The green room was larger than most with several rooms where the performers could rest before going on stage. This one had several couches and plush chairs that would fit all the members of the band with a table placed against the wall for all of Genny’s cooking.

“How does it look?” Genny asked apprehensively.

“It looks fantastic. You did a great job.” Penni pushed several of the bottled waters into the ice bowl.

“I’m getting better.”

That’s an understatement, Penni thought. The young woman had successfully made sushi that would give the finest restaurant a run for their money.

“Take a break. You and your crew can break it down when the band gets back on the bus after the show.”

“Thanks. Where are we heading this time?”

“New Jersey.” It was a stop that was halfway through their tour. It would be another two weeks before they made it back to Queen City.

“I’ve never been to New Jersey. I’m excited.”

“Me, too.” Penni remembered when she had first toured with Mouth2Mouth. Each new city had held something new to discover. Now, they just ran together.

Genny yawned. “If you need anything, just call.”

“I will.”

Penni sat down on one of the chairs when Genny left, listening to the music coming from the stage. She closed her eyes, seeing Jackal’s face, and her hand went to her heart.

The ache had grown each day since he had told her he never wanted to see her again. She was dying inside, and it wasn’t anything a doctor could fix. She knew it because she had tried that. The doctor’s answer had been to prescribe anxiety medication, which she hadn’t filled.

She hadn’t believed a broken heart could affect her so badly. She knew better now. She had known it would be heartbreaking if Jackal had grown tired her. The reality, though, was killing her.

“What’s up, butterfly?”

The voice from the doorway had her lifting her head.

“Shade?” Penni used her hand to raise herself from the chair.

Her brother’s penetrating gaze bore into her. He didn’t say anything, just held out his arms for her.

Penni took faltering steps until she found her enclosed in his arms, laying her head on his chest.

“What … are … you doing here?” she managed to get out.

“You didn’t sound like yourself when you called me.”

Penni gave him a slight smile. “I’m just tired from being on the road.”

“Is that all? It doesn’t have anything to do with Jackal?”

She dropped her arms, turning toward the food table. “Are you hungry?”

“No, I’m not hungry. You should eat some food yourself, though. You look like you’ve lost weight.”

“Not really. I just took off the weight I gained from Lily’s cooking.”

“If you keep losing weight, I’m going to tell her, and she’ll come and put it back on.”

Penni shrugged. “That might not be necessary. I’m thinking about coming for a visit when the tour ends. I’m missing you, Lily, and John.”

“Really? That would be good. It would be better than what you have planned for when you get back to Queen City.”

“How do you know what I have planned?”

“Grace said you’re planning on tasering Jackal’s ass to make him listen to you.”

“I might have been exaggerating,” Penni lied, glad she had left her purse on the bus. “I said that because, when I tried to call him, he wouldn’t answer my calls. I’ve texted him, but he won’t even answer those, and I’ve sent over a hundred. I begged Grace to ask him to call me. I even took a flight back to Queen City to talk to him, hoping that giving him a week alone after the bombing would make him ready to talk to me again. Casey told me he was living in a hotel room, but they wouldn’t give me the room number. The hotel manager called the police on me.” Penni shook her head wearily. “I almost called you to come down and help me knock some sense into him,” she admitted ruefully.

“Why didn’t you?” Shade’s unemotional voice didn’t hint how he would have responded to her request.

“I didn’t want you to think I was chasing after Jackal the way I did Train.”

“Penni, I can see the difference between the way you feel about them. You love Jackal. You never loved Train.”

“I know.” She choked back a sob. “Has Ice told you how Jackal is doing? He won’t say anything to Grace because he knows she’ll tell me.”

“Sit down, Penni.”

She wanted to remain standing, but she walked across the room, sitting on the couch.

Shade waited until she was seated before he sat down next to her, taking her hand and holding it tightly.

“I’ve seen Jackal. Physically, he’s fine. He’s actually why I’m here.” Shade’s face became closed off. “He wants you to stop calling and texting him.” When Penni tried to jerk her hand away, Shade held it more tightly. “I know this isn’t easy, but what you’re doing is distracting him, and he can’t deal with that right now.

“Jackal has been with me and Cade, searching for Raul. The son of a bitch almost cost twenty men their lives, and Jackal would have been one of them if I hadn’t called in time. He had to leave you behind to do a job he feels needs to be done, or none of us are going to be safe. Not Lily, John, the Last Riders, or the Predators and their families.

“Hennessy lost three men, and Jackal wants that to be the last three people who are killed because of that cartel. Cade and I are flying home, though. I can’t leave Lily and John any longer, and Cade’s baby is due anytime. Jackal, Fade, and Hennessy are trying find him on their own with the DEA’s help.”

“All he had to do was tell me. I can understand wanting to keep his friends safe. I can handle Jackal being in danger. It scares me to death, but I can deal with that. It’s losing him I can’t—”

“You’re missing Jackal’s point of sending me here. It’s not so you will feel better and think you can wait for him until this situation is finished. He wants you to understand the relationship is over. He wants the texts and calls to stop. He wants you to move on with your life.”

“How am I supposed to do that? I hear his voice in my heart. My mind tells me it’s over, but my heart won’t give up. I can’t give up. I love Jackal. I always will.”

The silence between them was broken when they heard Kaden tell the audience “Good night,” and the band began to play their final song of the night.

The song had never been so poignantly beautiful to Penni.

“I need to go. The band will be coming in.”

Shade looked down at her. Taking her hands, he helped her to her feet. “I have a flight to catch. Take care, butterfly.” Shade hugged her tightly.

“You haven’t called me a butterfly since I was a little girl.” Penni laid a hand on Shade’s beating heart.

“I remember you always wanted to jump on the bed when I tried to make you go to sleep, telling me to catch you.”

Penni felt a lone tear slip down her cheek. “I felt invincible then. I’m all grown up now, and I know I’m not. Jackal wants me to forget about him. He gave back the key to my apartment, even sent you here to make sure I get his message, but he didn’t send me back the most important thing I need. Tell Jackal, until I get that back … I’ll be waiting.”

Shade brushed her tears away. “I’ll tell him.”

Watching Shade walk away was the hardest thing she had done in her life. She wanted Shade to take her to Jackal. However, she gathered every ounce of control she was capable of and watched him walk out the door, taking the only link of talking to Jackal with him.

She was still Jackal’s woman, even though he didn’t want to accept it. When he had made her his woman, she had become a Predator. What a Predator takes, they don’t give back, and she wasn’t giving Jackal back.

He’s mine.