Hank opened his eyes again when Lee started talking.
“Anything, Brody, anyone, any member of the team, any one of the Rock Chicks. This is your mission. You sleep it, you eat it, you fuckin’ breathe it. Find out if Preston Mason has uncovered anything or tied himself to any of us. Even you,” Lee demanded.
“Me?” Brody asked.
“You,” Lee replied. “And while you’re diggin’, you’re buryin’. Anything you can find, they can find. They haven’t found it yet, you bury it so deep it’ll never be found.”
“Seven years,” Mace put in and Brody turned wide eyes to him. “Go back seven years.”
Hank tensed and so did Lee.
“Mace,” Lee’s voice held a warning.
“Got nothin’ to hide,” Mace replied.
“You do,” Lee returned bluntly.
“Not from him,” Mace went on.
Lee was silent.
“He knows I know,” Mace said, his voice filled with soft menace. When Lee didn’t reply, Mace went on, “I got the upper hand, Lee. He knows it. He wants it back. Or, at least, he wants my silence.”
“What are we talkin’ about here?” Hank asked.
“Caitlin,” Lee replied and both Hank and Brody pulled in breath.
Mace never talked about his sister.
“I know who took her, I know why,” Mace told them both, straight out. “My fuckin’ father was involved in some bad shit, fucked over the wrong people and Caitlin paid the price. He doesn’t want that out and he doesn’t like that I got it to hold over him. He’s playin’ me and he’s usin’ Stella to do it. He’s demonstratin’ his power, his reach. He wants to ensure my silence. He wants me to know he can control me. He wants me to know, I talk, he can make it hurt.”
Lee looked at Brody. “Find Preston Mason’s weakness.”
“I got his weakness,” Mace reminded Lee.
Lee’s gaze cut to Mace. “I want more.”
Mace and Lee locked eyes. Mace nodded and turned to Brody. “What’ll it take to bring the mortgage current?”
“Around six K,” Brody replied.
“I’ll get you my bank details, you do the transfer to bring it current and I want details on their other debt,” Mace demanded.
Brody’s eyes bugged out. “I have the details and you can’t have that kind of money. Nobody has that kind of money.”
Hank hitched a leg and settled on the desk, one foot on the floor, one foot swinging.
“Collection,” Hank said.
“No fuckin’ way.” Mace’s voice was terse.
“I’m in. I’ll talk to the boys,” Lee added.
“This is my problem,” Mace clipped.
“It’s not your problem. It’s Stella’s problem,” Lee returned.
“Like I said, it’s my problem,” Mace shot back.
Lee nor Hank nor even Brody could answer that. It was just the flat out truth.
“Dudes, even if everyone puts in, it isn’t gonna touch it. When I say they got debt, I mean they got debt,” Brody informed them.
“Get Kim on the phone again, talkin’ to friends and neighbors, the local church,” Hank ordered Brody.
“Holy crap,” Brody said.
Mace did not like the turn of the conversation.
“Don’t piss me off,” Mace warned.
“We’re not tryin’ to piss you off, Mace,” Lee bit out, his voice hard. “I’m guessin’ Stella sat, alone and unprotected, in the back of that limo and Preston Mason threatened her and that pisses me off. She’s yours and you’re a member of my team which makes her mine. Anyone messes with you, or her, they mess with me. No one fuckin’ messes with me. We got enough on our plates with Carter; we don’t need your Dad havin’ a way in. I’m cuttin’ off all his routes. That costs money, fuck it. Bottom line, a woman’s dyin’ and that woman is Stella’s mother and your father is leanin’ on them. Suck it up, we’re all steppin’ in.” Without waiting for a response, Lee turned to Brody. “Find me something on Preston Mason and if he’s got in anywhere, I want to know.” When Brody sat staring at Lee and not moving, Lee leaned forward. “Do it, Brody. Now.”
Brody nodded, jumped up and actually ran out of the room.
“I don’t like this,” Mace was back to sitting, apparently relaxed but anything but. His eyes were sharp and angry and they were trained on Lee.
“I know you don’t. I was in your spot, I wouldn’t either. I’m sorry, Mace, but you got no choice,” Lee replied.
“Don’t like that either,” Mace told Lee.
“We gonna have a problem about this?” Lee asked.
“Yeah,” Mace responded instantly.
Hank intervened. “Mace, you know Luke took a bullet for Roxie.”
Mace knew immediately where Hank was heading and shot back, “Flesh wound.”
“Lucky chance, it could have been worse,” Hank returned and Mace pressed his lips together because he knew Hank was right.
Hank went on, “You know what Eddie and Darius did for Indy. You know that gets out, Eddie’s fucked; his career in the toilet. Eddie’s also pulled back from Marcus, he hates it but he’s done it, for Jet. And you watched Jet get shot and we all know what that meant.”
“Hank –” Mace broke in but Hank kept going.
“We all know what Darius had to do to disentangle himself from the shit swirling around Jules too. We know what Hector’s livin’ with because he fucked up and nearly got Jules killed tryin’ to protect Roam’s street cred, of all fuckin’ things.”
“I get it,” Mace snapped.
“You don’t,” Hank replied. “You’re new to this so I’ll tell you, bein’ tangled up with a Rock Chick means makin’ certain sacrifices and livin’ with your decisions. The time to make yours is now.”
The vibe in the room stayed hot as the three men stared at each other.
Finally, Mace muttered, “Fuckin’ hell.”
Hank glanced at Lee. Lee returned his look, took in a breath and Lee’s gaze moved back to Mace.
“Turner called last night.”
As Mace’s head snapped toward Lee, the vibe in the room shot back to hot, so hot it was combustible.
“He’s on side,” Lee finished.
“What the fuck does that mean?” Mace asked.
“That means he quizzed Stella. He didn’t find out dick and encouraged me to look into your Dad. He told me she didn’t know about your sister but I’m guessin’, since they obviously had the conversation, she knows the basics now and she’s curious. He’s on board with keepin’ her in the dark. I know you don’t like it but you got an ally in that guy. He’ll take care of her.”
“I’m gettin’ her back,” Mace returned.
“Hold off,” Lee advised.
“No fuckin’ way,” Mace responded.
“You get her back, you’ll force your father’s hand. We don’t need that right now.”
Mace hesitated a beat then he shot out of his chair and exploded, “God damn it!”
Hank winced then he went tense. Mace, angry, could be practically uncontrollable, even double-teamed by himself and Lee.
“Calm down, Mace,” Hank said low.
“Fuck that. I don’t play by his rules,” Mace growled, his entire body visibly tight, such was the hold he had on himself.
“That isn’t smart,” Lee warned.
Mace stood there, straight, taut and furious then, out of nowhere, his body relaxed. He took another breath in through his nose and a slow grin spread on his face.
His voice was quiet when he said, “I’ll be smart.”
Without another word, Mace moved to leave and Lee glanced at Hank before calling, “Where the fuck you goin’?”
Mace didn’t turn when he replied, “Gotta get some keys cut.”
Then he was gone.
* * * * *
Roxie
I was sitting on the couch in the television room, my monogrammed stationery on my lap, a half written letter to a friend in Charleston lying there
forgotten. Shamus, Hank and my chocolate lab, was curled into himself on his huge, denim doggie bed in front of the wood-burning stove.
It was the first evening I’d been home in days. The front windows had been replaced. There were cameras everywhere and the new alarm system on all the doors and windows was armed the way Vance, who brought me home, showed me how to do.
I was sitting there staring out the window (or, more accurately, staring at the drawn curtains over the window, Vance told me to do that too) and I wasn’t thinking about my letter.
I was thinking about Hank.
Or, more to the point, about what Hank said to me earlier that day.
Then, because if I thought about it any longer my patience at waiting for Hank to come home would run out, I let my mind wander to Mace.
Or, more to the point, Mace walking into Fortnum’s late that morning under the direct gaze of all the Rock Chicks (except Shirleen, who was fielding calls at the office and Jules, who was at work at the Shelter), Tex and Duke. Stella was there too with her new hot guy, Eric and, I had to admit as much as I didn’t want to, Eric was definitely hot. I was thinking about how Mace without a word handed Stella the keys to her apartment.
Or, even more to the point, Stella’s face when Mace turned around and walked away.
Or, even more to the point, Ally losing it and following Mace in order to scream at him on the sidewalk outside of Fortnum’s in clear view (and easy hearing) of everyone inside who stood watching the show.
Ally went on about Mace being a “fucking macho idiot” and quoting the lyrics of Billy Joel’s “And So It Goes”, informing Mace that Stella sang it to him the day before even though he wasn’t there to see it. Then taking her life in her hands by going so far as to shove his shoulder and asking him, in a near shriek, “What the fuck’s the matter with you?”
At that, clearly done, Mace put a shoulder to her belly, picked her up, carried her back into the bookstore, set her on her feet and, again without a word, turned on his boot and walked away.
Stella, frozen through all of this, had gone pale as a ghost when Mace returned and then left without glancing in her direction.
Ally stared angrily at the door and then declared, “Electric shock treatment. That’ll bring him around.”
At Ally’s words, Stella came unstuck, turned to Eric and murmured, “I’m sorry,” and then she bolted into the back of the store.
Daisy and Indy took off after Stella.
Ava and Jet laid into Ally.
I watched Eric who was staring into the bookshelves after Stella.
I walked to him and explained, “We’re kind of a nutty bunch.”
Eric’s dark eyes tilted down to mine and that was when I realized I had to admit he was definitely hot.
“I know,” he replied then his mouth formed a small grin. “I read the papers.” Then he went on, “Miss Hendrick’s County?”
Jesus.
I was going to kill whoever was talking to the reporters.
“That was a long time ago,” I told him.
“They have a swimsuit competition?” he asked.
My eyes narrowed and my hand went to my hip.
“It was a teen pageant. They didn’t do swimsuits, just fitness.”
His eyes got a pleasant, warm look about them which made him even hotter and he muttered, “Shorts then.”
Good grief.
“Um, don’t you have a thing for Stella?” I rudely reminded him.
“No shot,” he returned without hesitation or apparent bad feeling.
“So, you’re feeling like branching out?” I asked, cocking my head angrily to the side.
“Nope. Just lookin’ for happy thoughts. You in a teen pageant fitness routine, wearin’ shorts, is a happy thought,” he returned.
Holy cow.
I decided right then and there that he might not be a member of the Hot Bunch but he could join the team in a shot.
Then his eyes lost their flirty warmth and went hard and serious (yep, definitely could be a member of the Hot Bunch). “Call one of your boys, I got things to do and I gotta go. They need to know Stella’s lost her bodyguard.” I nodded, he turned to leave then twisted back to look at me. “Keep her away from the papers.”
With that, he was gone.
The door had barely closed on Eric when Uncle Tex boomed at Duke, “Well?”
Duke growled back, “Well what?”
Uncle Tex threw his meaty paws up in the air and boomed (again), “Well, it’s time to lay the truth on Stella!”
Duke nodded his head and his eyes went to the door. “Damn straight. But it ain’t me that’s gotta lay the truth on her.”
“I’ll agree with that,” Jet put in firmly and everyone looked at her.
Jet had shared with all of us the crazy, intense and heartbreaking story about Mace and his sister. We’d all been told to keep quiet (direct orders from Mace, who told Lee, who told Indy, who told the Rock Chicks) but Jet didn’t like it, not one bit. She looked like she’d just lost patience with keeping Mace’s secret.
“You don’t say shit, Loopy Loo,” Tex warned Jet.
“Someone has to –” Jet started.
“Ain’t gonna be you,” Tex went on.
“But –” Jet pushed.
“No lip. Get to work,” Tex ordered even though, freakishly, considering the crush of people Fortnum’s had seen the last several days due to all the newspaper coverage the Rock Chicks and Hot Bunch were getting, they were in a lull and only had a few people hanging out at tables.
Jet glared at Uncle Tex.
Uncle Tex glared back.
Jet had a quiet attitude that usually worked really well.
But no one had enough attitude to out-attitude Uncle Tex. He was a crazy man.
“Oh all right. But he’s got one more day,” Jet gave in.
“Jet, darlin’ –” Duke’s started his soft warning.
“One. Day,” Jet finished and flounced behind the espresso counter.
I caught Duke giving Uncle Tex a look and I figured Mace was going to get a head’s up call but I was worried Mace wouldn’t care.
I went to my bag to get my phone, flipped it open, hit the side button, put it to my ear and said Hank’s name. It rang once before he answered.
“How’s it goin’, Sunshine?” His deep voice said in my ear and, like always, I got a full body shiver.
I set the shiver aside and answered, “Not good. We just had a scene. Stella got to Fortnum’s a little while ago telling us she called Mace and asked for her keys back and he told her to meet him here. Mace came in, gave Stella her keys, barely looked at her, didn’t say word one and took off. Ally went nuts, caught him before he left and started yelling at him. Mace didn’t even blink. Stella got upset and ran into the books. That Eric guy just left. Told me to let you know he went.” I paused and then went on, my voice dropping to a whisper, “I can’t believe it Whisky, but it looks like it’s over. Mace isn’t giving her anything. I don’t know what’s happened and she’s slid back to wherever she was yesterday during the gig. It isn’t a good place for her to be and I’m worried.”
“He gave her keys back?” Hank asked.
“Yes, without a word. He’s not a demonstrative guy but he’s pretty big on PDA with her. He didn’t touch her. He didn’t even get near her. It’s so un-Hot-Bunch-like, it’s unreal,” I replied.
“Don’t worry about it,” Hank told me, sounding supremely unconcerned.
I tried to get through to him, why, I didn’t know. Probably because I thought he could get through to Mace. I thought Hank could do just about anything.
“You don’t get it, Whisky. Something bad happened. Stella told us that –”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Hank!”
“Sunshine, don’t worry about it and don’t tell anyone, especially fuckin’ Ally, what I’m gonna tell you right now.”
I went silent.
Hank correctly assessed this as my agreeme
nt and went on, “I spent the morning with Mace. He’s got the full picture about Stella. When he left Lee’s office this morning he told Lee and me that he was goin’ to get some keys cut. Everything’s fine.”
I let out a relieved breath.
Mace didn’t give her back her keys.
He gave her back a set of her keys.
I smiled at the phone.
Hank kept talking. “I’m gonna be late but I want you to wait up for me. Boys are busy but they’re doin’ drive-bys. I still want you checkin’ in occasionally.”
“Okay.”
“Don’t let Shamus out. I’ll see to him when I get in.”
“Okay.”
His voice went soft and I got another shiver when he said, “Later, sweetheart.”
“Later,” I replied.
“I love you,” he finished, my body went solid but before I could make a noise I heard the disconnect.
I stood still with the phone to my ear, eyes staring unseeing at the floor in front of me.
“Roxie, you okay?” I heard Ava ask.
I didn’t answer.
Hank had never told me he loved me. I knew. Or at least I thought I knew. But he’d never said it.
And, because he never had, I hadn’t either.
Good God.
“Roxie? Are you okay?” Ava repeated and she was now close.
I lifted my eyes and focused on Ava.
“Hank just told me he loved me,” I whispered.
“Yeah? So?” Ally asked and she got close too.
“He’s never said that before,” I told Ally.
Both Ava and Ally reared back in shock and looked at each other.
“Jeez, he’s not a very fast mover, is he?” Ally asked no one.
“He didn’t give me a chance to say it back.” I kept sharing.
“Have you ever said it to him?” Ava asked.
I shook my head.
“You don’t move very fast either,” Ally informed me.
My eyes went to her and I felt them narrow. “I’m sorry Ally. The last guy I said ‘I love you’ to took a sledgehammer to the door and eventually beat the shit out of me, kidnapped me and stalked me. Maybe I’m a bit gun shy about this love business.”
“Hank’d never do that to you,” Ally returned.