Chapter 1
The crowd at Nick's Fat City had been rowdy that night, just the kind of crowd Janis McFarlane liked. Sure, there were drunks, but what club didn't have them? A drunk, rowdy crowd was ten times better than a quiet, near-dead one.
In only a few short years, The Underground had risen from a mere garage band to a local legend, even opening for some more well-known local and regional acts. Still, the money wasn't that great, but Janis got a high out of doing what she loved, even if it barely paid the rent.
Thank God she got that stipend from her parents' estate every month, or she wouldn't be doing much surviving at all.
Not that Janis wasn't used to the concept of struggling; she'd grown up in a blue-collar family that had been commonplace in Pittsburgh; her father eking out a living in one of the many steel mills that had been around at one time, her mother the typical homemaker who had clashed with her youngest daughter often as Janis was growing up. Albert McFarlane had died from lung cancer a little over two years after he had retired; Mary Jo two years after him to cervical cancer.
On the surface, Janis didn't impose an intimidating appearance; rather, she was barely five feet, two inches tall, sweet faced with dark blue eyes and dark hair that she had tinted a striking copper and kept short. Along with her mother's height and features, Janis had also inherited her mother's weight problem, being both full hipped and full breasted.
Once a shy child that had suffered emotional neglect and psychological abuse, she had turned to the arts as an outlet for the emotions she was unable to express verbally. Though a brilliant writer, it had been music where Janis found her true voice, particularly the rock genre.
She began performing in karaoke contests and a few talent shows, and though she seldom won any, had done quite well, and it had had a tremendous effect on her; by the time Janis had reached her late thirties, she had become a mouthy, no holds barred woman, a shadow of the quiet, timid child and teenager she once was. She was now kicking ass and taking names—at least verbally.
And it had been at one show Janis had been competing in that The Underground's founder had spotted her.
Donnie Neal had been searching for a female singer, but unlike most bands that wanted a "hot," mini skirted piece of eye candy, Donnie wanted someone who was both a little more unconventional and could really belt out the tunes.
When he had seen the short, mature, thick redhead on stage giving her all in a classic rock song, Donnie knew he'd finally found what he had been looking for.
Janis could not only perform, but she also had a high spirit that made her shine on stage. He wanted to hire her on the spot.
"You gotta be kidding me," she had said when he'd introduced himself and made the offer. "Look, dude, I don't know what your line is, but I buy no bullshit from anyone, especially men. Nice pickup line, though. You might want to try it on these little twenty nothings that don't know any better. Me? I've been on God's green earth way too long to fall for stupid shit. I know them all."
"Hate to tell you, miss, but this isn't bullshit. As a matter of fact, the rest of the band members are here, and I can both introduce you to them and get our booker on the phone right now."
Janis was suddenly intrigued. "Yeah?"
"Abso-damn-lutely," Donnie replied.
"Okay, dude, but why me? You've seen some of these hot young chicks do their thing tonight. Shit, the blond with the big fake tits got first prize, probably because she blew one of the judges, fucked the second one, and took the third one's dick up her ass, because she sure as hell can't sing."
Donnie was floored; he was used to crude references coming from guys, but this gal really had him that much more interested. She may have looked innocent, but he was convinced Janis was anything but. With her big voice, her obvious smarts and rough edges, she was exactly what The Underground needed—a perfect female rocker that took no shit.
"Exactly my point," he finally said. "Other bands may go for eye candy to draw people in, but The Underground goes for talent. So you want the job or not?"
"Jesus Christ, you are serious. In that case, what the hell. I'll do your band thing."
"Good," Donnie grinned. "Now, let's go meet your band mates."
Now it had been during the band's break that Janis had sauntered up to the bar, not noticing the dark man beside her that had been sipping Pepsi.
"Hey, Harvey," she bellowed, "where the fuck are you going to get my wine cooler, Alaska? I only got a twenty minute break and I'm dying here."
"Be right there, Jan," the bartender responded.
"Yeah, yeah, you said that shit five minutes ago."
"Damn, lady, do you really need to be drinking that stuff anyway?" the dark man asked.
"And this is your business how?" Janis shot back at him. "Because the last time I checked, I was way over twenty one and it's is a free country."
"Excuse me," he responded. "Peace the fuck out."
Harvey had plopped Janis' drink in front of her, which she scooped up and took back to the table where Donnie and the other guys were seated.
The man's eyes had followed her before he'd turned back to the bartender. "Talk about a chick with attitude," he said.
"Janis?" Harvey grinned. "Nah. She may come across as a real bitch to those that don't know her and takes no bullshit off of anyone, but truth be told, she's a great lady with a big heart, not to mention one hell of a singer, as you may know."
"Yeah, got to agree about the singing part."
"Janis' bark is worse than her bite, trust me. So what brings you here to good old Nick's this evening?"
"Wrestling match," the man replied. "We had a show up Mellon Arena earlier tonight and I wanted something different from the hotel lounges."
Harvey raised an eyebrow as he dried a glass. "So you came all the way down here to South Side?"
"One of the locals told a few of us about this part of town. My buddy should be around here someplace. He dragged my ass here and then went to check out the action, if you know what I mean."
"Yeah, I do. I see that practically every night here. So if you really want to get to know Jan, she's right over there with the boys."
"Thanks, but I think I made a shitty enough impression on her as it is. Maybe another time."
"Hey, Paul!" a short blond man yelled over to the dark man. "We need to split and get back to the hotel before we get in more deep shit with the bosses. And we all know how good you are for causing fucking trouble."
"Coming, dude," the man replied, rolling his eyes, before turning back to Harvey and leaving a bill on the bar. "Thanks for the chat, man."
"My pleasure," Harvey responded.
As the man left with his blond companion, Harvey picked up the ten-dollar bill off the bar and smiled, thinking perhaps he should serve Pepsi to and chat with out of towners more often.
