She gives me a skeptical look.
I flash my most non-threatening grin. “Come on, I’ve got a 1987 FXR Harley.”
Her lips twitch into a brief smile. “I don’t know what that is.”
“A motorcycle.”
Still unimpressed.
“It’s got a special edition blue frame. Harley only built six hundred and fifty of them that year.”
“Oh,” she says in a dramatic voice, clearly humoring me, “well in that case, it sounds like something I shouldn’t pass up.”
“Exactly.”
We make it out to the sidewalk without speaking. When we reach my bike, she stops and stares. “It’s very pretty.”
Pretty. No one’s ever called my bike pretty before. Good thing none of my club brothers are around to hear that. They’d bust my balls for days. “Thanks.”
Still she hesitates. “I’ve never been on one of these before.”
“It’s easy, princess.” I talk her through the proper way to mount the bike and center her weight. In no time, she’s snuggled up against my back, arms around my waist, and we’re cruising down the Sunset Strip. It’s a Tuesday evening, so it’s not as busy as normal. There’re still enough people making the rounds to provide some entertainment.
Instead of taking her home, I drive down to the beach and slip into the first spot I find. Since she’s skittish and never told me where she lives, the beach seems perfect.
“That was amazing!” she yells as she gets off the bike and shakes her hair loose. It’s the first time I’ve seen a genuine smile on her face, and it steals my breath for a second.
“You want to get something to eat? You must be starving after that shoot.”
Again, she seems surprised by my concern, and it makes me wonder if anyone’s ever taken care of this girl in her life.
I’m filled with an overwhelming need to protect this woman I barely know.
My desire to fuck her is overshadowed by my need to learn everything about her.
That’s a first.
Download Kickstart my Heart here..
Read all about Chaser and Mallory’s epic love story in the Hollywood Demons Trilogy (A Lost Kings MC Spin-Off Series) Starting with Kickstart My Heart here..
Note From Autumn
What an adventure!
I hope you loved Lyrics on the Wind as much as I do. It wasn’t an easy book to write. I don’t think I have to tell you what an epic dumpster fire 2020 was. Trying to write romance while the world’s on fire is daunting. I almost feel like the worse things are, the lighter I need my stories to be. Thankfully, my MC romances have always been heavy on the romance and Rooster is my favorite kind of ruthlessly protective and loyal alpha hero.
Here is where I could tell you all about how I never planned for Rooster to have another book. But I feel like you could go back to my notes for Zero Apologies to read that. See also: Beyond Reason and After Glow. Obviously, since I already had Grinder’s book (Crown of Ghosts) as the next book in the series, I had not planned for Rooster to have another book. Key word: planned. I’ve said it many times, I’m a pantster writer (I write by the seat of my pants.) I’m a terrible planner. I think people assume I’m joking when I say this. Things like calendars and clocks have very little relevance in my head. It’s not an easy way to live when the rest of the world adheres to things like schedules and deadlines, but the more I try to work against myself, the worse it gets. So, forgive me. If you love my characters and stories (as much as some of you say you do) then please be patient and accept that I need to let the stories unfold as they need to. If you’re outraged that there is another book, please don’t bother sending me nasty emails or messages. If I can’t change my process to make life easier for myself, I’m certainly not going to change for a random stranger hurling insults at me through the Internet. Save your time and go for a walk outside or something.
I always suspected Rooster’s story would be long and twisty. I knew something dark lurked in his past that shaped him into who he is—a much deeper character than he seems on the surface. I kept coming back to a certain thing he helped Z do. Pretty extreme. Why? The MC bonds of brotherhood only explain so much.
While moving through Rooster and Shelby’s journey, I realized there was a lot of potential to explore other areas of the Lost Kings MC that we’ve only heard mentioned in passing. I’ve been reluctant to move away from the Upstate NY Lost Kings (end especially Rock because my love for him knows no reason!) that I’ve almost neglected the other charters. Ice in particular interests me. Near the end of writing Lyrics, I had to stop for a day and just write out Ice and Anya’s backstory. I’m fascinated by both of them but not sure where they’ll take me. I figure they are Autumn 2023’s problem. Griff obviously also interests me a lot as we’ve seen him here and there throughout the series. And of course, Dawson. He needs someone special. I think I know exactly who he should end up with.
My readers who are excited for another Rooster and Shelby book-thank you! You blew my mind the day I uploaded Diamond in the Dust for pre-order. The book wasn’t even live on my dashboard when many of you were already posting pictures of your preorders in my Facebook group. After feeling like I “failed” to deliver by not wrapping up Rooster’s story in Lyrics, your excitement both humbled and reassured me. You’re the reason I write my stories and I thank you for believing in me.
I hope 2021 is a kinder and gentler year for all of us. I wish you and your loved ones good health and safety.
xo
Autumn
1-17-21
The Lost Kings MC® World
By Autumn Jones Lake
Suggested Chronological Reading Order
Kickstart My Heart (Hollywood Demons #1)
Blow My Fuse (Hollywood Demons #2)
Wheels of Fire (Hollywood Demons #3)
Cards of Love: Knight of Swords
Slow Burn (Lost Kings MC #1)
Corrupting Cinderella (Lost Kings MC #2)
Three Kings, One Night (Lost Kings MC #2.5)
Strength From Loyalty (Lost Kings MC #3)
Tattered on My Sleeve (Lost Kings MC #4)
White Heat (Lost Kings MC #5)
Between Embers (Lost Kings MC #5.5)
Bullets & Bonfires (Standalone in the Lost Kings MC world)
More Than Miles (Lost Kings MC #6)
Warnings & Wildfires (Standalone in the Lost Kings MC world)
White Knuckles (Lost Kings MC #7)
Beyond Reckless (Lost Kings MC #8)
Beyond Reason (Lost Kings MC #9)
One Empire Night (Lost Kings MC #9.5)
After Burn (Lost Kings MC #10)
After Glow (Lost Kings MC #11)
Zero Hour (Lost Kings MC #11.5)
Zero Tolerance (Lost Kings MC #12)
Zero Regret (Lost Kings MC #13)
Zero Apologies (Lost Kings MC #14)
Swagger and Sass (Lost Kings MC #14.5)
White Lies (Lost Kings MC #15)
Rhythm of the Road (Lost Kings MC #16)
Lyrics on the Wind (Lost Kings MC #17)
Diamond in the Dust (Lost Kings MC #18)
Crown of Ghosts (Lost Kings MC #19)
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