stuffed into a cherry red Bodycon dress that looked at least one size too small. Black peep-toe stilettos gave her an added five inches.
I shook my head. “I don’t know where she’s at.” It was true. I had no idea what the police or SWAT team had done with her body.
“Then it appears you, too, get to die. No one touches Antonia’s things. Not without her express permission.” She kicked her toe into Mas’ side.
“Stop kicking him, bitch. Or you’ll learn about not touching things that don't belong to you,” I snarled.
The men in the room chuckled at my statement.
That was fine. I had other things to worry about. Behind the Amatucci’s soldier’s back, I felt the gun up. Gave it a thorough going over. From the feel of it, it didn’t have an external hammer. I had to hope he had it loaded and ready to fire.
The woman minced her way over Mas. Almost ended up flat on her ass when she didn’t clear the spreading pool of blood. One of the men stepped forward, offered her a steadying hand.
She took it with a simpering smile. She finally stood in front of my guy. She was so close that she had to tip her head back to look him in the eye.
I checked my sight lines. Figured this was as good as it was going to get. I raised my hand, gun comfortable in my palm. Between one breath and the next, I laid the barrel against her skull and pulled the trigger.
The man shielding me, jerked back, caught the gun and started firing at the other men. I hit the deck, hands over my ears. I curled into a little ball and fought not to pass out or puke.
I’d just killed a woman. I didn’t even know if she was actually a bad guy.
She kicked Mas, she was a bad guy, my Cold and Analytical side spoke up. She deserved dying for that alone.
The firing finally stopped. I blinked a couple times. I hadn’t even realized I squeezed my eyes shut. As I looked up, I saw that most of the Amatucci men were still standing. One was down, holding his leg. Mas was still on the floor. Three were standing upright from having covered the woman in the bed. One of the Death Squad had his phone out and was speaking in rapid Italian. I recognized one of the few phrases I knew. Roughly translated...gunshot wound.
The floor was littered with blood, gritty stuff I didn’t want to examine too hard, and bodies. All of the de Silva men had tattoos on the right sides of their necks. An evergreen tree done in shades of black. Some of them had a veritable forest inked into their skin.
The door crashed open behind me. “WILLOW!” Ryker yelled from the far side of the door.
“Don’t shoot,” I shouted as I got to my hands and knees. I looked at each of the men.
They nodded, lowered their weapons. “Tell the idiot not to run up on us like that again,” one of them said.
I smiled. “All clear, Ryker. It’s been requested you not –”
“I heard him, cupcake.” Ryker appeared in the doorway. He looked at the men, too. “Sorry. All I heard were gunshots and I started running.”
The men nodded. “This is your sister, yes?” One of the Death Squad asked from his post by the bed. He looked down at the woman. His gaze was soft.
Ryker helped me to my feet before pulling me behind him to the corner of the room. “Yeah.” He let out a long breath. “That’s her.” He reached down, took her hand in his.
She didn’t respond.
“Corrie?” he shook her hand.
Nothing.
I searched her body. Wanting to make sure she hadn’t been hit with a bullet. When my visual inspection found no blood, I heaved a sigh of relief. “Could she just be out of it?” I asked softly.
Ryker shook his head. “I don’t know.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. Handed it to me. “Call Jessa, please.” He reached down, grabbed Corrie’s shoulders. Shook her gently.
I pulled up the contacts list, hit Jessa’s name.
“Hey girl, we’re still on for drinks and debauchery tomorrow night, yes? You’re not cancelling are you?”
“No, not cancelling. We found Corrie. She’s not responding to stimulation,” I said it quickly and quietly.
“What do you mean you found Corrie?” Jessa asked.
I looked at Ryker. “Did you not tell anyone else that she’d been kidnapped?” I asked him softly.
“WHAT?!” Jessa exploded. “Where the fuck