Rock Gods: Baden

by Brandy Munroe

  It was time to fully appreciate the life I had been awarded. One full of promise and a bright future for me and my family.

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you for taking this journey with Baden and Crystal.

  In the meantime, read the book that inspired the Rock Gods series:

  The Heirs: Theo (formerly published as Rock God Heir), Theo’s and Sabrina’s journey, available on Amazon.

  Continue reading for a preview.

  INTRODUCTION:

  Theo

  An unfortunate twist of fate returned Sabrina Blakely into my life.

  I had money, power, and influence. I let her push me away the first time.

  I was not going to make that mistake again.

  She doesn’t understand: I need her to accept my love, no matter the cost.

  Sabrina:

  I’d spent the last two years rebuilding my life. I will not allow Rock star Theo Bentley to tear it apart.

  Again.

  I will do what is required of me and nothing more. Then he can return to the lavish rock and roll lifestyle that had caused me nothing but pain.

  He doesn’t understand: I can’t accept his love, it’s not worth the price.

  The Heirs: Theo Prologue

  Sabrina

  Two years ago:

  I had to question my sanity in letting my best friend and roommate brainwash me to make this four-hour drive tonight. She worked a double shift and I had been in training all day. I hoped taking these backroad shortcuts was going to pay off.

  The first three hours were quiet as I let Nicole sleep while I drove. I knew I would be able to hunker down for the night once we got there. She would be up all night celebrating her boyfriend’s birthday.

  If only she could have stayed asleep.

  “What the fuck, Nicole! I am not giving my virginity to your boyfriend’s whore cock for his birthday.

  Who asks their girlfriend for a threesome for their birthday?”

  I loved my best friend Nicole, but sometimes she drove me crazy with her wild ideas—like this one.

  “He didn’t ask, I want to give him something special. Something no one else can.”

  I should have been shocked by the seriousness of her plea, yet I was not. Nicole was a free spirit. It was what I liked about her the most.

  I wished she could see how incredible she was. It annoyed the crap out of me that she felt she needed to offer up a sacrificial virgin to seek Adam’s approval.

  “Come on, Brin, it’s not like you’re saving it for Mr. Right.” She gave me a sideways glance. I could see the anticipation in her eyes gleaming as her ruby red lips turn upwards in one of her sinister smirks.

  “You can brag you lost your virginity to a rock star.”

  “He isn’t a rock star,” I reminded her bluntly. “He’s in a band that plays in shitty bars in shitty towns.”

  “He may not be a rock star yet,” she flashed me a huge shit-eating grin. “I’m not supposed to say anything, but, the band signed on with a legit label. They’ve cut an album and will be going on tour soon. First in the US, then Europe.”

  “Seriously,” I snarked, “someone likes that crap they play?”

  “I think Adam’s going to ask me to go with him.”

  I was shocked. It indeed explained all the overtime and extra shifts Nicole had been working. She was saving her money, hoping that the dickhead of a wannabe rock star asked her to accompany him.

  I didn't want to burst her bubble. I doubted she was going to get what she wished for. Rock stars were like sailors — a girl in every port.

  I’d watched the groupies throw themselves at the guys. I also watched the guys bring some of those groupies back to the trailers or motel rooms in which they stayed.

  Nicole was right. It wasn’t like I was saving my virginity for someone special. I spent all my free time studying. It left no room for dating.

  However, I wasn't going to throw it away on a whoring wannabe rock star.

  “I may not be saving myself for marriage,” I sighed, “but I’m still not going to let him stick his whore cock in me.” I hardened my resolve. “Do you know where that thing has been?”

  “The guys call you frigid couch virgin.” She was frowning like she felt sorry for me that the guys made fun of the fact that, yes, I was a virgin and I slept on the couch, alone. “Don’t you want to put an end to all that?”

  I pulled into a twenty-four-hour convenience store to fill up on coffee. “Let me take over the wheel,” Nicole offered. “I’m not going to fall back asleep now and you could use the rest.”

  “I can sleep when we get there, you on the other hand.” I didn’t need to complete that sentence.

  “You don’t have to go straight to sleep. You could come with me to see the last set and hang out for a while. You might change your mind.”

  I wasn’t going to get her hopes up. There was no way I was ever going to do what she asked. I was not a big fan of Adam’s. Even less now.

  “What I want is to take a nap,” I scolded her as we switched places.

  I was done discussing the lack of my sex life. I took my travel pillow and adjusted my seat.

  “Wake me up when we get there.”

  The Heirs: Theo Chapter One

  Sabrina

  I woke up in a cold sweat as I hit the floor. I’d fallen asleep on the couch while watching TV.

  I was unnerved by the dream I had. It had been nearly two years since the accident that changed my life and took the life of my best friend. I felt the pain of her loss every day.

  My leg throbbed. I’d better get in a hot shower and relieve the tension from falling asleep on the couch before the pain got any worse. I didn’t need a lecture from my workout partner and boss about taking better care of myself.

  I reached for the remote and looked up at the TV that was blaring a special news report. On the screen, the news anchor was asking the cameraman to zoom in on an accident. I turned up the volume and watched the horrific scene play out.

  A crumpled sports car wrapped around a tree.

  My subconscious must have been playing tricks with my mind, listening to the newscast while I was half asleep on the couch. That would explain the dream.

  I was about to turn off the TV. I needed a shower to revive me before I headed to work.

  That was when I saw in the corner of the screen, a picture of someone I used to know.

  I sat and listened with great interest.

  “The car behind me at the scene of what could have been a tragic accident was confirmed to belong to Theophilus Bentley, son of communications tycoon Dominic Bentley.”

  My mind was racing, oh god, Theo, please be ok. I was not sure how much of the broadcast I missed in my tormented haze before the droning voice of the announcer registered.

  “Get well wishes from fans across the world started arriving when it was announced that Theophilus Bentley is none other than the world-famous drummer T-Bent from the rock band Get Bend. It’s believed that Mr. Bentley was headed home to Tranquility. Last night’s performance signified the end of Get Bent’s world tour.”

  I watched as the split-screen showed an anchorwoman in a studio asking questions to the announcer on the screen.

  “No, Kathy, I cannot confirm at this time the location Mr. Bentley was taken to receive medical care. The family is thanking all of Mr. Bentley’s supporters and fans. They are requesting privacy at this time.”

  I picked up the remote and clicked the off button. I needed to get in the shower and get ready for work. I wouldn’t allow myself to think back to the day that changed my life.

  I was determined to move forward.

  I wasted six months after my accident feeling sorry for myself. I was finally pulled out of my depression, with the help of my current friends and mentor Derrick.

  Next came six months of rehabilitation.

  Now with another year under my belt and my demons sequestered, I had a bright future waiting for me.

/>   With my clinical hours completed, all that was required of me was to write the test and pass the boards and I would become a fully licensed physical therapist.

  It wasn’t my original plan, but all my dreams changed that day.

  Sometimes I had a hard time believing how much my life had changed in the last two years. I no longer lived in the sketchy suburbs of New York.

  Settling in the smaller community of Tranquility was easier than I first believed. It was a small town situated between New York and Boston. Far enough to avoid big-city problems, but large enough to compete in the international market.

  Tranquility had four points of access. It was on the eastern shore and boasted a sizable maritime port. The railway ran south of the city through the industrial park. You could literally live on the wrong side of the tracks. A small private airport catered to the rich who had cottages along the ocean. All this combined with a major highway made Tranquility a prime location for international companies.

  Companies like Bentley Communications.

  I’d also learned not to dwell on what could have been and focus on the here and now. And right now, I needed to get my ass in gear and get the clinic.

  As soon as I procured my preferred seat on the bus, I put my earphones in and turned on my iPod. It drowned out the random sounds and allowed me to read through my textbook.

  Derrick constantly teased me about being over-prepared for the test I needed to pass to move forward in the next stage of my career.

  He wasn’t as understanding as I’d hoped about the trouble I had with my short term memory—another side effect of the accident. I could remember with absolute clarity everything that happened up until the crash.

  It was everything that happened afterward that caused a challenge. I got into the habit of taking pictures on my phone of new people I’d met who were supposed to be important. I wrote how and why I was supposed to know them.

  Once ingrained into my new defective memory, I could delete them from my files.

  The bus ride was a long trek, but worth the hour it took me to get to the clinic. My psychologist told me that it was not healthy for me to avoid driving. I was still holding on to a deep-rooted fear from the accident.

  Maybe one day.

  After seeing Theo’s car wrapped around a tree this morning, today was not that day.

  The clinic where I currently apprenticed was part of a consortium of health care services. It housed a plastic surgery ward, a burn center, a research lab, and the physical therapy unit. That was where I had made my recovery and now my studies.

  It was all thanks to Derrick.

  He started showing up at the recovery hospice I was assigned to once I no longer needed hospitalization. He was the inspiration for my idea of snapping pictures instead of letting myself get frustrated when my memory malfunctioned.

  I tried to research the clinic when Derrick offered to get me in as a patient. There was very little I could find on the internet. The only information I got was what Derrick himself told me.

  He persuaded me to let him bring my case to the board and arranged for me to meet with a team for an assessment. He believed that I would meet the criteria for being accepted as a patient. The clinic ran on private donations and research grants.

  All I had to do was allow them to use my information for research and case studies and all my expenses would be covered.

  With the type of injuries I sustained, I made the perfect guinea pig for the field Derrick intended to pursue. It didn’t bother me that I was unable to thoroughly investigate what it entailed. I was more than happy to receive the type of care that the clinic reserved for the rich and famous.

  Another reason I was sure it was built this far out of the Tranquility. Privacy was a top priority.

  I was surprised when I arrived to find a horde of scantily clad women being held back by security. They were carrying get well signs for T-Bent.

  I guess it made sense, Theo’s family being who they were. They would have had him brought to a state of the art facility.

  I pulled out my ID and made my way through the lineup of personnel trying to get past the field of fans hoping to relay their heartfelt messages to the one and only T-Bent.

  “Morning, Sabrina.” Jacob waved me past without looking at the lanyard hanging around my neck. I’d been a staple at this facility for the past year and a half — first coming in for therapy, then doing my apprenticeship once I decided this was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I wanted to give to others what Derrick had given me.

  A sense of self-worth. The ability to be self-reliant. Strength to get up every day and put one foot in front of the other. Not merely physical strength, but mentally and spiritually.

  He helped me renew my faith in God. My confidence in myself.

  I knew Nicole would have approved of our friendship.

  As I headed towards the therapy unit, I decided to take the scenic route. I had never needed to wander through the clinic. Today, I had a reason. I wasn’t going to intrude. I only wanted to know if Theo was ok.

  I could tell which room was his. Brad, one of the security guards, was manning the hallway outside the door.

  “Hey, Brad,” I called as I approached.

  “Oh come on, Sabrina, not you too?” He seemed unimpressed with my presence.

  “What are you talking about?” I had a pretty good idea about what had him aflutter.

  “Why do you think the floor is inundated with staff today? Even the ones who are supposed to be off. Please, don’t make me have to tell you no. You know I love you but…”

  I cut him off.

  “No, I’m not going to ask you to break any rules for me, Brad, and let me see him.” I took a sneak peek at our surroundings, verifying no one was eavesdropping before I continued.

  “I know you’re not a doctor, and I don’t want you to get into any trouble, but can you at least tell me if Theo is… ok, I whispered.” I didn’t want to use the word alive. If he was here in a room and not on a slab in the morgue, he was alive.

  Brad cocked his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. I knew I put him in a precarious position. I hated using our friendship for my gain, but I needed to know.

  “Theo, hmm, not T-Bent?” He smiled widely, making his dimples pop. Brad had used those dimples to try to impress me when I started coming into the clinic. Unfortunately for him, only one man’s dimples had ever melted my panties.

  And that man was laying in bed ten feet away.

  “Yeah, I knew him when he was just Theo, so to answer the question you’re not going to ask, no, I am not a groupie or a fangirl trying to steal his shit and sell it on eBay.”

  We both got a good chuckle out of that one.

  He leaned closer brushing the shell of my ear.

  “You didn't hear it from me. Your boy Theo sustained a few bruises, but from what I overheard he’s not critical. Is that enough for you?” He gave me a peck on the cheek and I noticed we were attracting attention.

  He wanted the nurses to think I came to see him. I was ok with that. I gave him a slight nod of appreciation and hugged him in return.

  It was time I headed to the therapy unit.

  Up to that point we had kept our conversation hushed. I decided to play into Brad’s scheme for the staff to think I came searching for him.

  “O’Malley’s, six o’clock,” I loudly announced and tossed him a wink. “I owe you a beer.”

  He didn’t have the chance to answer.

  “Brin, is that you?”

  I froze. Oh shit. Theo was awake and he’d heard me.

  Suddenly, a pair of dancing grey eyes and a set of dimples were facing me.

  Yup, those dimples still melted my panties.

  How the hell do I get out of talking to him?

  The Heirs: Theo Chapter Two

  Theo

  I expected to wake up with the stabbing pain I experienced when I was in the ambulance. After my initial assessment, the paramedics assured m
e that they had not observed any life-threatening injuries.

  They asked if I had any allergies before administering pain medication.

  The next thing I remembered was waking up to a room full of doctors and my brother Nate standing in the corner of the room looking like he had not slept in days.

  “How long was I out?” I croaked, my throat feeling raw and dry.

  “You’re awake, good.” I assumed the guy in the white lab coat talking to me was the doctor in charge.

  “How are you feeling, Mr. Bentley?” His morose stare had me wondering if I should be wary.

  “I feel a little numb and I was expecting to be in more pain.” My brain was fuzzy from what I assumed was something to help me deal with the trauma.

  “The painkillers you received will wear off in a bit. We gave you a mild sedative when you arrived to help you sleep.”

  The doctor pulled a penlight out of his jacket and flashed it in my eyes. “Your family is waiting to see you. Do you want to visit with them before we discuss the depth of your injuries?”

  He was very clinical. He didn’t have much of a bedside manner.

  “Tell me, doc, am I dying?” Nate’s glowering told me he did not find me amusing. “Is that why you're asking? Does my family need to say their last goodbyes?” I meant for it to come out humorous, honestly.

  “No, Mr. Bentley, your injuries are not life-threatening,” he deadpanned.

  “Good, then call me, Theo. My father is Mr. Bentley.” I pushed myself into a sitting position against the pillow. “I’m sure my family is worried so, yes, I would like to see them, please.” I nodded to Nate standing in the corner.

  “Very well,” the doc nodded. “Call me when you’re ready to discuss the severity of your injuries and your next course of action to start you on your recovery.”

  “Sure thing, doc,” I gave him a two-finger salute as he left the room.

  Nate stepped out with the doctor and I watched my family enter: Mom, followed by my little sister Anita, my sister-in-law Carrie, and then Nate again.