Phenomenal X

  Rex falls down to the mat. He rolls side-to-side, groaning and clutching his face.

  If he’s still moving, he hasn’t had enough.

  I throw the chair down and grab him by the hair of his head and yank, forcing him back to his feet. Rex wobbles in front of me, and I’m tempted to ask him where the fuck his cocky-ass smirk is now, but I resist. I’d rather just focus on showing him who the king of this fucking ring is.

  I draw back and land a hard right square into his nose. The bone breaks easily against my knuckles, and the delight is such that I actually smile.

  It feels good to release all the anger I’ve been keeping bottled up inside. The animal inside me has been caged for far too long. Being under contract gave me something to lose if I lost my head and fought against the world. That’s probably one of the reasons why the nightmares have been coming so frequently.

  My mind flashes with visions of Rex’s constant taunts…Grandmother beating me…Mom, dying in my arms.

  The last one stings the most. I couldn’t save her, but I can surely save Anna. I’ll never allow anything bad to happen to her. No one will ever hurt her, including me.

  Never again will anyone mess with my Anna, least of all this fuckin’ cockroach. I’ll see to that by breaking his fucking jaw.

  I slam my fist into his jaw and Rex’s mouth snaps open awkwardly as he falls to his knees before me. He stares up at me with hazed eyes, and I draw back one more time.

  A large arm hooks around my elbow, and I find myself being yanked back. A roar that rivals an angry lion’s rips from my throat. I’m still hungry to finish what I’ve started and it pisses me off someone that is preventing that.

  I yank and pull and scream, “Get the fuck off me!”

  “Chill, man. You’ve got to chill. They’ll arrest your ass if you don’t.”

  Freddy’s voice cuts through the haze in my brain.

  My vision swirls and when my eyes finally focus, I’m brought back to the harsh reality of what I’ve done. I stare down at Rex’s uncharacteristically still body on the mat, surrounded by a medical team.

  Oh God. I fucking did that.

  Shit.

  My legs give out below me, and Freddy, along with two other members of the security team, allow me sink to my knees. I grab my hair in my fists and squeeze.

  This isn’t happening. All I’ve ever wanted is to leave all my violence in the past, but no matter how fucking hard I try, I can’t always contain my rage.

  I press my hands against the mat and drop my head.

  I fucked up. I’m going to lose everything.

  I close my eyes and just focus on breathing. The fans in the arena mumble as the doctors work on Rex. Everyone’s waiting to see if he’s going to be okay.

  “Brian, let me go!”

  Anna’s voice cuts though the noise, and I glance up just in time to watch her push away from Brian and dash across the ring, sinking down to her knees beside me. She wraps her arms around my shoulders and kisses my cheek.

  “Are you okay?”

  I peer into her concerned eyes. Tears flow down her cheeks, and I know that I don’t want to live without her. I need her by my side always.

  She needs to know how I feel about her.

  I cradle her face in my hands and wish so badly we were alone in a room somewhere—anywhere—rather than being watched by millions of people while I’m still covered in another man’s blood, but this might be my only chance.

  “I love you, Anna, no matter what happens next,” I whisper. “And I always will.”

  Tears continue to flow from her beautiful green eyes, but she gives a slight smile. “I’ll love you forever.”

  I press my lips to hers in a soft kiss. Anna means the world to me and I’ll do anything to protect her.

  Police officers begin to circle me, and I know I’ve royally fucked up. I close my eyes and tighten my arms around Anna, trying to memorize the way this moment feels.

  “On your feet. Xavier Cold, you’re under arrest,” an authoritative voice says.

  I glance up at the officer in front of me as he pulls handcuffs from his waistband. My eyes drift back to Anna’s face, and she shakes her head.

  “No! You are not taking him!” she yells at the officer.

  “Ma’am, I’m going to need you to step away from him,” the cop orders.

  Anna clings even tighter to me, and as much as it pains me, she needs to do as he asks.

  I kiss her forehead. “You’re going to have to let me go, baby. I don’t want them putting their hands on you. I’ll lose my shit.”

  She swallows hard and sniffs. “I don’t want to be without you.”

  I cup her face in my hands, and I fight back all the emotion from my face. I can’t let her see how this is breaking me.

  “You have to be strong.” I don’t know if this is more for her benefit or my own.

  Tears flow down her cheeks, and she reluctantly nods. “Okay.”

  “Good,” I whisper, and before I get a chance to kiss her again, a cuff is locked around one of my wrists.

  “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be held against you…” Two officers yank me to my feet as they continue to read me my rights and pull both of my arms behind my back so they can finish linking both of my wrists together.

  They begin leading me away, and I turn back to look at Anna. She’s still kneeling on the mat clutching her chest while she sobs. More than anything I want to break out of these shackles and hold her. That frown on her face is killing me, and I hate knowing I’m the one who put it there. I close my eyes and pray I haven’t just done something that will destroy us forever now that I’ve finally found my heart.

  Turn the page to read the first four chapters of Rock the Heart (Black Falcon Series, Book One).

  Rock the Heart

  (Black Falcon Series, Book One)

  By Michelle A. Valentine

  Chapter 1

  This is the most uncomfortable seat in the entire world. The stiff leather chair nearly swallows me whole with its high back, and the bare skin on my legs stick to the seat. It’s also stifling in here. If I didn’t know better, I would say someone left the heat on in the middle of July. A bead of sweat trickles down my spine and I reach across the table to pour a glass of water.

  I can’t believe I’m this nervous. It’s only a board meeting for crying out loud.

  The glass meets my lips and I gulp down a drink.

  My best friend of four years, Aubrey, reaches over and pats my wrist. “Sweetie, it’s fine. This is no biggie.”

  I muster up a smile and nod. Of course it’s no big deal to her. She’s been through countless marketing meetings. This is my very first one. Sure, I’m only an intern, but proving myself will earn me a spot at Center Stage Marketing. Something I’ve wanted since my freshman year in college.

  Aubrey and I both earned degrees from the University of Texas and she somehow landed an assistant position to one of the top executives in the company. They actually pay her to be here, while I’m just the annoying tag along in training.

  Diana Swagger, one of the most respected female marketing executives and the president of the firm, strides in and takes her seat at the head of the long table, which fills most of the room. She’s put together from head to toe—not one red hair out of place on her well groomed head. Her black suit screams money and respect, and from what I’ve heard about her in the staff lounge, she’s a no nonsense type.

  Aubrey clicks her pen next to me, ready to jot notes for her boss. Even though I’m only here to observe, I mimic her actions and do my best to pretend like I belong.

  “Can anyone read the goals we discussed two weeks ago?” Diana asks while she unbuttons her jacket.

  A middle-aged man, to Diana’s right, rattles off a list of topics that might as well be said in a foreign language. None of the projects Center Stage currently has going are products or companies I’m familiar with, but I keep my eyes trained on him li
ke he’s the most interesting person in the world.

  “…And we received the go ahead from Black Falcon’s people to proceed with the children’s campaign,” he says.

  This automatically catches my attention. Black Falcon hits a little too close to home. Most people know them for their music, but I know them because of their front man, Noel Falcon. The star-studded rocker is a huge part of my past. There isn’t one childhood memory that he’s not in.

  Diana makes a note on her yellow, legal paper. “Good. Now we need a volunteer to go down and wine and dine Noel Falcon for a few days. We need him to know we are serious about his charity.”

  Everyone at the table quickly busies themselves with their paperwork in front of them. All of them avoiding Diana’s stare.

  Diana peers around the table. “No one is interested in this? Harold?”

  The man to Diana’s right looks up at her and adjusts his glasses. “Sorry, Diana. Rock stars aren’t well known for working well with us boring ad types. Last time I personally tried working with one, he blew me off, then became irate that his marketing wasn’t what he had envisioned. No offense, but this isn’t the type of account I’m willing to take on again. It’s a time suck.”

  Diana leans back in her chair, steeples her fingers together, and presses them to her lips. “Is no one interested?” Her eyes scan her employees one more time—all of them avoiding her stare—before they land on me. “How about you? You seem to be the only other one interested in this account.”

  Shit. Eye contact is a pain in the ass.

  I swallow hard and my hand clutches my throat. “M—me?”

  She leans forward in her seat. “I’m sure Mr. Falcon would surely give a young, pretty thing like you the time of day. All you would have to do is get him to spend some time with you and then find out exactly what his vision is for the children’s charity Black Falcon is heading up.”

  My throat suddenly goes dry. How can I face Noel again? I want to scream at the top of my lungs I can’t, but I know if I want a job at Center Stage I need to be a yes woman until I get my foot planted firmly inside this door.

  I can do this—talk with an old friend on a very professional level. This might be a piece of cake.

  I take another huge gulp of water, trying to calm my nerves, while Diana stares expectantly at me. If I let my history with Noel slip out she might yank this opportunity away, and I can’t let that happen. Not after I’m so close to landing my dream job.

  Aubrey nudges my leg under the table. She knows I’m stalling. She’s heard the stories about Noel.

  I set the glass down, deciding it’s best to keep my relationship with him private, and nod my head. “I would love to take on this job for you.”

  Diana smiles and leans back in her chair. “At least someone is willing to go the distance for this company. What did you say your name was again?”

  “Lanie…Lanie Vance.”

  Diana makes another note on the paper in front of her. “Does anyone have Black Falcon’s tour schedule? We need to get Ms. Vance to their next show and get things rolling on this.”

  Harold types something into his tablet and quickly says, “Black Falcon’s next show is tomorrow night in Houston Texas, then it appears they have a break until Rock on the Range in Columbus, Ohio a few days later.”

  Tomorrow? I scrunch my nose. That’s a hell of a lot sooner than I expected. When I volunteered for this, I figured I would at least have a few days to mentally prepare myself. What in the hell am I going to say to Noel? Sorry for stomping on your heart four years ago? Oh and by the way I’m only here to land my dream job.

  I resist the urge to bury my face in my hands. What have I just gotten myself into?

  No, I have to look on the bright side. Houston is only about thirty minutes from my hometown. At least it’ll be a free trip home for the weekend. It’s been a couple months since I’ve seen my mom, and I miss her like crazy. New York is a hard place to get away from.

  I can do this, right?

  “Someone schedule this girl a flight for tomorrow immediately and give her the run down on this charity, so she’ll know what information we need from the band,” Diana says.

  When I open my mouth to tell Diana I’ve changed my mind, Aubrey says, “Ms. Swagger, I would like to volunteer to go with Lanie. She’s only an intern, and I would love to go along with her and show her the ropes on navigating clients.”

  Ms. Swagger nods. “Okay then, I’ll allow that. Go ahead and book a flight for yourself and one for Ms. Vance and then report back to me on Monday after the initial meeting.”

  I slump back in the chair.

  This may be the worst decision of my life.

  Aubrey leads me into the hallway after the meeting is over. Every nerve in my body zings with adrenaline. This is it, my big break to show Ms. Swagger I deserve a job in her company, that I’m a marketing slave. The only problem is facing Noel.

  Aubrey grabs my wrist and yanks me into the supply closet. “Oh. My. God.” She shakes her head and her auburn curls bounce around her shoulders. “I don’t even know what to say. On one hand, I’m thrilled you’ll have the chance to show these stuffy assholes around here some of those mad marketing skills, but on the other I’m freaked the fuck out. Noel Falcon, Lanie?”

  I sigh. “I know, I know, but what was I suppose to do? Tell Diana no because I have a painful history with the lead singer of Black Falcon? There’s no way I could admit that to her. This opportunity just fell into my lap. I’d be crazy not to jump all over it.”

  Aubrey grabs my hands and squeezes them. “You’re right. You can get through this. It’s only Noel Falcon. We go down there and take him to dinner. You’ll be fine because I’ll be there the entire time for moral support.”

  I wrap my arms around her slender frame. “Thank you for doing this with me.”

  She pulls away and pushes my dark hair back before resting her hands on my shoulders. Her emerald eyes stare at me. “You’re welcome, sweetie. Now there’s only one thing left to do…” Her lips twist and she picks at my shirt.

  I raise an eyebrow at the mischievous look on her face. “Oh, no. I know that look.”

  Aubrey’s grin broadens. “Where’s the closest mall? I can’t wait to see Noel’s jaw hit the floor when he sees you.”

  I roll my eyes and do my best to look displeased, but deep down I can’t wait to see that either.

  Chapter 2

  The last chord of the song still hums in my ears. I can’t believe I’m out here in this blistering heat. The sun beats down on my back and I just know my fair skin is going to scream at me later. But I have to be here, even if it is the last place I ever wanted to be—front row of my high school boyfriend’s concert. God knows where he gets the inspiration for his music from.

  The lead singer from the opening act, Embrace the Darkness, walks back on stage in his tight, black, leather pants and ripped up t-shirt. The crowd behind me is predominantly women because my old boyfriend is a rock-sex icon now. They scream even louder when the rocker grabs the microphone off the stand.

  Two fights broke out behind me during the last band’s set, so I’m a bit nervous to find out what’s going to happen when the main act goes on, but I’m not leaving this spot. I’ve waited out here since the gates opened at noon to get center stage. I want the best view possible to lay my eyes on the first boy I ever really kissed.

  “You guys are awesome. Thank you so much.” The singer smiles and the rampant crowd of horny women shove against one another even harder to get closer to the stage. “Are you ladies ready to drop your panties for Black Falcon!?”

  That gets them pumped up again. I look behind me and watch the waves of people scream and yell in excitement.

  My ears ring, but I don’t want to look like a total wuss and stuff my fingers in them in the midst of all these hard-core rocker chicks. That might get my ass kicked.

  The middle aged woman behind me screams out Noel’s name followed by an ‘I love you’
at least ten octaves higher than her normal voice. The woman shoves into my back, and I crunch into the iron fencing in front of me.

  “Give it up for BLACK FALCON!” the rocker screams, and my insides jitter. I’m not sure why I’m nervous. It’s not like he’ll even remember me. He sees tons of women every night, and after a while faces probably all start to look the same to him.

  My gaze instantly glues to the stage. The lead singer, Noel Falcon, enters from the right and looks just like I remember him—tall and lean with shaggy, dark-brown hair. He’s not the goofy boy I knew anymore. The past four years have been good to him. Really good. He wears twenty-two well. The dark, scruffy hair on his jaw line brings out the blue in his eyes, and for a second, I kick myself for the night we broke up.

  Noel stops center stage, wearing a sexy grin as he takes in the arena packed with his adoring fans. He’s close. I can practically reach out and trace the intricate tattoos on his arm if I want to. The spotlight beams down on him, and he points a finger out to the throngs of people in the upper deck. The crowd goes nuts, but I stand there simply awestruck. Not because Noel Falcon, one of the hottest rockers on the planet is five feet in front of me, but because it’s Noel Falcon, the first boy I ever loved. He used to be my best friend. The guy I thought at one time was my forever.

  Noel pulls the microphone off the stand. “Wow!” He steps back and laughs as he stares around. He looks unbelievably hot in his jeans and tight, black t-shirt. “I can’t tell you how great it feels to be back in my old stomping grounds. I grew up not far from here, so tonight—”

  “I LOVE YOU NOEL!” shouts the lady behind me again, practically right in my ear.

  Noel flicks his line of sight down and makes eye contact with me. Surprise registers on his face, and he pauses for a brief second, even though it feels like an eternity to me. “So tonight—” he says, still staring at me. “—is a very special night. It gives me a chance to revisit my past. See people I haven’t seen since high school. The good and the bad.” Noel’s gaze leaves me, and he glances back out toward the crowd. “Are you guys ready to rock?”