Plucker (The Recoil Rock Series Book 2) Read online

  K E Osborn

  Plucker

  A Recoil Rock Novel #2

  By K E Osborn

  Copyright 2017 K E Osborn

  This book is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this eBook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this eBook and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  ISBN: 978-0994609250

  Book design by Swish Design & Editing

  Editing by Swish Design & Editing

  Proofreading by Fiona Dreaming – Proofreading

  Cover design by Kellie Dennis at Book Cover by Design

  Cover Model: Ryan Harmon

  Photographer: Eric Battershell

  Cover Image Copyright 2017

  Death—it is inevitable, but I didn't know it could come so early.

  If things didn't change, mine would be sooner than expected.

  My life hasn't been easy, though with the way I act you’d think it has been.

  I'm a joker, a partier, a playboy, a prankster. But I'm also broken.

  A shell of a man.

  Ryan Hunter, lead guitarist with nothing to live for.

  Not even music soothes me completely.

  My band is back together, we're doing really well—but I'm in a rut.

  I'm lost, thinking about my past is swallowing me whole.

  Especially since she turned up.

  Our new PR manager. She’s feisty, in control and so damn sexy I can't stand it.

  But that woman is not only taking my PR role from me, she's also taking my breath away, and that I won't stand for.

  Not with my past, not with my demons.

  Tillie Marks has to go.

  And I will make damn sure it happens!

  To Mel,

  for always being there and being my fellow rock sister.

  As always my first thank you goes to my editor, my friend, my confidant, my rock, my source of endless plotting parties, my mother and my friend — Kaylene Osborn. Without your support and guidance, I wouldn’t be able to have the career I love and adore. So thank you for making my dreams come true and helping me not only achieve them but support me in them as well. All daughters deserve a mother like you!

  To my family – For your continuous love, friendship and humour. Without you guys, my life would be very dull and boring. So thank you for supporting me without question and for always being there.

  To Mel – Thank you for being not only a friend but a loyal ear for me whenever I need you. You’re an endless support system and always there to help me with anything at any time. You’ve been utterly amazing to me and I’m so glad I found you. Thank you for everything. This one’s for you!

  To Jane – As always thank you for everything you do for me. You truly are the most amazing friend and I am so lucky and honoured to call you that. I hate that stupid ocean that keeps us apart, and if I was better at swimming I would make more of an effort to swim over and see you, lol.

  To Kristy – Your support for my writing career is endless and so encouraging that you give me goose bumps. Without you on the rough days sometimes I think I’d give up. You have been such a staunch supporter of me, and I honestly don’t know how to thank you. You’re amazing. THANK YOU!

  To Carol – I don’t even know where to begin with you! You are truly one of the most loyal, dedicated and most faithful readers I know. Not only are you a ‘fan’ but my friend. You have been with me from the beginning, and I honestly couldn’t imagine my journey without you in it. I love you. I’d be lost without you. Never leave me! Lol.

  To Kim – I’ve known you for most of my life, you knew me before KE Osborn and you’ve supported me through my entire journey. You’ve helped me become the established author I am today through plotting parties and now helping me with PA work too. You’re a true friend and like a big sister to me. I don’t think you honestly know how much I really love you. Thank you for everything.

  To all of my amazing BETA readers – Thank you for once again putting in your thoughts and ideas into this book. I appreciate all of your energy and ideas, and together we make a great team. Without you beautiful ladies, this book wouldn’t be at its best potential. So thank you, every single one of you.

  To my beautiful, playful and utterly adorable pup, Bella – I’ve pretty much thanked her in all of my books. Some might think it silly, but she really is the light of my life. Some have human babies, I have fur babies and Bella is like my version of a child, lol. I love that dog with all that I have, so Bella keep on being adorable. I love you pup star!

  Last of all, I want to thank YOU, the reader. Your continued support with my writing career is both humbling and heart-warming. I love the readers so much, and honestly couldn’t keep going without the love and support you all show me each day. Thank you for believing in me, and I hope I can keep you entertained for many, many, years to come.

  Thank you,

  Much love,

  K E Osborn

  xoxo

  As Lunar is an Australian, she pronounces the word mom as mum and hence it has been spelled that way throughout the manuscript when in Lunar’s dialogue.

  Blurb

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  A Note to the Reader

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Epilogue

  Connect With Me Online

  About the Author – KE Osborn

  Three little words, that’s all it took.

  Three words to shake me to the core and turn my world upside down.

  I didn’t want to hear them.

  I wasn’t ready to hear them.

  But she said them anyway—and it changed everything…

  “You could die,” Doctor Shilts states the three little words I was dreading to hear.

  “Is it really that bad, doc?” I question.

  She sighs and places her hands on the table interlocking her fingers and gives me that look that only doctors can give. “Ryan, your levels show you have a fatty liver. Your blood pressure is sky high, and you’re a borderline type 2 diabetic. If you don’t stop your excessive drinking and bad eating habits now before it gets any worse, your liver could shut down. You’ll be on insulin. As it is I’m going to have to monitor your blood pressure...” She looks me straight in the eyes. “Ryan, you need to change your lifestyle now. I know you’re a rock star, but you need to think about your health. You’re not invincible.”

  Sitting back in my chair, I exhale and nod. “Okay, I hear you. So I eat better, lose some weight, cut down my drinking… anything
else?”

  She sits forward taking a deep breath. “Have you thought any more about seeing a professional counselor regarding your wife and daughter?”

  My muscles clench as Maddie’s tiny toddler face comes straight into my thoughts. “I don’t need counseling,” I say through gritted teeth.

  “Okay, Ryan. How about I see you in a week, and we go from there?”

  “Sure…” I stand up and turn, walking out of the consulting room without a glance back at the doctor. Not only hearing that my health is up shit creek, but the mention of Maddie and Katie has me on edge and all I want to do is to drink myself into oblivion like I have so many times before. But considering Doctor Shilts just told me ‘I could die’ I better go home instead.

  The smell of sweet cinnamon rolls wafting through the air is the first thing I smell as I walk through the front door. My stomach rumbles and I groan at the fact that I now know I shouldn’t be eating them. Walking into the kitchen, Danger’s better half, Lunar, pulls a tray from the oven. I smile as she turns and places the tray of rolls on the chopping board on the bench.

  “Cinnamon rolls just for you, Ry. I know how much you love them.”

  My body slumps, and I sigh. I can’t not have one, she made them especially for me. “Thanks, Lunar, I need cheering up.”

  She pulls the oven mitts off her hands as she frowns. “What’s up, buttercup?”

  I pick up a piping hot roll and take a large bite, it burns my tongue and she laughs while shaking her head at me.

  “Went to the doctor for the results of my checkup,” I reply with my mouth still half full.

  She raises her eyebrow and places her hand on her hip tilting her stature. “And?” she asks as Danger walks in. He spots me, nods, then reaches forward grabbing a roll himself. Sighing, I take another bite knowing full well when I tell her, she will go into mother hen mode and probably snatch the roll from my hand. Hell, she’ll probably pry the pieces from my mouth as well.

  “She said I have a fatty liver, high blood pressure, and I’m a borderline diabetic.”

  Danger and Lunar both open their eyes wide, their mouths forming perfect O’s.

  Lunar races forward yanking the treat from my hand and slaps my chest hard. “You’re a borderline diabetic and eating this… you damn idiot!”

  “How the fuck? You’re not even that fat, dude?” Danger scoffs.

  I nod. “Genetics. Pre-disposed to everything. So even though I’m not that overweight, my lifestyle is the contributing factor.”

  Lunar huffs and shakes her head. “The alcohol and bad food?”

  I nod and Lunar frowns while Danger runs his fingers through his hair.

  “Okay… so we get you eating right. First up… you’re on a diet. You eat what I eat. And second, you exercise with me!” Danger tells me with that fierce intent look he gets in his eyes.

  Slumping back against the counter, I wonder what it would be like to have the body of a god like Danger, Matt, and Nate. We all know I’m the odd one out in the band. Those guys are all beefed up and good looking. I know I’m not bad looking, but my stomach has absolutely no definition.

  Maybe if I take some pride in myself for once then I might feel better in myself too. Who knows?

  Maybe it’s time to work on me.

  Maybe it’s time to stop drowning and to start living again.

  “Okay Danger, put me on your fitness regime. I need to be healthy again. I need to eat and live a lot better than I have been. I want to be a better me.”

  “You’ve come to the right person. We can do this, Ry. We’re gonna get you a six pack instead of you looking like a keg.”

  I manage a smile and nod. “Get me fit before our next tour?”

  “Exactly. We can start this afternoon when we get back from our meeting with Oliver.”

  “Shit! I forgot all about that. Do we even know what it’s about?”

  Lunar picks up the tray of rolls and moves over to the trash. I smirk as Danger opens his eyes wide.

  “Lunar, no!” he calls out, but she empties the tray straight into the trash. “Why’d you do that for?” Danger sulks.

  She stands tall. “If Ryan’s on a health kick, we are too. To support him.”

  Danger groans and she glares at him. “Okay… fine! We’re here to support you, bro.”

  I look to Lunar and give her a nod. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome, fuck face.”

  Smiling, I turn back to Danger. “So this meeting with Oliver?”

  He shrugs. “It’s in twenty minutes, we better get going. You coming, babe?” he asks Lunar.

  “Yup.” She turns grabbing her handbag from off the counter. “Let’s go.”

  We pull up at the office block—our headquarters where we rehearse and run all our business out of—making our way inside. Matt and Nate are already sitting at the giant oval table when we walk in, and I smirk at Nate as he eyes Danger and Lunar holding hands while they step in. He’s still not over the fact that she chose to come to America with us. Nate was sure she was going to be the ruin of the band, but to be honest, she’s the one pulling us all together. It wouldn’t surprise me if Nate actually had a massive crush on Lunar. He’s always watching her and thinks we don’t notice. Maybe the others don’t, but I do. I notice the glances and deep longing looks he sends—it’s not healthy. Poor guy. Pining for a woman he can’t and will never have.

  We take our seats around the table waiting for the great man and our new boss to arrive. We all miss Luke. He was a fantastic agent/manager, but his place was in Australia, and he didn’t want to leave his family. So he stayed there to help our original backup band, Luminous. He recommended an agency and manager back here in LA, so he teamed us up with Oliver Reade.

  He’s a cool guy, a little quiet sometimes, but he gets the job done. Oliver walks past the spotless glass windows looking out over the city and smiles at us as he strolls in wearing a dress button up shirt, jacket and slacks but no tie.

  “Afternoon guys. Nice to see you’re all here.” Oliver takes his seat at the head of the table. “Okay, we all know how successful your Australasian tour went with Luke at the helm, so now we have to replicate that over here to the American public. You’re already playing on the airwaves thanks to Ryan’s excellent public relations work, but we need more…”

  I take a breath and nod. “Okay, I’ll see what other PR I can wrangle up, I’m sure I can get us some press interviews and stuff.”

  Oliver inhales glancing at me and rubbing his chin. “Ryan… you’re doing a great job, but if we really want to get you guys into the big time we need someone trained in PR, don’t you think?”

  My eyes widen, and I stiffen as I shake my head slightly. “Um… no.”

  “Ryan, I know you’ve done the PR for Recoil since you started—”

  “Exactly! So I’ll continue to keep doing it until—”

  “Ry, maybe we should listen to Oliver?” Nate queries, and it shocks me.

  Shaking my head slightly, I let out a small puff of air. “What? Why?”

  “Well, we never took off in the States before everything happened. So obviously the PR wasn’t working… no offense.”

  “You gotta be kidding me?” I groan.

  “Okay, how’s this? How ‘bout we trial a new PR person? If they’re no good then Ryan takes back over?” Danger asks looking straight at me.

  “Fine, but I get to choose who it is!”

  Oliver stiffens, and I tilt my head at him. “What?”

  “I’ve already hired someone.”

  “Dude, really?” My voice raises up an octave.

  “They’re the best and come from a long line of PR professionals. It runs in the family, so they know the PR world inside and out. I’ve worked with Marks Enterprises before, they’re great. They will do their best for you guys. I promise. They’ve worked with some amazing acts.”

  Resigning myself to the fact I’m being replaced, I sink back into my seat. “Okay, so when do we get t
o meet the pompous asshole who will be taking us on?” I ask. My attention is drawn to a leggy brunette wearing a dress suit, her hair is up in a messy bun, and black rimmed glasses frame her delicate face. She reminds me of one of those women in the movies who’s the nerd girl, and when she takes off her glasses, pulls the clip from her bun and sways her hair from side to side, the room stops and stares in awe at her stunning transformation.

  “I believe that pompous asshole would be me, Mister Hunter. Pleased to meet you. Tillie Marks of Marks Enterprises, and your new PR Manager.”

  My cock twitches in my pants at the same time my stomach falls through the floor. Danger smirks at me, the cockhead, as I flare my nostrils at being overridden by a woman.

  “Well, Tillie from Marks Enterprises… I will work with you to get the best results for my band,” I suggest.

  Her cute little button nose turns up, and a crooked smile lights her face. “I work better alone, Mister Hunter. I don’t need your help, I have it under control.”

  My brows furrow together as my anger begins to bubble inside me like a dormant volcano that has just sprung back to life.

  Not only is my PR role being taken over by this snotty-nosed woman, but she isn’t going to even let me help. At all? This day can’t get any fucking worse! What the hell could be next?

  “Oh… and Ryan… the track you laid down yesterday for the album had a technical glitch with the soundboard. It looks like you’ll have to record most of it again,” Oliver announces just to throw the additional salt on the wound.

  While groaning, I throw my hands in the air in annoyance.

  First, I’m told my health is on the edge.

  Secondly, my PR job is replaced by her.

  Thirdly, this crap of having to re-record an almost full day’s work is doing my head in.

  Fucking hell! I’m ready for this day to be over. Standing, I turn to walk out of the room.

  Oliver calls out to me, “Ryan, it’s going to all work out for the best.”