Sweet Pain (Amatucci Family #3) - Sadie Jacks Page 0,117
man. I guess you were just a late bloomer.” Her mother came over, gave those pretentious air kisses again.
Winslow smiled at me. A look a father should never give to a man about to marry his daughter showed on his face. I squeezed Willow tighter to me, fought to plaster a smile on my face. The man was worse than disgusting.
“What’s Ethan say about all of this?” Winslow asked.
Willow shrugged. “I’m sure he doesn’t have a lot to say. We haven’t been married for a while now.”
I bit my lip. The man didn’t have a lot to say because he was fucking worm food. My girl was amazing.
Winslow nodded. “Well, I hope to see both of you at the gala this year. I know Willow hasn’t been there the last two years. We’ll get a chance to show off your new catch.” Winslow winked.
Willow’s spine stiffened. “Yes, we’ll be there. We’d like to make an announcement, if that’s alright. Sort of put out to the public, as it were.” She looked between her parents. “Would that be acceptable?”
Beverly clapped like a high school cheerleader on crack. “Oh darling, that sounds wonderful. I’ll add you to the schedule. Do you have a wedding planner? Do you have a date? I’ll get our guest list ready. You just let me know the dates. I’ll help you plan everything. It will be the social event of the season.” She clapped again.
Willow dug her fingers into my hip. “We don’t have a date yet, but I’m hoping to have that nailed down by Friday night. You really don’t mind sharing your night with us?”
Beverly shook her head, her blonde hair didn’t move in the slightest. “Of course not, darling. We can’t wait to spread the word that a Penn is joining the family.” She looked at me. “We’ll have to invite your mother and step-father. Send me their details, I’ll get them an invitation immediately.”
I dipped my head. “That is very generous of you. I’ll do that.” The more the fucking merrier to the party of the season. Did she really want to invite one of the women her husband had raped to come to her party as if nothing was wrong? As if there wasn’t anything wrong with that request? I wanted to shove my hand through her rib cage, rip out her heart, and drink from it while she watched.
Willow looked up at me. A silent plea in her eyes. I took my cue from her. “Cupcake, we need to get going. The realtor is waiting for us to sign the papers.”
“Oh, you’ve bought a house.” Beverly went off on her clapping again. “That’s wonderful. We’ll have to arrange a party. Send me your new address. I’ll arrange everything.”
Willow smiled. “Of course, mother. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Goodbye, Daddy. We’ll see you both on Friday night.”
“Bye, baby girl. Treat your man well this time, and you might keep him longer,” Winslow said, a mocking smile on his face.
I gave a wave, too incensed to keep up the façade. My tone of voice would give me away.
“You always have the best advice, Daddy. I’ll try to remember that. See you both Friday,” Willow said. In what could only be termed an inconspicuous sprint, Willow had us angled back through the house and out to the car in no less than two minutes. Apparently, Beverly had wanted to give me the ‘look how rich and sophisticated we are’ route.
I helped Willow into the front seat. Her nails were digging into her palms, her eyes closed. “Hurry, hero. Take me home. Please.” She looked up at me. “Hurry.”
I raced around, got in the car, and backed us out. We rocketed towards the gate. With only air between the front bumper and the gate, we sailed through.
I grabbed Willow’s hand, locked my grip around hers. “Tell me what you need, Willow.”
She shook her head. Tears fell from her closed eyes as her breath started sobbing through her chest. “I-I-I-I don’t-t-t-t knoo-o-w.”
I jabbed the button on my steering wheel. “Jessa Sweeten.”
“Connecting.” I got us out of the Chases’ neighborhood as quickly as possible. As soon as I saw a parking lot, I turned us in.
“Hey, Ryke, what’s going on?”
“We just left the Chases’. Willow’s having a panic attack, I think. What do we do?”
“Open some windows. Willow, can you hear me?”
Willow’s eyes squeezed shut. “Y-y-y-yesssss.”
“I want you to open your eyes, grab Ryker’s hands, and look into those pretty green eyeballs for me.”