Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 133034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 665(@200wpm)___ 532(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 665(@200wpm)___ 532(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
It’s a house of mirrors. A masterpiece of interior décor.
I can see myself from every angle as my stilettos click against the black tiled floor. I start as a figure appears in one of the mirrors, spinning as I try to navigate myself and work out where he is coming from.
My mouth drops open for real when the guy appears in full view, leaning against a door frame. He’s wearing leather trousers fitted tight to a looming physique, and he’s already shirtless, his sleeve tattoos dark and striking against his pale skin. He runs his fingers through his messy dark hair, wet and tousled, and takes a swig of whisky straight from the bottle.
He’s got a grin that I recognise in a heartbeat.
Fuck me.
The guitar and lion make perfect sense now.
This is Vinnie Hampton. The lead singer of Red Roar. For real. It’s the lead singer of Red Roar, one of the biggest metal bands in the world.
I love their music! Their hit Roar to the Rage is one of my absolute favourites, and I even had a poster of him on the wall at my parents’ place. He was an icon to me in my teenage years.
My legs turn to jelly, but I manage to keep myself in position. Just about.
He takes another swig of whisky before letting out a laugh.
“Guess from the look on your pretty face that you recognise me.”
My mouth flaps in schoolgirl crush mode until I laugh in return, shaking my head in pure disbelief. I never thought I’d hear his American drawl in the flesh. I’ve heard interviews as well as his screaming, beat heavy tracks.
“Is there anyone in the entire universe who wouldn’t?!”
I focus on my breathing. He’s a client. He’s a client. He’s a client.
There’s a glorious smirk on his rockstar face. “Maybe your grandma. Unless she’s a hard rock fan. Maybe she is. Who knows with a chick like you.”
“Gran, no, but my mum knows the beat to Roar to the Rage by heart. She had to put up with it bellowing through the floorboards for years.”
I love his laugh, my skin prickling as he crouches in his onstage stance and let’s rip with the first line of the track, his thunder of a voice booming through the foyer.
You gotta roar in the silence, baby. You got to let the world know it’s your own!
I clap and cheer, flying high in the world of dreams.
“Feeling’s mutual anyway,” he says as he approaches. “I had to go through five Agencies to track you down. Five of the deepest hidden ones on the web, you elusive minx.”
“Me?! You were trying to find me?!”
He holds his arms out like I’m a trophy.
“The great Ella Edwards, from the city of London. How could I resist? I had to get myself a try-out with the rep you’ve got.”
I shiver at that. Fuck my life. He knows who I am. Vinnie Hampton knows who I am!
“I hung out with Connor for a bit,” he says. “What a joy. No wonder everyone’s sacking off his bloated wannabe ass. A couple of TikTok virals and the guy thinks he’s hit the hall of fame for good. It was obvious from day one he’s a clown who wants to be a god.”
“You met Connor?!”
He nods. “We did Rock Rave Fest together a few months back. Whenever he wasn’t busy getting his dick out and gloating about his soul filled talent, he wouldn’t shut the fuck up about you.”
“I didn’t cheat on him,” I tell Vinnie, like I’m a criminal on trial. “That’s just rubbish he made up, I swear.”
“Gathered that, not that I’d have blamed you if you did. I also gathered that you’d make one hell of a play girl. He wouldn’t shut up about your pussy.”
“For real?” I laugh in disbelief, because this is crazy. It’s absolutely insane. “You heard I was a hot hooker from Connor and chased me down? Are you kidding me?”
He looks at me like I’m the mad one, crossing the grand foyer to step up close. He smells of expensive cologne and Scotch, towering over me like the lord he is on stage.
“Saw the pics of you and they drove me mad. Connor was passing his cell around when he was wasted, showing off your dirty talents.”
My head is spinning so bad I feel unsteady. Rock Rave is huge, with some of the biggest stars around, and they were looking at me.
“A fair few of us were out to get a piece after that,” Vinnie says. “I always like to be the one to win the race. Give it some time though and the others will be catching up.”
I can’t let myself dwell on that thought, because it’ll send me into a fangirl frenzy. I want to ask him who, what, why… so many questions. But now isn’t the time for it. He’s my client.