Altered Chords

by Kristen Echo

  Round one turned into several. The place was bumping. They spent the next hour drinking and dancing. Everyone laughed and shared stories. The girls seemed to accept him which made her smile. Her cheeks hurt by the end of the night. Tyson excused himself to use the washroom, leaving her alone with her friends.

  “Girl, he’s actually pretty amazing,” Tatianna said, leaning her elbows on the table.

  Kelly finished her shot and wiped her mouth. Her crimson lipstick left its mark on the glass. “He’s not what I expected. He’s way better.”

  “You both sound surprised. I’ve been telling you for weeks, he’s the best,” Bria responded, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “I am surprised. He’s nothing like your ex. Klein was polished and connected to all the right people. High society all the way. They are total opposites.” Tat was right. They were different men.

  “Klein was a psychopath. I’m glad they are different. Tyson loves me for me. It doesn’t matter what circles we came from; we mesh.” Thinking about her ex, brought back painful memories. A shiver ran down her spine, chilling her.

  “Is this serious? I get that you’re living together, but it’s just fun. This isn’t a long-term arrangement?” Kelly stared at her expectantly.

  Were they just having fun? She hoped it was more. The weekend she’d met him, all she wanted was to escape her past and have fun. Tyson had checked off all her boxes. He continued to blow her away. She couldn’t imagine not having him in her life.

  “This will sound crazy, but I’m going to marry him one day. I know it.” Bria beamed as she pictured walking down the aisle towards him.

  “That’s the booze talking,” Kelly slurred. “Don’t confuse great sex with love.”

  “Not even. Girls, he’s the one.” She slapped her hands on the wet table top. “Great doesn’t even cover it. OMG. All I’m saying is I was sure before, but now seeing him with both of you, I’m positive.”

  “Hold up. What do your parents think of this wedding bells talk?” Tatianna bumped her side.

  Bria shrugged her shoulders. Her father was a work in progress. His frosty demeanor seemed to thaw a little with each passing week. “They don’t know I’m thinking forever. Daddy won’t be happy with any man. Especially after all the horrors Klein put us through.” Her mistakes had cost her family a lot of money. “My dad worked his butt off to build his business and Klein stole from us. He used me. Money isn’t important to Tyson.”

  “Having fun is great, but money should be important to everyone,” Tat added. “I’m glad you’re happy, but life isn’t cheap.”

  In the distance, Bria saw Tyson coming towards them. “Shh,” she said, waving her hands over the table. “Stop talking about weddings. I don’t want to scare him.”

  “I’ll be quiet, if you promise to make me your maid of honor.” Kelly mocked zipping her lips shut.

  “Deal.” She shook pinkie fingers with her best friend. They hadn’t balked or called her crazy for wanting to marry Tyson. They got it. She lifted her drink and sipped through the straw, trying to act casual, even though her heart raced like a thoroughbred charging towards the finish line.

  “Hey!” Tat tossed her hands in the air. “Why don’t I get the top spot?”

  “Are you still talking about not finding a man?” Tyson asked as he wrapped his arms around Bria’s waist. “If you want, I’ll set you up with a guy from my crew. He might not be boyfriend material, but he’ll wet your lips.”

  Bria spat her drink onto the floor. “Tyson…” she coughed.

  Her friend pretended to ponder his offer. “If he’s as hot as you then give him my number.”

  Tyson scoffed. “I have no idea if he’s hot or not. Come by the job site and I’ll point him out. He’s single. That’s about all I can tell you.”

  Kelly and Tatianna discussed the sexiness of blue-collar workers as Bria melted into Tyson’s arms. The waitress cleared their empty glasses and Bria declined another round. The image of Tyson in a tux with his tattoos poking out the top of his dress shirt made her wet. She leaned her head back against his shoulder.

  “I’m ready to get you naked,” she whispered into his ear and hugged his large bicep.

  He turned to face her. Their lips were less than an inch apart. “The feeling is mutual. What will you do with me?” His tongue licked along his bottom lip, tempting her.

  “Make love to you,” she breathed. Her words were choppy and laced with desire. “Show you with my hands, my lips and my tongue that we belong together.”

  Tyson kissed her. Hard. Their mouths pressed together as his tongue invaded. She ran her hands through his hair, pulling him closer. Her friends loved him, and her parents were coming around. This man was her future. She wanted to show him how much happiness he brought into her life.

  “Hey! Get a room you two.”

  Tyson released her lips, grabbed her hand and helped her off the stool. “I don’t want to rub it in, but we won’t be waiting for a room.”

  Bria laughed as Tatianna groaned and Kelly’s eyes widened. “Great to see you both. Love you! We’ll chat soon,” she yelled as Tyson pulled her away from the table.

  True to his word, they rounded the exterior of the building and he pushed her against the wall. His erection pressed into her stomach. The shadows provided enough coverage, so no one would see them. Not that she cared if anyone did.

  “You make me so happy. I love you,” she said before claiming his mouth. Her fingers unzipped his jeans and dove into his briefs. Smooth, hard flesh greeted her.

  “It never gets old hearing you say that.” He kissed along her jaw as his hands undid her pants. “Do you want me, Bria? Did I pass your test?”

  “What are you talking about?” Her hand stilled on his cock.

  His knees moved between her legs, widening her stance. “Me and your friends. I feel like you’ve been scared about how people will react to us. I’m not from your social circle. Not a prep school kid or trust fund brat. It’s cool.” He rubbed along her folds, teasing her.

  “Tyson, I didn’t… I never meant to hide you or us.” She closed her eyes. They’d gone on dates and to her parent’s place a few times for dinner, but no socializing. She wasn’t embarrassed of him. “I’m sorry,” she whispered and opened her eyes. Bria grazed her fingers along the stubble on his chin. This amazing man with his scars and tattoos had become her world.

  His eyes darkened as he continued to tease her, pressing against her most tender area. “I get it, but I need to know if I made the cut? Be honest.”

  “Yessss,” she hissed as two fingers slipped inside her, making her body tremble.

  He pumped his fingers and nibbled her ear. He squeezed her breast and tickled her insides until she could barely catch her breath. “Tell me. Louder,” he whispered, twisting his fingers and hitting her G-spot.

  “I want you! Always,” she yelled into the darkness of the night. “I will always want you. Always love you. You’re my forever.”

  The booze had loosened her lips, but she didn’t regret her words. She loved him. It wasn’t a fleeting romance. Her walls compressed around his fingers as an orgasm burst through her.

  Their eyes met, and their smiles matched. “Forever sounds just about right.”

  EPILOGUE

  Tyson ♫

  S weat coated his palms. Not many things made Tyson nervous, but this moment mattered. Months of planning and he’d already fucked it up. Bria’s fingers slipped from his grip and he quickly recovered her hand. “It’s warm out,” he lied.

  The early winter breeze ruffled her hair, pushing her firecracker locks into her face. Bria tucked the wayward strands behind her ears and adjusted the collar on her coat as they continued their stroll. There were no tourists milling about the sidewalks of Banff. This trip differed greatly from his last. He exhaled and stared straight ahead. Their destination was only a few feet away.

  “Are you okay?” Bria squeezed his hand and slowed their pace. “You look as white
as a ghost. Like you’re about to pass out or something. If you’re sick, we can head back to the hotel?”

  “It took ages to get out of the room,” he said with a smile. “I had hoped to catch the sunset with you, but it’s almost gone.”

  After almost two months together, they were still insatiable. Their hunger for one another hadn’t diminished in the slightest. Waking up and making love to Bria was the highlight of Tyson’s day. He’d fallen madly in love with the firecracker by his side.

  Everything he’d learned about her made him love her more. She was sweet, feisty and brilliant. Moving in with her had been a smooth transition. Sort of. Her parents hadn’t accepted him with open arms, but they’d stopped giving Bria grief over their relationship. Tyson had even come to an understanding with Mr. Rosedale. The man drove a hard bargain for his daughter’s hand, but Bria was worth it. She was everything.

  His heart thundered in his chest. He tugged her forward to the spot they’d met a short time ago. This was it.

  “Sunsets are great, but I’d rather stare at you. Touch you. Make love to you. It’s certainly not my fault you’re so sexy. I can’t keep my hands to myself,” she purred and pressed her body against his arm.

  He’d never been so damn happy, and it was all because of her. “Hearing you say those things makes me rock hard.”

  Her eyes sparkled as she looked around and rubbed her breasts against him. “You know this is where we met, right?”

  Tyson twisted her around and pressed her back against the brick wall. It was the same spot he’d claimed her lips for the first time. He hoped it would be the spot where she’d agree to be his forever. He took both of her hands and smiled. His stomach flipped at the possibility he was moving too fast. This could all blow up in his face, but he had to try. She deserved to know he was hers forever, or as long as she’d have him.

  “Firecracker, I love you. You never stop amazing me. You are everything I never expected to find.” He brought her hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

  “I love you too,” she said. “So much that I don’t think I ever knew what love was until I met you.”

  “Good.” He dropped to his knees and locked his eyes with hers. “Will you promise to love me forever?”

  Her lips quivered, and her eyes filled with tears. “Always. I’ll love you always.”

  “Music to my ears. With that in your mind and in your heart, will you marry me?”

  “Tyson… Oh, wow. Are you serious?”

  He reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a ring. Bria’s mother had picked it out. The diamond was damn near larger than the mountains. After months of proving himself at work and at home, Mr. Rosedale had given his blessings and offered to pay for everything. He’d insisted on sparing no expense for his only child. While that shit bothered Tyson, he let it slide because he knew Bria would love this ring. She deserved the wedding of her dreams and his pride wouldn’t get in the way. He just wanted to be the man at the end of the aisle.

  “My heart is yours and has been since our first kiss. I promise to spend the rest of my life loving you, kissing you and trying like hell to make you happy. What do you say?”

  Tears spilled down her cheeks as she nodded. Tyson slipped the ring on her finger, taking the head bob as a good sign. Her eyes were glued on the rock and her smile took his breath away. She was the most beautiful creature on the planet. He rose to his feet.

  “I say yes. I would love to be your wife.” She kissed his cheek. “I promise to love, cherish and be faithful to you forever.” She kissed his other cheek and then latched onto his mouth.

  The kiss was every bit as consuming as their fist.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and jumped into his arms. He lifted her, pressing their bodies together. Her hands tugged on his hair as she deepened the kiss. His cock rubbed against her leg and something pulsed against him, making him even harder.

  “Your phone is ringing,” he said before kissing her neck.

  She moved her hair to give him better access. “It can go to voicemail. I’m kissing my future husband. Everything else can wait.”

  They kissed for a long time, and her phone kept vibrating. Tyson wasn’t complaining, but it must have been something important for the caller to keep trying. “Bria, your phone is making my cock numb. You should answer it.”

  “I’ll answer it; only if you promise to make love to me in the next five minutes. I’m not waiting till we get back to the hotel,” she said, reaching into her pocket for her phone.

  Tyson set her on her feet. “I can be inside you in four. Answer the call and walk with me to that alley.”

  Bria checked her phone and handed it to Tyson. “It’s Nate. Did you forget your phone?”

  He swiped to answer as he checked his empty pocket. His friends knew tonight was the big night. They’d been teasing him for the past week about it. He put the phone on speaker. “She said yes.”

  “Damn right she did. That’s awesome. Sorry to interrupt, but Daryl’s MIA. Brody kicked him out. You hear from him?”

  According to Pete and Nate, both Brody and Daryl still used the hard stuff. The party habit they’d picked up on tour had stayed. Only it had become a daily occurrence for Daryl. He was out of control, taking the band down with him. It had sucked hearing all their progress over the summer was fading. The label they’d been talking to was dragging their feet. A missing bassist wasn’t good for business.

  It must have been a major blowout for Brody to give their friend the boot. The last time they spoke, Daryl had begged him for cash. The answer had been no. Not a peep in over a week which was odd considering they usually talked or texted every other day.

  “Nothing for days. That’s fucked. Give me details?” He ran his fingers through his hair as Bria put her hand on his chest. Her presence helped to keep him calm. Being so far away meant there was nothing he could do to help his friends.

  “Same BS,” Nate scoffed. “He owes us all hundreds and B can’t keep fronting. They got into a fist fight before Daryl stormed off. He mentioned you. Look, it’s probably nothing. We’ll try his parents’ place again shortly. You two enjoy your night. Congrats.”

  Bria leaned towards the phone. “Thank you. If there is anything we can do, call us back.”

  Tyson hugged her closer. “Yeah, thanks for the heads up. If I hear from him, I’ll keep you posted. Tell Brody to get a new roommate and say hi to everyone else.”

  “Done. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t,” Nate said then hung up.

  Tyson chuckled because there wasn’t anything Nate wouldn’t do. The news of Daryl’s downward spiral stole the wind from his sails. His buddies deserved happiness like he had finally found. He squeezed Bria tight, letting her warmth seep into his bones.

  “Worrying won’t help anybody.” She gripped his chin, forcing his eyes to meet hers. “He’s a grown man capable of making his own decisions. Let the untamed Rockstar chase his own destiny. Whatever that entails. You’ve been telling Brody to use tough love and you need to follow the same advice. As your fiancé, it’s my job to put a smile back on your face.”

  He kissed her, mashing their lips together. Bria had healed his heart, making it overflow with love. They managed to turn a summer fling into forever. He smiled, grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the alley. “I’ll show you some tough love.”

  AUTHOR NOTE

  THANK YOU FOR READING Altered Chords. Writing this book and this series brought back so many memories. When I was younger, I was surrounded by musicians. My first love opened my eyes to the industry and all the hard work it takes to hopefully one day be discovered. I’m not musically inclined, but I appreciate all the talent and passion they brought to my life. I have loved writing this book and diving into the Untamed Rockstar series. I hope you had fun reading it and continue with the rest of the books as they come out.

  If you can’t get enough Rockstar heat, head over to my website and check out the bonus content area. I wrote a s
hort story that might tickle your fancy. It’s a glimpse into Brody’s story. Grab the short story here. It’s exclusively available to members of my mailing list. Subscribe and get access to all the bonus content.

  I would be honored and grateful if you chose to leave a review. Reviews and fan feedback truly make my day and I read every single one. If you want more Rockstar loving, then please let me know you love the series and can’t wait for more.

  The Untamed Rockstar Series are written as standalone books that can be read in any order. That said, the characters will make appearances again in the other books. Book One, Sinful Backbeat, is next. Keep your eyes out for my other series. The Puck Battle Series follows the Puck Battle NHL team as they chase the Stanley Cup and love. Follow me on Amazon and Facebook so you don’t miss out.

  Sinful Backbeat: Brody has his eyes set on a record deal and taking his band to the next level. He wants to live the Rockstar lifestyle forever, but he needs help. When Maddison joins the band everything changes, including his priorities. This secret lovers story will rock your world.

  Flip the page to find out more about the Puck Battle Series, Holiday Face-off and the Untamed Rockstar Series, Sinful Backbeat.

  SNEAK PEEK

  SINFUL BACKBEAT

  Untamed Rockstar Series Book One

  Sinful Backbeat is a New Adult Rockstar Romance and is intended for a mature audience. Follow the band as they rise to the top of the charts.

  There’s no room for secrets on their rise to the top.

  Brody wants his band to make it but living the Rockstar lifestyle and keeping secrets causes a ton of problems. Something isn’t working, and she might be the solution.

  He’s supposed to keep his hands to himself, but he can’t resist the innocent vixen. She could turn out to be the best thing to ever happen to him, or the one person who can destroy everything.