Pieces of Me (Midnight Steel Trilogy Book 1)

by Lori J. Nelson

  When Ethan saw the tears in her eyes, he continued. She had to know it all. “He never planned on falling for you, but he did. And I think the same thing happened to you. You both found love when you least expected it. By this time, Laz…sorry Luv, I’ve called him Laz since the day I met him, can’t change that now. But by this time, he didn’t know how to tell you there was more to him then he had said. He got so caught up in you and this new world he was enjoying. But then I showed up and fucked everything up, I took a broken man back to London. He drank himself into oblivion every night for weeks until I was afraid he was going to drink himself to death. That’s how bad it was. He knows he fucked it up badly, but that was just a stupid mistake. He loves you, and I have never seen him this messed up before. That’s why I am personally asking you to come to the show Saturday night.”

  Corie was at a loss what to do. Hearing what Ethan had to say did start to sway her. She wanted to see him again, to feel his arms around her, but could she trust him with her heart this time? “I don’t know, Ethan. I’m so confused.”

  If there was one thing Ethan Madden was good at, it was persuading women to see things his way. “Please come, Corie. I know you don’t owe me anything, but I’m here because Laz needs you and I think you need him, too. You won’t take his calls, so he didn’t know what to do.”

  “He could have come back like you did?”

  “Yes, he could have, and we talked about it, but he was afraid you would still send him away. He’s a strong man, but not when it comes to you. I know he wouldn’t be able to take another rejection from you, so I took it upon myself to come and talk to you. Please come to New York. I can have the band’s plane pick you up in Portland and fly you to New York. I have a suite booked for you at the St. Regis and a car to take you to the show. I know that if you and Laz talk and you can find it in your heart to forgive him, you won’t regret it. He’s worth it, Corie. He’s worth the risk.” Ethan had laid all of his cards on the table. He had taken a big gamble showing up here unannounced, but he had a good feeling he was winning her over.

  Corie could feel her resolve beginning to crumble, but she needed to know one more thing first. “Why me? I understand that you are doing this for Alek, your best friend, but why me? You don’t really know me. For all you know, I could have known about him from the start. So, why me?”

  Ethan flashed the smile that had millions of women fangirling over him all the time. “Because I know you better than you think. I told you have I connections, and I found out everything I could about you. And you know what that was?”

  “No, what?”

  “That you are everything you said you were and more. You have a solid career, first of all. You don’t need Laz for his money, but that’s not your style, right?” When he saw her agree, he continued, “I could not find a bad piece of press about you. In fact, everyone raves what a great person you are. And finally, you are simply a beautiful woman. I can see why Laz fell completely for you. You both deserve to be happy. So, tell me you are coming to the show. I can guarantee you that it will be a special night that you won’t forget.”

  Corie saw Ethan looking at her waiting for her answer. She didn’t have a choice anymore. She had to go and see him again. Being angry at him all the time was taking a toll on her, and frankly, she realized maybe she had overreacted. It was time to make some changes.

  “I’ll go,” she told him with a smile. “I’ll go.”

  Ethan jumped up out of the chair and pulled her into a hug. “Brilliant, Luv. Absolutely brilliant! Let me go out to my car to get the details for you. I left them on the front seat.” He kissed her cheek before running out of the kitchen toward the door.

  Corie sat down again in a daze. She knew this was the right thing to do. Anger had clouded her judgment too long. Overwhelming emotions spilled out of her when she realized that she was going to see Alek in three days. And it couldn’t come fast enough.

  Chapter 18

  Corie was sitting in the back of the long, sleek limousine that had been sent to take her to the concert. She was a nervous wreck and had been since she had made the monumental decision to go to New York. After Ethan left that afternoon, her first call was to Kelsey. Her friend was ecstatic with the news that Corie decided to go see Alek, but she hid her disappointment about not getting to meet Midnight Steel’s lead singer…again. Twice, he was in town and twice she missed meeting him.

  Kelsey came over that evening after getting out of work to help Corie tackle the biggest problem women had…what to wear. They had three days to find her the perfect outfit. Nothing in her closet screamed rock concert. In fact, it didn’t even whisper it. There weren’t any stores in Ashland or the surrounding towns that would have what she was looking for. Her only choice would be to look in Portland or wait until she got to New York. Since the better option was Portland, because there wouldn’t be enough time to shop since she would be arriving on the day of the show, she and Kelsey had searched online for clothing stores that may have something suitable for her wear. Neither of them regularly shopped there, so they had no idea what stores to try. Corie was not going to wear something that was completely not her, but she knew she needed to step out of her comfort zone a little for this.

  She drove down a day early to have time to search the stores before flying to New York. It was a whirlwind trying to get everything done which included packing and making arrangements for her hens to be taken care of, plus getting a hotel room for her night in Portland.

  After the long drive down from Ashland, she was able to get an early checkin at the Portland Harbor Hotel. Corie dropped off her luggage and then was immediately on the hunt for the outfit that would make her fit in at the show. It was in a small boutique clothing store called Raven she found almost everything she needed. There she purchased a low-cut white lace dress that while it hugged her breasts, it flared out at the waist, but ended well above her knees.

  Everything else she wore was midnight black from her stockings to the silver studded knee-high boots that gave her a good extra four inches in height. Since the boots were higher than she usually wore, Corie practiced walking in them in her hotel room and down the long corridors the night before she flew out. She finished off the look with a short leather jacket that practically matched her boots with the silver studding on it. And with a few carefully selected pieces of jewelry, Corie had her new look. She just hoped that Alek wouldn’t think it was too much. She wanted to fit into his lifestyle, but still remain true to herself.

  That was yesterday. Today, she in the middle of New York City’s chaos. It was a slow drive down 5th Avenue towards the Webster. The city was filled with millions of people, all going about their business at the same time making the trip longer than usual. The suspense had her stomach in knots. Corie nervously fussed with the hem of her dress as she got closer to finally seeing Alek. Now that her decision had been made to talk to him again, she was all in. Forgiveness was definitely an option now. In fact, she had already forgiven him. Ethan had her understanding Alek better than Alek did himself.

  Suddenly, the driver pulled down a long alleyway, and they were at the back entrance of Webster Hall. Corie barely had time to panic before the driver was opening the door for her. One second, she was standing there a bit lost, and the next she was being whisked down a dark back hallway by a man who said his name was Hank. He had given her a pass to wear around her neck and told her to follow him.

  He brought her to a tiny room marked private on the door and told her to wait here. When she tried to question him, he flashed a look that had her stopping in mid-sentence. He closed the door behind him and was gone. Corie had no idea what to do, and just as she was about to text Ethan, the handsome black haired singer walked through the door.

  “I am so happy you are here,” he told her as drew her into his arms for a hug.

  “Me too. I wasn’t going to come, but you convinced me that I needed to. I have to see him again. Thank you for that, Ethan.”

 
“It’s all my pleasure, Luv. Now, are you ready?”

  “Does he know I’m coming?” Corie asked?

  “No. I said nothing to him, but he keeps calling Will Call every ten minutes to see if you’ve picked up the ticket and pass yet. You never will, because I gave you these, so it’s driving him crazy,” Ethan smiled. “But before we go, let me give you fair warning. Backstage is filled with the usual chaos which includes the groupies that follow us. Don’t listen to anything they have to say about any of us even though most of it is probably true. Jealous vipers, but they do have their uses,” he said with a wink. “We are all one hundred percent single, and hopefully that will end for Laz in just a few minutes, right?” Ethan had overstepped quite a bit getting Corie to come to the show. All he cared about was Laz ending up happy.

  “Well, I came so we could talk at least,” Corie told him.

  “Well, I’m betting on a full-fledged reunion and nothing less,” he vowed with complete confidence. “Now let’s go find Laz.

  Ethan took her hand in his as they traversed the winding hallways of backstage. How he didn’t get lost was a mystery. As they came into more populated areas, Corie could see the women he had warned her about. She felt the daggers their eyes were throwing at her, and she wasn’t even with Ethan. But she knew all they saw was him holding her hand as they walked along.

  “The Green Room is right up here, and that’s where he is. I can’t wait to see his face when he sees you.” Then Ethan whispered in her ear, “You are the hottest woman here tonight by far, and Laz is one lucky son-of-a-bitch, but if this doesn’t work out between the two of you, I just may show up at your place…again. Just do me a favor, Luv and get those potholes fixed. They’re killing my Maserati.”

  A nervous giggle escaped from Corie. The look Ethan gave her told her he was completely serious, but she couldn’t even begin to comprehend that now. She was seconds from seeing Alek.

  “Thank you,” she said smiling at Ethan. She placed a quick kiss on his cheek before turning and walking into the room.

  Her eyes scanned the dozen or so people in there, quickly finding the man that had stolen her heart all those months ago. His back was to her, and he was talking to a platinum blonde that was poured into a red dress. Her breasts looked about to fall out of it. Corie was instantly overcome with jealousy.

  When she took a step forward, her eyes narrowed with hate as she watched the woman place a possessive hand on Alek’s bare arm. But she didn’t miss him shake it off. That put the smile back on her face. As she moved closer, she could hear their conversation.

  “C’mon Laz. I don’t know why you keep being so cold to me. We used to heat up the sheets pretty well, not so long ago,” the woman purred.

  “That’s the key word, Crystal…used to. And it was quite a while ago. I thought I told you in Montreal to leave me alone…nothing’s changed.” Corie watched him take a sip from the glass he held. She knew he favored Glenlivet.

  “Geez, Laz it’s not like you have a girlfriend or anything. We were so good together. Remember?”

  That’s when Corie stepped next to Alek. “I actually think he’s trying to forget,” she said to the other woman. “And by the way, he does have a girlfriend. So back off.”

  Crystal looked Corie up and down before rolling her eyes at her. “Seriously? Laz, tell this bitch to go away.”

  Corie could see the surprise on his face when he turned quickly and saw her. That swiftly changed into an angry glare that had her scared for a second, until he turned away from her to the other woman. “I will not tell my girlfriend to go away, you will go away…permanently. And if I ever hear you call her a bitch or any other derogatory name again, you are finished being a backstage whore. I warned you last time I could get you banned from the band access you live for and I will, Crystal. For now, you are simply blacklisted from any Midnight Steel event…starting now. Get the fuck out of here.”

  Fury came across Crystal’s face. She raised her arm to slap Alek, but Corie grabbed her first. “Don’t touch him or I’ll pull every strand of that weave off of your ugly head.”

  Before Crystal could even say a word to Corie, there were two security guards there to remove her. She was cursing up a storm as they each took an arm and were forcibly pushing her towards the door. They stopped in front of Ethan where he was leaning against the doorframe. That’s when he reached over and removed the pass from around her neck. “You’re not welcome here anymore, you fucking bitch. You fuck with one of us, you fuck with us all. Now you don’t just have Laz to worry about, you have me too. I never want to see that fat ass of yours around here again,” Ethan growled at the shocked woman.

  He stepped aside so security could remove her from the room and the ultimately the building. He flashed a big smile at Corie. She knew he had her back and that made her feel so much better. Alek had yet to say a word directly to her.

  “Okay, everyone out,” Ethan announced. “Laz needs the room.”

  Corie watched as the people hanging out in there slowly left. There were a few grumbles, but the room was soon empty. “Don’t fuck this up, mate,” Ethan laughed before he closed the door leaving Alek and Corie alone for the first time in months.

  Neither of them said a word as they stared at each other. His blue eyes showed pain and loneliness, but there was hopefulness in them too. Corie’s heart was beating a mile a minute. She couldn’t get any words to form, to tell him she was sorry, so she took a step toward him at the same time Alek moved closer to her. She fell into his strong arms and felt the tears start. How she had missed this…missed him.

  “You came,” he murmured into her hair.

  “I almost didn’t, but in the end, I had to.”

  “Why?” he asked as he cupped her chin and raised her face towards his. He then wiped away the tears with his thumbs.

  “Because I love you.”

  Alek couldn’t believe that she had just told him she still loved him. For the first time in months, he had hope again. “Tell me again,” he begged. “I need to hear it again.”

  He saw relief and happiness spread across her face. “I love you,” she told him.

  “Thank God. I love you, too.” Alek crushed her in his arms, burying his face in the crook of her neck. When he sent her the invitation to come to the show, he wasn’t sure that she would actually show up. He hoped and prayed, but he really thought she would ignore it. But here she was back in his arms where she belonged.

  “Let’s sit down,” she suggested to him. “We still need to talk.”

  “Damn,” he thought as he followed her over to a brown leather sofa. “Don’t fuck it up, Lazare. Just be honest and if that doesn’t work, get on your knees and beg.” No one had ever been this important to him before. He was willing to do anything to get her back.

  Together they sat down on the couch, and he watched Corie turn towards him. God, she was so beautiful. Taking in everything about her, almost had him missing what she was saying to him.

  “First, I’m sorry. I know now that I overreacted to who I thought you are and who you really are. I should have listened to you more, but I had my reasons that you need to know about.”

  Why was she apologizing to him? He’s the one that fucked everything up. “Wait, you weren’t wrong to get angry with me. That’s why I was afraid to tell you after all that time. You had every right to hate me. I lied mostly about who I was, but not entirely. I need to tell you about Caroline.”

  “And I need to tell you about Jeremy,” she said softly. “Can I go first?”

  Alek took her hand in his. “Anything you want. If you want to go first, then please do. We probably should have done this a long time ago,” he said. He should have told her a lot in the beginning, but at least he was getting a second chance.

  Corie started to explain to him how she had met Jeremy at a cocktail party in New York that was put on by her publishing house. They laughed when they found out they both lived in Boston and then spent the rest of the night talki
ng. He called and asked her out the same day they both returned home. Six months later they were living together and a year after that Corie was hoping he would propose on her birthday. He had told her he had something important to talk to her about, so he had made reservations at one of her favorite restaurants.

  That day, she had come home from work early to take extra time to get ready for their special dinner. She was dreaming of a long hot bath when she opened their bedroom door and to her absolute shock saw him having sex with another woman. It had taken her a second to realize that it was Camille, another lawyer from his firm. One who never had been nice to her. Now she knew why.

  With her world crumbling before her, Jeremy got up off the bed and had the nerve to stand before her still naked and apologize that she had to find out this way.

  “Here I thought he was going to propose at dinner, but he was going to break up with me instead. Camille was moving in, and I had to pack up as soon as possible. The jackass never even remembered it was my birthday,” she sighed. The memory still hurt, even though she had gotten over loving him. “He had been lying to me for months about meetings with clients after work and on weekends. I thought he was working extra to help make partner in the firm, but he was only fucking Camille. I’m sorry, Alek. I just knew you had lied and I couldn’t get past that.”

  Hearing Corie confide in him about her last boyfriend’s betrayal had Alek curling his hands into tight fists. How could this idiot have ever wanted to let Corie go? She was perfect…in every way possible. That he hurt her this badly and that crassly, made him furious. She deserved better. A hell of a lot better.

  “I hate that he hurt you so much. I can’t imagine that he thought that Camille bitch was better than you.” He cupped her face with his hand. “You are nothing short of perfection.”