Melody, page 1
Melody
Steel Brothers: Book Twenty-Eight
HELEN HARDT
This book is an original publication of Waterhouse Press.
* * *
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not assume any responsibility for third-party websites or their content.
* * *
Copyright © 2023 Waterhouse Press, LLC
Cover Design by Waterhouse Press, LLC
Cover Photographs: Shutterstock
* * *
All Rights Reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic format without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
For all musicians, and especially operatic bass-baritone Eric McConnell
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
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Continue reading the Steel Brothers Saga with Book Twenty-Nine
Message from Helen Hardt
Acknowledgments
Also By Helen Hardt
Prologue
Sixty years ago…
“It’s priceless,” my mother says. “But I’m giving it to you. I don’t have any daughters, and one day you’ll find a woman you’ll want to marry.”
“Not anytime soon, Mum.” I shake my head.
Not that it’s something a guy talks to his mother about, but I’ve got a lot of wild oats to sow before I even think of settling down.
“I never liked the color,” Mum continues, “but it comes from somewhere in Australia. Your grandmother came from there.”
She hands me the burgundy velvet box that houses her treasure. The ring she never wears.
The ring that—if it’s indeed priceless—should probably be locked in a safe somewhere.
Which is exactly where it’s going now.
I won’t be using it for at least ten years.
Chapter One
Brianna
Every time I see Jesse Pike perform, my heart nearly explodes.
He’s on stage now at the Snow Creek Cinema singing with his band, Dragonlock, which now includes my future cousin-in-law Rory as a co-lead singer. The two of them are pure magic together.
But the real magic on the stage is Jesse himself—tall and handsome with long dark hair curtaining his shoulders and those amazing dark eyes. I’ve been pining for him since I saw him perform with his band when I was a mere fourteen years old. He was twenty-four at the time, and anyone else would have told me it was a simple girlhood crush. Puppy love.
Even then, I knew it wasn’t. I’ve compared every guy I’ve dated to Jesse Pike, and they’ve all fallen short.
The song ends, and once the applause dies down, Jesse takes the mic. I gaze at him, stars in my eyes, the perspiration on his forehead making him even more attractive to me. I can almost smell his musk from my front-row seat.
“Thank you all so much,” he says in his deep voice. “You all know the band, but I’ll introduce them anyway. We’ve got Jake Michaels on guitar. My cousin Cage Ramsey on keyboard and bass. Dragon Locke, our band’s namesake, on drums. And the beautiful Rory Pike, my little sis, on lead vocals. I’m Jesse Pike, the other lead vocalist.”
More thundering applause. The band members are all handsome, and my cousins all have a thing for Dragon. He’s hot in that dark way of his, but he doesn’t compare to Jesse.
No man does. Not in my eyes.
He doesn’t know this yet—and neither do my parents—but I’m going on that international tour with them in January. I’ve finished my college degree early, though I’ll walk at graduation in the spring with the rest of the awesome foursome—my cousins Gina Steel and Angie and Sage Simpson.
Mom and Dad think I’m going to begin working with Dad come the first of the year. Of the four of us—my brothers, Dale and Donny, and my sister, Diana—I’m the only one who shares our father’s interest in our orchard of Palisade peaches and apples. I’ve been following my dad, Talon Steel, around the grounds since I could walk, asking questions, learning about the trees and the fruit, and assuring him I’d never leave his side.
That’s still my plan—with a slight detour along the way.
Getting Jesse Pike to fall head over heels in love with me.
The applause dies down again, and Jesse continues, “We’ve got a major treat for you tonight. As you all know by now, Dragonlock has the honor of going on tour as the opener for the amazing Emerald Phoenix.”
Clapping and shouting. I know what’s coming. My brother Donny is engaged to Jesse’s sister Callie, so they let our family in on the secret. Emerald Phoenix is here. Jett Draconis and Zane Michaels and the rest of the band. Rockers galore, all gorgeous, though Jett is happily married to his wife, Heather, who’s also here.
And not one of them makes my heart race the way Jesse Pike does.
I never cared that he was a struggling musician. I’m a Steel heiress. I don’t have to marry for money. Not that I would, anyway. I’ve watched both my brothers, my cousin Ava, and my cousin Brock—the biggest womanizer on the planet—fall in love in the last year. They’ve all found something truly special. Something way more important than money. And two of them, Donny and Brock, are marrying into the Pike family.
I aim to be the third.
“It’s our privilege to introduce to you, for a special engagement… Emerald Phoenix!”
Wowza.
If the crowd was excited about Dragonlock, they’re about to wet their pants over Emerald Phoenix. They’re going batshit crazy with their screams and hoots and stomping.
The members of Dragonlock exit the stage, and Jett Draconis and his band take their places.
“Thank you,” Jett says into the mic. “We’re thrilled to be here tonight as a favor to Jesse, Rory, and the band. We’re excited to have Dragonlock come on tour with us. We know they’re going to be a smash. Now…let’s rock!”
“Your arias were wonderful,” Angie says to Rory during the after-party at my parents’ sprawling ranch house.
Mom and Dad offered up their house as a favor to the band since it’s way bigger than the Pikes’. They have a small ranch adjacent to ours and unfortunately lost most of their vineyards in a brush fire earlier this year. Jesse and Rory are excited about the opportunity the tour gives them to make some money to help. Our family has offered, but the Pikes turned us down.
“Thank you.” Rory smiles, fidgeting with the red star sapphire ring on her left hand that once belonged to my aunt Melanie’s grandmother. “I’ll miss singing opera, but that was my swan song. I’m devoting myself to rock and roll now.”
“Good call,” I say. “You’re fabulous at both, but you and Jesse together… Just wow.”
Rory squeezes my hand. “Thanks, Bree.”
Rory’s a classic beauty, and she’s always been considered the most beautiful woman in Snow Creek. Jesse looks just like her in male form. He’s a freaking god.
I’ve got to get him to give me a look before we go on tour. Once all the Emerald Phoenix fans in the UK and the rest of Europe lay their eyes on him, he’ll have his pick of women.
“I wish I were going with you on the tour,” Angie says. “You’re going to have a blast.”
“I wish you were too,” I reply.
I didn’t plan to graduate early. I had enough credits, but I figured I’d sail through my last semester with some easy electives and have my last hurrah with sorority and fraternity parties.
Then I found out about the tour, and I chalked it up to fate. Early graduation was a possibility, and it would free me up to go on the tour. Since Callie is engaged to Donny, I talked the two of them into going along for the first couple of weeks, which gave me an excuse to go since my brother will be there.
Yeah, it’s farfetched, but it got me there. Then, when Donny and Callie fly home, I’ll make some excuse to stay on.
Now…I just have to tell Mom and Dad.
That’s what tomorrow’s for.
Tonight, I’m partying.
With Jesse Pike, I hope.
Chapter Two
Jesse
Amazing. Most of the women here at Talon and Jade Steel’s house for the after-party—even the married ones—are flocking around Jett Draconis and the rest of Emerald Phoenix.
Groupies.
The only groupies Dragonlock has ever had are the awesome foursome, as my little sister Maddie calls them. The four youngest Steel women—Brianna Steel, Gina Steel, and Angie and Sage Simpson. All gorgeous, of course—all the Steels are—but way too young for me.
The awesome foursome isn’t giving us a look tonight. They’re more interested in Emerald Phoenix—Zane Michaels, Bernie Zopes, and Tony Walker. Everyone knows Jett is happily married. In fact, his wife is here tonight. She’s a real sweet thing. Her name’s Heather.
Now that two of my sisters are engaged to Steel men, I don’t feel quite as out of place at the main Steel house. I’ve been here many times. I’ve played at many Steel parties. But tonight, I don’t feel like an outsider.
My cousin Cage Ramsey brings me a beer.
“Thanks.” I take a long sip, letting it cool my throat. Nothing like an ice-cold brew after I’ve been singing all night.
“Where’s our harem?” Cage asks.
“What do you mean?”
“The awesome foursome. They’re usually flocked around us.” He narrows his gaze. “You in particular.”
I let out a laughing scoff. “More like Dragon. And you and Jake.”
Cage chuckles and then glances around. “All of us, then. Where is Dragon, by the way?”
“Probably off smoking a joint. You know he always has to have a little weed after a concert since we won’t let him get high before.”
“Yeah, what is it with him and weed? I never could stand the stuff.”
“Don’t know, man.”
The truth of the matter is, I do know. Dragon hasn’t had an easy life. He keeps to himself, but one night—one of the only times I’ve ever gotten high because I actually don’t like the stuff—he confided in me. I understand our drummer a lot better now, but I’m sworn to secrecy. And I get why he smokes after a performance. It numbs him a little bit, relaxes him. I’ve got no problem with it, as long as it doesn’t affect his performance, and so far it hasn’t.
There are reasons why Dragon shouldn’t smoke or drink, but so far he’s kept clean from the harder stuff.
“Ah…there they all are.” Cage gestures to the pool house in the giant Steel backyard.
The members of Emerald Phoenix stand there, flanked by pretty much every woman here, including the awesome foursome.
“Guess I can’t blame them,” I say. “Emerald Phoenix is an amazing band.”
“Except one of them seems to be missing…” Cage looks around. “Brianna. Where’s Brianna?”
I shrug. “How the hell should I know?”
“Those four are usually inseparable.”
Brianna Steel is the most beautiful of the awesome foursome. She looks the most like her father, Talon Steel. Of course, her older brothers, Dale and Donny, are adopted, so they couldn’t look anything like him. But Diana favors their mother, Jade. Brianna, though… She’s taller than her older sister, taller than her mother. Nearly as tall as her father when she wears those sexy cowboy boots of hers. The original Steel Brothers are all ranchers, cowboys. Most of their kids, though? They chose different paths. All except for Dale and Brock Steel…and Brianna.
Brianna Steel is temptation on a stick. I’ve known her a long time because Donny and I went to high school together. We’ve had this idiotic rivalry since then because he was chosen most valuable player for the football team our senior year. It should’ve gone to me. Well…that’s not exactly true. We were both equally valuable players. He got it because of his name. It’s no secret. We all knew it.
I wasn’t happy when he started dating my sister Callie, but she made us shake hands and make up. So we put up with each other now.
Begrudgingly.
Silly, I suppose. It’s been fifteen years.
But yeah. When Donny and I were eighteen, his little sister Brianna was eight.
That’s how I remember her. A really pretty kid with a spray of freckles across her nose, long dark hair in pigtails, and jeans and cowboy boots, a cowboy hat on her head. Always a cowgirl, that one. She used to follow her daddy around like a puppy. Whenever I saw her at that age, she was either with Talon or on a horse.
She still has that light spray of freckles across her nose. But now that cute little kid—after two years of braces and a lot of filling out—is a damned beautiful woman.
She’s got legs that go on for fucking ever, and a luscious rack she inherited from her mother, who’s the daughter of Brooke Bailey, a supermodel who was famous back in the day.
Brianna Steel could sure be a supermodel. She’s got the height, the perfect facial features, the silky-smooth hair.
Like I said, temptation on a stick.
Until I remember my rivalry with Donny—and his eight-year-old sister with her hair in pigtails in the stands cheering our team on.
Good thing I’ll be leaving after the holidays, off to the UK and then the rest of Europe. I haven’t been in a relationship for a while, and I’m not the casual sex type, but…with a smorgasbord of European lovelies at my fingertips…
Yeah, I’m rethinking that.
Cage and I plan to fuck our way through Europe.
I’m looking forward to it.
Chapter Three
Brianna
Jesse’s talking to Cage. The rest of the awesome foursome plus Jesse’s youngest sister, Maddie Pike, are fawning all over the members of Emerald Phoenix.
It is kind of a cool thing, having a famous rock band at my house. Even my mom is getting a little twitterpated.
Aunt Melanie and Aunt Ruby are sitting on the deck with my brand-new aunt, Lauren Wingdam, who has gorgeous blue eyes and medium-brown hair that she wears stylishly short.
It’s a long story.
Apparently my uncle Ryan has a different mother than my father, Uncle Joe, and Aunt Marjorie. We had a big family meeting two weeks ago about it.
It took a while to digest everything. I haven’t spent much time with Lauren yet, and since Jesse isn’t giving me any attention at all, I walk toward my three aunts.
“Hi, Aunt Ruby, Aunt Mel.”
“Brianna.” Aunt Melanie smiles. “Come sit down with us for a moment.”
I take a seat next to my new aunt. “Hi, Lauren. Did you enjoy the concert?”
Lauren fans herself with her hand. “I did. I’ve always been a rock and roll enthusiast. I’m sure Jack loved it as well.”
Jack Murphy, with reddish-brown hair and his mother’s blue eyes, is my newly discovered cousin, Lauren’s son. He’s around here somewhere.
“This must be a lot for you to take in,” I say. “I suppose you never imagined having this many relatives foisted on you at once.”
Aunt Lauren nods with a smile. “It’s been something, all right. But honestly, I’m thrilled that you’ve all been so accepting of me.”
“I knew they would be,” Aunt Ruby says. “We’ve known about Ryan’s true parentage for the last twenty-five years.”
“Not all of us,” I can’t resist saying.
Just one of the many things my parents, aunts, and uncles chose to keep from my generation. They thought they could protect us, or some such nonsense.
