Vince’s arm around me went slack when he went into defend mode, forgetting me when faced with an aggressor who, one second, was five feet away, the next second, on top of us.

Mace grabbed me and threw me free and since apparently I could run, I did.

I heard a struggle, a grunt of pain but I kept going and didn’t look back.

I went down running, doing a sliding skid on my knees, stopping next to Shirleen. I had time to get my hands on her and noticed she was breathing when a strong arm went around my waist. I was pul ed to my feet and redirected.

It was Mace, he was running, half dragging me along with him. I remembered his orders and didn’t try to go back even though I real y, really wanted to.

We cleared the bar, running flat out, Mace’s hand in mine, to an SUV. The locks and lights were bleeping as we ran toward it (I found, in a desperate situation I could run in stiletto heels).

He directed me straight to the driver’s side. He picked me up and shoved me through to the passenger side, got in, started the truck and took off without either of us wearing seatbelts.

He drove down Colfax, then swung into an empty parking lot and round the back of some building. He braked, kil ed the lights and turned to me.

Before I knew what he was doing, his fingers closed on my chin and he gently pul ed my face around. It was the dead of night and there were no lights where we were.

There was no way he could see but I could tel he was looking.

“Graze,” he said, though I didn’t know how he could determine that in the dark.

Then he muttered, “Fuck.”

He let me go, looked forward, and I got the weird feeling he slipped somewhere else for a moment.

Then he shouted, “Fuck! ” And that one word was like a control ed, muted, explosion that I was surprised didn’t shake the windows.

I put my hand to my head, tentatively exploring the wetness there but I could feel it wasn’t that bad. I’d skinned my knees worse.

“I’ve skinned my knees worse,” I told him.

At my words, he turned, his arm went around my waist, he yanked me across the seat and then he kissed me.

Eek!

It was a ful -on kiss, tongues and everything. I shouldn’t have responded but I did. Maybe it was the life or death situation, the thril of being alive, desperate gratitude or maybe it was because it was a great kiss. It was likely al of that and more. I wasn’t going to analyze it, I was going to go with it, then bury it. Deep.

His head came up but he didn’t let me go and stayed firmly in my space.

For my part, I had both hands curled on his neck, just below his ears, and I found I couldn’t let go.

We both sat there, silent, staring at each other in the dark and breathing heavy.

There was something important about that moment for Mace, I felt it, I didn’t entirely get it but I was honored by it.

The only thing I knew was that, for me, it was about him saving my life and me being alive.

Then Mace broke the moment.

“You tel Chavez I kissed you, we’re disappearin’ in Mexico where no one can find us.”

Sweet Jesus.

He said “us”.

I couldn’t blame that on the Smithie’s uniform.

“What was that about?” I whispered.

He was quiet for a beat.

“I’m just glad you got a face left to kiss.” Hmm.

Guess, for Mace, it was the thril of me being alive.

Yeesh, men were so weird.

He let me go and I dropped my hands. He yanked his tshirt out of his jeans, pul ed a penknife out of his pocket, cut away the hem and pressed it against my temple. This must have meant he didn’t have tissues in the glove box.

I took over with the pressing, he turned away and buckled up.

I put on my seatbelt too and off we went.

He drove to the parking lot at the Kmart strip mal off Alameda and Broadway by Indy’s house. There was a clutch of vehicles parked haphazardly, close to the entrance off Alameda, al SUVs except for the red Dodge Ram.

I scanned the huddle of people, counting. Lottie was there, her arms wrapped around her middle, standing next to Vance. Indy was being held by Lee. Tod had hold of Daisy. Matt was leaning against one of the SUVs.

No Dad.

Everyone was alive and breathing and I appeared to be the only member of the walking wounded.

Eddie was close to Indy and Lee, pul ing a hand through his hair, but when our lights flashed into the lot, his head jerked around. He started walking toward us before Mace had a chance to get close.

Mace swung the truck around, positioning my door close to Eddie and stopped. I didn’t even get a chance to put a hand out when the door swung open, the interior lights went on and Eddie saw me.

“Dios mio,” he said, soft and quiet.

“It’s nothing, just a—”

He didn’t let me finish. He reached around, released the belt, pul ed me out of the cab and into his arms which went around me so tight, I could barely breathe.

“Graze,” I finished on a poof of expel ed breath.

He leaned back, took my hand away from my temple and looked at my wound.

“We’re going to the hospital,” he said.

“Eddie, it’s nothing, I just need to clean it and…” His eyes cut to mine and I quit talking.

“We’re going to the f**king hospital,” he repeated in a voice you just did not argue with, even me, and I seemed to be able to argue with Eddie al the time.

“Okay,” I replied.

He moved away, his arm around me and everyone crowded in.

Tears started fal ing from Lottie’s eyes, Indy’s face went so pale, it shone in the dark and Tod cursed.

Daisy snapped, “That just cuts it. I’m done f**kin’ around with this business. Sugar, you had it your way now I’m cal in’

Marcus. This means war.”

Eddie didn’t break stride, even with the threat of Marcus entering the mix. He ignored her comment and kept on going, straight toward the truck. He bleeped the locks, opened my door and helped me in. Before he closed it, Lee was there.

Eddie looked at him.

“I’l wanna know how you let this get out of hand,” Eddie said to him and I could tel he was angry and placing blame square on Lee’s shoulders.

A muscle jumped in Lee’s cheek, he gave one nod, accepting blame.

“No,” I said. Eddie started to close the door but I put my foot out to stop it.

“No,” I said again.

“Move your leg, Chiquita.” There was no anger when he addressed me, he was back to using his soft voice.

“You aren’t blaming Lee and you aren’t blaming Mace, you aren’t blaming anyone. Mace told me shit would go down, I told everyone else and we decided to stay. It’s my shit that brought everyone out in the first place. If there’s anyone to blame, it’s me.”