Sweet Pain (Amatucci Family #3) - Sadie Jacks Page 0,41
“Pain?”
She nodded. “You’re spiraling. I know the signs. What kind of pain do you need?”
A pressure that felt like a herd of elephants was trampling my chest took over my mind. I shook my head. I didn’t know how to answer her.
Her smile was sad as she nodded. “I’m going to unbutton your shirt and rake my nails down your chest. I need you back here. Corrie needs you back here. Your mom and Nik need you back here.” She started unbuttoning my shirt.
I stood there like a vacant child, arms by my side. Simply waiting for something to happen. The next wave of emotion to slice through me.
She looked up at me with those sage green eyes for a long moment. Then she nodded, pressed a kiss to my chest, and set her nails to my flesh.
With a deep pressure that I swore broke the skin, she sank her nails into my skin and yanked them from pec to waistband.
I inhaled as the pain washed the emotion away. Like a heavy rainstorm clears the air, her love and compassion cleansed me. My body shuddered.
She looked back up at me. A question in her eyes.
I nodded. “Again.”
She moved her nails slightly, careful not to rake them down the previous grooves. “I nicked you just a little,” she said just before another eight lines of heated relief slid through me.
I shook my head. “I don’t care.” I yanked her into my arms as I felt the herd of elephants and the giant rubber band around my chest disappear.
She’d saved me. Once again. She’d seen my struggle and rescued me.
We saved each other. For now. For always. She was going to be mine.
“Mar—”
A horn honked as a line of cars slid into the murky depths of the underground garage of Penn Towers.
She looked up at me after checking the cars out. “You were going to say something?”
I shook my head. Pressed my lips to hers. “It can wait.” And it fucking would wait! What the hell were you thinking, asking her to marry you in the middle of a kidnapping rescue? My inner asshole snarled at me.
I waved him off. I’d been caught up in the moment. The burning need to claim her. To keep her beside me always had overwhelmed my better judgment.
She helped me do up my buttons, a peculiar scrunch to her brow. “You sure?” She voiced the question without looking up at me.
I opened my mouth to push the question out. Consequences be damned. She was mine. I was hers. We belonged together.
“Ryker. You ready?” Mom called.
I ground my teeth together. Fuck. “Yeah, Mom. Coming.”
Willow’s lips quirked. “Just not the fun way.” She pressed another kiss to my chest as she patted her palms to my pecs. “Let’s go save your sister.” She turned.
I grabbed her hand. “You’re going to marry me.” The words slipped out. I’d meant to tell her to be careful. To protect herself at the cost of everyone else. Including my mother.
She blinked rapidly. Tipped her head to the side. “I am?”
I grabbed my guts with both hands. It was out there. I wasn’t taking it back, and I wasn’t letting her turn me down. Better to just roll with the command I’d issued. “Yes. Start thinking on it.”
She narrowed her eyes at me as her lips pursed into a hard, thin line.
I returned her gaze. Had I screwed it up? Unquestionably. Didn’t mean it wasn’t going to happen.
Her lips twitched as she fought off a smile.
I felt the air rush back into my lungs. Thank fuck. She wasn’t going to make this torturous.
Her eyes twinkled. “I am going to marry you. But I want you down on one knee. Flowers. Candlelight. Enough orgasms to put me in bed for a week of recovery sleep. And a ring.” She stabbed a finger at her naked left ring finger.
I nodded. Opened my mouth.
“Just say yes. We do have other things to do, you know,” Nico said in a tired voice.
I flipped him off without looking away from my woman.
She laughed. “Just so we’re clear.”
I yanked her into my arms. Captured her lips with mine.
“Ryker, I love you. Honestly. But for the love of the gods, Corinne?” Daphne said.
I pulled back from Willow, tamped down the lust that always tried to swamp me when I had her body against mine. “Sorry. Coming.”
Willow snorted as we both turned.
“But still not in the fun way,” she said under her breath.