Sweet Pain (Amatucci Family #3) - Sadie Jacks Page 0,118
down, I turned to my girl. I had my hands out by the time she got control of her trembling body. I pulled her hands into mine.
“Doing it, babe?”
“Y-y-y-yesss.”
“Excellent. Now, Ryker, you’re going to give her gradually increasing pain. You’ll both know when to stop. Once Willow’s breathing returns to normal, go get a soda. Full sugar, full caffeine. Call me when you get to that step.” She hung up.
Willow looked up at me, her sage eyes wide. The expression in them was on the verge of breaking my heart. She was asking me to save her. Give her sweet pain to bring her back to me.
“I’ve got you, cupcake.” I took a deep breath. “Sharp or thuddy?”
She shook her head, her eyes widening even more. She was out of time and out of the capacity to choose.
I gradually increased my hold on her hands. As I applied more pressure, her eyelids went back to normal.
As I felt her bones rub together, her stuttering chest evened out.
As the tendons and ligaments in my hands made faint popping noises, her breathing slid into a regular rhythm. We sat like that for time unending, each gazing directly into the other’s eyes. I felt like I could see her soul, that she could see mine.
It was breathtaking in all the good ways.
After a long time, her eyelids fluttered shut on a sigh.
I eased the pressure in our hands. Wanted to shake mine out. Wanted to kiss hers all over.
She leaned forward, raised her face silently.
I met her in the middle. Settled my lips on hers.
She sighed again. “Thank you, hero.”
I smiled, our mouths still touching. “Anytime, cupcake. Anytime at all.”
She leaned back, blinked a couple times. She nodded. Swallowed. “I think I know why Jessa suggested the soda.”
I rolled the windows back up and got us back on the road. “What’s your poison?”
“I haven’t had soda in ages. I guess Coke? The lemony ones don’t have caffeine.”
I nodded and started searching for the nearest fast food restaurant. I kept her left hand in mine. Massaged the skin, the muscles.
“How’s the ring feeling? Did I crush it into your bones too hard?”
She reached out with her right hand, wiggled the big stone. “Fine and no. Although we might have bent the ring a little.” She pulled it off her left ring finger.
We both chuckled at the slight mar in the perfect circle.
“Note to self, get a ring with stronger metal,” I said softly.
She giggled. She almost sounded back to her regular self. “I think the gold of my ring is stronger.”
I smiled at hearing her claim the ring as hers. She really was excited to wear it. I was beyond ecstatic for her to wear it.
“There,” she pointed to the left. “Sonic. They have the best ice. I can crunch it once the soda is gone.”
I pulled into the drive thru. Ordered her the soda. As I was paying, she flipped the main display to the phone function, called Jessa.
“How’s she doing?” Jessa asked in lieu of a greeting.
“I’m better, Jessa. Ryker’s getting the Coke for me.”
“Excellent, babe. Now, when you get back home, I want you both to take a long hot bath. Preferably together. If Ryker doesn’t want to get wet, he needs to at least sit with you while you soak. We need to get those muscles all wrung out before aches set in. So, down the soda, take the bath. Once you’re done with the bath, eat something high in fat and protein. Lay off the carbs for a bit.” She paused. “Just don’t tell Momma I said that.”
Willow and I both chuckled.
“Good. Laughter is good. Oh! Tali told me that we’re going to get all dolled up and shove your parents into the proverbial toilet. Huzzah! I love a good public lynching. See you later for dress shopping. Love you both, bye!” She hung up again.
I handed Willow the soda, watched her start sipping on it. “I’m down for the hot bath. But I don’t know that we can use yours. Both of us won’t fit in there.”
She smiled around her straw. “How do you feel about hot tubs?”
I snorted. “You have a hot tub?”
She shook her head. “Not me, but Turo does. So no hanky panky. You game?”
I pouted about the no hanky panky part, but this was more medicinal than sexy, so I guess I could suffer through it. I nodded. “We didn’t pack suits. Or at least I didn’t.”