Page 1 of Reckless Curves
Prologue
Los Angeles, Four Years Ago
Kendra slowly eased off the pedal as she sped down Hollywood Boulevard, least she speed her way into a ticket. She wanted nothing to kill her buzz today.
She was driving like her brother Marcus Black drove on the race circuit.Speed kills you idiot.She laughed out loud. She was on a natural high from her successful meeting this afternoon and she knew it. Finally, she understood why her brother craved speeding around a race-track—the adrenalin. The feeling was addictive.
Even with the negativity from her parents, she’d gone ahead and auditioned as a backup singer for James Tan, the latest boy singing sensation’s California tour.
Her father was pushing her to go to law school mainly because her brother had walked away from university to become a formula one racing car driver. There had to be at least one lawyer in the family, and as the only other child, she drew the short straw. Law bored her silly. And life was too short to be bored. She should know.
She relived the audition in her head and a shiver of joy raced through her. No one had believed she could do it. But she hadn’t spent most of her teenage years combating and beating cancer without learning that in life you had to fight to reach your dreams.
She had much bigger plans than going to university and sitting in an office for the rest of her life. Music had always been the love of her life—well—the second love of her life. Unfortunately, the first love of her life, Thomas (Tom) Lorde spent most of his time pretending she didn’t exist.
Tom was her brother’s best friend and head mechanic on the racing circuit which meant he spent most of the year in Europe, with Marcus, racing. It was almost as if Tom relished his job just because it took him far away from her.
When he was here, they flirted all the time but, damn it, he would not cross that brotherly, best friend line.Yet!
The light up ahead was turning green, so she didn’t even slow down as she drove to Porter’s bar, where she was meeting Stella to celebrate her audition. Her best friend was more excited than her at her signing and was already lining up for an introduction to James.
She pushed down the fear churning in her stomach at having to tell her father, but what he didn’t know couldn’t hurt him. Maybe he didn’t have to know. She could still go to University and sing.Music isn’t a career. Only 1% make a living...She pushed away the darkness of her father’s disapproval ringing in her head. She had one year to prove that she could make music a career, just like Marcus had done with driving. Perhaps then, her father wouldn’t shout the roof off when she told him she was dropping out to sing full time.
For some reason, her father was much tougher on her than he’d been on Marcus. Tougher on her for two reasons, probably because there were no other children after her. And he’d watched her beat cancer and now seemed to think he had to watch her every minute of the day. Worse still, her father had visions of her carrying on in the family law firm as if she’d beaten cancer just to fulfill this role.
She reached across the passenger seat and patted her bright pink Alexander McQueen The Story tote bag with her fake ID safe inside. Tonight, of all nights, nothing would stop her getting into Porters, the hippest club on the boulevard. She had plans for this evening. Special plans. It was her day and she would make it her night too.
Marcus and his racing buddies would be drinking at the club, and there was one person in particular she’d set her sights on. Hell, it was her birthday after all—twenty today. She glanced in the rearview mirror and smiled. She’d just signed her first paying music contract and tonight she could do anything, and what she wanted to do was Thomas Lorde.
Her body shivered. It must really be her night she laughed, as she found a park near to the bar, and when she flashed her ID at the bouncer, he simply waved her through.If only everything in life was this easy.She of all people knew how tough life could be. She’d spent years battling leukemia and had been given the all clear four years ago. Pride saw her straighten and walk tall. She wasn’t a quitter; she was a fighter, and as she stared across the bar at Thomas, Tom to his friends, that fighting spirit rose to engulf her.
He’ll be mine tonight.
As Kendra made her way toward her friend, she noticed guys glancing her way with appreciative looks on their faces, fantastic for her confidence. Except there was only one guy she wanted glancing at her with such a look on his face. She mentally willed him to turn around, her eyes spearing him, and wow she was on fire, because he looked over his shoulder and watched her every move as she drew near.
For once, his eyes didn’t look away. Her outfit was working its magic. His eyes flared with heat as he took in her skimpy pink halter top resting just above her ‘fit like a glove’ white Capri jeans, showing off her Californian tan. Her pink stilettos made her legs look as if they went on forever, and she wore her long black hair loose. It had taken her almost a year to grow her hair back after her chemo, and she hadn’t cut it since.
“You work it girl,” Stella said when Kendra reached their table just behind where Marcus and Tom stood at the bar. She hadn’t taken her eyes from Tom, and he certainly hadn’t taken his eyes off her either.
This was the night… she could feel it in her bones.
Giddy with excitement, she took a seat facing Tom and lifted a shot Stella had waiting for her. “Here’s to your first music contract,” Stella exclaimed, clanking their glasses together as they downed their shots quickly.
The hit of alcohol didn’t stir her as much as Tom’s sexy grin.
For once Tom wasn’t hanging off Marcus’s every word. His mouth hung open watching her as if he wanted to eat her all up.Fine with me.
Tom’s smoky gray eyes held her hostage. He was drop-the fuck-dead gorgeous with scruffy, shoulder length surfer blond hair framing a GQ model face. He had that hint of danger about him, as if life hadn’t been easy. Yet his clothes screamed money. He was tall and had powerful arms. She briefly closed her eyes, remembering the huge eagle tattoo on his chest. Having a swimming pool at your home did have some advantages. She’d seen just about every inch of his perfect body.
Stella leaned over and whispered, “You did it, girl. You’ve got Tom’s attention. How about I ensure Marcus’s attention is elsewhere?”
“Did I ever tell you how much I love you,” Kendra said to her friend as she picked up another shot and drank it. And still Tom was watching.
She didn’t really even notice Stella leave the table to distract Marcus, but Tom must have, because he sauntered toward where she sat as if he knew she loved looking at him.
“You look different tonight,” he said as he took the chair Stella had vacated.
“I’m celebrating.” At his raised eyebrow she added, “Today I signed to be a backup singer for James Tan.”
