I did this by shouting, so loudly I didn’t hear the door opening and Mace coming in. “Oh shit! The gig! The opening and Mace coming in. “Oh shit! The gig! The equipment’s stil at the Pal adium, Mace has to set up the security detail, effing hel !”

“It’s covered,” Mace’s deep voice announced, I jumped in surprise and everyone turned their eyes to him.

He unhooked the leash from Juno’s col ar and Juno moved to me slowly, giving head butts and sniffs to Rock Chicks as she passed.

I looked at Mace and knew with a glance he was stil pissed.

“What’s covered?” I asked cautiously.

His eyes came to mine. “Everything. Shirleen’s got Roam and Sniff helpin’ the band move the equipment.

Luke’s in charge of the security detail and he’s already arranged it with The Little Bear. You’re good,” he told me, I took a moment to wonder who the ef Roam and Sniff were then he finished. “Now, I’m takin’ a shower.” Shirleen got a huge grin on her face at the idea of Mace taking a shower. The rest of The Rock Chicks shuffled uncomfortably because they knew they shouldn’t be there but in a one room apartment, there was nowhere else to be.

I moved toward Mace as he came at me to get to the bathroom.

I put out my hand, caught his forearm and said, “Mace, we need to talk.”

He stopped, looked at my hand then at me, face hard, voice low and vibrating with anger. “Done talkin’, babe.” Sharp, hard gut kick.

Effing hel .

My hand dropped, he kept moving, entered the My hand dropped, he kept moving, entered the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

I stared at the door.

The Rock Chicks stared at the door.

We heard the shower go on.

“Oowee,” Shirleen whispered reverently.

“Time to go,” Jules announced.

“Stel a –” Jet said.

“Time to go,” Indy was staring pointedly at Jet.

Jet stared back.

Indy jerked her head once toward the door.

Jet jerked hers back but this looked like it was to communicate a negative.

I got the feeling they were having a conversation without words but I didn’t want to know what they were saying.

What I wanted to know was what Mace was thinking.

Shitsofuckit!

He was screwing with my head without even trying to screw with my head.

Or maybe I was screwing with my own head.

Juno shoved her nose in my bel y, a hard to miss doggie cry for breakfast.

“Okay, baby, breakfast,” I told her, giving her a behind the ears scratch.

Her tongue lol ed out happily.

On that, Al y gave me an arm squeeze. “Later Stel a.”

“See you at the gig,” Ava cal ed on a wave.

“We didn’t get any coffee,” Annette noted then, at a look from Roxie, she gave up on coffee, smiled at me and gave me a peace sign.

“We’l talk later,” Jet promised on her own wave.

“Knock ‘em dead,” Jules said.

“Don’t forget the meeting,” Shirleen warned.

“Bring the band,” Daisy reminded me.

“Hang in there,” Roxie cal ed before blowing me a kiss.

Only Indy got close and gave me a hug.

“You’l be al right and he’l be al right. I promise. No bul shit. Everything wil be al right,” she whispered in my ear then pul ed away and looked in my eyes. “Yeah?” she finished softly.

“Yeah,” I replied, even though I didn’t believe her, I wanted to.

She touched her cheek to mine and whispered, “Later, girl.”

Then al the Rock Chicks were gone.

I made my dog breakfast and poured myself a coffee but al the while I did it, my head was in the shower.

Therefore, when Mace got out of the shower, I was standing in the kitchen, a half-drunk cup of coffee in my hand, Juno’s heavy body lying on my feet and my eyes were on the door.

I watched as he moved toward his bags, pul ed out some fresh clothes and then yanked off the towel. I held my breath at the sight of him but I didn’t get a very long look. He dressed in record time and walked back to the bathroom.

I stayed where I was, a feeling of dread stealing over me.

Something was not right and it was more than its usual under-threat-of-being-murdered not right.

Mace came back out, tossed his boots by the platform, shoved his clothes in his bag, pul ed out a pair of socks and then zipped the bag closed.

Oh yes.

Something was not right.

That feeling of dread grew.

He sat on the platform again to put on his socks and boots.

“Mace –” I started, what I was going to say, I didn’t know but I didn’t get the chance.

“The boys’l cover you today,” he told me, not looking up from what he was doing.

“Mace –”

“I’l have my shit outta here by the time you get back.” I felt my mouth fil with saliva, that feeling of dread building and spreading so fast I was paralyzed.

I fought the paralysis and whispered, “Mace –” yet again.

“I’l cal Turner and tel him he’s up.”

My hand not holding the coffee cup came down and gripped the counter.

“Eric?” I asked.

Mace stood and looked at me. “You know another Turner?”

I shook my head even though I probably did. I knew a lot of people.

Mace put his tongue to his teeth and gave a sharp whistle.

Juno shot up, trotted to him and Mace bent over and gave her a ful doggie rubdown.

A final, farewell ful doggie rubdown.

This isn’t right, my brain sounded panicked and confused.

“Mace –” I started again.

Mace stopped rubbing Juno down and headed toward his bag.

“Stay wel , Stel a,” he said, not looking at me, bending to his bag and lifting up, throwing the strap over his shoulder and turning to the door.

Oh my God, this isn’t right! My brain screamed.

I had to do something. Anything. And I had to do it quick.

“I broke my arm when I was twelve. Fel off my bike,” I blurted.

Mace stopped on his way to the door. His side to me, he only turned his head when he looked at me.

I swal owed. “When I got home, my Mom was gone, I don’t know where. My Dad was the only one there.” Mace didn’t move and didn’t speak.

My breath wasn’t taking a hike, it was coming fast and scared. Al thoughts of wanting Mace out of my life were gone.

Poof.

Vanished.

“Dad didn’t –” I began but Mace interrupted me by shaking his head.