Sweet Pain (Amatucci Family #3) - Sadie Jacks Page 0,23

play with her safety. Penn is right to make sure he’s the one to suffer the agony of a stray bullet. Not our Willow. Not any of our women.”

Rafe wheezed for a few moments as he leaned one hand against my car’s roof. “Fuck, Massi. I was kidding.”

Mas shook his head. “There is no room for kidding when it comes to safety. When it comes to protecting those of our family. If you don’t know this, then perhaps you should stay at home until you are called.” When he looked at his phone’s screen, I noticed the corners of his eyes clench and relax as if he were in some kind of pain. “The case has not moved. Let’s proceed. Stay behind me.” He glared at Willow. “I will not be so kind as your man.”

She dipped her chin. “Sorry.”

Mas shook his head. “It is not me to whom you should apologize.” He walked up onto the curb, eased against the side of the building.

Willow looked up at me. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

I nodded. Bit back the rush of other caustic words that wanted to spring from my mouth. I pushed her ahead of me to lean against the building with Mas.

Rafe brought up the rear of our little attack team. He was rubbing his upper abdomen, glaring at his older brother.

Mas didn’t even bother to look back. He was busy doing a visual search of the building across the alley from us. While this section of town wasn’t in deplorable condition, it really wasn’t inside the glitz and glam of our Downtown section with all its fancy bars, clubs, and shops.

We weren’t as crowded as the City, but we had our fair share of wealth who couldn’t be bothered to use the train. Our town was smaller, and as such, more exclusive. Which made this particular building a bit of an eyesore that hadn’t quite made it through regentrification yet.

Mas held up his hand, palm flat. He flicked it in a move that suggested we should move forward with him.

I grabbed hold of Willow’s hand. Kept her close to me. If need be, I could drag her under me and protect her that way. I just prayed to her goddess that it wouldn’t come to that.

Ahead of us, Mas curled his hand down into a fist.

We all stopped.

He pointed to his ear, cocked his head sideways.

I held my breath, strained my ears. There. I could hear someone talking in a low voice. I couldn’t make out the words, but it was definitely a male speaking.

A high-pitched maniacal laugh punctured the silence. Chills ran up my spine at the pure, unadulterated crazy in the chuckle. Mental instability and two guns? No. Not today.

I had to get Willow out of here.

I looked over my shoulder. Counted the number of steps we’d taken. How many more it would take to get her back in the car and for me to get us home. How much time? Five minutes? Three?

Mas jabbed a hand into my sternum. He leaned up. “This ends here. Do not pussy out now.” He eased back down, gave me steady eye contact. “I will not let anything happen to my sister. But she is going to be the only one to verify the guns are hers, if this person has them.”

I gritted my teeth. Acknowledged the truth of his statement. If this guy had Willow’s guns, she would know. The reverse was also true. Fuck. She had to be here.

Please let this guy have the guns so we can get this shitshow settled.

I nodded. “I’ll follow your lead.”

He nodded back at me and then turned to Willow. “You will wait here with Rafe. Do not come after us. Do you understand me?”

The band around my chest relaxed. Yes. This was better. She was out of danger. This was so much better.

Willow nodded first at Mas, then turned and did the same for me. “I won’t be a problem you have to worry about.” She squeezed my fingers before letting her hand slide away.

I tapped Mas’ shoulder when I was ready. I had no weapon, and right now, that felt both horribly wrong and terribly right. I sent another prayer upwards. This time for Mas and me.

We stepped into the alley. Ducked behind a giant dumpster. The wafting stench was enough to have my lungs seizing and my eyes watering. Fucking hell, that was ripe.

I breathed through my teeth. Blinking rapidly to clear my vision. Mas leaned up on