Cover Reveal - Here With You.

It's new-book-coming-soon time! And this one is a summer love story set on the island of Ibiza. Here With You is the third book in the Superstar DJ series, and just like the other two books in the series it's a standalone story, with music at its heart.

Want to find out more? You can check out the first three chapters for FREE below... 👇

***Please be aware that this book is still in the final stages of editing, and therefore any mistakes/errors etc. will be dealt with before the book's release***

1

 

 

Ibiza

 

 

Maya

 

“Why are you hiding in here?”

“I’m not hiding.” I lean back in my chair and smile at my brother. “I’m working.”

Milo sits down on the edge of my desk, crosses his arms and throws me a look. “It’s beautiful out there, you shouldn’t be cooped up in here all day.”

“I need to make some calls.”

He picks up my mobile phone and waves it in front of my face. “Wonderful invention, these things. You can actually leave your desk and still make contact with other people.”

I pull a face and get up, putting the papers I’d been looking through back in the drawer. “You’re hilarious.”

“Come on. Come and get some fresh air.”

I jerk my head back. “The window’s open.”

“Now who’s being funny.”

I just shrug. “Oh, by the way, I heard from Riley today.”

Riley. My headstrong, slightly-too-wild-for-her-own-good daughter. Smart and beautiful she’s currently making quite a name for herself as an extremely popular and incredibly successful club and music influencer and aspiring DJ. I’m beyond proud of her.

“Is she on her way home?” Milo asks, picking up a copy of DJ Mag from my desk and flicking through it.

“She is.”

“Where is she now?”

“Barcelona. Her and Kacey are heading to Majorca for a couple of days before coming to Ibiza, then we have her for the summer. The entire summer. And I can’t wait.”

“Yeah, It’s been a while, huh?”

“It has. But, you know, they wanted to go traveling before Kacey heads to London in September, and they seem to have had an incredible time, judging by their social media posts, and I’m glad that Riley had the chance to do that.”

“Because you didn’t?”

I look at my brother and smile. “No. Doing the whole traveling thing, that wasn’t ever anything I wanted to do, you know that. Besides, when I was Riley’s age my life looked very different to hers.”

And that’s an understatement.

“Is Riley staying on Ibiza after the summer?” Milo asks, quickly re-routing the subject, for which I’m grateful.

I shrug. “Possibly. She hasn’t really said what her plans are, to be honest.”

“How’s the DJing coming along? She told me she wanted to get more serious about that once she was back home.”

“Well, Seb’s had a small studio installed for her at her villa, and she’s bought herself some brand new decks, two computers, the works. And it’s not like she’s short of support and advice, given that most of our friends are either club owners, musicians, producers or DJs. And you know Riley. Once she gets her teeth into something she rarely lets go until she’s got what she wants. But, fingers crossed, if she really is serious about taking her DJing further then she might just decide to stick around here at home for a little while.”

Milo smiles. “She’s got the talent. Have you heard some of the stuff she’s put out online?”

“I have. She’s developing her own unique sound, and that’s good. Being a little bit different helps you stand out from the crowd.”

“She’s gonna be okay, Maya. You should be proud of her.”

“I am proud of her. I also worry about her, constantly. Because no matter how grown-up, how sensible, how independent she is… I’ll always worry.”

“Worry that she’s too much like you?” Milo raises an eyebrow. “Because that isn’t a bad thing.”

I throw him a look. “Only because she’s also got a lot of her father’s genes to dilute mine.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Maya. You’re an incredible mom to that kid. You brought her up to be independent, strong, driven, and she’s all of those things. Because of you. And, more importantly, she’s happy.” Milo pulls himself away from my desk. “That’s all you ever wanted for her, remember?”

“I know.” I sigh again, annoyed with myself for almost falling into that well of self-pity I sometimes find myself gravitating towards every so often, when I let the past catch up with me. It doesn’t do any good, but I can’t stop it from happening.

“It’s going to be a great summer, Sis.” Milo grins at me, sliding his hands into his pockets as he backs away towards the door.

“Yeah.” I smile. “It is.”

“And, you know, Riley is like you in one respect.” He stops by the door, and he’s still grinning at me. “The ability to bring stubbornness to a whole new level.”

I flip him the finger. “Isn’t there something you should be doing?” But I can’t stop myself from smiling, again. Because he’s right.

“Probably.” His grin slips into a frown, a concerned expression crossing his face. “You look tired.”

“Thanks for that. And you more than anyone should know that summer is a pretty tiring time on this island.”

“I’m doing just fine.” His grin returns and I roll my eyes.

“You can survive on adrenaline and endless coffee, that’s why. I don’t have your stamina.”

“Believe me, that stamina’s been severely tested these past couple of years. I’m father to a toddler, remember?”

“You’ve always been able to handle the stupid hours we work, no matter what.”

“So have you. Come on, you’re the original party girl.”

I’m not sure party girl is quite how I’d describe myself these days, but then again, I’m not exactly spending my nights in front of the TV or chilling out with a book. My life revolves around clubs and bars, organizing parties, mixing with DJs, producers and promoters, it’s our world. One we’ve lived in for over twenty years now on this beautiful Mediterranean island we call home. An island that, no word of a lie, saved me.

“But, you know, if you feel like you need some downtime, go home,” Milo says. “Grab a couple of hours rest. This place won’t fall apart if you leave for a couple of hours.”

“Why would I want to leave? It’s Club Moon’s opening party tonight and we’ve got a very big, very long night ahead. Yves Vandale and Luna are playing a back-to-back set, remember? That’s a first for those two. And it’s going to be packed in here.”

Milo uncrosses his arms and opens my office door. “Taking a break won’t hurt. You don’t have to be here twenty-four-seven. Like I said, the place won’t fall apart without you. Besides, I’m here, and it won’t do you any harm to go home and get some rest before it all kicks off, you’ve been here since six this morning. In fact, knowing you it’s highly likely you slept here.”

“Not quite. And I’m fine, I like being up early. I like it when it’s quiet, and sometimes you’ve got to grab quiet when you can. There won’t be much of it around here for the next few months.”

“You really are annoyingly stubborn sometimes, do you know that?”

I throw him a smile and shrug.

He laughs and shakes his head. “Ben’s gonna go grab us some lunch from The Blue Dolphin in a bit. Do you want anything?”

“Bacon cheeseburger with extra cheese. Oh, and a side of those extra-large onion rings.”

Milo arches an eyebrow and I give another shrug.

“What? I like my food.”

“I don’t know where you put it all. I’ll give you a shout when it arrives, okay?”

“Okay.”

Milo leaves, closing the door behind him, and I sit back and smile to myself. Summer on this island is what we live for. Milo and I, we own two of the biggest clubs and one of the most popular beach bars on the island. And, in just a matter of days, we’ll be adding a restaurant to that list. Stupidly busy is probably the best way to describe us, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love my life, even if it isn’t the one I’d originally planned.

I’m about to open up another email when my phone rings and I glance at the screen, my smile widening as I answer the call.

“Hey.”

“Hey back. You busy?”

“Not really.” Not anymore.

“I just got here.”

“I know.”

“You know?”

“Your schedule’s all over social media. And you uploaded a Tik Tok post half an hour ago from the airport.”

He laughs quietly, and I allow myself to feel happy that he’s here. Because Milo won’t be. But it’s none of Milo’s business.

“Come to the house.”

“You going to be alone?”

“I wouldn’t tell you to meet me there if I wasn’t going to be alone. Just, you know, try not to advertise your arrival. Give me an hour and I’ll see you there.”

I end the call, and I’m still smiling.

Today his timing is perfect. So, I’m taking Milo’s advice. I’m going home, just for a little while. There’s some unfinished business I need to take care of.

 

2

 

 

 

Magnus

 

Throwing the keys down onto the counter I make my way further into the bright and spacious open plan living area of Maya Moon’s beautiful, whitewashed villa, heading straight over to the wall of glass that faces out over an expansive terrace that overlooks the Mediterranean. White wooden sun loungers are placed neatly around an oval pool, a large, white wooden rectangular dining table and chairs takes pride of place on a pergola-covered patio next to a state-of-the-art outdoor kitchen with a barbecue and pizza oven, a well-stocked bar lined with stools and decorated with festival lights is situated perfectly to make the most of the views of the ocean and Ibiza town down below. And I think about going outside, fixing myself a drink, a large one, I’m still wired after a crazy show in Stockholm last night. My hometown. But I don’t, I stay inside, throw myself down onto one of the over-sized chocolate-brown sofas in the center of the room and slide my sunglasses down over my eyes, tilting my head back and staring up at the stark white ceiling. This house, it calms me, which is strange, in a way, because it’s usually full of people. It’s rarely quiet. But it’s my escape. A haven, I suppose. My own place? Not so much. I try not to stay put in one place for too long, I kind of need it that way. The chaotic, almost nomadic lifestyle suits me.

“Making yourself at home, I see.”

I didn’t hear her come in, but I look up as she makes her way towards me, the corner of her mouth edging up into a slight smile. I shoot a grin right back at her, our eyes locking, and I feel that all too familiar jolt of the stomach. But I’ve got it under control. Always.

She reaches up underneath her dress and slides down her underwear, stepping out of them before she lifts her curve-skimming dress up over her thighs, and I groan quietly. Man, I never get tired of this. Sometimes I just need this woman so fucking much. And sometimes… sometimes I don’t need her at all.

“So, you got here just in time for the opening party, huh?”

She straddles me and I take hold of her hips and lift her up slightly, giving myself just enough room to maneuver inside of her, and she takes me deep, she’s wasting no time.

Digging my fingers into her warm, tanned flesh she grinds against me, her mouth slamming down onto mine in a kiss so hard I swear it could bruise lips. But I live for these moments. We don’t get too many of them, which is why I’m losing myself in this one, in frantic sex and kisses so deep and dirty nothing else matters for these few, brief minutes. Because that’s all it takes before I’m coming, before she’s coming too, and it’s beautiful and quick and everything we always need. And the second it’s over she climbs off me, retrieves her underwear from the floor and pushes her dress back down over her shit-hot, tattooed thighs, dragging both hands through her long blonde hair before shaking it out. She’s had her fix, I’ve had mine. We’re okay now. We’re good.

She sashays over to the kitchen and I follow her, watching as she opens the freezer, takes out a bottle of vodka and pours two shots, sliding one across the counter to me. I pick it up and down it in one.

“You weren’t thinking about not coming tonight, were you?” She leans back against the fridge and downs her own shot, placing the empty glass on the counter. “Because you’re cutting it pretty fine.”

“Yeah, well, you know what they say.”

She arches a perfectly threaded eyebrow.

“Good things come to those who wait.”

She just rolls her eyes, and I swear she gets more fucking beautiful every time I see her.

“So, how did the show go in Stockholm last night?”

“It was crazy-good. The home crowd always make me feel welcome.” I’ve missed this woman. I always miss her. But I have no idea if she misses me. “There’s a rumor going round that you’ve managed to get Yves Vandale and Luna to play a back-to-back set tonight. Is that right?”

“It is.”

“How did you manage to swing that? Those two have very different styles.”

“They both fancied a challenge. And from what I can gather, they’ve put together something very special.”

“You all set for opening night, then?” I reach for the vodka bottle, but she pulls it from my grasp before I can pour another shot.

“Later.”

We lock eyes, and I smile slowly as I pull my hand back, watching as she puts the vodka back in the freezer.

“How’s Milo?”

She shrugs. “You know Milo. Always thinks he’s in control of everything.”

That’d be right. Maya’s always been the one in control, she just lets Milo think he’s got it all in hand. She’s very much the one in charge of that brother/sister powerhouse. Maya and Milo Moon. Club owners. Beautiful, powerful party people. A couple everyone here on this island knows. They opened their first place – Café Moon – a little over seventeen years ago, followed by Club Moon around eighteen months later, and Moon@TheBeach five years after that. And the rest is history. Café Moon fast became – still is – one of the go-to bars to watch the sun go down as some of the world’s biggest, best and newest DJs play chill-out sets. Club Moon is one of the island’s most popular clubs, anyone who’s anyone has played there, and getting a residency is a pretty big deal, while Moon@TheBeach is one of the island’s premier places for day-to-evening clubbing. I’ve played at all of those venues, had residencies at Club Moon many times, but I get no special treatment just because Maya and I sleep together, occasionally. It doesn’t work that way with her, she doesn’t do that shit, if anything it probably goes against me. The rumors about me and her, they’re constant. Never-ending. But we kill them dead whenever we can, this is our secret, even if it sometimes feels like one of the worst kept.

“So, you’re definitely coming tonight, then?” she asks, turning her back to me as she puts the empty shot glasses in the sink. She sounds almost needy for a second there, hence her turning her back to me. And she’ll hate herself for it, because the last thing Maya Moon wants anyone to think she is, is needy.

“Do you want me there?” It’s a rhetorical question. Of course she does.

She turns around to face me. “I want you there.”

See? She’s missed me, I know she has, I can see it in her eyes. But she’ll never tell me that, never say those words. She’ll never put herself in that position, never make herself out to be weak or vulnerable in any way. I know her too well.

“I was always going to be there.”

“Good. ’Cause You’re playing a set.”

I raise an eyebrow. “I am? Someone drop out?”

“Nobody ever drops out of playing a set at Moon, Magnus, you know that.” She comes over to me, grasps my T-shirt in her hand and pulls me closer, until her mouth is almost touching mine, and I drop a hand to her hip. “I just wanted to make sure you stuck around for a few hours, that’s all.”

“What if I haven’t got anything prepared?”

She smiles. “You’ll have something prepared. You always do.”

She’s a manipulative bitch sometimes, but that’s fine. That’s okay. It works for me. “Then it looks like you got yourself a superstar DJ, Princess.”

She narrows her eyes slightly and backs away from me. She hates me calling her that. “One of many superstar DJs.”

I kind of asked for that. “You really want me there tonight, huh?” Her lemon-scented perfume fills the air, a comforting smell. A familiar one.

“So I can keep an eye on you, yeah.”

She’s trying to keep it light, but there’s an underlying, serious tone in her voice. One I recognize because I’ve heard it so many times before. She still doesn’t fully trust me, and that’s okay. I’m still working on rebuilding that trust.

“I’m not that man anymore, Maya.”

She looks at me, her expression impassive. I don’t know what she’s thinking, I rarely do. “I should get back to the club. Where are you staying?” It’s like she can just flick a switch, change emotions in a heartbeat, but I know why she does it. Why she pulls back like this, it’s a safety mechanism. And I get it, I do. I understand. Because I do it too.

“Usual place.”

“Okay. Well, I’ll see you tonight. Lock up when you leave.”

And that’s it. She’s gone.

Maya Moon.

Powerful.

Beautiful.

Sexy-as-hell.

And mine. Whenever she wants me…

 

3

 

 

 

Riley

 

I can’t wait to get back to Ibiza. It’s my home, it’s where I was born, where I was brought up by parents I adore; a beautiful, bohemian couple who loved life and rarely stopped working, yet they still put me first. Always. Their world, the one I grew up in, was chaotic, an exciting whirlwind always full of people and music, and even after they separated they did their best to make sure my world didn’t change. And they succeeded. But that didn’t mean that I still didn’t want to see them back together, I did. Always have done. I think I always will. But it never happened. They’ve always seemed happier as friends, and they still are friends, the best of friends, and I love that. Besides, they have to be, really. They work together all the time, live just a few minutes away from each other, from me, which is something else I love. It’s perfect. I’m so lucky. Lucky to have parents who’ve guided me, supported me. Let me be who I want to be, so yeah, I’m lucky, in so many ways.

“Shall we stay for another drink, or do you want to hit the shops?”

I look up as Kacey sits back down at the table in the café we’ve occupied for over an hour now. It’s in the perfect location, one of the many cafés, bars and restaurants that line Las Ramblas, the best place to people watch. And that’s kind of what we’ve been doing while we’ve drank strong black coffee and eaten a delicious light salad lunch. We’ve been people watching.

“Yeah, we’ll head off in a little while.” I look around me, taking in this bustling main street in the center of Barcelona. A tree-lined pedestrian boulevard that stretches around 1.2 kilometers, it has everything from street performers to the many beautiful flower stalls that add so much color to the already vibrant atmosphere; historic architecture, bars, cafés and restaurants, and the famous La Boqueria market with over three hundred stalls selling fresh meat, fruit and vegetables. I love it here; we’ve had a blast. This entire trip has been incredible.

Kacey sits back and starts scrolling on her phone. “Hey, have you seen this?”

“Seen what?” I ask, watching as a gorgeous young couple stroll past, holding hands and laughing, they look ridiculously in love. I’m a little jealous.

“Club Moon have posted some new images up on their Instagram account.”

Kacey thrusts her phone in my face, and I squint slightly as I look at the images on the screen, photos of my mom and Uncle Milo’s club as it gets ready for its opening party tonight, my mom smiling as she stands outside the club she and my uncle built up from nothing to become one of the island’s hottest venues. And it’s just one of many businesses they own on the island. The Moon Empire as I like to call it. But I’m so proud of my family. Proud of what they’ve achieved. Proud to feature all of their businesses on my social media channels; show people my life on the White Isle. A beautiful life. I can’t wait to get back to it. I’ve got so much planned for the summer, I get butterflies every time I think about the next few months. What could happen. What I want to happen…

“I’m so looking forward to being back on Ibiza.” Kacey sighs, and I smile at her. I love Kacey. We both grew up on the island, we’ve known each other since we were five years old. Her parents are also from the Netherlands, just like mine, and I think it was fate, that we met. She’s like a sister to me, part of my family, and I hers. And the bonus is that our parents all get along really well, despite them being very different people, from very different worlds. Her mom is a teacher and her father a doctor, which is why Kacey is going to medical school in September, after taking a couple of years out to make sure it was what she really wanted to do. I’m going to miss her like crazy, we’ve barely been apart since we were kids. But I guess it’s time for both of us to start new chapters in our lives. We’ve had an amazing few months traveling around Asia and Australia, I’ve been able to get some incredible content for my channels, have the kind of experiences I never thought I would have. And I’m glad I got to do it with my best friend. But the thought of not seeing her for months on end, that’s going to be hard.  “And I can’t wait for Moon@TheBeach’s opening party,” Kacey continues as she scrolls through more Instagram posts on her phone. “It’s going to be a blast! Your mom and Milo always throw the best parties.”

She’s not wrong there. Moon@TheBeach’s opening party isn’t for a few days yet, and we’ll be back on Ibiza just in time for it, after our brief trip to Majorca, an island I love almost as much as Ibiza. Which is why I wanted to spend a little bit of time there before returning home. Summers as a child were usually split between the two islands, more so after my mom and dad separated. My dad has a house on Majorca, in Sa Torre. A stunning villa with sea views, a recording studio, a huge swimming pool and separate pool house. But he won’t be on the island when we’re there, and he’s not quite trusting enough of me yet to let us stay there on our own, which doesn’t really matter, to be honest. It’s a little too far away from where we’re going to be anyway.

“Riley?”

Kacey’s voice jerks me from my thoughts and I look at her. “Sorry, I drifted off for a second there.”

She leans forward, resting her chin in her upturned hand. “Everything okay?”

I smile. “Everything’s fine. I’m just getting used to the fact that our trip is almost over.”

“We’ve still got the summer ahead of us,” Kacey points out. And she’s right. We have.

“Let’s make it one to remember, huh?”

Kacey grins. “Absolutely!” She drops her phone into her bag and we get ready to leave. “I can’t wait to see everyone again, can you?”

“Yeah. I’ve really missed the island. I’ve missed Mom and Dad.”

“Is your dad on the island now?”

“He is. Flew in from Amsterdam a couple of days ago. Hopefully he’s gonna be there for a while, I haven’t seen him in ages. I’d love to spend some time with him. With both of them.”

“Do you think they’ll ever get back together?” Kacey asks. “Your parents, I mean.”

I shift my gaze back to the street, at the crowds of people walking past, some in a hurry, others just meandering along in the late afternoon sunshine. “I doubt it.” I shrug. “They’ve been apart for ages now. Years.”

“Neither of them has had any really serious relationships since they separated though, have they?”

I shake my head. “I suppose not. I’ve never really thought about it.” Except, I have, thought about it. I’ve thought about it a lot.

“You’d still like them to get back together, wouldn’t you.” Kacey phrases that as a statement rather than a question, because she already knows the answer.

“Of course. But I’m not fourteen anymore. I’ve accepted that my parents are always going to be the best of friends, and probably nothing more than that.” Like I said before, though, I still live in hope that, one day, they could maybe find a way back to each other. And because they’re around each other so much I’m choosing to believe that it may not be such an impossible dream. It may be that they just need a little nudge, a bit of help to realize what it was they had in the first place. What they still have now. Because I honestly believe there is something there. Something that never really went away.

“Do you often wonder why they left it so late to even think about getting married?” Kacey slides some euro from her purse for the check.

“Not really. It never made any difference to me whether they were married or not.”

“Do you not find it weird though, that their relationship seemed fine until they started planning their wedding?”

“It’s not something I think about a lot, Kace.” Except, I do. “Besides, I was just a kid when they separated, I’m not sure I really understood what was going on. And can we stop talking about this now, please?”

“I’m sorry.” Kacey smiles, leans forward and takes my hand, squeezing it gently. “I think it’s time we went and did some shopping now, don’t you?”

“That sounds like a plan. If we’re going to be hitting some of the biggest opening parties at some of the best clubs on Ibiza we need to look good, right?”

“Right!” Kacey grins.

“Okay. Let’s go, then.” I grab my bag, stand up, and nudge the chair back under the table with my hip. “I’ve got a handful of euro burning a hole in my pocket.” I link my arm through Kacey’s as we step out onto Las Ramblas, the shade of the many trees that line this famous street providing a welcome relief from the hot Spanish sun. “We’re going to have an amazing summer, Kace.”

One of the best. Hopefully…

©MichelleBetham

Here With You will be released in the spring. 

That's all for now, but watch this space for more book news coming soon!

Michelle x