Scandalous Beat
by
New York Times Bestselling author
MICHELLE MANKIN
Scandalous Beat
A Tempest novel
Copyright © 2017 by Michelle Mankin
All rights reserved.
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products, bands, and/or restaurants referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Praise for New York Times bestselling author Michelle Mankin and her Tempest rock star romance series
There are so many rocker type series out there but I can’t think of any that delve so deep into the human psyche like Mankin’s.
– JC At All is Read
Irresistible, Enticing, Captivating Relentless - All the books kept me up late at night. They had that 'had to finish' quality…
– Jzozo an Amazon Reviewer
Amazing books!! I love anything Mankin writes. Her Rock and Roll characters are some of my most favorite ever. They are real, they go through hell and back, and they are totally HOT!
– Mandy I Read Indie
One of the best ‘Music Rockstar based’ series around.
– Paula Phillips Phantom Paragrapher
Great series! Love romance naughty REAL and RAW this is for you. I loved it!
– Reading Renee
I love this series, all the ups and downs. The characters are great, fully realized with glass just like the rest of us.
– Nichole Mattaliano Amazon Reviewer
5 Holy Hott Rocker Stars LOVE this series LOVE this author READY for more.
– Bookworm Betties
Love sadness despair hate triumph—real life emotions in the fairy tale world of rock n roll.
– Goodreads reviewer Wendy
Loved these books! Ms Mankin has a way of developing her characters to seem that they become a part of the reader’s life. Beautiful and encompassing story of each of these characters!!
– StarAngel’s Reviews
LOOOOOOVE THIS SERIES!!! I devoured each of these books when I first read them. Every book gives us a different male lead from the band and you fall in love with every single one of them.
– JC82 Amazon reviewer
…very sexy, very passionate... I was simply blown away by how well written these books truly are.
– MJlovestoread
The perfect example of why I enjoy reading romance novels so much.
– The To Be Read List
I really like the overarching plot that ties all these stories together. It adds another layer to the complexity as well as adding suspense. I also enjoy how Mankin weaves music into the story - it is about a rock band after all - so I appreciate the lyrics woven in, the concert scenes, etc. And I've mentioned in previous reviews that each book has its own element for social awareness.
– Bookworm Brandee
I really fell in love with these characters. Their background and their triumphant attitude was heartening. The writing style I found easy to read and couldn't put it down.
– Patricia Martin Amazon reviewer
I LOVE THIS SERIES – Everything you need - rockers, friendship, love, emotion, redemption and enough steamy scenes to keep you coming back for more!
– Brandee’s Book Endings
Where do I start? This is one of the best series I have read by far. Each band member comes with his own personal demons he must overcome and find the true love.
Michelle Mankin has become one of my favorite authors in just a small amount of time. Her edgy subject matter and lyrical writing is amazing. I can always count on her to convey that love does conquer all.
– New York Times bestselling author Nicole Garcia
Other Titles by Michelle Mankin
BRUTAL STRENGTH series:
Love Evolution
Love Revolution
Love Resolution
Love Rock’ollection
TEMPEST series (also available in audio):
Irresistible Refrain
Enticing Interlude
Captivating Bridge
Relentless Rhythm
Tempest Raging
Tempting Tempo
Scandalous Beat
The MAGIC series (also available in audio):
Strange Magic
Dream Magic
Twisted Magic
ROCK STARS, SURF AND SECOND CHANCES series (also available in audio):
Outside
Riptide
Oceanside
FINDING ME series (also available in audio):
Find Me
Remember Me
Keep Me
ROCK F*CK CLUB series:
Rock F*ck Club (audio coming soon)
Rock F*ck Club 1.5
Once upon a time,
an enemy slipped into your lives and tried to tear your beautiful family apart,
but you defeated him with true love and courage.
This one is for you.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Definition of Beat
Epigraph
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 Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
Chapter Fifty-Four
Epilogue
Author Note
About the Author
Acknowledgements
Beat: A main a
ccent or rhythmic unit in music or poetry; a pulsation of the heart.
Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it.
– Confucius
Prologue
Miriam
“Come, gentle night; come, loving, black-browed night;
Give me my Romeo; and, when I shall die take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night,
And pay no worship to the garish sun.”
I poured everything I felt inside my heart into the lines Shakespeare seemed to have penned just for me and the one beside me.
“Órale. ¡A huevo! ¡Arriba tu!” Cool! Unbelievable! Hooray for you! His approval stirred forbidden flutters inside my chest.
Why forbidden?
He was too old for me for one thing.
More importantly he was my brother’s best friend.
He was off limits. For sure.
But did Juaquin Acenado have any idea how hard I had fallen for him?
“You didn’t miss a word, mijita.” He swallowed, almost certainly embarrassed by the way I clung to his every utterance with my gaze. “None of this ‘where for art thou’ shit made any sense to me when I had to read it in school.” His voice deepened as he continued. “But the way you speak those words makes everything clear. The lengths Juliet would go to be with Romeo. The depths of her feelings for him.”
What I would do for you. How much I care for you.
My chosen prince. He sat on the couch only inches away, his eyes a welcoming amber fire. I found myself leaning toward his warmth, almost bold enough to risk voicing my innermost thoughts. I was tempted, oh so tempted, to climb onto his lap, tuck my head beneath his regal chin, lay my cheek to his sturdy chest, and bask contentedly in his steady glow. But I was sixteen. He was three years older than me. Rejection seemed certain. I knew he must view me as nothing more than a little girl. Mijita.
“I’m just comfortable with you, Juaquin.” I gave voice to safer truths than my feelings. “You’re a great help to me.” The worn-out springs on our sofa that doubled as a bed for my brother creaked beneath me as I shifted closer. “Thanks.”
“De nada.” It’s nothing. Clearing his throat, he glanced away, severing a connection between us that I had probably only imagined. I wanted his attention, craved it. Juaquin was less shy around me than he had been when we had first met, but there remained times like these when he retreated, barricading himself and his sensitive soul behind a wall. But I had uncovered a key that unlocked the gate to his sanctuary. His poetry. Within his descriptive rhymes lay insights into the hidden depths of the drummer in my brother’s band. How he used his humor to hide his pain, bravado to shield his heart. Also how much anger that heart caged. Anger I understood, even if it sometimes frightened me.
“Juaquin,” I called his name softly. I knew that I could usually reach him with gentleness. “If you’ve written a new poem this week I’d love to hear it.” He turned toward me. Our gazes locked for a moment. My scalp tingled. My cheeks flushed with warmth, and my fluttering heart began to thump with anticipation. One thump. Two. A third as the moment lingered. I coveted every moment spent alone with Juaquin. I replayed everything from every single one searching for significance in them. Every word, every gesture, every facial expression, hoping to find confirmation that meant he cared for me the way I did for him.
“There is one new one,” he admitted, raking a waterfall of ebony strands from his gorgeous amber eyes. His movement caused his knee to brush against my own. It bounced to a beat only he could hear, but I wanted to hear him, to know him, to understand everything about him if only he would let me. “It’s about a guy who meets a girl.” The mahogany striations within his eyes darkened. “A very talented girl who grows more beautiful each day. A girl he should get out of his head, if only he knew how to.” He leaned slightly closer. My heart drummed faster. His face dipped toward my own. He angled his head one way. I angled mine the other. His lids lowered. Mine lowered. Our mouths hovered an inch apart, his parting slightly. His warm breath bathed my lips.
Please, I thought. Please kiss me.
“Bryan should be here any minute.” My mother’s abrupt announcement from her spot in the efficiency kitchen behind us had the effect I suspect she intended. Dishes clanked together that I hadn’t noticed a moment earlier. Juaquin scooted away. The heat between us dissipated. Disappointment stifled the anticipatory flutters of my heart.
“It sounds intriguing.” I pressed my lips together and schooled my features. “Maybe you could tell me more about it later.” Had he really been about to kiss me, or had I only imagined what I wanted to happen? “Thank you for running my lines with me. Practicing with you always makes it easier to memorize them.”
“I can’t take the credit. That’s all you, niñita. I can’t believe how you can repeat them back to me after hearing them only one time.”
“Yeah, well, reading them on my own is difficult because of the way my brain mixes up letters and words on the page.” I pointed to my head. “It’s a little messed up in there, but I have a phonographic memory for the things I hear. Lyrics. Dialogue in movies. Your poetry.” I dropped my gaze. Too revealing that last remark. I wasn’t ashamed of my dyslexia around Juaquin. He never treated me differently because of it. He read my lines to me at a normal tempo not ploddingly slow like most who equated my learning disability with a lack of intelligence. With him I saw only sympathy in his eyes whenever I struggled. His kindness stirred a longing within my heart that wouldn’t go away.
“I can’t wait to see you in the show.”
“You’re coming to see the play?” My bright tone revealed my excitement. He had never attended one of my performances.
“Sí. Sager. Me.” He tapped his chest with his fist. “All the guys in the band.”
“Bryan’s making you come, isn’t he?” My eyes narrowed. If that were the case, I was going to kill my big brother.
“He might have mentioned a break in the upcoming tour schedule, and that he expected all of us to be there, but I wouldn’t miss it regardless.” His expression grew intense. “You in the spotlights with your black hair down and your grey-green eyes sparkling the way they do whenever you get emotional.” He traced a lock of my hair from the elastic that held it back to the gathered ends spilling over my shoulder. I shivered even though he never actually touched my skin. “When have you ever missed a poetry reading of mine at St. Mary’s?” he whispered.
“Never,” I admitted. “I’ve memorized every poem you’ve shared with me.” His full lips formed a slow smile in response to my confession. My heart melted. “Juaquin…I…Maybe…Would you…” I bit down on my bottom lip fumbling for words as emotions tumbled through me. My mother cleared her throat behind us. The oven timer dinged. Juaquin’s gaze slid away, lost in those distractions. When it returned, his expression was shuttered. Distant, my prince had retreated behind his castle walls.
“You’re a sweet kid, Miriam Jackson.” He tapped my nose with his finger.
“I’m not a kid.” My cheeks flamed.
“No,” he decided, running his gaze over me. “You most certainly are not.” His voice was gruff. My skin prickled with awareness everywhere his gaze had touched. He stood. “I should get going.” A shadow tarnished the polished gold of his eyes.
“But you only just got here,” I complained unable to suppress the whining plea to my tone.
“Tell Bryan I’ll catch him later.” He yanked down the ragged hem of his Cannibal Corpse t-shirt. It had ridden up while he had been seated. He wore it loosely to hide his stomach. His lips formed a frown that mirrored my own. I knew his weight embarrassed him the way my struggles with reading embarrassed me, but I couldn’t care less that he was overweight. I knew a regal physique didn’t equate to a noble heart. My father was living proof of that. No, it was the inner Juaquin that I had fallen for. His loyalty to my brother. His patience with me. His
quick wit that never failed to make me smile whenever I was frustrated. And his marvelous ability to paint beautiful pictures with his words.
“Please stay just a tiny bit longer. Dinner’s ready. You could eat with us. You didn’t tell me if War agreed to use the chorus you wrote.”
“I’m not hungry.” His frown deepening, his brows drew together into a sharp v. “And I’m not exactly on Warren Jinkins’ good side at the moment.”
“I didn’t know he had a good side,” I mumbled.
His lips didn’t lift into a grin at my quip, but at least they twitched in an upward direction.
“Stay.” I stood and boldly reached for one of his bronzed hands with one of my smaller paler ones when the door to the apartment suddenly burst open. My brother stepped through the gap, letting in a chilly blast of Seattle air and the sound of a distant siren. I dropped my arm to my side and withdrew a respectable distance away from Juaquin. My brother was irrational and overprotective when it came to guys and me. I didn’t want to cause trouble between the two friends. But if Juaquin returned my feelings…
“Hey,” Bryan offered a generic greeting, scraping off the hood of his jacket, revealing his short light brown hair. He crossed to Juaquin in a couple of strides. They clasped arms and clapped each other on the back. They launched into a discussion about what song they wanted to use to open tonight’s show, the last scheduled Tempest performance in Southside. The band had recently signed a record deal with RCA and would be going on tour after their final Seattle show.
Time had just about run out. I didn’t have the luxury of easing into the matter of sharing my feelings. If I wanted Juaquin to know how I really felt, I was going to have to tell him. If I wanted him to see me as a woman, I was going to have to act like one. If I wanted to accomplish those things I would have to break some rules, and it would have to be tonight.
Scandalous Beat (The Tempest Rock Star series Book 6) Page 1