What am I reading this week? Shattered Glass by A.C. Katt

I've a new book this week and I wanted to share it with my readers!  I love A C Katt and I can't wait to read her latest, Shattered Glass! Stay tuned for my review on Thursday….

Blurb

Milo Stamis of the mega band Shattered Glass must write one last song with former lover, Liam O'Shea. Can they overcome a stalker and the lies that separated them? 

EXCERPT

That night Liam seduced Milo with his music. They went into the gig as mentor and student; with Liam as a kid brother who needed his constant protection. They came out as equals. Milo and Liam dropped Debbie home and went to Sam's garage to celebrate. Sam had brought in a six pack for he and Milo and some Coke for Liam and Rick.

Rick was exhuberant."We knocked it out of the park tonight. Damnit, we left the stage to a standing ovation."

"Debbie told me that the girls actually cried when we played Lover's Suite."

"They were asking for your phone number, Liam."

"I hope you didn't give it to them, Mom needs to rest, not spend all day answering the phone."

"Baby, the depth of feeling in the melody that sprang from the sheets of chords and notation was an awesome experience."

While the others were still congratulating themselves, Milo sat down to think. In the beginning of the week of collaboration he thought he wouldn't be able to keep up with Liam. It felt like Liam's music would swallow him whole and bury his own paltry talent. But he had found his feet. He was still overwhelmed, but by more than the music.

Sam noticed him in the corner brooding. He could feel the other boy's eyes boring into his back. He felt rather than heard the footsteps behind him. Sam put his arm on Milo's shoulder and asked, "Are you all right with this, Milo."

"I don't know, Sam. I'm struggling. Since Liam joined the band, my feelings for the kid have changed. I'm spending more and more time with him, writing original music. I'm afraid of the depth of my feelings."

"You gotta rein it in, Milo. He's twelve, not eighteen. If the wind is going to blow that way it will still be blowing when he's old enough."

"But what do I do in the mean time, Sam?"

"You bury it, Milo. Just like you bury the fact that you are gay. You keep it inside you until the time is right. In the mean time you let the kid, be a kid. Besides, you should be out and proud when you make a move on the kid. You don't want him to be a closet head case, do you?"

"Like me, you mean."

"Yeah, Milo, like you. It's not healthy for you and it certainly won't be healthy for him. It's not only you I'm are concerned about. You hide your true nature from everyone but Rick and I. It's that inherent Greek macho. I believe it is going to cost you some day, something really dear."

"While we are discussing the future, I want to tell you that I decided to go to Monmouth University. They have a good pre-law program and it's just a a few miles down the road. That way I'll be close enough in case you and the kid need me."

"But the band is going to really take off, couldn't you see that tonight?"

"Hold on, Milo," Sam protested. "I've said it before and I'll keep repeating this until you actually listen: I am committed to the band through this summer and for the next four years. I've got a free ride at Monmouth for undergraduate work. I'll be around to play gigs and practice. After that, man, you need to find another drummer. I'm going to law school." Sam continued in earnest. "I'm aiming for Columbia because that's Dad's alma mater. NYU is my second choice, with the University of Pennsylvania as my third. Of course, I will apply to Rutgers just in case, but I'll always be close enough to get here on short notice if Liam needs me. I'll always be with the band, Milo. But not as the drummer. I'm going to manage you guys and make sure you avoid the sharks in the water, but four years from now you are going to need another drummer."

"If that's what you really want, Sam. Four years is a long time, by that time we could be a megahit and you may change your mind."

"Milo, you are not listening. We could have a number one hit album, yet I'm still going to law school. It's who I am, Milo."

Sam gave Milo a hug, "Let's join the part before Ricky gets Liam into the beer."

***

June 1995

It was in September of 1994 that Shattered Glass had their big break. In July Sam had negotiated a great deal for them. Milo had just turned twenty-one, Sam was twenty-two and Rick was twenty. Lily signed for sixteen year old Liam who graduated from high school that June and they had just finished a tour opening for a band that the guys privately thought was a one hit wonder. They rented a rehearsal studio in Red Bank and for the first time had professional facilities to help work their magic.

"Hey man," Rick shouted running in the door waving a copy of billboard. "Lover's Suite is number four with a Bullet in Billboard."

"Let me see that," said Milo as he grabbed the paper. "Last week we were number fifty-seven." Milo cocked an eyebrow at Sam, "Still going to law school," he asked.

Milo heard Sam sigh, this was an old argument, "Yep," Sam replied.

Sam attempted to change the subject, "Milo, where's Liam? We called rehearsal for 10:00 am."

"I don't know, it's not like him to be late."

"He has a pager. Why don't you page him to call us here," Rick suggested.

Milo dialed the pager number. Fifteen minutes later, the phone rang. Liam was hysterical. He found Lily and she wasn't breathing. He was on his way to Bayshore Community Hospital."

Milo spoke to him calmly but Liam couldn't see the tears running down his cheeks. He hung up the phone and said, "It's Lily, I got to go."

Sam answered, "We'll all go, Milo. You are in no shape to drive. Call that call service the label gave us and tell them there is extra money in it if they hurry."

They arrived just in time to say goodbye. Lily, gentle, caring Lily was dead and Liam was Milo's responsibility.

Liam believed his mother survived her last year on iron will alone. She wanted Milo as Liam's guardian, not Sam, for reasons she refused to divulge and the longer she fought, the less chance anyone could dispute her wishes. It took three days to bury Lily with all the formality and honor the boys felt she deserved.

Liam made it until they got back to the house after the funeral. As soon as he hit the door, he bolted from the living room, where his neighbors and friends gathered to offer comfort and ran to the upstairs toilet. Thirty-one minutes later, after Milo had seen to the guests, he sought Liam out. He found him curled on the bathroom rug next to the toilet, his face red from exertion and tears and his stomach muscles sore to the touch.

"I should have come up here sooner. Guess you have nothing left to heave, Baby," Milo said. He reached up to the rack over the toilet and pulled out a plain white washcloth. He wet it in the sink, then sitting down next to Liam, Milo pulled him onto his lap. "Don't worry, Baby, I'll get the hang of this guardian stuff."

Milo gently wiped his face and hands with a cool cloth. He placed a gentle kiss on Liam's forehead, and Liam broke out again in heartfelt sobs. He cried on Milo's chest while Milo rocked his body back and forth to soothe him.

After a while, both Liam's body and brain began to function. He got a raging hard on, and underneath his ass he felt the poke of reciprocal interest. When Liam turned to Milo to respond, Milo hugged him in a quick fashion, and in a brisk tone said, "Please get it together because the people downstairs wish to pay their respects to your mother and they can only do so by talking to you." Milo turned on his heel and walked out of the bathroom.

Liam knew he had lost control. For years he had tried to maintain iron control around Milo. He'd known he was gay since his first flush of sexual interest when he was twelve. Total Eclipse of the Heart was Liam declaration of love to Milo, a love that Liam believed Milo would never return. Even in his current misery Liam felt the poke of Milo's interested organ. The way Milo backed away from me so quickly tells me that he doesn't want me to know. He thinks I'm too young. I'll just have to show him, I'm not. With a new determination, Milo went down to see to the guests.

 

Find out more about the author, A C Katt at: www.ackatt.com

Pick up your copy at:

Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Glass-AC-Katt/dp/1936356058/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1

Barnes & Nobles: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Shattered-Glass/AC-Katt/e/9781936356027?r=1,%201&if=N&cm_mmc=Goodreads-_-k117601-_-j12871747k117601-_-Primary

 

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