Unraveled

  UNRAVELED

  ALYSSA BRECK

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright 2014, Alyssa Breck

  Cover Art by Saranna DeWylde

  All Rights Reserved.

  Amazon Edition 2014

  This book, or any parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without the permission of the author. The uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the author is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  DEDICATION

  For everyone who has ever felt like they weren’t good enough to be loved. You are.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I have a handful of people to thank for helping me bring Unraveled to fruition.

  First, big thanks to C.J. Ellisson for inviting me to participate in the Girls’ Night Out project which is what spurred this story to begin with.

  Next, a million thank yous to my sprinting partner, Saranna DeWylde. Without her support and encouragement, the word count wouldn’t have happened.

  Finally, this book wouldn’t be what it is without Carrie Clevenger. She helped me name the band and the main characters, Evie and Lyle. Add to that, the countless hours she spent on the phone and in chat hammering out the storyline with me. I’m indebted, seriously.

  Much love.

  Unraveled

  Chapter One

  Evie stopped at the coffee shop in the lobby of her building and ordered her usual, a mocha soy latte¸ no whipped cream. She was nothing, if not a creature of habit.

  The receptionist was on the phone as Evie passed her desk. Evie waved and smiled as she passed. The girl held up a few slips of paper to stop Evie. Phone messages.

  Evie’s office was located toward the back. Only the lawyers got the window offices. Leather bound legal books lined shelves on either side of the hallway. All the information was now online so the books weren’t used much anymore but they lent the distinguished appearance a law firm should have. Evie liked the feel of the books and the smell of the pages so she still used them at times.

  The calendar was jam packed for the following week and Evie was making notes on the briefs she’d need to prepare when Nina plopped down in one of the chairs across from her desk.

  “Dude…”

  Nina had been a secretary in the office for the last two years. Being on the same office team, she and Evie worked closely but Evie had a habit of keeping people at arm’s length.

  “What’s the matter?” Evie asked as she closed the calendar program on her computer.

  Nina huffed. “So, remember I told you that guy from the radio station got me tickets to the Downside concert?”

  “Yes. That’s tonight, isn’t it?” Evie sipped her coffee and leaned back in her leather chair.

  “Yeah. Well, Josh just texted me and said he can’t go. Short fucking notice, huh? He was supposed to be my designated driver, dammit. Why does the universe hate me?”

  “Surely, you can find someone else to go.”

  “Yes. Which brings me to why I’m sitting in your office, Evie.” Nina smirked.

  Evie shook her head. “I don’t even know who that band is.”

  “I’ve got backstage passes and I’ll buy you dinner. We’ll make it a girls’ night out. It’ll be fun.” Nina sat forward in the chair and put her hands on Evie’s desk. Her fingernails were painted black and she wore dark makeup around her eyes. Nina was pretty in a wild, devil-may-care way. Dark hair framed her face in a sharply cut bob and blunt bangs lined up straight across her forehead just above her eyebrows. The guys in the office would like to take her home, Evie guessed, but they wouldn’t want her to meet their parents.

  Evie sighed and she scrambled to find an excuse to beg off. Friday nights were her time to stay up late and read, maybe polish off a bottle of wine and then sleep in on Saturday morning. A concert with a crowd of strangers wasn’t her idea of a good time.

  “Come on. I’ll do all the typing on the Maxwell file for the next month. Please. I don’t want to go alone and I need someone I can depend on to get me home afterwards.” Nina smiled and batted her eyelashes. “When’s the last time you had a night out with the girls?”

  “Okay. Okay.” Evie laughed and wagged her finger at Nina. “But I’m going to hold you to the Maxwell case typing and I’ve never really had a girls’ night out. This might be fun.”

  Nina squealed and stood up. “Yay! It will be loads of fun. I promise. Thank you! Oh, hey, check out my boots.” She rounded the corner of Evie’s desk and stuck her leg out. Black patent leather went up to her knee. The heel was a good three or four inches. Break neck height.

  “Nice. But your feet are going to be killing you by the end of the night.”

  “It pains to be hot.” Nina winked. “Stand up.”

  “Why?”

  “Let me see what you’re wearing.”

  Evie got up and spread her arms out. “It’s casual Friday. I wasn’t planning on going out tonight.”

  “You look good. Just lose the cardigan and pull that scoop neck down a little, show some cleavage. Your boobs look great in that shirt. If I were into chicks, I’d totally do you, Evie.”

  Heat crept into Evie’s cheeks and she crossed her arms over her chest. “Thanks, I think.” The one advantage to being curvy was boobs.

  Nina made her laugh. She had a dry sense of humor and wicked quick wit and she wasn’t afraid to say what was on her mind. Evie envied that. Nina was a free spirit.

  Evie was more sheltered and afraid. She preferred to fly beneath the radar and not draw attention to herself. The men her mother used to bring home had started looking at Evie when she was a teenager and she went out of her way to not look attractive to them. She hid her breasts under baggy sweatshirts and didn’t wear makeup. Evie didn’t want to end up like her mother.

  Pulling her blonde hair up into a ponytail, she put on her glasses. A stack of manila folders and three deposition transcripts sat beside her computer monitor. One brief and two medical record summaries needed to be done before Evie let Nina drag her to the Downside concert.

  ***

  Murals of whales and swirly ocean scenes covered the outside of the Long Beach Arena. Evie had been inside before but it was years ago. Thanks to Nina’s radio station hookup, she and Evie were seated in the front row orchestra section. The view of the stage didn’t get any better than that. What was the point of going to a concert if the seats were in the nosebleed section and the band looked like tiny ants?

  Evie sat down in the stiff theater seat and checked her email on her phone. It seemed the lawyers in her office never took any time off and she knew for sure that one would be there all weekend making more work for both Evie and Nina.

  Nina snatched the phone out of her hand. “We’re not working tonight. Forget about the scales of justice for one night, okay?”

  “Okay. Okay. Give me my phone. I’ll put it away. I promise.” Evie tucked the phone into her back pocket. “Gone.”

  The band that opened the show was a girl group. Kind of a like a mix between Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Blondie. They weren’t bad and got Evie used to the noise level, sort of. She was certain she would be hard of hearing before the night was over. Against her better judgment, she’d left her sweater in the car because Nina told her she looked good without it.

  When the stage crew cleared out the girl band’s stuff and roll
ed on the drum set for Downside Nina grabbed Evie’s arm and squeezed hard, digging her bony fingers into Evie’s flesh.

  “Oh my God. I can’t believe I’m here. I’m within spitting distance of where Lyle will be standing and singing and being fantastic.”

  Evie laughed. “You’re a nut. You know that, right?”

  Nina shook her head and didn’t laugh. “You don’t understand. Seriously. These guys and this music pulled me through some dark ass times in my life. I don’t know if I would have made it without them.” Tears shone in Nina’s eyes.

  Before Evie could respond the lights went out and they were immersed in pitch dark. A baritone voice like the one who announces the names of the fighters in a heavyweight bout echoed through the arena. “Without further ado, make some noise for Downside.”

  The crowd went nuts, whistling and hooting and hollering. Evie covered her ears and tried to stay oriented in the dark. A particularly loud whistle from behind left her ears ringing and someone was smoking marijuana. The last thing she needed was a contact high. She clearly should have brought a gas mask and ear plugs.

  Fire erupted on both sides of the stage and a spotlight shone down on the drummer who started beating on the set and then threw his drumsticks up in the air. The moment they came back into his hands the rest of the band was illuminated and Evie stared up at the singer. Being front row at a concert was like sitting front row at the movies. She had to look up at the band. From her vantage point, the man was huge. A guitar hung low in front of him and he strummed the strings, sending a deep twang through the amplifier.

  Evie didn’t just hear it, she felt it. Her stomach dropped into her knees when he looked down at her and winked.

  Tattoos covered his arms and long, dark hair framed his face. He leaned in close to the microphone, gripping it between his fingers. His voice was deep and dark. Evie couldn’t take her eyes off him. The lyrics were lost on her momentarily.

  Nina touched Evie’s shoulder and moved in close. She whispered, “You might wanna pick your tongue up off the floor.” She laughed and nudged Evie, almost knocking her over.

  Why was she suddenly off balance? Must be the weed. She was high. That was it.

  Nobody sat down for a rock concert. Evie swayed a little at first. She had no idea how to dance to heavy metal. The drum beats were hard and the rhythm from the guitars seemed to seep inside her.

  Evie watched his hands. Long fingers gripped the neck of the guitar and strummed the strings. She was mesmerized by the skill. Lyle never missed a beat either. He kept singing and playing and, occasionally, he looked down at her and Nina.

  Evie wasn’t sure who else was in the band because she was enthralled with Lyle and only him. Heat spread from her belly up to her neck and into her face. She was blushing like a sixteen year old.

  The song came to an end and she put her hand to her forehead. A light sheen of sweat coated her face. Either it was getting hot in there or she was being affected by that man.

  “It’s great to be back in Long Beach. You guys know how to party.” Lyle held up a clear plastic cup of water or maybe vodka, something clear. He took a deep gulp and set the cup on top of the speaker and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

  The crowd was a racket of more whistling and cheering. The next song started with a guitar solo and then silence. Lyle’s voice filled the void. A ballad wasn’t what she expected.

  Evie closed her eyes and listened. Looking at him was over stimulating. More marijuana smoke wafted toward her.

  The lyrics were probably symbolic but the gist of the song was about how nothing was worth giving up your dignity. She could respect that.

  The next hour went by fast. Evie enjoyed the concert despite herself. She actually liked the music. Lyle was easy on the eyes but completely not her type. Guys with tattoos and long hair didn’t appeal to her but she was intrigued by him nonetheless.

  “Now we get to meet the band.” Nina squealed loud and grabbed Evie’s hand. “This is the best day of my life. I could just die.”

  Evie smiled. “I have no idea how this works. I’ve never been backstage at a concert.”

  When they entered the arena, they were both given plastic badges on clips with a barcode and band logo on them. Backstage passes.

  People milled out of the arena while Nina and Evie fought against the crowd to get to the stairs leading to backstage.

  There was a big bald guy in a yellow shirt at the door. His arms were folded across his chest. “Can I help you?” A silver ring hung through his left ear. He looked like Mr. Clean. If the light had been just right, his head would have shined.

  Nina held up her pass. “We have backstage passes.”

  Mr. Clean pulled a handheld scanner thing out of his back pocket and passed a red light over the bar code. A green light flashed on the machine. “You’re all good.” He looked at Evie. “Let’s see yours.”

  Evie offered her pass and the machine gave the same green light response.

  The security guard stepped aside and opened the door. “After-party is to the right. Look for the open door.”

  They went into a room filled with food and bottles of champagne and other types of alcohol. Evie and Nina both kind of stood there, dumbfounded. The members of the girl band were milling about. The drummer from Downside had a white towel draped around his neck and had taken his shirt off. He was muscled in all the right places.

  Nina bit her lip. “Holy fuck. He’s fine.”

  “I thought you were into the singer.”

  “They’re all amazing but...did he just smile at me? I think he just smiled at me.”

  “Don’t look now, he’s heading this way. And he’s smiling.”

  The drummer stuck his hand out. “Welcome to the jungle, ladies. I’m Carl.”

  Evie shook his hand. “I’m Evie. This is Nina.”

  Nina shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Carl. I’m a huge fan. Like from way back. I’m so excited to be here. You just don’t know.”

  He gently pried his hand out of her grasp. “I’m flattered. Real nice to meet you. You guys help yourself to the food, drink, whatever you want.”

  Nina’s face lit up and she looked at Evie. “This is like one of the firm’s mixers but with cool people. Let’s get a drink. What do you want?”

  “Anything is fine.” Evie plastered herself to the nearest wall and watched Nina look over the table of booze. She half expected a different kind of environment for the party. Like at least a bartender instead of a folding table with a selection of bottles, a tub of ice and plastic flutes. Nina held up two plastic cups and the drummer guy filled them with champagne. Nina smiled and batted her eyelashes at him. The fruit tray in the center of the table was filled with mostly strawberries. Nina dropped one in each glass.

  Nina handed a glass to Evie. “This is good champagne. Not the cheap stuff.”

  Evie took a sip. It was good. Sweet and fizzy. She fought the urge to stick her finger in and grab the strawberry. She really wanted that more than the champagne.

  Nina clinked her plastic glass against Evie’s. “Bottoms up, baby. I’m gonna get wasted.” She looked at Carl and smiled and gave him a little wave.

  He smiled and waved back.

  “And I’m going to fuck his brains out.”

  “Jesus, Nina. Do you even know his last name?”

  Nina shrugged. “Why does that matter? I don’t want to have his babies. I just want his dick.”

  Evie laughed. “Okay then.”

  “You need to cut loose tonight. Have some fun, Evie.”

  Everything in the room seemed to fade to the background when Lyle walked in followed by the two remaining band members and a few other guys. Roadies she supposed. She thought that was what they called the guys who set up stuff and followed the band around.

  A girl with bright orange hair and long red fingernails trailed behind Lyle, following him around the room. Evie watched the game of cat and mouse which was rather ridiculous because the girl
was a tiny wisp of a thing and Lyle was this huge, hulking man and he was obviously trying to get away from her. Rainbow Bright finally stepped in front of him and tried to hand him a drink. He shook his head and walked away from her.

  The woman looked dejected and dropped the cup of booze into the trash.

  Nina was in the corner with Carl and they appeared to be in deep conversation. Evie had expected more people to be there. It was a decidedly small gathering, the two bands, their manager, some roadies and a handful of groupies.

  Lyle walked toward her and Evie looked away. If she avoided eye contact, he probably wouldn’t notice her. Nobody did. She rubbed the toe of her shoe on the linoleum.

  He stopped in front of her. “You were in the front row tonight.”

  Surely he wasn’t talking to her. Evie looked up at him. “Me?”

  He leaned a hand against the wall beside her head and looked down at her. “I’m looking at you, aren’t I?”

  “Uh, yes. You are.”

  “You know, you could at least pretend like you’re excited to be here,” he said under his breath. The scent of cigarettes and alcohol wafted toward her.

  “I’m sorry. I’m happy to be here. I really—”

  He laughed. “I’m just kidding. Lighten up, girl.”

  The orange haired girl audibly huffed behind him and gave Evie a look to kill.

  “I think you’re making that girl hate me. Why are you avoiding her, if you don’t mind my asking?”

  “I don’t fuck groupies. Anymore.”

  Evie laughed. “Wow.”

  Lyle kept his eyes on Evie. “Is she gone?”

  “She’s out of earshot but still lingering, watching us. Do you know her?”

  “She’s been around for awhile. She follows us on tour.”

  “She has a crush on you.” Evie laughed.

  “She’s creepy. That woman is like a barnacle clinging to the bottom of the boat. Hard to scrape off.”