Page 25 of Mace

“Yeah, Mace has mentioned you.”

And in that mentioning, how much did he really know about me? “Uh, well, I hope it was all good.”

Monk winked. “Trust me; it was, doll.” He returned to his bike and tucked the helmet Mitzy had been wearing into his saddlebag.

“Can we rewind to people wanting to kill you guys and then some guy named Kink blowing them up?”

Mace reached for my hand and pulled me over to his bike. “It’s Jinx, and you don’t have to worry about any of that. It’s over.”

“Because Jinx blew them up?” I tried to clarify.

“Uh, well, yeah. But you might want to keep that information to yourself, babe.” Mace stopped by the side of his bike and reached into his saddlebag. “Let me help you put this on.” He pulled out a black helmet and set it on my head. He was face to face with me, and his warm, brown eyes stared into my soul. At least, that was what it felt like. “Hello, Imogen,” he whispered.

I swayed slightly and gazed into his eyes. “Hello, Mace.” I almost called him Jonathon, but looking into his eyes, I could see he wasn’t there anymore. He was replaced by Mace.

Mace gave me the same butterflies in my stomach that Jonathon had, but there was more there. Mace had an air of danger and excitement to him, but I also knew that I would still be safe with him.

He was the same boy I knew when I was fifteen, but he had grown into a man.

A man I wanted to get to know.

“Ever been on a motorcycle before?” he asked.

I shook my head.

“Well, then I get to be your first, babe.” He snapped the strap under my chin and dropped his arms to his sides. “Just hold on tight, and lean when I lean.”

“Uh, I can do the hold-on tight, but the leaning seems a bit more complicated.”

He shook his head and smiled. “If you’re holding on tight, babe, you’ll be leaning with me.”

“You ready?” Monk called. “We gotta meet with Pam at ten, and I need to stop for gas.”

Mace nodded. “You ready?” he asked me.

“Ready as I can be.” I looked down at my clothes. “Am I dressed okay?”

“You look good, babe.”

“Do I look like you should believe me when I tell you what happened fifteen years ago? I need to impress your lawyer.”

Mace reached up and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “You look believable, babe. Don’t worry about anything. Just tell Pam what you remember.”

“I can do that.” I could. I just hoped it helped Mace.

Mace stepped next to the bike and threw his leg over the seat. “Put your hand on my shoulder and throw your leg over,” he ordered.

I shuffled next to the bike and laid my hand on his shoulder. “Is this kind of like riding a horse?” I asked.

“Done that before?”

“Uh, when I was sixteen. My grandma thought it would be a fun thing to do for my birthday.”

“And was it?” Mace asked.

I threw my leg over, and my butt hit the seat hard. “Not really. My horse was crazy and tried to buck me off when a rabbit crossed in front of us. I haven’t been on a horse since.”

“In that case, this is nothing like riding a horse,” Mace laughed.

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