Sweet Pain (Amatucci Family #3) - Sadie Jacks Page 0,1

the main entrance. Camera feeds were disabled at each camera. No identifying features or marks. But at least one of them matches the height and weight of Antonia de Silva.”

Turo smiled as he watched the younger woman. A touch of heat in his dark eyes. He looked back at Ryker. “My cell phone is useless down here.”

Nik snorted. Held her hand out. “You just need to know how to bounce off the buried signal.” She made the ‘gimme, gimme’ motion.

Turo slapped his phone into her hands. “The passcode i—”

Nik chuckled. “Don’t need it.” Her thumbs were flying over the screen.

“Cricket, you surprise me,” Turo’s tone was silk and sex.

I smothered the chuckle. Cricket? I thought Nik was more black widow spider or something else terrifying and strong. Annoying leg-rubbing insect she was not.

“Anytime you want to share with the rest of the group, Turo, you just let us know. We’re not waiting or anything,” Ryker said. His voice was dry as the Sahara.

Turo flipped him off. “Honestly, with only four men, I’m not really worried. Between all of us, we have them outnumbered at least two to one. The only ones not packing are you three.” He held up his dark matte gun in his free hand. “If anyone is stupid enough to want to tango with our family, then they should be allowed to die in peace and pain.”

I snickered. “And we have Mas.”

Turo winked at me. “So fucking true, sorella. I’m sure they’re already mostly contained. We just need to watch our step and avoid any crossfire.”

Whatever Nik did to Turo’s phone, it made the low humming buzz of a silenced ring. She handed it back to the man with the plan…well, at least the gun.

Turo answered it and moved away, spoke in low undertones.

Nik looked at me. Ran her gaze up and down my form. “You’re feeling better.” She made it a statement, not a question.

I nodded. “Yes.” I didn’t say anything else, and she didn’t ask.

“Good.” She looked up and down the long hallways. Kept her weight balanced on the balls of her feet.

“Did you find out anything more from those videos that Ethan left for me?” I asked her. I knew Ryker had those answers, but I also knew both of us needed some space from whatever had happened.

She startled. Nodded. Without looking up at Ryker—which I gave her serious credit for—she said, “Apparently, you’re the wealthy widow of a psychopath. You get to do whatever you want with the assets. Since Nico made the arrangements for the DA’s office to come pick up the evidence, I’m not sure that you’ll get to play with any of it.”

I jerked back. “I wouldn’t keep any of it anyway.”

She smiled, a bit on the toothy side “I would. Give it to shelters, set up some scholarships for counseling. Hell, make a clinic that provides wrap around care for trafficking survivors. Shove Ethan’s dead nose in the good you do with the money.”

I smiled. “I love that idea. I’ll be making restitution for the families and victims. Whatever is left…” I looked at her. “Want to help me spend an asshole’s money on nothing but good deeds?”

“Hell yes!”

I nodded. “Great. We’ll get Tali and Jes—” My throat closed up on my friend’s name. “I heard Rafe scream for Jessa.”

Nik nodded. “Yeah.” She tapped some buttons on her tablet. “I think he needed her help with a wound?” She turned the tablet around. There they both were. Black and white and so very alive.

I almost wilted. “Thank the goddess.”

Nik’s head tipped to the side. “Oh. You thought she’d been hit.” She shook her head. “If that had been the case, you’d probably have heard Ni—”

“-co’s voice,” we said together. I nodded again. “Yeah, very true.” I slumped against Ryker. He was still at attention, making sure that no one was sneaking up on us.

Turo came back over. “We’re clear. Rafe and Jessa are helping one of the insurgents. We need to get to the main space for questioning before she dies.” He grabbed Nik’s hand and pulled her with him.

She tried to jerk her limb back, but had no such luck.

Ryker and I brought up the rear. I struggled to keep up with everyone else’s long-legged strides. Nik and I were about the same height, but she was all legs.

I saw her keep yanking on her hand. Chuckled when I saw Turo just close his hand tighter on hers. If I wasn’t mistaken, she threatened him in a soft