Sweet Pain (Amatucci Family #3) - Sadie Jacks Page 0,137

have your wicked way with her. Unless you’re into dead bodies, that’s not going to work out too well if you kill her.”

I roared a laugh. “I’ll try to remember that, Grams.”

She cupped my cheek. “You love her like my Archie loved me and she’ll be the happiest woman in all the world. There’s nothing more a girl could ask for.” Her eyes twinkled as she smiled. “Well, that and a horny husband.”

I groaned. Here I had been hoping for some knowledge, some little nugget of advice I could take with me into this new part of my life. And all my Grams had for me was love and fucking.

I tipped my head to the side. She wasn’t wrong, really. And Willow and I were good at both of those things.

Kissing her hand, I got back to my feet. “I’ll try to remember those. Have you been in to see Willow yet?”

Grams smiled. “That is one lucky unicorn, baby. You did well.”

My heart tugged at the approval on this woman’s face. That, more than anything else she could say or do, meant the world to me.

Before I’d had enough time with her, she raised a hand to cover her yawn. She blinked up at me. “Archie, dear, I think I need to rest for a bit.”

Baxter hurried forward as my heart slowly tore to pieces. “Sure, Alda. We’ll get you to bed.”

I helped him get her to her feet. Walked with them to the door. She was staying in one of the guest rooms on the first floor. Baxter and I got her in bed. She was snoring lightly before we got her legs up and the blankets over her.

Baxter looked at me. “Can you hold off for a bit? She should be fine once she wakes up again.”

I nodded. “I’ll go talk to Willow. It should be fine.” I strode out of the room. I bit my lip to keep from screaming at the heavens. This was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. Not one of the saddest as I watched the only other woman I’d ever loved fade right in front of me.

I rushed up the stairs to the master. Thumped a fist on the door. “Willow.”

Tali opened the door, a huge smile on her face. It died a quick death when she saw me. She nodded. Stepped aside.

“Willow,” Tali said, her voice tight.

Willow turned. I sucked in a breath. She was a vision. Her dress was a champagne color that made her skin glow. Tight against her body from breast to knees, it flared out and covered her feet. It sparkled in the late morning sun. “Hero? What’s wrong?”

The other girls left quickly.

I closed the door behind them. “Grams, sh—”

Willow gripped my arm as her eyes widened in horror. “Is she okay?”

I smiled. Nodded. “She’s taking a nap. Baxter thinks she’ll be better after. Are you okay holding off for an hour or two?”

Her expression fell into nothing but love. “Of course, hero. I’m more than okay with that as long as you’re mine by the end of the day.” She pulled me into her arms. “You okay?”

I just stood there, wrapped around her like a vine on a stake. I was, but I wasn’t. I didn’t really have any words. Just a confusing mix of feelings. Thank the goddess, I didn’t deal with feelings too often.

Willow slid her hands down my back, under the hem of my jacket. She fished her fingers under my belt until she found bare skin. With a kiss on my lips, she sank her nails into my flesh.

I inhaled as the sweet pain washed through me. Brought me back to the woman I called savior. I sipped from her lips. Communed with her tongue against mine.

Her nails sank into me a second time.

I groaned against her mouth as I tried to meld her against me. I got lost in the taste and texture of her. In the place where my soul found its rest. Where my heart knew it was protected. She was my home. The one I’d yearned for all my life.

And I’d met her as she’d run for hers from a monster. We each were monster slayers. In our own ways, in our own times, we healed the broken and jagged pieces of the other.

I didn’t need the Justice of the Peace to tell me Willow was mine. I carried her in my heart, so of course she was mine. But I knew I needed that