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.His heart stumbled over several beats.He climbed to his feet and took her shoulder in his free hand."Aggie.What's wrong?"She shook her head, closed her eyes, and swallowed."I'm glad." Shehugged him unexpectedly, rubbing her tear-damp face against his neck."I'm glad," she whispered. A roadie, Jake, poked Jace in the back."You'd better get ready to goonstage."Jace released Aggie, and his favorite, solid black bass was pushedinto his good hand.He settled the familiar strap around his shoulder,wincing slightly when the full weight of the instrument settled over histrapezius muscle and collarbone.Maybe he had overestimated hisability to play.He slid his arm out of its sling and tested the mobility ofhis fingers.A bit stiff, but he could play.He was sure.The crowd was chanting."Sinners, Sinners, Sinners." The arena'soverhead lights were still off, so even though the stage was dark andempty, they knew the show wasn't over."Break a leg," Jon growled into Jace's ear as he handed him hisearpiece."Or better yet, your fucking neck."With no time to tell Jon to fuck off, Jace stuck the earpiece in his earso he could hear the music and directions given by Dave.He thentrotted after Brian and Trey onto the stage.There was a soft glow ofblue lights at the level of their feet, and when their shadows crossed thestage, the crowd cheered.Jace's heart rate kicked up a few notches.Hereally hoped he didn't screw up.Eric tapped a cymbal, starting the intro to "Twisted," and Jaceentered with his bass progression.There was stiffness in his knuckles,and the pain in his right shoulder was agonizingly sharp as hestrummed, but the thick strings between his fingertips and the solid fretboard were comforting.He'd missed this.Standing next to the drums, heclosed his eyes and let the rhythm carry him, head-banging in time withEric's bass drum.Sed entered the song with a long note on his violin.The lights flashedso bright Jace could see them through his closed eyelids.A heavy armwrapped around his shoulders and urged him forward.Sed apparentlydidn't want him hiding by the drum kit this evening.Jace hoped he didn'texpect him to writhe around on the floor the way Jon did.Sed grinnedbetween lyrics and gave him a little wink.He nodded toward thecrowd.Yeah, Jace got it.He should play this up.Make his brief stageappearance special for the fans.He wandered out of Sed's hold towardthe front of the stage.He drew to a halt at its edge and leaned forwardto play the steady bass riff at shin level.He head-banged while heplayed, adrenaline flowing through his body, his shoulder protestingeach movement of his fingers.Brian moved to stand beside him, placing one foot on a speaker at the front of the stage while he played theinsanely fast guitar riff.Jace stood upright and leaned against theguitarist.Brian beamed and pressed his arm firmly against Jace'sshoulder.Sed paced the front of the stage now, lifting his hand up anddown to get the crowd to participate, and thrusting the microphonetoward the audience during the chorus so they'd sing along.Theyespecially loved to sing the part that went, "Twisted, crazy hell-bornbitch." Probably because that was the only part they could easilyunderstand.Sed screamed the rest of the chorus in his signature baritonegrowl, which was fucking awesome.Trey moved to Brian's other side during his guitar solo.Jace had toconcentrate on the sound of Eric's drums to continue his low, repetitivebass riff.It was admittedly hard to maintain with Brian wailing awaybeside him.The man was fucking gifted on that guitar.Jace wanted tostand there and gawk at him in awe.The fans screamed theirappreciation of Brian's skill when he lifted his guitar over his head tocarry the final note of his solo.Jace wasn't sure what possessed him to add a mini bass solo of hisown right before the final chorus.Trey and Brian glanced at him insurprise.The crowd cheered unexpectedly.Jace felt the heat ofembarrassment rise up his neck and face until his ears were burning.Hereturned to the repetitive bass riff that carried the undertones of theentire song.Sed punched him in his good shoulder affectionately.When the song ended, the crowd cheered.Sed got carried away andlifted Jace off the floor with one heavily muscled arm."Jace Seymour,ladies and gentlemen."And they cheered."Jace, Jace, Jace."For him.Jace smiled until his cheeks hurt.He couldn't help himself.Sed sethim on his feet.Jace moved to the front of the stage and tossed his pickinto the audience.The crowd sank in a circle in search of the prize.Jace lifted his bass off his shoulder and carried it offstage with hisgood arm.He was actually looking forward to getting his right arm backin its sling.As much as he hated the damned thing, it did take the weightoff his shoulder and made it feel a thousand times better."Man, that was fuckin' awesome," Trey said."When did you writethat bass solo? And why have you been holding out on us?"Jace hadn't exactly written that solo.It had come to himspontaneously onstage.Before he could explain that to Trey, a curvy, warm body pressed against him."My God, baby, that was amazing," Aggie said.She captured his facebetween her hands and kissed him passionately.Someone took his bass out of his hand, and Jace wrapped his armsaround her--both arms.He returned her kiss, his lips sucking on hersgently.Someone squeezed his shoulder, and he drew away from Aggieto find Eric grinning at him."Great show, man."Jace found himself smiling again."Thanks.You too."Sed hugged Aggie and Jace in one giant embrace."The crowd lovedthat.You have to play the encore every night until you're better, dude.And hurry up and get better, will you? The show isn't the same withoutyou."Did he really mean that?Jace glanced around."Where's Jon?""He stalked off sulking right after you started playing," Aggie said."Jealous of your superior skill, I'm sure." She kissed him again."God, Iwant you.You're so sexy when you play onstage." She released abreathless gasp as she gazed at him."I am?""Oh yeah." She offered him her come-hither smile.Was his suddenurge to shove hundred-dollar bills down her shirt wrong? Probably.Sed released the pair."Take it easy there, stud.You need toconcentrate on healing
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