Chase the Pain (Amatucci Family #1) - Sadie Jacks Page 0,17

the distance. I needed to call Synra if I was feeling this hard up for a woman. I didn’t do hearts and romance. Whips, floggers, clamps. Pain. Those were my calling cards. They were the only love notes I left, and they were in the skin of my partners.

Time for Ms. Willow Chase to exit my life as quickly as she’d come into it.

Chapter 5 – Willow

Rafe’s warm hands supported me as I tried to get my fuzzy brain to clear. He helped me get the t-shirt on and my arms through the sleeves. “Where am I again?”

He pulled the material down my torso. “Ryker Penn’s penthouse apartment downtown. He rescued you from the hospital.”

I shook my head. “What happened? Last thing I knew I was trying to escape from the hospital room. Where was Dom?” I heard the betrayal in my voice. Hoped the youngest Amatucci brother hadn’t.

“He got a call. Someone said Mama had fallen, that she’d been taken to the emergency department.” Rafe’s voice was a hard, sharp blade.

Once he got me situated to his liking, he turned me and propped me up against the raised bed. He looked at my eyes, pulling the lower lids down softly. “Follow my finger with just your eyes.”

I obediently moved my eyes from left to right.

He let out a huge breath. “Thank fuck. Your eyes are tracking and your pupils are the same size.” He reached forward, poked gently at the back of my head. “Any pain or pressure?”

I analyzed the touch. “Do it again.”

He probed his fingers against my scalp.

“No. Nothing. Just you on my scalp. My scalp isn’t even tender.”

He sank back on his heels. “Good, Will. That’s really good.” He took an odd looking device that most closely resembled a plastic gun from his bag. Aimed it at my forehead. When it beeped, he took it down, read it. “No fever.”

He laid his fingers along the outside of my wrist just under my thumb. “Pulse is good.”

My belly growled.

One of his brows raised. “Did you pass out because you’re hungry, Willow Koa?” He glared at me.

I shrugged. “Not my fault no one gave me anything to eat.”

He ran a hand through his long hair, gave it a pull as he beseeched the ceiling. “Help me, father, before I sin.”

I snorted. His lapsed Catholicism made the oddest appearances. Usually in frustration with me or Tali.

He pushed to his feet, repacked his bag. “Want to try standing?”

I nodded. My legs were still killing me and sitting propped up like this was making the deep ache worse. I raised my hands.

He lifted me to my feet and held me while I fought the spinning room. After a couple deep breaths, I nodded. The room was stable and my vision was back to normal. I didn’t even feel hot.

I shook out my legs, tried to get the pins and needles feeling to dissipate. Once I could put my feet on the floor without that sharp prickly feeling, I took a couple test steps. Nodded. Everything was in working order.

My stomach growled again.

Rafe laughed as he hefted his bag to his shoulder. “Let’s see if Penn’s got some food. Then I’m taking you home.” He reached out a hand.

I took it and followed him from the room.

Moments later, we were in one of the most starkly beautiful interior spaces I’d ever been. And considering I baked for a very exclusive clientele, that was saying something. My breath backed up in my throat as I took in the midnight views of my favorite city, New Trenadie.

A mix of old and modern buildings dominated the skyline. Streaks of brake lights and headlights littered the ground even at this time of night. New Trenadie was a city that never slept. And I loved everything about her.

“Got any snacks, Penn?” Rafe asked from behind me.

I turned to see my host.

“I’m sure you can manage on your own, Amatucci. There are tons of places still open at this time of night,” Ryker said, glaring at me.

I wondered what had crawled up his butt. Then again, it didn’t really matter if he’d truly saved me from the hospital and again just moments ago. He deserved my gratitude.

I walked over to him. Held out my hand. “I need to thank you. I hear you were the one to save me.”

He looked at a loss for words for a moment. Hesitantly, as if he was afraid I’d bite it, he slid his palm over mine. “Don’t mention it.” His brow