“Copy that. The others?” Luke asked.
“Soon to be in transit but not good. Both Eddie and Hank got cal outs. Both houses were hit by drive-bys after they were gone. AK-47s again. Roxie and Jet were sleeping.
They’re okay. Lee’s just been in to get a vehicle. He’s picking them up and heading toward The Castle.” To keep you up to date, Eddie was Lee’s best friend, Jet was his fiancée. Hank was Lee’s brother, Roxie was living with him.
See how this al came around and went around? Sucks for me because I lost Mace, though the girls were happy as clams, getting married, having babies (Jules was pregnant), living the good life of being a Hot Guy’s Woman.
The life I tasted and loved but lost and would never have again.
“Fuckin’ Sid,” Luke clipped, breaking into my thoughts.
“Fuckin’ Sid,” Jack agreed.
“Ike’s mobilizing Matt and Bobby,” Mace put in. “He was looking for Ava. Now he needs an alternate assignment.”
“Copy that. I’l cal him,” Jack responded.
“Out,” Luke said and hit a button.
Silence.
“War,” Mace declared.
“Fuck yeah,” Luke replied.
I didn’t know what they meant but I didn’t like the sound of it.
Effing hel .
Chapter Two
Hunky Dory
Stella
When they referred to “The Castle”, they meant an actual castle. I didn’t know Denver had a castle but there it was, right in front of us.
We’d driven to the ritzy part of Englewood, down a winding lane in a heavily wooded area and, al lit up with a shitload of lights that would make even your average environmentalist shudder, was a stone castle, complete with turrets and a moat.
During the drive I decided that it was evident that I was not going to die of my wound.
I also decided I did not want Mace to know I was injured.
If he knew I was injured, it might mean I’d have to spend more time in his presence. The last time I’d spent more than a few minutes in his presence was when he’d come to a gig with the Rock Chicks. I ended up singing Hank Wil iams’s “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” directly to him. I had no control over it. It just happened. Even the band was taken aback. I did not want a repeat of that moment of weakness.
Unh-unh.
No effing way.
I had a plan. I’d slip into a bathroom, clean up, maybe confiscate a washcloth then I’d cal Floyd to come get me.
This was a total y stupid plan but I wasn’t thinking clearly.
Floyd was my pianist, older than anyone else in the band by a decade and a half. Floyd was married to Emily, had a steady day job, two kids in col ege and could play and sing Bil y Joel’s “And So It Goes” so beautiful y that if you didn’t at least tear up, you had to be made of stone.
His lead on our rendition of “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” didn’t suck either.
Floyd and Emily would take care of me, I knew it.
Especial y considering there was a bleeding bul et wound involved.
They were the only ones in my whole life who took care of me or at least the only ones who did it for any length of time. I didn’t cal on them often because I didn’t want that to end like it had with Mace that night when he stood, shoulder leaned up against my doorway, and told me I needed him too much.
That wasn’t going to happen to me again, not if I could help it.
Two men wearing dark suits, white shirts and slim ties and carrying big guns materialized and approached the Explorer as we swung into the drive. I sucked in breath, thinking this was not exactly a welcome party but they spied Luke and Mace and disappeared in the shadows again.
I had no time to dwel on castles with moats and men with guns because Luke’s lights flashed on a limousine that was parked in front of the house. We could see the bul et holes along the side. At the sight, the cab went electric and this electricity was emanating from Luke.
“He should have gone down like a man,” Mace said softly.
“Now he’l pay,” Luke replied.
“Now he’l pay,” Mace agreed.
“Who?” I asked.
Mace turned around to look at me as Luke parked and I got the gut kick feeling that he forgot I was there.
“You okay?” he asked belatedly but not, I noticed, answering my question.
No, I’ve been shot which could be the definition of “not okay”, my brain replied sarcastical y.
“Hunky dory,” my mouth said.
Luke had turned off the truck and was now twisted to look at me too. He heard my reply and I saw his half-grin. I grinned back.
“Out,” Mace snapped, sounding for some reason impatient and jerked open his door.
I opened my door too. Juno trundled over me and hopped down. I gritted my teeth against the pain and hopped down behind her. It took a lot but I walked normal y and, to hide it, kept my bloody hand pressed against my bel y like a pregnant woman.
Luke had forged ahead probably keen to get to Ava.