The Complete Tempest World Box Set

by Mankin, Michelle

  “Call your dad,” I ordered her.

  “What?”

  “Do it. We could use his help, darlin’. He loves you. You love him. Don’t squander that. We both know life’s too fuckin’ short to hold onto grudges, right?”

  “Yes.” She smiled at me, a beamer of one, before laying her head trustingly against my chest, right over the tatted one and the real one that she had set to a new and better rhythm.

  “Good.” I draped an arm around and brought her soft body closer. “You take care of the PR end with your father. Treyall and I will take care of Joel.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  War

  Shaina was on the phone, and so were her parents. They were all in the living room together, laptops open, leftover room service items interspersed with yellow legal pads and pens and pencils. It reminded me of the Seahawks on draft day. The public relations planning surrounding a celebrity seemed just as tactical.

  My cell rang. “Jinkins,” I answered.

  “I’m here,” Treyall said.

  “You wanna come up and say hi to Shaina first?”

  “No. I’m ready to get this done. So I can enjoy seeing her without worrying. You got a plan?”

  “Oh, yeah.” I had a general idea, but I was a little unsure how it’d actually play out. My plan relied more upon intimidation than action. Not my usual style, and even as tough as I knew Alex was, I wasn’t sure he could pull it off. “Be right down.”

  I put my hands on Shaina’s shoulders, inhaling that cinnamony scent of hers that made me long to take her right back into the bedroom with me and shut the door. Shut out the rest of the world except for the two of us. She leaned her head back and I settled for kissing her temple since she was in mid-conversation on the phone.

  “Later,” I told her, as much a promise as a salutation.

  “Warren, wait,” her father called, catching up to me at the door.

  “Yeah?” My brow rose.

  “I just wanted to say that I regret the way I judged you at first.” He glanced over his shoulder then back at me. “I know you’re responsible for smoothing things over between Shaina and me, and I wanted to thank you for that. I mean,” he rubbed his neck looking embarrassed, “Seeing her like this I realize my baby’s only been going through the motions of living for quite some time now.” His gaze dropped to the pendant that I didn’t even realize I’d been smoothing. “You seem to make her happy. I feel like you’ve given me my daughter back,” he whispered, eyes glittering with strong emotion. “That’s a debt I’ll never be able to repay.”

  I pulled open the door, swallowed, and turned my head, but only enough to avoid his eyes, since dust flying in from the Sahara had suddenly gotten into my own. “You’re welcome,” I rasped, and then hurried my ass downstairs, realizing along the way that I had a better idea of where Shaina’s sweetness came from.

  Treyall greeted me right outside the elevator.

  “You look like shit,” I told him honestly.

  “I’m angry and irritable as hell, too. Being on a plane all day will do that to you. Even first class can’t make up for it completely. But I found out something real interesting about Joel. Let’s go find that little prick.”

  My cell rang as I was nodding my agreement. I slid it out of my pocket, tensing when I saw who it was. “Just a minute,” I told Alex and walked a couple of paces away to take the call. “Jackson.”

  “War, listen. I’ll cut right to the chase. I’ve seen the video. Hell everyone over here’s seen it. You know what internet trolls King and Sager are.” I heard his sigh. “Anyway Diz spilled to Lace and me what happened at the club last night. And I was just wondering, well, that you might like a little help taking care of that asswipe.”

  I froze solid.

  “Yeah, I would, actually.” My voice was barely audible, nearly muffled by the swirling emotions clogging up my fuckin’ throat. “Be good to have my wingman back,” I managed.

  There was a long pause on his end. “You never lost him, man.”

  • • •

  “Hi.” Alex leaned forward in the backseat of the cab after Bryan climbed in. “I’m Alex Treyall.” He stretched his arm out across me. “Shaye’s best friend.”

  “Bryan Jackson.” He shook Alex’s hand before hooking his thumb my way. “War’s.” He sat back and fastened his seatbelt. “So what’s the plan?” he asked turning his head to look at me.

  It took me a moment to reply. I was still processing. The magnitude of the declarations passed back and forth in that simple exchange was huge.

  Could I have my best friend back this easily?

  In the past we’d been there for the other too many times to count. But so much bad had gone down between us over Lace. Lots of ugly shit at the end of the tour. But I was at a point now that I was tired of being such a self-righteous prick about the whole thing. The price of that had been more than I was willing to pay.

  “You’re gonna play good cop to my bad cop,” I told him filing away the heavy shit for a later time when he and I would have to talk. I turned the rest of the explanation over to Treyall. “Tell this asshole what you found out.”

  Bryan’s eyes rounded as Treyall filled him in. The stuff he had on Joel was pretty shocking. I don’t know how he had gotten the information. I probably didn’t want to know. But I knew from experience that Shaina’s best friend was a merciless adversary. Being on the receiving end of his wrath was not something I wanted to repeat. Not that I planned to ever do anything else to piss him off. But screwing things up was coded into my DNA, so I couldn’t completely rule out the possibility.

  When the cab pulled up to the curb, I peeled off a couple of bills and paid the driver. We filed out and stood outside the building, gumming up the sidewalk while a stream of people circulated around us.

  “What’s so funny?” I asked noting Treyall’s smirk.

  “Us.” He chuckled. “Two rock stars and an actor went into a gym. Sounds like the opening line to a joke if I ever heard one. I just haven’t worked out the punch line, yet.”

  “I have.” I snorted. “And we’re about to go take care of him right now.”

  “Well played, Sir.” He smiled as we moved toward the entrance. “But since I’m the finesse in this operation you two should let me do the talking once we get inside.”

  I nodded, though it went against my nature to let someone else take the lead. Knowing that well, Bryan wore a bewildered expression as we walked up the stairs to the second level. What he didn’t know was that recent circumstance had taught me the advantages of being adaptable.

  “Don’t even say it, asshole,” I warned low when it looked like he wasn’t going to let it go. I had a reputation to uphold. I didn’t need word getting out that Warren Jinkins was going soft.

  “Lace warned me,” Bryan mumbled shaking his head. “But I didn’t really believe her.”

  We followed Treyall to the reception desk. The overly bulked out bitch manning it devoured him with her eyes like some chocolate coated power bar.

  “Hey, baby,” Treyall propped an elbow on the counter, raising a brow, dialing up the charm. You would never know he swung from the other side of the plate. His performance was so engaging to watch that Bryan had to pull my arm to get me moving.

  With Alex providing just enough distraction, we managed to slide by through the glass door into the private fitness club as a couple exited. The clank of metal weights, the low grunts of strain, and the sharp tang of BO greeted us along with more than a few stares from the chicks working out. Bryan and I were used to that kind of attention. Used to it, but not interested in reciprocating these days.

  “He in here?” Bryan asked.

  “No.” I ran my gaze around the room one more time just to be sure. “Let’s check the pool.” I’d looked up the gym layout online. There was a workout room, an Olympic sized indoor pool, massage rooms, and some saunas. We headed down the hall but after a quick walk around the pool deck, all we accomplished was having o
ur clothes soaked with moisture and sticking to our skin from the humidity.

  “What about the sauna?” Bryan pointed at the sign in the corridor. It would make our task too easy, if only we could be so lucky.

  I nodded and as soon as we turned the corner, I saw him stepping out from one. His hair was wet and slicked back, and he had a towel draped around his waist.

  “That him?” Bryan raised a brow.

  “Yeah,” I verified. “Let’s get him back in that room now.” I moved on one side, Bryan on the other. “Joel,” I called. His squirrelly eyes narrowed when he saw me. “We wanna have a word.”

  “I don’t think so.” He tried to push past us, but Bryan and I closed ranks. No way was this douche getting past us. He’d brought this shit on himself. We were Southside guys. We got mad and we got even.

  Joel took a step backward and then another as we advanced. His eyes darted around looking for help, I guess, but there was none to be found.

  JoeI’s hands went to his towel clad hips once we had him cornered inside. I could see the bruises my fists had left from the other night. That gave me some satisfaction, but I still wished I’d gotten in a few more licks.

  Bryan locked the door.

  “What the hell is this?” Joel said belligerently while glaring at me, but I could tell he was nervous.

  “Don’t like the video of Shaina that showed up on the internet, motherfucker.”

  “Yeah?” His chin rose. “So sue me.”

  I was going to do a lot worse than that. I shoved him into the back wall, my forearm to his neck, pulling back my fist to let him have it when Bryan put a hand on my tensed shoulder.

  Just like we’d planned… though I’d been caught up and lost it for a moment. This motherfucker brought out the worst in me.

  “Don’t think violence is gonna be necessary,” Bryan stated quietly. “We can resolve this peaceably, don’t you think, Joel?”

  “Depends.”

  Bryan’s brows rose. We exchanged a glance. I’d told him the guy was a total douche. Think that fact was becoming a lot more clear.

  “Uh-uh. This is how it’s gonna be,” Bryan told him calm as all shit while I pressed my arm harder into the guy’s trachea enjoying watching him squirm. “You’re gonna take that video down. I want it off YouTube. And then you’re gonna call Sunderhouse and quit the film.”

  “And you’re gonna stay the fuck away from Shaina,” I finished. “You ever come near her again…” I shoved hard letting that make my point.

  He didn’t get it. “Why the hell do you think I’m going to do any of that?” Joel croaked defiantly though I noticed he’d broken out into a sweat, beads of perspiration dotting his skin.

  “Because motherfucker, we know a little secret of yours.” That was our code word. I saw Bryan had his cell ready. I whipped off the towel. Before Joel had time to react, the flash went off.

  “What the fuck! You guys some kind of perverts?”

  “You get a good shot?” My eyes met Bryan’s. “We don’t want there to be any confusion. We want it to be real obvious who that tiny little prick belongs to?”

  “Oh, yeah. We’re good.”

  I tossed the towel back at Joel, keeping my gaze at face level. I didn’t want to see any more of his junk than I had to. Felt sorry for Bryan in fact. I’d had the better job. “Now you gonna do what we want or do I get to beat the shit out of you and then put that picture on Instagram?”

  He tucked in the towel with hands that were shaking. His gaze lifted. His eyes were bright with fury. “I’ll do it.”

  If looks could kill, I’d be a dead man. I didn’t give a shit. I’d gotten what I wanted.

  “Excellent choice.” I lifted my chin. “Anymore pics of Shaina show up, Bryan and I’ll hold you personally responsible if you know what I mean. Harder to get prime roles missing an ear or an eye.”

  “Yeah. I get it.” He was sullen, but deflated. The fight had definitely gone out of him. I didn’t feel an ounce of remorse as Bryan and I left him to consider his sins.

  We strode quickly through the corridor, fist bumping wearing matching grins when we hit the reception area again. Treyall was still there with his elbow on the counter. The receptionist was leaning in toward him. She didn’t even glance up at us. She was totally into whatever shit Alex was selling her.

  “You get what you needed?” Treyall asked without taking his eyes off of hers.

  “Yeah.”

  “Excellent.” Treyall touched the woman’s cheek. “Thanks for the info, baby. I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “Call me,” she whispered breathlessly.

  • • •

  “That was awesome!” Bryan exclaimed eyes alight. Mine probably matched. I think we were both still riding the high after intimidating the hell out of Joel.

  On our way through the Cascades, the high toned bar inside Shaina’s hotel, we received more than a few disdainful glares from the overdressed older crowd presumably because of our jeans and tee shirt attire. We ignored them completely. We thrived on that kind of bullshit actually. Fuck ’em if they didn’t like what we wore. Fuck the world if they didn’t like us, period.

  We each took a seat on a couple of leather backed barstools. Treyall had begged off celebrating with us till later in lieu of sleeping off some of his jet lag.

  “It couldn’t have gone any better,” I agreed after we’d both ordered a couple of Molson’s. “Reminded me of the time we got cornered in Eleanor Ross by those La Raza Prima dudes.” I popped a few peanuts in my mouth, savoring them and the moment. “We took those fuckers head on, didn’t we?”

  ”Got the shit beat out of us but we earned their respect.” He nodded. “It’s not in either one of us to surrender without a fight. We always did have each other’s back in those days. Just like you did for me when I was the new guy in middle school.”

  I looked away. “That wasn’t a big deal. Ryan Charles was a dickhead. He had it coming.”

  Bryan snorted. “Whenever I see green Jell-O it always makes me smile.”

  “Asshat looked better with that nasty mug of his covered in the stuff. Worth every day of the two weeks of after school detention.” The bartender slid a couple of cold drafts in front of us. After tipping mine back and wiping the foam off my mouth I asked the question that felt like loaded lead in my gut. “Why’d you do it? Why replace me with Avery’s brother for fuck’s sake? Tempest was our dream.”

  He shifted in his seat, looking uncomfortable. “We had no choice, really. He was Mary Timmons’ doing, at least at first. Later, well… the guy’s a pretty decent dude.”

  “Really?’ I lifted a brow, skeptical.

  “You know he’s engaged to Lace’s best friend now?”

  “Lace has a best friend that’s not you?” I had to rib him. He’d been looking out for Lace and she’d been hanging onto him as if he were her personal dragon slayer since she was five and he was seven.

  “Yeah I know it’s hard to believe.” He nodded. “But they are really tight. They met in rehab. Bridget’s cool. She’s got a five year old son, Carter. He’s a real cute kid.”

  My head dropped. Life in the band had gone on just fine without me. I was expendable. Replaceable. The way I’d once thought of Dizzy, Sager, and King. I was just going to have to deal with it. Let go of the dream to have Tempest back. I wasn’t going to screw everyone over for my own benefit anymore. I had Shaina. I needed to focus on her, on us, make adjustments, and get serious about fixing my own flailing career.

  But there was something that needed to be said before any of us could move forward and it was going to have to be me to say it. “Bryan, I’m sorry man. I know nothing’s gonna change the past, but I gotta say that I see things in a way I never have before. I understand now that I never loved Lacey the way she needed to be loved. The way you love her. The way I love Shaina.”

  Bryan turned his head, looking away like I’d done earlier with Shaina’s dad. When he looked back at me his grey green eyes were glis
tening but he had it under control. I pretended not to notice. He was my best friend. We were guys. Ignoring emotional shit like that was what we did.

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  Shaina

  “How’d things go with Bryan?” I asked, already guessing the answer as I watched my too cool to quantify boyfriend with careful eyes.

  “Alright.”

  Typical man. He and his best friend, once on the outs, now apparently reconciled, and this was his nonchalant response. I wanted to roll my eyes, but refrained. “I’m glad. Now are you gonna tell me what really happened with Joel?”

  He raised a brow in response to my snarky tone.

  “Give me a little something more than the ‘Everything’s fine,’ text you sent earlier. War moved closer. I inhaled his delicious scent as his arm went around my shoulders. “You’re cute when you riled.” He brushed a soft kiss across my lips, then grinned. “Everything’s fine on both counts.”

  “Shit.” I couldn’t help it. It just came out, and anyway I was beyond using shooty shoot for an expletive. The situation called for a true curse word. “I’ve been working my rear off on the phone practically the whole time you’re gone and you wanna play games.”

  He tipped my chin up with a folded ringed finger. “Hell yeah, I wanna play games. Anytime and anywhere you want, Sweetness.” Those smoldering eyes and that rumbly deep voice melted me. He knew it, too. He shifted closer. I felt his belt buckle brush my abdomen and something just as hard but much more intriguing. “Before we get to that, I gotta say I’m a big fan of your best friend. He, Bryan, and I, made a real formidable team today.”

  “Oh, yeah?”

  He nodded.

  “Cool.” That made me happier than he would ever know. “Can’t you give me some kind of clue?”

  “Let’s just say that I have visual proof of a little secret that Joel’s understandably reluctant to share with his adoring public,” Warren said.