Twisted Rhythm: A Dark Rockstar Romance (Twisted Rhythm Series Book 1)

by Lexxi Chase

  And noticed immediately how fantastic he looked. So tall and slim and toned and even tanned. His washed out jeans were skin tight, almost painted onto his body, with strategic holes in just the right places, at his left knee and up along both thighs, precariously near his obviously well-endowed crotch. Thank God he hasn’t cut his hair, she thought, and marveled at the way it cascaded down his strong shoulders and muscular arms, resting alluringly against his low cut black muscle shirt. She slithered forward and fell into his outstretched arms for a hug.

  “Seriously Amanda, I’m fuckin’ stoked. This is so amazing. Not sure I deserve it though.”

  Startled, she stepped back and looked curiously into his face and conflicted eyes.

  “I mighta made things worse this morning,” he said and asked her if she’d seen his latest post.

  She shook her head and he grabbed his cell to show her. Great, another whammy, she cringed as she read. Just what Jake needs right about now. Her shocking confession in Portland, the unimaginable news about Zack, and now more Wade made personal and public and tossed up in his face.

  “I’m sorry,” Wade sulked, seeing her demeanor. “I probably shoulda left things alone.”

  She lifted her head and looked at him. It really wasn’t his fault. She’d encouraged him with her showdown and he had no way of knowing about Jake’s major upset this morning about Zack.

  “Don’t worry about it,” she soothed. “Bad timing but not your fault.”

  He eyed her intently.

  “Did somethin’ else happen?” he asked.

  Yes, she wanted to yell, and throw all her new troubles hooked onto a lifeline into his lap but no way was she telling him about Zack. Too much to untangle and wade through. And too embarrassing, she sighed. Wade’s the only sturdy rock in my crumbling world, she told herself, and no way will I risk the even slim chance of losing him today.

  “I texted with Jake this morning,” she said. “And he’s not in a great mood, that’s all.”

  “Is he coming?” Wade asked.

  “I don’t know...I don’t think so,” she replied, fighting back tears as she fumbled to grab his hands.

  They stood like that, just looking at each other, until Amanda suddenly ran her hands intently up his arms and entwined her fingers in his hair. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she fell compliantly against his chest and nuzzled her face underneath his safe, shielding hair and into his neck. Oblivious to Rachel emerging in the hall until she spoke and Katelyn deftly ushered her towards the stairs.

  “This isn’t fucking good,” Rachel whispered.

  “Not by a longshot,” Katelyn said, and it was the first time in their lives they’d ever agreed on anything.

  ***

  “No hoop today,” Marcus told Alvirez as they finished setting up Amanda’s rehearsal space for later in the day. “But get the aerial silks. She’s gonna practice comin’ down the silk vines and gettin’ on Kontikki’s back.”

  With the cats’ multiple perches already in place, Marcus helped him roll out the highest steel post and twenty foot sidebar and they attached the two lengths of silk to swing vertically from it and drape onto the ground.

  “This ain’t nowhere near as high as she’s got goin’ in her show,” Alvirez exclaimed as Marcus checked the silk’s knots and attachments to the sidebar.

  This trick was dangerous enough for Amanda to perform without safety lines, and the silk coming loose in practice was one nightmare she didn’t need. With her actual stage, props and equipment already in Vegas, this afternoon’s rehearsal was just a quick brush up before the show’s premiere in two days.

  “Tyler not coming?” Alvirez asked and Marcus shook his head.

  “He’ll be here tomorrow for Amanda’s final rehearsal at home.”

  Alvirez said nothing but thought Tyler’s absence was strange so close to the show, but then, he mused astutely, nothing seems normal around here these days. About to ask questions about Amanda’s houseguests, Marcus had been tight lipped this morning, he thought better of it. He’d been following events on the internet anyway and already guessed the new guy was that dude Wade who kept goading Jake online and that he’d arrived for their much anticipated showdown. But he wondered if Jake was going to take the bait. Things always went off the rails when Jake was over. He shrugged his shoulders and began sweeping the sand ring.

  “Let’s get the lions,” Marcus said, tapping him amiably on the shoulder.

  “Thought this stuff’s for the tigers to rehearse the end of the show.”

  “It is,” Marcus explained. “She said she’s gonna put the lions through some basics first.”

  They hung and filled water pails in each of the holding pens adjacent to the rehearsal area and retrieved the lions from their den building one by one. As Alvirez collared and leashed Mohan, he remembered the cat’s painful attack on Jake when he was just five months old. Now a more imposing size at 430 pounds and coming up on seven years old, Mohan was a more formidable opponent.

  “I’d like to see how Jake holds up against you now,” he smirked as he led the cat out of his cage.

  That long ago mishap had been chalked up to playful cub behavior, especially since Mohan was one of the more social of Amanda’s cats. Even so, Alvirez thought, Amanda’s unique methods of raising and training have allowed her to accomplish miraculous things. She was one of very few big cat people who not only managed to have fully mature adult lions living together peaceably, but also had them playing and wrestling together onstage and doing tricks with her side by side in her show.

  He’d just latched Mohan’s holding pen when he heard the deep guttural growl to his right. Marcus had just entered another pen with Mocombo and the cat had him cornered menacingly at the back of the cage. Alvirez bolted over, snatching the pepper spray off his belt.

  “Hang on Alv,” Marcus cautioned, then whispered to Mocombo, “What’s the matter, big guy? Havin’ a bad day?”

  Mocombo held his ground, his large amber eyes dilated and fixed on Marcus as he growled low, then erupted into a ferocious snarl. Alvirez stood motionless just outside the cage while Marcus remained frozen within. This wasn’t like Mocombo to be cranky with people he knew well. What the hell was up?

  “Stay calm Markie,” Alvirez assured him, “Gonna radio Jason for help.”

  Jason was working in the tiger house, cleaning the cats’ quarters, and was only a few minutes away.

  “Wait,” Marcus ordered, “give Mocombo a minute or two to calm down.”

  And so Alvirez just stood there, rigid and tense and watched and listened to Marcus talking the cat back into safety zone. Better at it than I am, he mused, and admiringly watched Mocombo relax. Giving an unconcerned ruffle to Mocombo’s luxurious golden mane, Marcus sauntered out of the pen.

  “You OK?” Alvirez asked him, surprised he’d exited without a scratch.

  “Yup,” Marcus smiled. “This is what I’ve been tryin’ to teach you. When a cat’s on the verge but not attacking, it’s usually better not to go on the offensive or call for help. Extra people will just escalate him. First do your best to calm him down yourself.”

  “If you’re not too occupied shittin’ your pants,” Alvirez joked but nodded his head in agreement. He’d had his own share of big cat close calls but was always amazed at how Marcus handled these situations with ease, so much better than himself.

  “What happened?” he asked and Marcus shook his head.

  “Just decided to get snarly on me all of a sudden. Nothin’.”

  It’s never nothing, Amanda had told them countless times during their history with her. She was a great believer in the fact that animals, wild or domestic, never did anything without a reason, never had that so-called reaction out of the blue. There’s no such thing, she told all her cat handlers until they listened. But even so, she was immensely superior at reading and seeing the warning signs.

  “Amanda would know why,” Alvirez corrected him and they both smiled and laughed.
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br />   That’s why she was the Beast Mistress and they merely worked for her.

  “Cats are all a little off these days,” Marcus said as they split paths in the den building, each going to retrieve another lion.

  “Probably the tension around here,” Alvirez speculated as he walked away.

  Marcus’s cell rang just before he opened Zambuka’s cage.

  “Hey Tyler,” he laughed, “Sure ya don’t wanna come over today?”

  “Wasn’t goin’ to,” Tyler proclaimed. “Why, what’s up?”

  Tyler’s first thought was Jake. Marcus told him about the incident with Mocombo a few minutes prior and asked his advice.

  “Alvirez is right,” Tyler told him. “It’s just the tension in the air. Just watch the cats closely,” he said, “and make damn sure Amanda doesn’t get hurt.”

  The truth was he always had a rough enough time seeing Amanda with Jake and the last thing he wanted to do was see her now with Wade, the only man as far as he knew that had been capable of tearing her away, if only temporarily. Tomorrow would be soon enough to face his vanquishers, he told himself, unless something monumental occurred today.

  “Yeah, all right,” Marcus said, “Just thought we could use another really experienced hand.”

  “Amanda’s experienced,” Tyler quipped. “How’s she doin’ today? Not gettin’ too distracted, I hope.”

  “Seemed fine when I saw her this morning. Just a little tired and...well, maybe a little tense.”

  Great, Tyler thought. Just what not to ever be around big cats. Wavering between the weight of his dissuasions and his growing urge to jump into his truck, he finally decided that Amanda was a pro, had handled, practiced and performed with her cats during the most trying and worst of times and he couldn’t always be there to hold her hand. Her intuitive instincts and love and respect for her animals would kick in and she’d be fine.

  “She’ll be OK,” Tyler said. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

  Thinking Katelyn would call him immediately if serious trouble brewed and Jake arrived before that. Even so, he pondered as he hung up his phone, would that be too late? Would he have enough time to make it over there before things spiraled out of control?

  ***

  “What’s Jake really like?” Rachel asked Katelyn as they removed food from take-out containers and put it on ceramic plates.

  “Well,” Katelyn said laughing, “Just like you read about him and see all over the internet. He’s pretty transparent really, and super intense. Everything you’ve seen and heard is really what you get.”

  Rachel sighed.

  “I was afraid of that,” she said.

  Katelyn looked at her oddly and Rachel continued, “I’m so afraid I’ve made Amanda’s explosive situation with Jake much worse. I really encouraged Wade to come with me. Not sure he would’ve bothered to visit if Jake or Amanda didn’t respond to him directly about his post.”

  “I see,” Katelyn commiserated, then after a few moments of awkward silence between them, asked, “Why d’ya hate Amanda so much?”

  “Jeez,” Rachel moaned, “you’re the second person to ask me that today.”

  “Who’s the first?”

  “Wade, this morning on the way to the airport. When I pressured him to post again.”

  “So why?” Katelyn remained undeterred.

  “I don’t,” Rachel insisted. “I guess I’ve always been kinda intimidated by her. And maybe a little jealous too. As far back as when we were little, I mean tiny kids, she stood out in the crowd. Everyone fawned over her, not just our parents. She didn’t even know it yet but she had it all, so goddamn easily, and I had to struggle to be what everyone wanted. She didn’t, still doesn’t, give a shit about all of that.”

  “Except where Jake’s concerned,” Katelyn corrected her and they both smiled.

  It wasn’t like them to exchange many words about anything, if any at all, and Katelyn conquered the struggle within herself to say more. Estranged as Rachel was from Amanda, blood really was thicker than water, and not even close to being on the best of terms with Amanda herself, Katelyn knew she’d come up on the short end of it if gossip or arguments ensued. Besides, she grumbled inwardly, not like Rachel’s fond of me either.

  As they placed the food on the white linen tablecloth laid on the deck table near the pool, they heard a burst of laughter from the house and Amanda and Wade emerged. They’d only been alone upstairs for ten or so minutes, not enough time for a quickie anything, Katelyn guessed.

  “Katelyn got you working?” Amanda laughed.

  “I offered ‘cause I’m starving,” Rachel groaned as they sat down.

  “Hope ya guys like it,” Katelyn said, “Amanda had me order light. That’s Caesar salad, the other salad’s got beets, baby greens, walnuts and gorgonzola cheese. That’s angel hair pasta with vegetables and the parmesan spinach omelette is over here.”

  “Sounds good enough to eat,” Wade exclaimed and scooped up huge helpings of everything.

  Katelyn turned to leave and was both surprised and annoyed when Rachel called after her.

  “Not eating with us Kathrine?” she asked.

  “It’s Katelyn,” Amanda surprisingly corrected her. “And yeah, join us Kat if you wanna have somethin’ to eat.”

  I should thank Wade for her good mood, she mused inwardly, and pulled up a chair. Despite the vibrant and interesting conversation, she noticed Amanda remained distracted, merely picking at her food and discretely glancing at her silent cell phone throughout the meal. Still, things were going surprisingly better than expected, Katelyn thought, but wondered how long the harmony would last.

  “Take your time everyone,” Amanda suddenly stood to leave. “I’m gettin’ ready for rehearsal. See ya at the pens.”

  Upstairs, she quickly pulled off her sundress, yanked on her white and royal blue workout clothes and tied her hair back in a messy ponytail. Then plopped down on her bed, cell phone in hand.

  “Christ Jake,” she whispered, “What the fuck more can I say?”

  His silence was unbearable. His resolve was infuriating. She pictured him with that slut Misty, then with the whore in blue at the Portland hotel. Damn you, you fuckin’ whoring prick, she mouthed almost silently. Like I’m supposed to not get angry and remain monogamous while you screw everything with a stinkin’ hole between its legs. She raked her fingers through her ponytail, agonizing and wavering about what to say. Finally, she texted. Innocuous, friendly, and casual, hoping to disarm his fury and catch him off guard.

  Just gonna rehearse the cats now. Can’t stop thinkin about u & hope u’ve calmed down. I just need a chance to explain.

  When she got to her rehearsal area, she noted appreciatively that Kat, Rachel and Wade had set up lawn chairs just outside the fencing and were waiting for the condensed show. Marcus and Alvirez jogged up to her immediately and filled her in on Mocombo and the rest of the cats’ moods.

  “No problem,” she soothed, used to her cats’ idiosyncrasies and fluctuating dispositions, and told them to release the lions as she sauntered to the center of the pen.

  They burst out of their cages in a frenzy, jumbling around her, moaning and grunting and affectionately brushing up against her waist.

  “God, they’re big,” Rachel uttered and Katelyn laughed.

  “Yeah,” she said, “that’s why they’re called big cats.”

  Wade shuffled in his seat but remained silent, suddenly wondering if Jake was as intimidated by them as he was.

  “Circle,” Amanda ordered, and the cats dispersed loosely, haphazardly surrounding her until she adeptly pointed them into exact position with her training stick and gave them their next command.

  While her guests watched intently, Amanda ordered “move round” and the lions began circling, picking up their pace and then breaking into a run when she waved her stick higher and faster above their heads.

  Both Alvirez and Marcus could see she was having trouble concentrating but that obscure
detail was lost to her audience. Focus, she told herself, even as the lions ran loosely around her. Instinctively honing in on her distracted mood, the cats rushed by wayward and scattered even as she struggled to keep them under control.

  “Shit Amanda, what the hell you doin’?” Tyler screamed and everyone turned his way.

  No one, except the lions, had seen or heard him arrive. Unlike his usual easygoing and amiable self, he was annoyed and irritated and he yelled at Amanda once again.

  “Reign ‘em in. Reign ‘em in. Keep on ‘em!”

  She struggled to keep them moving and obeying under her command. Tyler stomped to the very outside of the pen, placing his hand on the latch of the entrance gate.

  “Come on Amanda,” he yelled, “You want your show to open and close on the same day?”

  Wade tensed in his seat, leaned in front of Rachel and asked Katelyn pointedly, “Fuck he’s an asshole. Who the hell is he?”

  “Tyler Cassidy,” Katelyn whispered. “He works with Amanda puttin’ her shows together. Has tons of his own animals in movies and TV.”

  Wade hated him instantly. Another rival who had so much more in common with Amanda than himself. And by the looks of things, he didn’t treat her with much more respect than Jake.

  Amanda finished circling the lions and, calling out their names, had each pounce atop one of the scattered perches near the far side of the pen.

  “Come on Zuru, perch!” she yelled, but the lioness merely looked at her, ambled off sideways and sat down. Besides her, only Bongo remained on the ground and he became restless in the wake of Zuru’s disobedience and confusion.

  “Fuck,” Amanda muttered under her breath, suddenly so aware of Rachel and Wade’s presence.

  They must think I’m the most inept cat wrangler in the world, she thought. I’m sure not looking anything like the famed Beast Mistress.

  She moved forward decisively, gently tapped Zuru on the nose with the training stick and motioned with it towards the empty perch she wanted her on.

  “Zuru, up,” she repeated over and over again until the lioness finally obeyed.

  Then, exhaling deeply, she turned towards Bongo who was pacing aimlessly in the other corner of the pen.