I started to back up.
“Stel a.” Eric turned away from Mace and started toward me.
“Don’t f**kin’ get near her,” Mace warned.
Eric stopped and turned back to Mace. “Do we gotta take this outside?”
“Works for me,” Mace replied immediately.
“No!” I shouted and Juno woofed, sensing the degradation of the atmosphere and not pleased that Eric had decided against a more thorough welcome. Juno wasn’t used to being ignored. “You two aren’t taking anything outside. You’re going to tel me what’s going on.
Starting with you.” I nodded at Eric.
Eric turned back to me, took a step, caught my look, clenched his teeth again and stopped.
“I can’t say much,” he started then I reckon he got a load of my new look and went on, “Stel a, sweetheart, I’m sorry. I can’t say much.”
“Okay, just tel me what it has to do with me.” Eric glanced back at Mace then to me. “I’m guessin’ you know.”
“Lindsey,” I said.
“And Mason,” Eric went on.
What?
“Mace?” I asked.
Eric continued, “We got a guy on the inside. They knew Sid was feeling the heat and was gonna retaliate. We knew who the targets were. We knew you were one of them. We knew why and we knew about the operation the other night.” I went back a few more steps, too stunned by this news to let the heat of anger sweltering off Mace to register on my brain. The backs of my legs hit the edge of one of the platforms and I sat down with no grace whatsoever.
Eric started toward me again but, quick as lightning, Mace moved and got in his way.
Eric stopped and glared at him.
I looked around Mace to Eric. “You knew?”
“Fuck,” Eric muttered.
Then, not thinking (yes, again), I jumped up, stormed forward and rounded Mace, shouting, “I got shot!” Mace’s arm tagged me around the middle and pul ed me, hard, into his body.
“I know!” Eric shouted back, deciding to ignore Mace’s arm which, I thought, my mind crazily veering in wild directions, was wise.
“You didn’t do anything about it!” I kept shouting.
“You were supposed to be with me,” Eric reminded me.
He was kind of right, I was. He’d put the pressure on, big time, for me to spend the night with him that night but I told him no.
Mace’s hard body felt somehow harder after Eric spoke.
“This is what I wanna talk about,” Mace said.
“It’s none of your f**kin’ business,” Eric bit out.
“I’m of a different opinion,” Mace bit back.
“And why’s that?” Eric returned.
“Stel a and I are back together,” Mace informed him.