Chapter One
A couple of months ago, Dash Kingston had been living the dream. Heโd had women at his beck and call. More money than heโd ever dreamed of earning doing something he loved. Bandmates who were his best friends, and success beyond his wildest dreams. He still had those things, but he also had a huge weight sitting on his chest in the form of an outstanding paternity test, courtesy of one night with a woman he barely remembered and whose name he hadnโt known at the time.
Word had spread over social media, television entertainment and celebrity news, and whatever magazines still showed up in grocery store checkout lines. Instead of talk about the bandโs music and their new drummer, Axel Forrester, there was speculation about whether the Original Kingsโ lead singer had impregnated a one-night stand.
Talk about a wake-up call.
Dash glanced around his patio, where clusters of people gathered talking. The professionals stood on one side, the roadies and groupies, the women who wanted to fuck a rock star, laughed and partied on the other. His band members were scattered around, all having fun on a hot late-September day in East Hampton, with the alcohol at Dashโs expense.
Whose idea was a party when his entire world might be falling apart? He ran a hand through his hair and decided to head over to his brother Xanderโs house, about a mile down the road. Though he could walk, he took his baby, a Ferrari Limited-Edition V12 supercar. Not even the power of the engine or the yellow racing stripe he loved helped his mood.
On the short ride, he thought about the many mistakes heโd made in life and decided he could do better. And though he knew, if the kid was his, heโd step up, he prayed to God heโd dodge this bullet. Panic-induced sweat broke out on his skin, and he pumped up the air conditioner.
When he arrived at Xanderโs, his other brother Lincโs car sat in the driveway. So heโd have both brothers to hang out with. Dash let himself inside and heard their voices coming from the kitchen.
He walked into the huge room where Linc and Xander were sitting at the table. โHey.โ
They looked up when he entered. โHow are you holding up?โ Linc asked.
Dash strode to the refrigerator, opened the door, and took out a can of Diet Coke. โFeeling like shit.โ He popped the top and guzzled a long sip.
โHow long until you have news?โ Xander asked.
โMy lawyer should call me any minute. Hour. Day. Fuck!โ He raised a hand and caught himself, not wanting to hit anything in his brotherโs kitchen. Or break his hand on the granite countertop.
Xander and Linc exchanged knowing looks.
โCome on. Sit.โ Xander strode over, hooked an arm around Dashโs neck, and pulled him toward the chairs by the table. Releasing him, which Dash appreciated because he was choking, Xander then braced both palms on his shoulders and pushed until Dash dropped into the chair.
โLook, Iโd be as crazy as you are if it was happening to me, but right now the best thing you can do is calm the fuck down,โ Xander said.
โI know.โ And he did but was it possible? Hell no.
Linc shook his head. โI hope this goes without saying, but once you survive this scare, things need to change.โ
Dash did his best not to scowl or punch his brother for thinking now was a good time for life lectures.
โLinc, chill, yeah?โ Xander gave Linc a pointed look.
โIโm just looking out for him,โ Linc said, leaning back in his chair, always the composed brother.
โI know you are.โ Dash got where Linc was coming from. Heโd also noticed Linc had said when Dash survived this scare. Not if. Which meant his oldest sibling had faith Dash might get through this unscathed. Not be a father. Dash just hoped Linc was right.
Since their dead father hadnโt been a good parent, Linc had always felt the need to herd the rest of the siblings and make sure they were taken care of. Whether they needed his guidance or not. Dash didnโt blame him. Hell, he appreciated his oldest brother. He just wasnโt in the mood for a lecture.
He was damned lucky the woman in question was willing to do a noninvasive DNA test. A blood sample from Mom, one from Dad, and a fetal cell analysis would provide a result that was ninety-nine percent accurate. The fact that the chick was willing to do one told Dash she wasnโt a money-hungry gold-digger.
If heโd knocked her up, he wouldnโt marry her, but she and the baby wouldnโt want for a damned thing, and Dash would get to know his kid. His stomach cramped at the notion of having a baby with a stranger.
โAre the guys at your place?โ Xander asked.
The question shook Dash from his disturbing thoughts. โThey were out by the pool when I left.โ
Xander folded his arms across his chest. โAny chance Iโll have a houseful of people soon?โ he asked, not sounding happy about it.
โYou never know.โ Dash couldnโt stop the grin lifting the corners of his mouth at Xanderโs predictable reaction.
Dash had made it his lifeโs mission to drive his more solitary brother crazy by showing up uninvited all the time. Xander was uptight and could use a good shaking up. But despite it all, they were close.
Now that Xander lived with his fiancรฉe, Dash had stopped using his key and rang the bell instead. Unless he knew he wouldnโt be interrupting them. Lincโs car in the driveaway had indicated heโd been safe to enter today. He had no desire to walk in on Xander and Sasha doing shit he didnโt need to see.
โDash! I didnโt know you were here, too.โ Sasha flowed into the kitchen because thatโs what his brotherโs fiancรฉe did. She glided across a room like the actress she was. Good thing she was down-to-earth, too.
โHello, beautiful.โ He winked at her and caught Xanderโs glare.
Dash had every reason to suck up to Sasha. Heโd crossed a line with Cassidy, Sashaโs best friend and former personal assistant, despite both Xander and Sasha warning him against making a move. Things between them had escalated out of control after Sasha had been hurt by her stalker. Cassidy had needed a shoulder to cry on, and Dash had been admittedly struck dumb from the first time heโd laid eyes on her.
Heโd acted with his dick and all his other body parts that were drawn to the California girl. Their one night had blown his mind, and even for a guy whoโd had more than his share of women, that was a huge understatement.
Heโd woken up as sober as when heโd slid into her the night before. No drunk excuses. Sunlight was streaming into the hotel room, illuminating her silky blond hair, porcelain skin, and delicate profile that would inspire songs in his future, and heโd freaked the fuck out. Instead of acting like a man, heโd dressed and disappeared before she woke up. Things had been awkward since.
โKnock, knock, weโre coming in!โ Dash recognized his lead guitarist Jaggerโs voice followed by footsteps, letting him know Mac, the bassist, and Axel, the new drummer, who happened to be Cassidyโs brother, were with him. And fuck no, Axel did not know what had happened between Dash and his sister.
โIn the kitchen,โ Dash called out.
โReally?โ Xander asked, eyebrow raised in annoyance.
Sasha squeezed his shoulder. โItโs fine.โ
โItโs not. Whatโs wrong with your house?โ he asked Dash. โI love you but half the time it feels like you guys live here.โ
Dash lifted his shoulders. โOur road manager came by, called a few friendsโฆโ
โThereโs a party at his place,โ Mac said as the guys filed into the kitchen dressed in bathing trunks and sneakers.
Sasha narrowed her gaze. โWhereโs Cass?โ
Cassidy used to be Sashaโs personal assistant until the bandโs latest one quit. Xander, Sasha, and Harrison Dare, a movie star friend of hers, were creating a production company and had asked Cassidy to be their creative director. With her ad agency background prior to working for Sasha, she was a perfect fit.
But there was time before theyโd need Cassidy to start work. Axel had convinced her to lend the band a hand. Again, because Axel had no idea that Dash had fucked his sister and walked out, making certain she understood what one and done meant. Because yeah, when Dash got feelings, he was that much of an asshole.
โSheโs at the pool, keeping an eye on shit,โ Axel said, wincing under Sashaโs pissed-off glare.
Normally Dash would get the brunt of her anger, but Axel had been the last guy to leave the house. And he was Cassidyโs brother.
โYou left her there with your goddamn entourage and the groupies?โ Sasha walked over and smacked Dash upside the head.
โHey! I didnโt do it,โ he muttered.
She shot him a look that let him know heโd done other things to earn him that swat, and he couldnโt deny he deserved it. Nor could he fight with her in front of the band.
โOverseeing your parties and babysitting your groupies isnโt part of her job description.โ Sasha swiped a set of car keys that sat in a bowl on the counter.
โWhere are you going?โ Xander asked.
โTo save my best friend.โ She waved at Xander with a warm smile that Dash had to admit would make any man envious, ignored the rest of them, and strode out of the kitchen.
โGood job,โ Xander muttered. โWay to piss her off.โ
Dash ran a hand over his face. โLook, I have a lot on my mind!โ
Xander looked at him, his jaw tight, and Dash didnโt say a word. Of his two brothers, he could read Xander better. And Xander wanted to give Dash the same lecture Linc had.
When this nightmare was over, Dash needed to get his shit together. ASAP.
*ย ย ย ย ย *ย ย ย ย ย *
Cassidy Forrester sat on the edge of the saltwater gunite pool and dipped her feet into the warm water, ignoring the half-naked groupies hanging on to men who were friends with Dash Kingston, the owner of the East Hampton home.
โI want a raise,โ she said out loud to no one in particular. Because she sure as hell wasnโt paid enough to babysit the entourage of the Original Kings, an award-winning rock band, comprised of man-child idiots who did what they wanted, when they wanted, everyone else be damned.
Her actual title was personal assistant to the band, a job sheโd taken as a favor to her brother. The four core members had disappeared, leaving her to deal with the people, party, and mess theyโd left behind. Nobody else would watch over the house and make sure these guests respected boundaries and stayed outside.
Not that Dash deserved anything from her, but her brother did.
โHey, Cass,โ a familiar female voice said.
Cassidy glanced up, shading her eyes from the sun, just as her best friend, Sasha Keaton, joined her, sitting by her side and also dipping her bare feet into the pool.
โWhat are you doing here? Shouldnโt you be home with your hot fiancรฉ?โ
Sasha leaned back, her hands behind her on the bluestone patio. โWhen the guys showed up, I figured youโd want company.โ
Cassidy smiled. โAnd thatโs why I love you.โ
โBack at you,โ Sasha said, tilting her face toward the sun.
Sasha and Cassidy had been based in Los Angeles and traveled to locations where Sasha filmed until a couple of months ago, when Sasha had come to New York for a role. Cassidy, as her then personal assistant, had joined her. Sasha and Xander Kingston, Dashโs brother and the author of the book on which the movie was based, had history theyโd rekindled. After filming ended, Sasha had decided to move across the country to be with Xander and, along with him, open a production company with another famous actor, Harrison Dare.
Cassidy eventually planned to work for their new company, K-Talent Productions, a name theyโd recently updated, but for now sheโd agreed to help the band until they could hire someone they agreed on permanently.
โI came to take you to Xanderโs. You donโt need to babysit the house,โ Sasha said.
โI take it the band made their way over there?โ Cassidy asked.
Sasha nodded. โIf they donโt want to be here, thereโs no reason for you to be, either. Letโs go hang out at my place.โ
Cassidy grinned.
โWhat?โ
โI like that you consider Xanderโs house your place. Iโm glad youโre happy.โ Her friend had soared to stardom, sacrificing her relationship with Xander in the process. But in the end, things had worked out and they both deserved it.
โI want the same thing for you. So while weโre alone, I just wanted to make sure youโre not upset with me,โ Sasha said. She lifted her feet out of the pool, and they both stood and reached for towels on the chairs behind them.
โWhy would I be?โ Cassidy asked while drying her legs.
Sasha did the same before sitting down to buckle her sandals as she replied. โI know you donโt want to be around Dash, but when Xander and Axel asked if the band could borrow your talents for a short time, I couldnโt lie. Itโs going to take a while to get the paperwork for the new business going, and Harrison is finishing up a movie. We all have downtime now.โ
โI know. And I didnโt have to say yes when Axel asked. This job isnโt your doing. Itโs my brotherโs and thatโs because he has no idea I slept with Dash.โ Cassidy winced at the reminder of the best night of her life that had ended in the most humiliating morning after.
โI want to throttle Dash for being such an asshole,โ Sasha muttered.
There was nothing Cassidy could say to that since she agreed. And if Axel found out, heโd kill Dash himself.
Cassidy and Axelโs parents had died in a car accident when Cassidy was five and Axel seven. Their grandmother had raised them until sheโd passed away, leaving an eighteen-year-old Axel to deal with Cassidy, a sixteen-year-old girl just finding herself. Though Cassidy felt like theyโd looked out for each other, Axel had deemed himself her father figure and still acted as such.
Sasha sighed. โYeah. Iโve seen how overprotective Axel can be. I donโt think heโd take the news well, and the last thing you want is an issue between the bandโs lead singer and their new member. They have enough crazy publicity as it is,โ Sasha said.
โAgreed.โ Neither one of them mentioned Dashโs baby scare out loud.
Sasha probably didnโt want to hurt Cassidy by discussing it. And Cassidy didnโt want to puke into the manโs million-dollar pool. She was aware based on the timing that heโd slept with the woman before heโd been with Cassidy. Not that it mattered. He hadnโt been with her in any way that inspired loyalty or monogamy. But the thought of Dash fathering some skankโs baby made Cassidy want to alternatively be sick and cry. How could she have let herself fall for the proverbial rock star?
A shriek came from the far side of the grass. Cassidy and Sasha turned to see one of the big-breasted women pull off her bikini top and jump into the deep end of the pool. Three men shucked their shorts and followed.
โOh. My. God.โ Cassidy spun away, not needing to see more.
โCome on. Letโs get out of here.โ Sasha gathered her things, and Cassidy pulled her cover-up over her bathing suit and slipped into her flip-flops, happy to join her friend and leave this hedonistic nightmare behind.
*ย ย ย ย ย *ย ย ย ย ย *
Dash huddled in the corner of the overly large sofa in Xanderโs family room. While grumbling about too many people in his house, Xander had moved the band and Linc to a space with more sitting room. Status quo for his best-selling thriller author brother, whose books were made into hit movies. He liked a more solitary life.
Why Xander put up with Dash and his shit was beyond him. But Dash loved his older brother and always had. Heโd pulled the same crap when they were kids, sleeping on the floor of Xanderโs bedroom until his mother bought a trundle bed so Dash was more comfortable.
Xander had grumbled then, too, Dash thought wryly. But if his life went to hell, Xander would be there and not say, I told you so. Not much, anyway.
Dashโs cell rang, silencing everyone. He pulled out the phone from his pocket, glanced at the screen, and his heart began to pound harder in his chest.
โItโs the lawyer,โ he said to his audience, men he trusted with his life. Men whoโd been waiting to hear the news along with him. The band because of the publicity Dash had thrust on them, and along with his brothers, they cared.
Palms slick with sweat, Dash stood. He took the call, putting it on speaker because he didnโt want to have to repeat the news if it was bad. โPeter, talk to me,โ he said to his attorney.
โGot the paternity results in my hand,โ the man said.
At that moment, Sasha walked in, Cassidy by her side. Because why shouldnโt the woman who affected him on a soul-deep level witness his humiliation?
โDash, you are not the father,โ Peter said without wasting time, and damned if Dash didnโt drop to his knees in relief and disconnected the call.
โFucking sounds like an episode of Maury,โ Axel said. โBut you must be relieved. Congrats, man.โ
Linc and Xander surrounded him, and he rose to his feet, promising himself that, from this point on, his life would change. No more fucking groupies, no more being too wasted as an excuse.
He blinked, his gaze refocusing until he met Cassidyโs damp stare, her pretty green eyes wet with unshed tears. Sheโd wrapped her arms around herself and his stomach cramped at the hurt he saw in her expression. Unable to deal with the pain heโd caused when he was still in the process of reconfiguring what he wanted out of life, he turned away.
โI think everyone should go back to your place and send the partiers home.โ Xander squeezed Dashโs shoulder. โYou stay here and calm down. You can head back when you know itโs quiet there.โ
Dash inclined his head. โSounds like a good idea.โ He turned to the band. โGuys? I appreciate the support but I need some time.โ
One by one they slapped him on the shoulder and headed out the door, each giving him a word of congratulations as they left.
And when he turned back to face Sasha and Cassidy, the women were nowhere to be found.
*ย ย ย ย ย *ย ย ย ย ย *
Needing space, Cassidy walked into the kitchen of Xander and Sashaโs home. She headed straight to the counter, braced her hands on the granite, and dipped her head, releasing a long-held sigh. Dash was not the father of some groupieโs baby.
Why the hell was she so relieved? After the way heโd treated her, why did she care?
A little over two months ago, sheโd met Dash Kingston, and the floor beneath her had shaken as if an earthquake hit, and having been born and bred in LA, sheโd experienced plenty of them. Her reaction had been ridiculous. As an assistant to an A-list actress, sheโd met more handsome men than she could count. Sheโd recently been dumped by a man she thought sheโd loved. Yet, standing in a club full of people, sheโd taken one look at the lead singer of the Original Kings, and it was like no one else was in the room. And damned if he hadnโt stared back at her, looking shaken, as if he felt the same way.
Later that night, when sheโd been mistaken for Sasha and attacked by her friendโs stalker, Dash had been frantic. Heโd even gone to the hospital and waited there to make sure she was okay. Not the actions of an unaffected man. Which was why, after Sasha had been attacked and Cassidy panicked, sheโd given in to the attraction and need.
Sheโd thought she was different than his other women. The groupies. Until sheโd woken up alone the morning after, and heโd never mentioned their night together again. She closed her eyes, trying to rid herself of the painful memory, only to recall the panic on his face when heโd been on the phone with his lawyer. And the sheer relief when heโd heard the paternity results and realized his entire life wouldnโt be upended.
Sheโd been happy for him. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
โAre you finished with the self-flagellation?โ Sasha asked. Sheโd followed Cassidy out of the room filled with men congratulating Dash and, as a good friend, had given Cassidy a few minutes to pull herself together.
Cassidy stood up and straightened her shoulders only to find Sasha staring, her gaze narrowed.
โWhat?โ Cassidy asked.
โItโs not terrible to still have feelings,โ Sasha said, quietly so nobody would overhear.
Cassidy shrugged. โI donโt have feelings unless you count being happy for him that he dodged a bullet.โ They both knew she was lying. โThatโs what I donโt understand about myself. Why do I care after he was such an ass?โ
โBecause youโre a good person, Cass. Are you sure you want to work with them?โ Sasha asked.
Cassidy nodded. โThis week is a radio interview. The first with the entire band since Axel joined them. The focus will turn to music, the guys will hunker down in the studio, and all will be fine.โ At least that was the story she was telling herself.
โOkay then.โ Sasha glanced at her watch. โI need to take a call, but Iโll drive you back to Dashโs house right after. I shouldnโt be long.โ
โIโll take her. Iโm going home, anyway.โ
Cassidy jerked, surprised by the sound of Dashโs voice. He stood in the entry to the kitchen. He wore a pair of swim trunks and an open button-down shirt, and his tanned, lickable abs were on display. His jet-black hair had been recently cut and was longer on top, looking like heโd been running his fingers through it in agitation.
Of all the Kingston brothers, Cassidy thought Dash the best-looking, his face lean, his features chiseled. He had full lips and he knew how to use them to give maximum pleasure. At the reminder, she folded her arms across her chest, covering her nipples so he couldnโt see how he affected her.
Sasha glanced at Dash. โI donโt think thatโs a good idea.โ
โActually, itโs a perfect idea,โ Cassidy said. โDash and I can discuss what he and the band need from me.โ She shot Sasha a reassuring gaze. Though Cassidy appreciated the support, she could handle Dash.
โOkay.โ Although Sashaโs forehead wrinkled in worry, she walked over and gave Cassidy a hug, which she gratefully returned. Sasha was the sister sheโd never had, and Cassidy loved her.
Sasha strode out of the kitchen, pausing to whisper something in Dashโs ear that caused him to wince. A threat to the family jewels if he hurt Cassidy again, no doubt.
โAre you ready?โ he asked.
She nodded. Sheโd left her handbag in the kitchen, grabbed it from one of the chairs, and followed him out, coming to a stop in front of the almost-five-hundred-thousand-dollar sports car. This she knew from her brother and his obsession with them.
โBoys and their toys,โ she muttered as he opened the door for her.
Dash chuckled, the sound a low rasp in her ear she was eager to escape, but as she slid into the low-slung seat, she caught a whiff of his familiar, musky scent. She inhaled, and arousal hit low in her abdomen as he shut the door, leaving her in the small interior, surrounded by the heady cologne. Already, she regretted not waiting for Sasha to drive her back.
There was no conversation thanks to the loud engine revving as he drove, but when he pulled into his long driveway, he parked the car and cut the motor.
Before she could find the door handle and escape, he spoke. โCassidy, wait.โ
Her hand froze and she had no choice but to turn toward him.
Heโd placed his tanned, inked forearm onto the top of her seat, bringing them together in the small car. Sheโd already been inhaling his scent and getting worked up enough to squirm in her seat. Now his handsome face was too close for comfort. Sheโd gone from thinking they should clear things up between them to wanting to get away from his magnetic pull.
โWhat do you want?โ she asked.
โYou said we should talk about what the band needs from you,โ Dash said.
She rolled her eyes. โI know how to do my job. I just didnโt want to make Sasha go out of her way to take me to my car when you were leaving anyway.โ She pivoted toward the door, intending to make her getaway.
โIโm sorry.โ His low tone reminded her of the rumbling voice on stage that had women throwing their panties at his feet.
But damn him, his words stopped her from leaving. โYouโre sorry. For what?โ
If he was going to apologize, she wanted him to spell out what heโd done wrong.
โLook at me and Iโll tell you,โ he said.
She turned. The man across from her wasnโt the cocky rock star who strutted around on stage like he owned the world. This Dash Kingston appeared to be a mere mortal, not a rock god. He was a man whoโd been humbled by his actions. Although she didnโt kid herself that heโd have apologized otherwise, she couldnโt help but respond to the real person behind the cocky faรงade he presented to everyone else.
She raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to explain.
A muscle pulled in his jaw. โI shouldnโt have left you the morning after without saying goodbye. That was a shitty thing to do.โ
โYeah, it was.โ She blew out a breath, relieved he hadnโt apologized for sleeping with her. She didnโt think she could deal with being one of his regrets.
โI should have dealt with things better.โ He ran a hand through his already disheveled hair. โHell, Cass. I should have handled you better.โ
Glad he not only recognized heโd treated her like one of his groupies and pleased heโd acknowledged it out loud, she decided to put her night with Dash where it belonged. โThanks, Dash. Itโs in the past but I appreciate the apology.โ
Forcing a smile she didnโt feel, at least not in her heart, where somehow this man had gotten to her, she turned and let herself out of the car.
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Oh my goodness! ๐
I can’t wait to read this. Love all the brothers and their stories!!