Phoenix Rockstar (Book One in the Erotic Rockstar Series) (2 page)

I look up at him; he rests my palm over his chest. “Is mine.”

I smile and reach up to stroke his cheek. “Travis, I love it.”

He runs his finger over my bottom lip. “If you were older
Mischief
, I would wrap you up and run away with you. Away from all this…”

“I don’t want to run away Trav, I just want you.”

“I wish I could give that to you, but for now, you have my heart.”

I am snapped back into reality when dragon lady giggles; I wrinkle my nose, knowing exactly what they are doing in there. I have learnt to ignore the women in
Chief’s
life over the years. He never exposes me to any of it, but I hear them moaning and crying out his name often enough. This one though, she does it on purpose. She screams extra loud to piss me off, one day…one day I will get her back.

I walk into my room and smile at the fading pink walls. It always brings me some comfort. I hear the rattling of
Chief’s
office desk, and I crank up some music. Ew. There are some things one does not need to know about her father. I unpack my clothes and plonk down on my bed to enjoy the music. I hear the doorbell an hour later; it rings once, and then twice…why isn’t
Chief
answering? Too tangled in drag queen to notice I suppose. With a sigh, I walk downstairs. The doorbell rings again.

“Alright, I am coming, keep your shirt on.”

I swing open the door and let out a strangled sound. Standing in front of me, is the one and only Travis Phoenix. My heart does a stupid flip flop and I curse myself for reacting this way. He upped and left me; no explanation, nothing and now he is here and he is…why the fuck is he smiling at me like that? Jesus. I am hoping that my face is showing what my body clearly isn’t, and that is that I am mega pissed.

“
Mischief
,” He drawls. “Girl, I missed you.”

Travis is thirty times more gorgeous as a man then he was as a teenage boy. He is stunning, with these wicked grey eyes and dirty blonde hair. His face is that of a gods or maybe a poster child. Definitely a poster child. He has grown taller, broader and hell he got some tattoos. I had watched his shows over the years on television but seeing him up close does crazy things to me. God help me; I am behaving like a stupid teenager. Think Violet think.

“Sorry, do I know you?”

Yeah, like that is going to work. Great, now he is laughing at me.

“Baby, you wound me.”

“Why are you here Travis?”

He cocks his eyebrow and leans on the door frame.

“Last time I checked, I lived around these parts.”

“Till you ran off.”

“Well, I am back now.”

“Why?”

“Business and boy am I glad I came back; you grew up
Mischief
, looking mighty fine now days.”

I growl and look away; bac
k
two minutes and he is already under my skin.

“Are you going to invite me in; or is there a secret password?”

“Grow up!” I snap.

“Still sour that I ran off?”

“No Travis, I am not.”

“TRAV!”

I turn to see
Chief
rushing out grinning. Ugh! I mumble a protest under my breath, then turn to walk back up the steps. Jaq comes out a moment later, and I nearly gag at how she is dressed. The woman has wrinkles where wrinkles should not be. She is older than
Chief
; I know that much. It’s not that she is ugly, if you took her features and separated them, they would be pretty but together on her face; they just seem pointy and severe. Her dark hair would be pretty if she let it out of that severe bun. Her blue eyes once would have been beautiful, until she did too many drugs. She just doesn’t have it anymore.

“Ew.” I mutter out loud.

Travis and
Chief
turn and stare at me.

“Sorry daddy but shame on you.”

I walk upstairs and listen to Travis’s loud laughter behind me; I can’t help but smile. I get into my room and shut the door, trying desperately to slow my pounding heart. I can’t believe he is
back;
I resigned myself to the fact that I would never see Travis again and now here he is. I rub my forehead and stomp into the bathroom; I stare at myself in the mirror, wondering what he sees? All I can see is grey eyes, pale skin and long dark hair. Nothing special. Nothing different. I decide to shower,
and then
I might go for a walk down to the beach. I need a break.

I shower, slip on some fresh clothes and then walk downstairs.
Chief
, Travis and Jaq are all drinking and talking; they stop when I walk in. I give my best smile and try hard to avoid eye contact with Travis, but I can’t help my gaze. It travels over him, landing on the gorgeous dimple in his cheek when he grins. My grey eyes meet his, and I can see he is amused at the effect he is having over me.

“I am going for a swim.”

“Alright baby, don’t be long.”
Chief
says.

I turn and walk out, steadying my pounding heart. As I walk over to the beach across the road, I think about the first time Travis and I went swimming. I was seven, and he was thirteen. He was just becoming a teenager, and his body was growing taller and leaner. His light blonde hair had begun to darken a shade, giving it a sandy look. His grey eyes now turning into a steel color.

“
Mischief
, you have to get in that water sometime.”

“I don’t want to Trav, it’s cold and salty.”

“Of course it is, it’s the ocean.”

“You can’t make me, I will tell
Chief
…”

“Now don’t go being a brat, come on.”

“Where’s Lillian, go and make her swim.”

“She chickened out and went home.”

“I will get her for that.”

“Three seconds
Mischief
and I am tossing you in.”

I squeal and run in the opposite direction. Travis chases me laughing, and when he catches me, he wraps his arms around my tiny body and tosses me over his shoulder. He runs towards the surf and barrels in; I scream when the waves wash over me, and when I surface I pummel tiny fists into his chest.

“Hate you Travis Phoenix.”

“You love me!”

“Do not!”

We swim and play a little longer, then walk back up onto the sand.

“Hey Trav?”

“Hmmm?”

“Are you going out with that girl Sandy?”

He laughs. “No, gross.”

“Why does she always walk past your house?”

He shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe she likes you
Mischief
.”

I giggle and shove him. “Trav?”

“Yes?”

“Will you promise me that I am the first girl you kiss?”

“I promise
Mischief
; I promise.”

“What are you thinking about?”

I spin around and Travis is leaning against a tree, staring at me.

“Nothing.”

“You were thinking about the day I threw you in that ocean, weren’t you?”

I sigh. “Yeah.”

“It was a good
day;
you made me promise you would be my first kiss.”

“And I wasn’t.”

“I was older than you
Mischief
, it was a promise I couldn’t fulfil.”

“Then you should not have made it.” I snap.

“Maybe not, but you were just a kid.”

I stare at him; I know I look hurt. “Is that all you ever saw me as, a kid?”

“You know I didn’t.”

“I don’t know anything anymore; I believed in you and you left. I thought I knew you, but it turns out I didn’t.”

“You did know me, everything we had was true
Mischief
.”

“No Trav, it wasn’t.”

“We were never going to get further; you were too young.”

I snort. “Well that’s great.”

“Why do you hate me so much?”

I spin on him.
“Because you left, because you were my friend and you le
f
t me.
You never said goodbye. That is why I hate you Travis.”

I turn and run into the water, diving into the surf. When I surface, Travis is gone and I am left feeling that gaping damned hole in my heart re-opening.

CHAPTER
2

“Oh my freaking God!” Reagan cries down the phone.

“So what Reag’s!”

She goes silent a moment.

“You can’t be serious?
So what?
”

“It’s just Travis.”

“It’s Travis freaking Phoenix.”

“Whoopee!” I cry, rolling my eyes.

“Has anyone told you lately that you are mentally challenged?”

I grin. “Most days.”

“Well, you might not care; I, however, will be dressing up and accidentally dropping my pen in front of him…if you know what I mean? Can I come over now while I have it all planned out?”

I snort. “You need help.”

“Seriously…short dress, do you think we will go to my place or his?”

I laugh and flip my dark brown hair over my shoulder. “His.”

“See, I knew you would get into the spirit!”

“Later Reagan, I will call when I am ready to go tonight.”

“I will think of you,” She laughs, “While we are making sweet little Travis babies.”

I am ready for the party early, so I head downstairs while I wait for Reagan. When I get out back, half the club is here drinking. When I walk out they all stop and stare. What? My dress isn’t that short…is it?

“Well look,
Mischief
got titties.” Biker Bill laughs.

“Shut it Bill.” I grin, giving him a wink.

“
Chief
is gonna flip his lid; where you headed tonight?” Harry asks, running his fingers through his burly beard.

“Party.”

“Not fucking dressed like that you ain’t.”

I turn to see
Chief
with Travis, both are standing in the door way.

“Daddy, I am twenty one. You can’t stop me.” I protest.

“Can’t I?”

“Don’t make me come over there
Chief
because I will.” I growl, shoving a fist up.

He grins. “Come on over then
Mischief
; I will tie you and gag you…there will be no partying for this little princess.”

“You’re an ass daddy! There is nothing wrong with what I am wearing!”

“I never said there was anything wrong with it; I said you ain’t wearing it.”

The men are laughing; enjoying watching me challenge
Chief
yet again.

“Get a longer dress princess, or you ain’t going.”

“I hate you, you do know that right?” I snap.

“I’ll take that risk. Now get changed.”

I mutter a string of curses before storming out. I change into a longer dress,
and then
stomp back downstairs. I run straight into Travis Phoenix who puts his hands on my shoulders to stop me.

“Still as fiery as ever, I see.”

“Get your hands of me Phoenix.”

He laughs and lets me go. I step back and glare up at him; his eyes are not so subtly staring at my body.

“Still sour?”

“Yes, he ruined my night.”

“
Chief
put his foot in; I ought to slap him on the back for that.”

“What does it matter to you what I am wearing?”

He meets my gaze; god damn those smoky grey eyes.

“You think I just forgot about you
Mischief
?”

“I know you did Travis, you didn’t even say goodbye. I thought we were friends.”

He reaches out to stroke my cheek, and I shudder beneath his touch.

“We are.”

“Were Travis, past tense; I moved on.”

“Really?”

“Yes really, now I am going out so if you don’t mind…”

“You changed
Mischief
.”

“I grew up Travis,” I say, staring at him. “Alot lot has happened in the last four years, I am not the love struck little girl you once knew.”

Then I am gone, leaving him to ponder that.

~*~*~*~*

“Vi, I cannot believe he is at your house.”

“Are you still talking about it?”

“Yes, I can’t get over it.”