Chase the Pain (Amatucci Family #1) - Sadie Jacks Page 0,15

a hurt little toe—the payment is tenfold from your flesh. And if that isn’t enough, I’ll take it out of your little sister. Cancer is such a hard life. It would be too bad if she didn’t get her chemo or medication.” I swore I could hear the bastard smile. “Protect Willow like you would Corinna. Better, even. You don’t want me for an enemy.”

He hung up before I could say anything. The fucking asshole had just threatened my sixteen-year-old cancer-ridden sister. The sheer frigidity of the threat had me admiring him and planning his downfall in the same thought.

We pulled into the underground garage of my building. I pulled up the security schematics on my phone. Turned off the garage cameras until I got us into the private elevator.

Willow was still out, her breathing slow and even as I made sure to tip her head to the side. Choking on her own tongue wasn’t really something I was prepared to deal with. The softness of her lower lip called to me.

But touching women when they were unconscious still wasn’t my kink. I had a lot of them, no lie. But not that one. Besides, my hands were full anyway.

The doors finally slid open and I stepped through the foyer into the living room. I angled off to the right, to the bedroom where I could put Willow down.

I slid her onto the bed, made sure to keep her head turned to the side slightly. The clothes she had on bagged and bulged against her frame. The soft skin of her belly peeked from beneath her shirt.

I wanted to touch that strip of pale flesh. See if it was as silky as it looked.

I clenched my teeth. Get her situated, dickhead, then get back to work. The night’s not nearly done. You’ve done your good deed for the decade. Accept it. Move on.

Switching on the bedside lamp, I walked out the door. Back in the living room, I headed towards the kitchen. Opened the fridge, got a bottle of beer. Popping the top, I tipped my head back and gulped it down.

Shit. What had I gotten myself into? I should call Domenico back, tell him to come pick her up. She was an inconvenience I didn’t need. A responsibility I shouldn’t have. Part of me scoffed. I shouldn’t be in charge of anyone’s health or wellbeing.

I was good at writing checks and being an asshole. The people who depended on me ended up broken and used.

The memory of Willow’s pained green eyes swam in front of my mind’s eyes. Something in that pain had called to me. Sunk its claws deep inside the husk of a chest I had and ripped open the crusty shell of my heart.

I took another swig of beer. I’d just have to make it scab over again. Make sure Willow got dropped off in Amatucci’s hands and be done with her. I’d saved her from the asshole and kept her secret. In my book, that put me one up.

I finished off my beer and headed down the hallway to my home office. I checked on Willow again, made sure she hadn’t swallowed her tongue. I couldn’t have her dying while in my hands. My responsibility. Whatever.

Putting my hand down by her nose and mouth, I waited for the slight puff of air.

And waited.

Shit. Where was it? Why wasn’t she breathing? I dragged her body flat, turned her up on her side. That’s what’s supposed to happen for unconscious people, right?

Laying my head against her back, I held my breath as I waited for the sound of her heartbeat. Almost shouted for fucking joy when it came. It was so slow. Practically nonexistent.

Scrambling for my phone, I hit the redial button.

“What?”

“She’s not breathing and her heart rate is slowing,” I told Domenico. “Send your brother. Now.” I hung up again as I pulled her to the floor. I could do CPR.

Thank shit I kept my certification up. I tipped her head back and pinched her nose. I sealed my mouth over hers, blew a hard breath into her mouth. I kept my gaze on her chest. Prayed it rose.

As it did, I sent a thank you out to whoever was listening. I gave her another breath. Her chest rose again. I started compressions.

“Oh, oh, oh, oh, staying alive. Staying alive,” I whispered the words to myself to stay on rhythm.

My phone buzzed as I hit thirty chest compressions. I tipped my head to look at my