Rock Chick Reckoning (Rock Chick #6)(29)

“Good God,” Jet whispered.

Stel a continued, “We found him guilty. They pol ed the jury. We al had to share our vote out loud, right in front of him as he looked at each one of us. I knew a little of her fear then but not the half of it. When we left the trial, the victim’s family descended on us, crying and carrying on, they made us do a prayer circle. They were so happy it was over. They were happy the man that kil ed their son or brother or whatever was going to be put away.”

“Stel a,” Lee said softly.

“I want a vote,” Stel a said.

Mace’s arm wrapped around her waist and his head dipped so his mouth was at her ear.

“Kitten,” he murmured but we al heard it.

Um… wow.

I’d heard it yesterday, Mace cal ing Stel a “Kitten”. Stil , it shocked me. I mean, how sweet was that?

“I want a vote.” Stel a’s voice was louder. “This man killed my friend. He shot me. He shot at a bunch of my other friends.” She stood and Mace stood with her, his arm moving up to lock across her chest. I didn’t know what he was trying to do, stop her from talking, give her moral support but it didn’t matter. He wasn’t going to succeed at the first and she didn’t need any of the second.

“I want a vote.” Her voice was definitely loud this time.

“It’s decided,” Luke repeated Lee’s earlier words.

“Okay, but I want a vote,” Stel a said to Luke then her eyes scanned the tribe. “If that old lady can put her ass on the line to do the right thing then I can effing wel do it too! If you bunch of badass mothers don’t agree, okay. I’m not stupid enough to think I can do anything about this, take this guy down, I know you guys have to do it but at least I want a f**king vote!”

“I want one too.” Roxie stood up.

Oh shit.

My eyes went to Lee. A muscle in his cheek was working.

Bad sign.

“Roxie –” Hank was walking across the room towards Roxie but she was backing away.

“No, Hank,” Roxie said, her hand coming up to ward him off.

“Stel a’s right, you know,” Al y put in.

“Stel a’s right, you know,” Al y put in.

“Al y,” Lee said in a warning tone.

“You know she’s right,” Al y said back to Lee, quietly, softly, so un-Al y it was unreal.

Oh crap.

“I do and I don’t give a f**k,” Lee shot back at Al y, losing patience. “Indy and I are getting married in two weeks and Jules is pregnant –”

“She’s right,” Jules cut in, standing too. “Stel a’s right.”

“Oh f**k,” Luke muttered and looked at his boots.

“Quiet Jules,” Vance murmured.

Jules’s eyes turned to Vance. “I’l go somewhere.”

“No,” Vance replied.

“I’l go somewhere safe,” Jules went on.

Vance got close to Jules and put his hand on her bel y.

“You think I’m missin’ a minute of this, Princess, think again.”

I swal owed, hard.

“Then keep me safe,” Jules whispered.

I felt the tears hit my eyes.

Shit!

Shit, shit, shit!

I didn’t do crying.

I looked at Lee, he was looking at me, the muscle in cheek stil working. I got up and went to him. His arm went around my shoulders and he curled me into him. I wrapped mine around his waist.

I put my face into his neck and right at his ear, I whispered, “You know Stel a’s right.”

Lee’s body went solid.

Then he muttered, “Shit.”

“We can’t give up,” I went on.

Lee didn’t answer.

“We do this, he wins,” I told him.

Lee stil didn’t answer.

“This isn’t who we are, Lee,” I finished.

“Somethin’ happens to you –” Lee started.

I pul ed my head back and looked at him.

“Nothing’s gonna happen to me,” I promised.

He stared me in the eyes. His weren’t hard to read, he was angry but I could tel he was also relieved.

Like I said, Lee was not a man who gave up.

Then he bent his head and touched his lips to mine.

When he was done kissing me, he said, “Damn straight.” I felt something unknot in me. I hadn’t even noticed it was there but it had been tying me up al day.

Lee moved me to his side.

Al the Rock Chicks and their Hot Bunch Boys were in heated conversations.

“Do we need a vote?” Lee asked the group, cutting the conversations short.

Silence.

“I got things to do,” Lee reminded them.

“I’m in,” Hector said immediately, his eyes on Stel a.

“Me too,” Darius put in.

“In,” Ike added.

“God damn it,” Luke snapped.

“Luke?” Lee asked.

Luke looked at Lee then turned his head and tilted it down to look at Ava. She licked her lips and shrugged. He touched his forehead to hers, closed his eyes for a brief second then pul ed back.

“In,” he said.

“Vance?” Lee prompted.