Alec Read online

  Evernight Publishing ®

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2016 Tamsin Baker

  ISBN: 978-1-77233-754-9

  Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

  Editor: Karyn White

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  To the beautiful authors of the Scandals series—you ladies rock. Thank you for letting me be a part of this great new series.

  ALEC

  Scandals, 4

  Tamsin Baker

  Copyright © 2016

  Chapter One

  Alec

  “This sucks.”

  I chugged back a cold beer, the hops sloshing around my mouth and sliding down my parched throat. Summer in London was certainly not the warmest climate on the planet, but this beer was the hair of the dog, and my thirst was nowhere near quenched.

  “You’re complaining about having time off to drink? You’re kidding me?” Law took a sip of his own drink and tapped his fingers on the round table in front of us.

  It was easy for Law to be relaxed and happy. At least he was getting laid on a regular basis.

  “Why the hell do we need time off? Just ‘cuz you guys are breeding and falling in love like it’s a catching disease, does not mean the band needs to take a break. We were traveling so well and the concerts were selling out. Why stop?”

  I was a member of Right Time, which was being described by the paparazzi as the “hottest boy-band in the world at the moment”. It was all pretty full on. I was also the last member to join, which made me feel, on more than one occasion, like a spare tire. All the other guys had been friends since high school and were close because of that bond. I guess I shouldn’t really complain though. When Right Time hit the big time, I’d counted my lucky stars to have found them when I did. It had been like jumping onto a blazing comet just as it began to burn, a tail of fire trailing behind us.

  It had been an amazing few years, concerts, women dropping at our feet, and more money than I knew what to do with. But all the guys were falling like dead flies. Dillon had knocked up Ashlyn, and they now had a cute little daughter. Chuckling, I shook my head. Zeck had met Issy in a BDSM club, tied her up and brought her home to keep.

  Law, the only one who’d actually turned up today for a drink, had hooked up with their old music teacher Byron, but he hadn’t come out publicly yet. Not that I thought it was a big deal, but according to our publicity team, the rest of the world seemed to think it was. I didn’t care who the man was screwing,

  “Because we need a break, Alec. No offense, but I’m exhausted.” Law’s eyes slid away for a moment. “Plus, Byron wants to go to the Greek Isles for a couple of weeks.”

  A snarl rose in my throat, and I smothered it by taking another long swallow of my beer. I kept drinking until I’d finished then banged the empty bottle/glass down onto the wooden table, wincing a little at the noise. I hated being jealous of Law and the other guys. It was an ugly emotion that made my skin prickle and my belly heat with anger and rolling sickness.

  I may be the youngest of the band, but I was man enough to admit my failings. I was as surprised as anyone when I became envious of my mates getting hitched. I’d never wanted a long term relationship before, but I found myself sick of the chicks that wanted me for money or fame. I kind of liked the idea of having the honest closeness the other guys had achieved with their partners.

  My friends deserved their happiness and their relationships did not reflect on my own sorry state, but even with all the rational reasons rattling around in my head telling me it shouldn’t matter … I could still spit.

  “When do you leave?”

  Law’s gaze met mine again. “Next week probably.” He shrugged, and I let out the breath I’d been holding.

  An idea occurred to me that I hadn’t considered before they condemned us to leave without any notice. “Maybe I should do the same thing. Get away somewhere and find some beautiful women to have some fun with.”

  Surely there would be some decent women on holidays over there that wouldn’t be like the dumb, shallow types I kept running into here?

  Law’s face lit up with his grin. “Everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere is pretty awesome this time of year, and you’ve never had any trouble with the women no matter where you are.”

  I lifted my hand and called the bartender. He nodded and began pouring another beer, placing it on a tray and waiting for a waitress to bring it to me.

  “Nah, why would I? It’s not like they’re the most complicated things on the planet to work out how to handle.”

  I smirked as Law choked on his drink and began coughing and wiping at his mouth until he finally turned and stared at me, his eyes incredulous.

  “What?” I asked.

  “You’re unbelievable.”

  I shrugged as my eyes slid down the back of a woman in a tight black skirt and white shirt as she picked up my drink and turned around with the tray on her well balanced hand.

  Wow.

  Law said something to me, but I couldn’t quite make out the words. “Huh?”

  I couldn’t drag my gaze away from her. She moved so gracefully and her face was perfect. There was no artifice to her. Her skin was flawless, her face heart-shaped, and she had high cheekbones and bright blue eyes. I’d never seen such a naturally beautiful woman before.

  “Here you are, sir.”

  She bent forward, flashing an awesome amount of cleavage and a killer smile as she straightened up once again.

  Say thank you, you idiot!

  “Ah. Thank you.”

  Pull yourself together!

  “Can I get you anything, sir?” She turned to Law, and I sat up straighter in my chair. My body was throbbing, and I wasn’t ignoring it tonight. This chick was hot, and I wanted her. Despite my craving for someone special, I had to survive between now and then.

  Law shook his head. “No thanks.”

  “I could do with something else, baby. What time do you finish work?”

  She turned to me and the smile didn’t waver, but for some reason the heat in her eyes dimmed.

  “My shift ends at four AM, sir.”

  I leaned back against the leather booth and lifted my arm to lie across the back. “I’ll speak to the boss and get you out early. Come out with me for a late dinner and a drink.”

  She inclined her head and gripped the tray tight. “Thank you for the offer, but I’d prefer to stay and work.”

  She turned and disappeared into the crowd, leaving me staring after her tiny waist and swinging hips.

  “That’s a first.”

  I finally managed to drag my gaze back to Law’s smug face. “What is?”

  “A woman knocking you back, didn’t think I’d live to see the day.”

  I laughed off the implied insult although a weird coldness sat in my gut. “She’s just playing hard to get, which I don’t mind one bit. Makes it sweeter when they finally fall at my feet.”

  “Or on their knees?”

  I let my grin and wink at Law speak for me. I was tall and kept myself pretty fit. Well … I worked out seven days a week actually. My body alone was usually enough for me to have a new chick whenever the need arose. But since adding the fame of Right Time to my list of charms, I hadn’t been knocked back in a very long time.

  “I’m going to stick around for a bit. What about you
?”

  Law tossed back the rest of his glass and winced. “Home time for me, it’s getting late.”

  “Bit early to turn in, isn’t it?”

  I shook hands with my friend and stood up as Law pushed himself to his feet. “It’s almost midnight, my friend.”

  I shook my head. Once upon a time I wouldn’t have even left the house to go out yet. “The night is still in its infancy, you old codger.”

  Law chuckled and leaned forward. I pulled him into a short hug, patting him on the back for a moment before letting go.

  I winked at him again, and he smiled, then turned and left.

  I clapped my hands together and headed for the bar. I wasn’t sure what it was going to take to get the brunette waitress with the blue eyes in my bed, but I wanted her.

  “Oh my God, you’re Alec from Right Time!” A trio of blonde women at the bar literally bounced up and down beside me. I grinned at them and looked around. This was a private bar in a very expensive hotel, so what were a gaggle of groupies doing in here?

  I plastered a smile on my face, aware of the bad publicity that came out of these sorts of moments. Last thing Right Time needed was another scandal. Huh, maybe that’s why we were on holidays. Phillip needed a break after all the scandals we’d had.

  “How are you girls doing tonight?”

  They squealed and carried on, and I chatted with them for a moment while my eyes scanned the crowd for the woman I actually wanted.

  “Are these girls bothering you at all, Alec?” The owner, Paul, stepped up next to me and whispered into my ear.

  I shrugged. “They’re harmless.”

  “They’re friends of a new member.” I could hear the strain in Paul’s voice and patted him on the shoulder.

  “No need to worry, Paul, but you could do me a favor … let me know where the brunette waitress is?”

  Paul lifted his chin and looked straight at me, his eyes harder than I’d ever seen them. “Joanne is new. She’s a student at Cambridge.”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat, a rather foreign feeling swamping my usual confidence like a tidal wave surrounding a drowning town. Hot and dumb I’d done a hundred times before. Stunning and smart would be a very new and welcome experience.

  “Any tips?”

  Paul grimaced. “Don’t tell her who you are.”

  I stilled for a minute and then laughter bubbled up and burst out of me. “Thanks, mate.”

  Paul had the good manners to flush with heat and look away for a moment. “She’s a pretty straight girl and shy, too. If you want to have a chance with her, pointing out your star status won’t help.”

  I clapped the owner on the back and thanked him, my heart rate picking up as I spotted Joanne serving a corner table before she moved back around the bar.

  I walked over to her, running through every lame or brilliant pick up line I’d ever used. None sounded any good.

  Her eyes lifted and met mine, the blue as brilliant as the Mediterranean waters Law was planning to visit next week.

  “I … ah … your eyes are beautiful.”

  She smiled at me with genuine interest this time, and it was as stunning as I had feared it would be. Heat flowed straight to my groin. Her soft pink lips were curved up, her clear skin pinking with pleasure and her eyes sparkled at me.

  Damn.

  “Five points for honesty.”

  I ran a hand over my head, the prickly stubble of my very short hair cut bristling beneath my palm.

  “Yeah, well … I didn’t think a pick up line was going to get me a good response.”

  She chuckled softly this time, picking up a tea towel and polishing a wine glass.

  “And another five points for a show of intelligence. You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you, Alec?”

  “You know who I am?”

  She rolled her eyes at me, and I sat down on the stool, relaxing my shoulders and trying to not look as big as I actually was. Most women loved my huge shoulders, but I had a feeling Joanne was not going to have big muscles on the top of her priority list.

  “Sorry, of course you do. Didn’t mean to infer you were stupid, I suppose I hoped you might treat me like a normal person for once.”

  Her face softened again as she swapped glasses and kept buffing. “Fair enough. Are you having a rest from all those world tours at the moment?”

  I couldn’t help noticing the slight tone of disdain as she spoke about the world travel. Jealous Joanne?

  “Yeah, since all the other guys have settled down, they all want time off. I’m trying to work out what to do with my time. You don’t happen to want to come on a holiday to France next week with me, do you?”

  She ignored my offer and frowned. “Oh that’s right, you’re the only single one left aren’t you?”

  I shook my head. People weren’t meant to know about Law yet.

  “No, Law’s pretty single still.”

  She stared at me with wide eyes. “Really? I’d heard he was keeping it pretty quiet, but he was paired up, too.”

  “Ah, no.”

  I looked away, finding it hard to lie to this woman who seemed so relaxed, so confident.

  “What’s wrong, Alec? Feeling a bit left out are you? Not sure I’m the girl for you, but there’s lots around that would be ecstatic to jump on the Right Time circus.”

  I grimaced and looked away, my chest aching from the well aimed shot.

  What the hell are you doing trying to pick up a chick like this? You’re an idiot.

  I began to pull out my phone to call my driver to pick me up. This night had started out shit and had not improved. May as well give up the ghost before I put a knife through my eye.

  “Well, it was nice to meet you.”

  I wandered away and headed for the door, swiping open my phone and putting it to my ear.

  “Hey, Tony, can you pick me up out the front of The King’s Bar ASAP?”

  “No problem, Alec, however I’m just dropping Law at Byron’s. I’ll be about thirty minutes to get back.”

  I didn’t really want to wait that long, but I wasn’t catching a cab home.

  “Sure, Tony. Thanks.”

  “See you then.”

  I hung up, and small hands grabbed at my arm. “Going home already, Alec? Oh no! Please stay and have a drink with us.”

  I had thirty minutes to kill. Why not?

  I lifted my arms and pulled a tiny blonde against me.

  See, women still like you! Stop being a dick.

  “What would you like?”

  “A coffee daiquiri, please.”

  “Me too, please!”

  I nodded at the bartender and ordered myself a double whisky.

  The drinks were laid down, and one of the women turned me towards her, tugging on my neck to bring my lips down to her.

  I let her do it. Why stop her? Her cold, sticky lips touched mine as a flash went beside my head.

  I groaned and pulled away. Opportunistic bitch.

  I grabbed my whisky and threw it back, the taste a little odd as it slid down my throat. Probably the mixture of good whisky and bad woman. Always a shitty combination.

  “Another, please.”

  My drink was refilled, and I threw that back too. May as well make what remained of the night as good as possible.

  “I so loved you at your last concert! I couldn’t believe how hot you all looked up on stage with the lights…”

  Blah blah blah.

  Her words were circling around me with all their high pitched intensity, and my head began to spin.

  Whoa. I did not expect that to hit me so quickly. Must be getting old.

  “Come home with us. You know you want to.”

  I batted away the three leeches clinging to my coat and checking I still had my phone and wallet, made my way for the door.

  I heard my name being called behind me, but the whirling in my head and the flashing lights going off around me were making me nauseous.

  I pushed throu
gh the front door and tripped and fell, more camera flashes surrounding me as the concrete hit my knee caps and pain flared as skin scraped from my hands.

  “Come on, baby. Kiss me.”

  Those women were draping themselves all over me and flashing photos, pulling me to stand again. The world swung before my eyes.

  Fuck off!

  I growled and pushed them away. I needed to get up. I had to get home.

  Fingernails dug into my arms, and cold air breathed over my skin as someone tore the shirt from my chest.

  Vomit rushed up, and I swung my hands wide, connecting with flesh I heard a scream, but didn’t know who it came from. My vision was completely shot.

  Bile and hot alcohol spewed from my lips and I rolled to the ground again.

  Pain exploded in my head, and I let the darkness swirling at the outside of my mind enclose me completely.

  Chapter Two

  Joanne

  I rearranged the jacket beneath Alec’s head and checked his breathing once more.

  Where were they?

  Sirens began to ring in the distance, getting louder and louder as they made their way to us.

  Thank God for that.

  “Keep those people back.” I motioned to one of the security guards as more women stuck their phones around and flashed a photo of Alec lying half naked on the concrete in his own vomit.

  I shook my head and glanced down at the comatose man at my feet. “This is so going to be all over the papers in the morning.”

  I groaned as the sirens rang loud in my ears and the ambulance pulled to a stop on the sidewalk.

  They turned off the shrieking, and I sighed with relief.

  Thank you.

  Two men popped out of the back doors when they opened and pushed a stretcher over to us.

  One of them dropped down and started checking Alec’s vital signs as the other man spoke to me. “Did you see what happened to him?”

  I nodded and wrapped my arms around myself.