Read Online Rock My World by Sharisse Coulter - Free Book Online

You’re gonna go on stage every night and bust your guts up
there. You’re gonna do it
whether you like it or not because if you don’t, the label will drop you. If
you don’t, all the time and effort and money put into this tour to make your
dreams come true will be refunded—out of your pocket. Or should I say,
your wife’s pocket. I’m telling you this for your own good. How do you think wifey’s gonna like it when all this was for nothin ’ and she’s the
laughing stock for marrying a loser,” Simon said, every muscle in his face
tense. “I’m just telling you how it is,” he finished in a softer tone.
    Alex gulped and looked straight ahead at his
warped reflection. “Fine,” he said, feeling like a child caught in a tantrum.
    “Look, mate,
I’m just lookin ’ out for ya .
You and me both know you can’t afford that. Jenna wants you to be a success, so
give her that. You owe it to her.” Simon said, the tension in his face gone.
“And you know what else you can’t afford? Lettin ’
your fans down. And me. I been your number one fan for
over fifteen years. You just gonna skip out on us
now?” Simon implored, friendly again, betrayed only by the vein still bulging
in his forehead. The elevator dinged. Simon held eye contact until the doors
closed and Alex was finally alone.
    Alex could
feel every muscle in his body tense. His fists were clenched and turning white.
He wanted nothing more than to tell the label what they could do with his
contract. The anonymous backer behind the label that Simon refused to name was
a real hard-ass. But Simon was right. This tour was the only way to pay back
the label. And Simon. Simon had believed in his talent when everyone else wrote
him off. He owed a lot to him, even if their relationship had turned
antagonistic lately.
    Short of
winning a four million dollar jackpot in Vegas, there was nothing he could do. Most
of all, he needed to prove to Jenna he could support them. And he would prove
that all her sacrifices were worth it. There was no other choice—he had
to finish the tour.   Alex swallowed
a mounting sense of dread.
    He
remembered the summer between their junior and senior years of high school. Jenna
broke up with him shortly before school got out because he’d refused to get a
fake ID to go out to some new club. The skeazy owner
of said club invited her after she modeled for the grand-opening posters. Alex
had barely controlled his rage when he saw the photos, so he didn’t think it
wise to be close enough to hit the guy.
    “God, you’re
so boring,” Jenna complained.
    “I’m boring
because I don’t want to watch sleazy guys try to get in my girlfriend’s pants?”
    “Ugh! Not
that again. Who cares if they want to sleep with me? I don’t want to sleep with
them. And what about all your stupid groupies? Huh? You don’t think that’s a
problem, do you?”
    “That’s
different! God, that’s part of my career! Not just to prance around practically
naked.”
    They seethed
at each other silently. “Just do what you want, Jenna. I don’t care anymore.”
    “Fine! And
we’re done, by the way. So you know. When I’m prancing around with some random
guy, I won’t be cheating on you!” She narrowed her eyes, hands on hips. “Oh,
and modeling is a career too.” She stomped off, leaving him alone in the quad
with a slew of onlookers. Great, he thought, an audience.
    ***
    During sound
check, with the cameras rolling for their behind-the-scenes DVD footage, he
went through all the motions, exchanged pleasantries, shook hands, signed
autographs, and decided on the set list with his band. He watched himself from
somewhere outside his body. He did everything he was supposed to do while his
Real Self floated around the ether, trying to find a way back to his wife. He
was desperate to wake up from this nightmare.
    He knew she
had a point. He knew he screwed up. But why did she leave? She had to
understand he never loved Airika . Their brief