Sweet Pain (Amatucci Family #3) - Sadie Jacks

Chapter 1 – Willow

“Willow! Wake up. We’re under attack!”

Ryker’s shout had me snapping upright in bed before my eyes had completely opened. The sounds of shattering glass, splashing liquid, and gunshots were not really the best wake up call I’d experienced in my life before.

He darted over, pulled me from the bed and down to the floor before he flipped the bed up on its side. “Stay here.” He pressed a kiss to my head and raced off across the room.

“Ryker!” I shouted after him. I blinked, tried to get my brain to wake up so I could focus. Under the adrenaline rush, I was tired and achy. But the sheer power that pushed through my veins had me getting to my feet.

I fished behind me on the floor, scooped up my inside out pants. I threw the panties back on the floor. Not today, Satan. I danced into my pants, flung my shirt on. I needed shoes.

“Ouch. Dammit,” Ryker hissed from his spot at the door.

“You better not be thinking of leaving me here, Ryker Penn. I’ll haunt you for the rest of your life,” I snarled at him as I crawled across the floor and picked up my shoes. I stuffed my feet into them. “You also need some clothes on. We might be under attack, but I’m not sharing your naked deliciousness with anyone else.” I glared at him as I stomped my left foot down into my shoe.

“Then you need to get dress—” He stopped talking when he glared back at me.

I raised an eyebrow. “You were saying?”

He narrowed his eyes at me. “Bring me my clothes, cupcake. I have no idea where my shoes are at the moment.”

I saw his discarded jeans but no shirt. I tossed him the denim. Took his position at the door. Whoever was firing on us didn’t seem to know where anyone was. It sounded like random sprays of bullets to keep their path clear.

He pulled me aside, took the point position at the door. “My phone’s dead. What about yours?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know where it is.”

He sighed. “Right. Stay behind me. And if you get shot, I’m going to paddle your ass so hard you won’t be sitting for a month.”

I chuckled. “Promises, promises.” I slid my hand into his. Squeezed his fingers with mine.

We eased out into the hall. Down to the right I saw at least four other shut doors. Hoped we didn’t have any family or friends behind those doors. Or if they were down there, hopefully they had guns. We were weaponless and sitting ducks if we stayed here.

Moving left, we ventured forward at a snail’s pace. Honestly, the snail would probably have beaten us. Every few inches, Ryker would stop our progress and listen for any sounds.

I cursed my lack of watch. What time was it anyway? And who was so rude to burst in on us while we were sleeping?

I mentally chuckled. I was guessing de Silva and her crew. Not a lot of niceness and respect for others in a trafficker’s world.

Another shower of bullets sounded. The clang of spent casings echoing against the cement floors and walls.

“JESSA!” Rafe screamed.

I darted forward. No. Not her. Not any of them. But not the gentle doctor with the heart of gold.

Ryker grabbed my hand, forced me up against the wall. “Not until we’re clear,” he growled in my ear.

I snapped my teeth at him. “I’m not staying here while she’s hurt.” I tugged and pulled on my hand. I needed to go to her. Help her. Hold her hand. Let her know she was loved. And that leaving wasn’t an option.

Ryker’s grip only tightened. He shook his head. “I’m not losing you just so you can go give her cuddles. Not happening.”

I saw the grief in his green eyes. The dread that peeked through the tight features and stern set to his mouth. He would choose me a thousand times over anyone else.

I nodded. “Then start heading us in that direction. I need to be there as soon as humanly possible.”

He dipped his chin in one short motion. “Stay against the wall. Let’s keep moving.”

Like actors in a bad spy movie, we clung to the walls as we made our way slowly down the hallway. At the main junction, I saw Turo and Nik. Both dogged by sleep and chased with adrenaline.

“What do we know?” Ryker asked.

Nik, not bothering to hug the walls, pulled up her tablet. “We had four unknowns breach

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