I nodded, scurried off the bed, and slid down into the far corner of the room, wanting as much distance between him and me as I could possibly get. I pulled my knees to my chest as he threw open the door. I watched him skid to a halt in front of a cop’s drawn gun.

“Turn around. Hands up on the wall, Evans,” the uniformed officer ordered. “I should have known slime balls like you and Carson would be involved in something like this.” Behind him, I could see that another officer had already restrained Trace. My mother stood vacantly beside them making no effort to come to me.

“Detective Shannon. So nice to see you,” Sean returned, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“I suggest you exercise your right to remain silent.” Detective Shannon’s gaze swept over me as he cuffed Sean. “You can come in.” He glanced over his shoulder. “The girl’s in here. Looks pretty shaken up.”

I heard footsteps. Dizzy appeared first, tearing up when he saw me, Ms. Jackson right behind him. Dizzy crossed the room and knelt down on the floor in front of me. He reached out his arms.

“No.” I shook my head. “Don’t touch me.”

Dizzy withdrew looking hurt. I noticed Bryan hovering in the doorway watching us with a worried frown. Shame darkened my cheeks. I laid my head down on my crossed arms and closed my eyes, trying to block everything out.

“Let me talk to her.” I heard Ms. Jackson say. “I think she’ll respond better to a woman right now.” I felt the warmth from her body as she sank down beside me. She gently stroked my hair. “You did nothing wrong, Lace,” she soothed in her soft voice. “But you need to tell the police the truth. You and Dizzy can’t stay here anymore with your mom. It’s not safe.”

Dizzy and I had moved in with our uncle after that. He’d been a mean son of a bitch, but he didn’t knock us around and at least we were off the Avenue.

I didn’t see Bryan again until high school, and by then I was so full of myself. My ego had inflated right along with my cup size. I’d believed my good looks and curves would be my salvation, my way out from under the shameful shadow my mother had cast over me. I was so certain that I’d make something out of my life.

I’d been wrong.

3

I paced while waiting for my family. They were coming in to catch our second performance at the Garden. Over in the corner, War, the lucky bastard, had his arms wrapped around Lace. She wasn’t smiling but looked rocker chick sexy having knotted a tour t-shirt underneath her breasts in a way that accentuated them and exposed a great deal of skin above a pair of dark jeans that fit her like a glove.

Watching the two of them together made me even more edgy. I looked away, spinning the leather cuff on my watchband around to check the time again. Thirty more minutes before we went on. Shit. Since we were the opening band for the mega group Brutal Strength there was no way Tempest could go on late.

Where were they? Their plane landed hours ago. Last night’s winter storm probably had something to do with the delay.

“Bry.”

I turned in relief at the sound of a trio of familiar voices calling my name and had only seconds to brace myself before being enveloped in a group hug. “Mom.” I kissed the top of the brunette head that only came to the center of my chest now. My mom might be tiny, but a more resilient woman I’d never met, except perhaps for one other. The crap hand life had dealt my mom hadn’t made her bitter. She’d only become more determined to succeed, sacrificing everything over the years to take care of me and my sisters. I could never repay her for all of that, but that sure as hell wasn’t going to stop me from trying.

I rocked back on the heels of my favorite pair of motorcycle boots and looked at my younger sisters. Miriam was the oldest, a senior now. Her I worried about the most. Though as driven as my mom to succeed, she had a talent for getting into trouble. She acted first and thought things through second…if at all. Recently, it’d taken quite a bit of finesse on my mom’s part to keep the school from suspending her when she’d been caught up on the roof having an impromptu snowball fight with her friends from the drama department. Miriam’s vivacious personality and good looks were ideal for the career she wanted as an actress. If only she could stay out of trouble.

“What the hell are you wearing?” I whispered in Miriam’s ear. “It’s freezing outside and you’re practically coming out of that blouse.”

“Lighten up, Bry.” She smiled and flipped a lock of black hair over her shoulder. Eyes the same grey green as my own twinkled mischievously. “It’s a rock concert not Mass.”

Before I could pursue the matter further, my sister Ann, a book tucked under her arm, threw her arms around my waist and hugged me pretty damn tight. My heart warmed. I returned the hug with equal enthusiasm. Ann I didn’t worry about. She was just as studious as Miriam, but with a gentle soul and a level head. I tucked a strand of her straight brown hair behind her ear. She peered up over the top of her plastic frames at me.