Pick (Recoil Rock #1) Read online

  My luggage rolls along the ground making a slight hum through the quietness of suburbia. Cicadas chirp their evening song as I swallow hard finally making it to the door as the setting sun fades in hues of golds and pinks in the distance through the Eastern Redbud’s lining the street. Taking a deep breath, I gently rap on the door. It feels like Ryan’s taking forever to answer, so I stand back and straighten my shirt.

  I briefly think maybe he isn’t home when the porch light flicks on and the latch clicks. Steadying myself as the door opens, the shadow of Ryan appears in the doorway. The light from the room inside shining brightly behind illuminating him to look like some kind of angel or something. Geez, when did I become such a pussy? But then again maybe he is my savior right now.

  I half smile as he gasps and shakes his head.

  “Jesus dude, it’s good to see you. I’m shocked to see you, but… you look like shit. Oh wait, I heard about the Slayed and Staked plane crash. Shit! Did Ella—”

  “No. No, she’s fine. Just decided her life was better off without me.”

  Ryan sighs, his face falling as he steps aside to let me in. As I walk into our old home I realize it’s exactly the same, just maybe a little messier.

  “Shit dude, I’m sorry.” He clasps my shoulder and I shrug.

  “I’m dealing.”

  “Yeah, I can smell that,” he jibes with a smirk.

  I roll my eyes. “So, I kind of uprooted my life and left everything behind. All I have is this suitcase.”

  Ryan winces. “Just like last time when you packed up everything and took off for England. No goodbye, just a note on the fridge saying you had to go… for her. She was worth it and you were sorry.”

  I wince at his harsh tone and slump down onto the dining room chair. “I’m sorry. I was a prick, I know that now. I was so blinded by my love for her that I threw away everything that meant something to me here.”

  “You threw away our lives too, Danger. Me, Matt, Nate. We were as much a part of that band as you were. We were heading places and you up and left with no warning… That kinda shit pisses people off.”

  I clench my eyes tight and pinch the bridge of my nose. “I fucked up. Big time. I know that now. I was thinking maybe that I’m back, you, me, and the guys could pick up where we left off. Get the band back up and running. Give me something to work and live for?”

  Ryan scoffs. “Oh right. So now that you’ve gone off on your year-long romance, you think it’s fine to just waltz back in like you didn’t royally screw us, and just start back up like we’re all best buds again?”

  Cracking my neck to the side, I exhale. This is not how I pictured this going. “Ryan c’mon, we’re best friends—”

  “We were best friends, till you got pussy whipped and took off after her, leaving us all behind to pick up your mess. We had to move on, get real jobs, and try to live without you in our lives for over a year while you gallivanted off with the fucking Slades. No Danger, you don’t get to just come back when your world falls apart to fit into ours, now we’ve moved on…

  “Look, I’m sorry you’re hurting, bro, but the band has moved on because you moved on. Now you have to find a way to move on from this, too.”

  My heart sinks. Nodding, I purse my lips and flare my nostrils out in frustration.

  This was my plan.

  This was what was keeping me going.

  Well fuck this and fuck him!

  “You know what, Ry? Fuck Ella, and if you don’t want to start the band back up well that’s your loss. We were something fucking great, we were going places. Did I fuck that up? Yeah… I’ll admit that, but I came back here with the intention of righting that wrong. But if you’re too pigheaded to take my apology then fuck you too!” I stand and head back for the door.

  “There’s the Danger I know, not that pussy whipped mother fucker Ella turned you into.”

  I snap back around and glare at him. “You know what? She did change me, and not for the better either… I more than see that now. I’m better off without her. Fuck! I’m probably better off starting afresh and making a new life for myself. I can do anything, be anyone I want to be. I’m Danger three point fucking oh. Watch this space, Ryan. I’m gonna make it, with or without you… You know my number.” I flick around and head back for the door with my head held high and a strut in my step

  Now what?

  “I’m sorry this wasn’t the welcome home you wanted, but things have changed. You made us change. You hurt us by leaving. You have to know that, right?” he calls out.

  I simply nod. “I know. I’m sorry, Ry. If I could change it I would… I came here to do that. It’s up to you now if you help us all make that change.” I walk, out of the house and back down the path, as my feet drag heavy on the pavement.

  “Where are you gonna go?” Ryan calls out.

  I simply shrug and keep walking without even looking back at him.

  Where am I gonna go? That’s a damn good question.

  I don’t have a home, I don’t have anything. Ryan’s made it abundantly clear I’m not welcome with him. I didn’t plan this out very well at all. Coming back to the States I thought would make me feel like I was home again. But I feel more out of place here than I did in the UK. At least there I had friends and a stand-in family.

  I could go home to San Fran and see my sister, Mouse, and her husband I suppose. But she’s always so full of her own self-importance, I’m sure she’ll make me feel like shit about Ella. And there’s no way I’m going to see Mom and Dad. They’re way too much hassle to worry about.

  “Don’t worry about me, Ry. I’ll find my feet. I always do. Oh… and clean the house… I might stink, but I’ve got an excuse being on and off planes for I don’t even know how fucking long, but there’s no excuse for your house to look like a fucking pigsty, you filthy animal.”

  Ryan chuckles as he stands in his doorway watching me walk away. “Glad to see some of the old Danger is still in you.”

  “He never left… was just dormant for a while.”

  “Glad you’re home, Danger.”

  I turn to face him and half smile. “I’m glad I’m home too, fucker. The offer’s still on the table… but don’t take too long to come crawling back to me.”

  He chuckles. “Find yourself, Danger, then we’ll talk.”

  I nod taking a deep breath while walking along the path with my luggage dragging behind me. I’m not sure where to go from here, but without Ryan wanting to start the band back up straight away, I figure there’s one thing I could do. Something that I’ve already done, but I haven’t been able to do by myself without a bunch of rockers around me.

  I could travel.

  I could see the world.

  I have money, plenty of it, and I’m sure once Rob sells the house I’ll have more come through. I could see the world as a tourist rather than a rock star, or the fiancé of a rock star.

  Nodding my head having made up my mind, I smile and pick up my stride.

  This is my plan.

  I’m gonna see the world.

  Fucking lucky I have visas and shit. Managing bands has helped with that, so I don’t have to wait.

  I’m gonna pick up my socks and try to bury my cock in some foreign pussy while wiping my mind clean of everything Ella fucking Slade.

  I’ve been in Australia for a while. When I arrived I visited Sydney, then Melbourne, and now I’m in Adelaide. First thing I did when I arrived here was change my image. Well, my hair cut anyway. I’m known for my dark curls but I want to be different. I needed something edgier, so I had the sides shaved shorter and the top longer which flops over into a wave. It’s modern and definitely hard rocker. It’s the new me.

  I’ve been traveling all over Australia trying to get my head into a better space, and my body working again. I’ve been doing the touristy thing, but mostly I’ve been visiting bars and strip clubs. My aim is to visit all the best strip clubs in Australia. I need to get back in the swing of things.

  I
’ve been trying to bury my cock in foreign pussy, but for some reason my cock isn’t working. I can’t seem to bring myself to do it, or if I get close I can’t get it up. I’m positive looking at naked women will help my cock rise to the occasion again. But so far no luck.

  I’ve been traveling for three months and it’s now December. I’m not used to it being so hot around the Christmas months, but I’m finding it refreshing to be somewhere entirely different.

  Tonight, though, I’ve been drinking heavily, going from club to club. There’s still no action in the cock department, and I’m seriously thinking he’s effectively broken. So much so, he needs an ‘Out of Order’ sign. Maybe I should get that tattooed on him as a reminder that Ella effectively broke my cock, and now I’m going to be a celibate shell of an ass for the rest of my miserable goddamned life.

  The cabby brought me to the best strip club this side of Adelaide apparently, or so he said. As I stumble out of the cab I throw a fifty at him, he smirks and drives off leaving me at the entrance. The large double doors look heavy, and in my state I’m not sure I can handle them, but I lean on the door and it sways as I stumble through the entrance and into the dimly lit nightclub. There’s three stages to my right and a bunch of booths to my left with a bar up the back.

  Hiccup.

  Lick by Joi plays with its high pitched chiming bell sounds and thumping hypnotic beat through the speakers. As I look around I notice from the corner of my eye one woman up on the stage. I turn to face her as she swings around the pole, her two-toned pink fading to yellow hair grabs my attention as it flares out perfectly. I stop on the spot and stand taller watching her as she continues her mesmerizing dance. Moving in time with the music she stands back up. She’s only wearing a white bra and panty set, but her small frame with curves that won’t quit, make me want to grab her hips and thrust into her from behind. My cock twitches and I look down at my pants as he starts to stir.

  I look back up at the beauty to see her face, her cute little button nose highlights her perfect doe eyes. I can’t make out the color as it’s too dark but her eyes are big and her lashes go on for days. Her big pouty smirking lips make me take in a deep breath as she looks out into the crowd. I imagine them wrapped around my cock, sucking it like a pro.

  Then a miracle—my cock stiffens completely.

  After being certain my cock was permanently broken, I’m sure I hear the Hallelujah Chorus playing loudly in my ears. My eyes open wide as I run my hand over my pants just to make sure—and yep, we have lift off. I chuckle as I continue to look at this beauty in front of me. She has tattoos littered up her side—stars I think—that run from her panties all the way up to her armpit on her left.

  Fuck me if that’s not the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.

  Licking my lips as my cock throbs in my pants, I gaze at her and really look. She’s stunning, but not in a slutty way. She’s not your typical stripper, she has some class behind her. I’m sure she doesn’t belong on stage, more like in the pages of a magazine.

  This girl’s a knockout that’s for sure, and she’s seriously doing overtime on my libido right now. My cock is throbbing so hard I can barely stand it. I can’t help but get excited at the fact that someone has finally broken my curse. A woman has brought me back to life and not just any woman, this pink and yellow haired goddess on stage.

  I stumble up to her podium and whistle in excitement at her being my savior. I throw some money at her, she deserves to be rewarded for fixing me. She looks down and our eyes connect, while something surges through my body and smacks me right in the chest as her eyes meet mine. Now I notice her eyes are a brilliant blue, and as she smiles warmth floods right through my body. It shakes me to the core as she laughs while bending down and picking up the cash I’ve thrown on her podium. As I look at her I can’t help but think she has to be the best-looking babe in all of Australia. I know I’m wasted, but clearly I don’t have my beer goggles on right now.

  “You’re beautiful,” I call out.

  She giggles as she bends down grinding her ass cheeks into my face. My cock hardens even more which makes me grin from ear to ear. A sudden rush of something flows through me, energy, endorphins, complete drunkenness, I’m not sure but my head spins and I fall flat on my back. I don’t even care that I’m on the floor because that amazing woman touched me and has given me my manhood back. Plus, I’m buzzed up like a bee right now, I’m so tanked.

  Suddenly, a burly man with a short brown beard appears over me offering me a hand as I laugh at myself. “Here dude, grab my hand.”

  My eyes roll around in my head, but then they focus on the guy as I reach out for his hand and he pulls me up. I stumble slightly, but he leans against me for support.

  “You okay, mate?” His all Australian twang makes me want to laugh, as I exhale and shake my head.

  “Think I’ve drunk a bit too much.” A hiccup erupts from my mouth almost as loud as a belch.

  “Coffee, Vin. Black and strong,” the guy calls out to some guy apparently called Vin. I’m not paying too much attention as to who Vin is while he directs me over to a booth. “You look familiar. Do I know you?”

  Throwing my hands in the air I laugh through my drunken stupor. “I’m a rock star! Or I was when I played on tour with Staked and Slayed.”

  The guy opens his eyes wide, just like they all do when I mention the greatest bands in fucking history. “You played with Colter fuckin’ Slade?”

  “Yeah, yeah, Colter fucking Slade. Fuck, my chest hurts.” I clutch at my peck as it aches in agony at the mere thought of Ella. I fall into the seat clenching my eyes while my breathing becomes harsh.

  “Fuck, man… are you all right?”

  “She broke my fucking heart!” I yell at the top of my lungs needing to let out some of my pent up frustrations. Today’s a bad day, I heard through the grapevine that Ella and Chad got engaged, and I’m having trouble dealing with that little snippet of information.

  “Girl troubles, hey?”

  Opening my eyes my head bobs up and down like a kid as I try to focus on the guy who’s now sitting in the booth near me. “I love her, man. Fucking love her. I gave up my life for her. Moved to England. I even wanted to marry her.” He nods his head. “I was a player, you know? A downright fucking bastard to women and she changed me. She fucking changed me. And then she broke me. The fucking whore!” I rest my head in my hands trying my hardest to stop the tears from forming.

  “Well man, maybe you’re better off?”

  My head flies up and I glare at him. “Better off? Better off! She’s off and in love with Chad fucking Everly, and I’m in Australia with no band and a fucking broken heart. She’s a fucking bitch. No, she’s a fucking whore. She’s the fucking love of my life, man. And I lost her to the fuckwit, Chad!”

  “Well, if you want my advice—”

  I sit up taller. “Yes, please… help me!”

  He chuckles. “You need to let her go, mate. Get back on the horse. You’re obviously American by the accent. Aussie chicks will dig that. Get balls deep in some Aussie pussy and forget all about… what’s her name?”

  “Ella…” My chest tightens and I feel like I want to hurl just speaking her name out loud.

  “Forget all about this Ella! And as for your band… what’s it called? What happened to it?”

  “Maybe you’re right. I came to Australia to get away from England. I went back to America for a while, but I need to travel and get as far away from her as possible. That’s why the band is broken. Because I’m in Oz and they’re in the States. We’re called Recoil… and the name’s Danger by the way.”

  His mouth drops open a little like he’s shocked. “Oh shit, dude! I do know you. I’ve heard a couple of your songs on the alternative stations. You guys are fuckin’ good. Why don’t you get your band mates to come down under? You can gig in our clubs?”

  Raising my eyebrows, I grin widely wondering what that means. “Our clubs?”

  “Yeah! The name�
��s Steel. VP of the Satan’s Savages MC. We have patched members who own a few clubs and bars around town, and we can get you guys playin’ in them if you want?”

  Nodding my head, I take in a deep breath. “Well, shit, dude… I don’t know what to say.”

  He smiles and nods. “Talk it over with your band mates. See if they want to come over here. And if they do, here’s my card. We can hook you guys up to play the club scene in this state. Maybe get you goin’ interstate too and playin’ at our other clubs. Techie’s in tune with the music biz, he might know a few people in the Australian music industry. I’m sure he can help you guys.”

  Running my fingers through my hair, I shake my head slowly in shock. “Fuck, man. You’re like a biker guardian fucking angel.”

  He smirks and hands me his card with his number on it. I don’t tell him that the band isn’t actually together. I’m going to have to work like fucking shit to convince them to not only take me back and reform the band, but to fly out to Australia and play here when their lives are in the USA. This might be a hard sell but sometimes a sea change is just what’s needed.

  The pink haired beauty from the stage comes into my line of sight, making my cock twitch instantly as she slides into the booth next to Steel.

  “Hey Lunar, this is Danger,” Steel says.

  I smirk at her name. Lunar. I knew she was out of this world.

  She smiles, looking me up and down. “The drunk guy throwing cash at me, hey. Thanks for the tip big guy.”

  “My pleasure, Cotton Candy.” I smirk and she furrows her brows at me.

  “Cotton Candy?”

  “You’re hair, it reminds me of it.”

  “It’s called fairy floss here, big guy.”

  “Would you rather be called fairy or candy?” I tease, and Steel smirks at me as Lunar furrows her brows.

  “Candy I suppose, but why would you call me that?”

  “Because of your hair… it looks delicious.”

  She chuckles and shakes her head. “You want to eat my hair?”

  “I want to eat part of you that’s for sure,” I murmur.