in front of me and took my hand. “Natalie, I can’t wait for you to be my wife. I love you more than anything in this world, and I can’t imagine my life without you. Will you marry me, and be part of my life forever?”

  I covered my mouth with my free hand as the crowd went out of their minds. I felt the others gather around us, but I couldn’t look at them.

  All I could do was stare into the eyes of the man I loved, who got on the stage in front of everyo
ne and declared his love to me.

  He took a box out of his pocket and opened it, holding the ring out to me. It didn’t matter what it looked like because I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him.

  “Marry me.” Kai’s voice boomed throughout the huge arena. “Make me the happiest man on earth.”

  I tried to form the word, but a sob came out instead. I nodded my head yes while I cried. He stood and slipped the ring on my finger while I found my voice.

  “Yes. Absolutely yes, Kai Pierson.”

  He beamed and wrapped his arms around me, lifting me into the air. “I love you,” he whispered into my ear. “I’ll love you forever, Natalie. I can’t wait to change your name and tell the world you’re mine.”

  I laughed, wiping the happy tears from my eyes. “I’m rather sure you just told the whole world.”

  Kai grinned. “That’s true.” He let me go and faced the screaming audience. “She said yes. My fiancée, Natalie soon-to-be Pierson, everyone.”

  The End of the Jaded Regret Series

  Look for more emotional, heartfelt romances from L.L. Collins soon!

  Acknowledgments

  To all of my readers: It’s been three years since I published my first book. Thank you to those that have been here since the beginning, and those that this may be the first book of mine you read. I couldn’t do what I love without you.

  To my wonderful betas: BD, JT, KK, MES, MR, JS, CB, LS. Your feedback made this book so much better. Thank you for not being afraid to be honest.

  To Tracey: thank you for always being by my side and living this dream with me. You’re so much more than my assistant.

  To Leddy: You’re my POS4eva, and I never want to do this without you!

  To Joanne Schwehm: Thank you for being part of my life for the last three years. You are a true friend.

  To Jennifer Steen: Thank you for being with me every step of the way during this book. You’re so much more than a reader; you’re a friend.

  To my Reading with LL Collins group: Thank you for being part of my group and getting to know me!

  Please consider leaving a review at your point of purchase after reading. It helps more than you know. Help support indie authors and if you loved it, tell a friend or two. It’s more appreciated than we can express. Support getting new books to choose from and purchase your books, don’t get them for free from a piracy site.

  About the Author

  L.L. Collins loves spending her days in the Florida sun with her husband and two boys, reading, and writing. LL has been writing since she was old enough to write. Always a story in her head, she finally decided to let the characters out and make her lifelong dream of becoming an author come true in the self-publishing world. She’s the author of the Living Again Series, Twisted Series, Back to the Drawing Board, and the Jaded Regret Series.

  To contact me

  @authorllcollins

  llcollinsauthor

  www.llcollinsauthor.com

  authorllcollins@gmail.com

  Also by L. L. Collins

  The Living Again Series:

  Living Again (Living Again #1)

  Reaching Rachel (Living Again #2)

  Guarding Hearts (Living Again #3)

  Finding Forever (Living Again #4)

  Breaking Free: A Living Again Novella (Living Again #4.5)

  The Twisted Series:

  Twisted Souls (Twisted #1)

  Twisted Paths (Twisted #2)

  Standalones:

  Back to the Drawing Board

  Jaded Regret Series

  SENTENCED (Jaded Regret #1)

  Snared (Jaded Regret #2)

  Hartstrings (Jaded Regret #3)

  Exposed (Jaded Regret #4)

  Playlist

  Spotify Playlist

  One Republic- Secrets

  Rihanna- Stay

  Sam Smith- Stay With Me

  The Script- Six Degrees of Separation

  The Script- The End Where I Begin

  Thriving Ivory- Where We Belong

  Maroon 5- She Will Be Loved

  The Smashing Pumpkins- Perfect

  Lifehouse- Between the Raindrops

  Sarah McLachlan- Sweet Surrender

  Vaults- One Last Night

  Christina Perri- A Thousand Years

  Meghan Trainor- Like I’m Gonna Lose You

  OneRepublic- Counting Stars

  James Bay- Let It Go

  Nothing but Theives- Tempt You

  Bruno Mars- It Will Rain

  Nothing But Theives- Graveyard Whistling

  Foo Fighters- Learn to Fly

  Fiona Apple- Criminal

  Oasis- Wonderwall

  Lana Del Ray- Young and Beautiful

  Garbage- I Think I’m Paranoid

  Echosmith- Cool Kids

  Christina Aguilera- Beautiful

  Christina Aguilera- The Voice Within

  Crossfade- Colors

  Coldplay- Fix You

  X Ambassadors- Unsteady

  The Script- Breakeven

  Christina Perri- Jar of Hearts

  Papa Roach- Gravity

  Christina Aguilera- Hurt

  Christina Aguilera- Blank Page

  Breaking Benjamin- Break My Fall

  Breaking Benjamin- Sooner or Later

  Alessia Cara- Scars To Your Beautiful

  Christina Aguilera- Just a Fool

  Christina Aguilera- Empty Words

  The Script- Hall of Fame

  Fort Minor- Remember The Name

  A Great Big World- Won’t Stop Running

  David Guetta- Titanium

  Daughtry- Waiting for Superman

  Demi Lovato- Skyscraper

  Andra Day- Rise Up

  Theory of a Deadman- Wait for Me

  Linkin Park- Numb

  Linkin Park- Shadow of the Day

  Linkin Park- What I’ve Done

  Gavin Rossdale- Love Remains the Same

  Mazzy Star- Fade Into You

  Ed Sheeran- Kiss Me

  Jay Z- Empire State of Mind

  Dan + Shay- Already Ready

  Berlin- Take My Breath Away

  The Righteous Brothers- Unchained Melody

  Josh Abbott Band- Oh, Tonight

  Kip Moore- Hey Pretty Girl

  Chris Young- Who I am With You

  Chris Young- What If I Stay

  Chris Young- Heartbeat

  Brad Paisley- She’s Everything

  Brantley Gilbert- Fall Into Me

  Chase Rice- Gonna Wanna Tonight

  Luke Bryan- Strip It Down

  Luke Bryan- To the Moon and Back

  Thomas Rhett- Die a Happy Man

  Cassadee Pope- I am Invincible

  Ne-Yo- Let Me Love You

  Bruno Mars- Just The Way You Are

  Ariana Grande- Dangerous Woman

  Blake Shelton- God Gave Me You

  Switchfoot- Learning to Breathe

  Switchfoot- You

  Ryan Adams- Desire

  Broken Iris- Beautiful Girl

  Christina Aguilera- Bound To You

  Colbie Caillat- Realize

  Queen- You’re My Best Friend

  Bruno Mars- Count On Me

  Jason Mraz- Lucky

  REO Speedwagon- Can’t Fight This Feeling

  Scott McCreery- I Don’t Wanna Be Your Friend

  Charlie Puth- One Call Away

  Hailee Steinfeld- Starving

  Incubus- Stellar

  Florida Georgia Line- H.O.L.Y.

  Chase Bryant- Change Your Name

  Ben Rue- I Can’t Wait

  Boyz II Men- I’ll Make Love To You

  Thunder- Love Walked In

  Puddle of Mudd- The Only Reason

  Kat Graham- Secrets

  James Arthur- Certain Things

  Cloves- Frail Love

  Thirty Second to Mars- Alibi

  James Bay- Running

  Boy Epic- Tell Me You Love Me

  The Sweeplings- Always Been You

>   Kaya Stewart- In Love With A Boy

  Lady Gaga- Perfect Illusion