Sweet Pain (Amatucci Family #3) - Sadie Jacks Page 0,44
there, all non-family personnel will leave,” Mas said. His low whispered voice left no room for compromise. No give. Harder than granite and all the more menacing for its scratchy quality.
“Mrs. Sheridan, you will be waiting in the parking garage with Nik. Nik, you will have a private ambulance from Good Shepherd on standby. Tell them to circle the block, no sirens, until you call them again. We need to be prepared for any physical situation we might find Corrie in.”
My mom and Nik both nodded.
“I’ve got those schematics for you, Mas.” She pulled him towards the car’s hood. He grabbed his team and they had a small conference.
Mom pulled me to the side. “What the hell is going on, Ryker?”
I shook my head. “We’ll get to all that. Keep your head in the game, Mom, or I’ll have someone from security down here and you can sit this one out.”
She opened her mouth.
I shook my head. “Don’t test me. Not today.”
Willow reached around me. Grabbed my mom’s hand. “Daphne, I can’t imagine what’s running through your head right now. But I give you my personal guarantee that we both will answer all of your questions as soon as we have Corrie back. Don’t put us in danger by splitting our focus. Right now, you have one job. Stay in the parking garage with Nik. Be ready to ride with your daughter in the ambulance.”
Mom’s lashes lowered as a single tear streamed down her cheek. She nodded before turning away.
Willow looked up at me. A question easy to see in her mossy green eyes. “Was that too harsh?”
I shook my head. “Considerably nicer than I would have been. No. Mom just needed someone to lay it out for her. She’ll be fine. Other than you, she’s the strongest woman I know.” I pressed my lips to Willow’s hair.
I could feel the adrenaline pumping through me. The pace of my heartbeat was picking up as I got ready to leave Willow’s side and prayed nothing went wrong while she was away from me.
The meeting of the criminal and technical minds broke up at the farthest car’s hood. Mas came back over. “We’re heading out. Give us four minutes before you enter the front doors.” He held his hand out. Looked up at me. “I’ll protect her, Penn. She’s precious to me as well.”
Everything inside me balked at the idea. Bucked at the very thought of having Willow outside of my personal protection. But I couldn’t not let her go.
Willow reached out, took Mas’ hand. “Safe as houses, hero. I’ll be waiting for you when you get done causing a ruckus.” She pressed up to her toes, lifted her mouth to me.
I swooped down and took it in a fierce kiss. Prayed to her goddess and any other deity out there to keep her safe.
Mas cleared his throat. “Now, Penn.”
I let Willow slide away from me. Saw her engulfed in a sea of black clothes, dark hair, and efficient deadly movement. If she was going to be away from my side, at least she was with the literally deadliest members of the Amatucci Crime Family.
Chapter 12 – Willow
In a crouching run that felt like I had a large chimpanzee on my shoulders, we made it into the parking garage under the building where Corrie was being held. Nothing obvious about us. Look away, random passersby. Just seven deadly assassins and a whiter than white chick racing across the street. Nothing to see here.
I bit my lip to keep from giving into the hysterical laughter that pushed at my throat. Expanded my chest. I clenched my fingers into fists at my side as we stayed next to the interior walls of the parking structure.
Adrenaline and life surged through my veins. No pain needed. Maybe I should look into a different career path. Saving lives was pretty exciting.
“You stay here,” Mas said. He didn’t have to bother lowering his voice to a whisper. He pushed his nose to mine. “If you get even a single hair on your head hurt, I’ll blister your ass so hard you won’t be able to sit for a month. So help me God. Get me?”
I nodded. “Sir, yes, sir.”
He rolled his eyes. Pressed his cheek to mine. “Ti amo sorella.”
“Ti amo fratello,” I murmured. “Be safe.”
He pulled back. His dark eyes were alive in a way I’ve never seen. He winked at me before guiding his men to follow him farther down the row of the elevator banks.