by Sadie Jacks
Two tears slid from her eyes and down her cheeks. “Only because I have you now. You hold me together.”
I kissed her cheeks, sipped at her tears. “Ready?”
She nodded, sniffled. “I guess. Although my legs are a little numb, so we’ll see how walking goes.”
I chuckled. “Mine too. And my ass.”
We both hobbled to our feet. Probably looked like drunken sailors trying to get their land legs back. We made it back out to the living area.
The lights were still dim. Nik had a new graphic on the TV. “These show the most likely routes de Silva’s cartel uses. If we can shut down any of these main hubs, not only will the Amatucci family gain control of those sectors, but we can help shut down the human trafficking in those regions as well.”
In the reflection off the TV, Momma’s eyes were twinkling and her smile was huge. “Nik, are you sure you don’t want a job?”
“Hey now,” I said as I helped Willow back to her chair. “I leave for a little bit, and you’re poaching my crew?”
Momma chuckled. “You had more important things to worry about. Besides, maybe Nik would like more challenges than her current employment can offer.”
I snorted. “I’ll give her more challenges. Not the Amatuccis.”
“And, if I get a say—you know, in my own life—I’ll stick to the mostly legal side of things at PC. I’m more than willing to dip my toes for the Amatuccis though.” She paused. “For all of you but Rafe. I’m still chapped how you spoke to me the first time.”
Turo slapped his youngest brother over the back of his head. “Were you rude?”
I laughed out loud. “Considering the welcoming I got from all of you that day, I think it’s safe to say he wasn’t on his best behavior.”
Rafe flipped me off. “I stitched you up, didn’t I? Do you even have a scar?”
I pulled my shirt up. “I’m still healing, asshole.”
Rafe shrugged that off. “Not my fault you don’t heal quickly.”
Willow grabbed my shirt, pulled it back down. She leaned up into my face. “My eyes only.” She smacked her lips to mine before turning back to Nik. “So, if the Amatuccis want to solidify control in those key areas, they could essentially rule those particular regions with very little kick back and probably a lot of local hospitality?”
Nik nodded. “Yeah, in a nutshell.”
Willow nodded. “Amatuccis, I leave those discussions to you. Have we finetuned the plans for the party?”
“Nik, if you would be willing to meet with us later, we would like to hear all of your information about the networks you’ve outlined here,” Turo said, his voice focused on business.
Nik hit the lights.
We all blinked against the glare.
“Sure. I can do that.” Her lips quirked. “Assuming my lazy boss will let me take some time off.”
I laughed. “Of course. Family first.”
Momma sighed happily. “Figlio, you make my heart happy.”
I winked at the older woman.
“Get the ring, ragazzo. I will not tell you again,” she said sternly.
“MOMMA!” Willow gasped. “Stop.”
Momma waved that away. “He says family first. He needs to marry my daughter if he wants to be family. And he needs to marry my daughter if he wants to continue to live.” She glared at Foster. “Keep that in mind, ragazzo.”
Tali sank down into her chair, her head in her hands, as Foster laughed.
My girl took pity on her sister. “So the gala. I’m all for the public humiliation we’re going to bring them. How do we keep them from rabbiting? Or are we going to do a firing squad line?” she asked, rubbing her hands together as her sage green eyes gleamed.
Turo chuckled. “Easy, sorella. We will have to get the NTPD involved. There will be no public executions or firing squads, more's the pity.”
“Oh!” Nik jumped back up. “I also found this…well, the collective found this.” She rushed back to her computer, slapped the lights again. “You mentioned that you didn’t know anything about psych evals or sessions?”
Willow nodded.
“I found them. On Winslow’s secure server. Apparently in addition to one each of a criminal and civil court judge, he’s got a double handful of dirty cops, and a whole slew of other civil servants, Winslow had two doctors on his list. One psychiatrist, one medical examiner.”
My brow furrowed. “Why did he have a psychiatrist on his payroll? Outside of trashing Willow’s name and credibility, I can’t imagine that it was very useful for him to have one pulling cash on a regular basis.”
“Because he was pulling from New Trenadie as his initial feeding ground. He was using the hospital’s community mental health clinic.”
Jessa sucked in a breath. “Jasmine?”
Nik shook her head. “No, J. I’m sorry.”
Jessa nodded. “It would have been too easy.”
Nico reached forward, put his hand on Jessa’s shoulder. She reached up and grabbed it.
“So the psychiatrist who supposedly treated me for mental illness is the same doctor who was trading humans for money to my fa—Winslow?” Willow asked.
Nik nodded. “And we’ve also got answers as to why that bitch cop was trying to blame you.”
“She’s on the list as well?” I asked.
Nik nodded. I could barely make her out in the glow of the TV. “Her, two of her subordinates, one guy in evidence, one in recovery, three beat officers, and a captain of a neighboring police department.”
“We definitely need to get Wright involved,” Nico said. “There’s no possible way we could solve that many problems without someone coming to ask questions.”
I nodded as Nik hit the lights again. Winced. “Damn, Nik. Some warning next time?” I rubbed my eyes.
She snorted.
“With the information Cricket found, can we trust Wright? Will he let us take the lead with this at the gala?” Turo asked.
I shrugged, looked at Nico. “You obviously know him better. What do you think?”
Nico grimaced. “The best we can do is present it to him. He’s not power hungry. But he is a rule follower. He’ll want everything above board. Triple checked. He might not be ready by the time the night of the gala rolls around.”
“Then we’ll just have to help him,” Willow said. Her voice was fierce. “We will take them down at that gala, with or without Jerrod’s help.”
“Si, figlia, si. We will make sure Beverly and Winslow pay publicly for their crimes,” Papa said softly.
I blinked at the promise inherent in those words. Two short sentences and he’d etched it with his blood in stone.
Momma looked at Papa. “Papa has spoken. We make it so.” She clapped her hands together once.
All the kids nodded.
Nico looked at me. “Looks like we’re making it happen on the night of the gala.”
The rest of the night wrapped up pretty quickly after that. There wasn’t much more to discuss without the District Attorney present.
Mas and Rafe helped hang the table on the wall. It was such an intricately designed piece of art, that had I not known it was also a table, I wouldn’t have even guessed at the dual function. Everyone carried his or her chair to one of the spare bedrooms down the hall by office.
They all lined up and gave hugs and cheek kisses as they left. Momma pulled me down, squeezed an arm around my neck. “Do not dawdle with the ring, ragazzo. Momma is serious,” she whispered in my ear.
My skin crawled at the sneak attack, but I quickly nodded so she would let go of me. Willow interceded, pulling her adopted mother off me. I stepped back, tried to get my breathing under control. I waved at Tali and Jessa as they passed by.
I couldn’t handle anyone else touching me right now. As soon as they were gone, I rushed into the bedroom. Went through the doors to the balcony. Lifting my face to the cooler night of approaching Autumn, I focused on my breathing.
“Hero?”
I couldn’t answer her.
“Ryker, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know she was going to grab you.” Willow came up behind me. “Do you want me to touch you or not?”
I nodded.
Her hands came around me in an instant. She gripped my shirt, pulled it up. Sliding her hands along the warm skin of my belly, I felt my insides relax.
My next breath was easier. It didn’t stick in my throat. Didn’t make my pulse pound in my ears. “I love your mother, but sweet fuck, she can’t just touch me whenever she wants.” I laid my hands over Willow’s. Pressed her fingers harder into my flesh.
Willow set her nails into my skin. Applied pressure. That sweet slide of pain that kept me from spiraling into the darkness that waited deep inside. The perfect blend of stability and chaos that told me I was safe. That I was alive.
The sweet pain from the love of my life.
“I’ll talk to her. Explain it,” Willow whispered into my back. “Are you okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I need to take a shower. A hot one.”
“Can I come or do you need to do that alone?”
I groaned. “You can come with me. But you can’t jump my body, no matter how irresistible you find me.” I turned around, kept her arms around me.
She pouted at me. “Then it might be better for me to wait until you’re done.” She smiled. “Because for tonight, for all the nights you’ve saved me, I really want to jump your bones and show you my appreciation.”
I laughed. “I’ll be quick like a bunny.” I kissed her nose.
“I’ll be waiting.”
Chapter 30 – Willow
I rinsed out my mouth, put my toothbrush away. The steamy outline of Ryker in the shower made the humidity in the room feel ten times hotter. That man would make Adonis look flabby.
I shivered and went back out to the bedroom. I wasn’t going to peep on my man, make a crappy situation even worse with my loitering. I clenched my teeth as I replayed Momma grabbing him tonight.
I could have slapped her silly. We were going to have a long talk. A heart to heart. Ryker wasn’t like her other sons. She couldn’t just touch him as if he were. He was special. Different.
I heard the water shut off as I slid between the covers of Ryker’s ginormous bed. I swear, it could eat my king size and still have room for dessert. It was honestly the most comfortable thing I’d ever slept in.
My man came out of the bathroom. The towel tucked low against his hips. I licked my lips imagining the taste of his skin right there in the V line that pointed the way to my personal heaven. Yum.
He flung his towel at me. “I feel like such a piece of meat.” His voice was pitched high as he flicked his imaginary long hair over his shoulder.
“I’m a carnivore, baby,” I said in my best man voice. “I’ll eat you right up.”
We both laughed. He slid some sleep pants on. Covering his delicious body from my eyes.
I looked up into his eyes. Saw the hesitation, the uncertainty. My guy didn’t want me to jump him tonight. I could fully understand that.
I flicked his corner of the covers back. “Remind me to ride you like a cowgirl in the morning, yeah?”
His face cleared as he slid into bed. “Yes, ma’am.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Was that supposed to be a southern drawl?”
He smiled, nodded. “If I got to watch TV, it was with Grams. She loved Westerns.” He pulled me into his arms after he turned the lights off. He pushed his face into my hair. Sighed.
“When are you going to tell Baxter to bring her home?” I asked.
“After the gala. I don’t want her around until this whole thing is resolved. It will be easier to move her fewer times as well.”
“You miss her.”
I felt him nod, his chin rubbing over my hair. “Yeah. I visited her every week. Usually on Wednesdays.”
“Why do you hide her at Good Shepherd?”
He sighed. “I don’t hide her, necessarily. She told me, before her illness got bad, to make sure she was far enough away to not be a bother. She wanted all new faces so she didn’t have to worry about forgetting the people she already knew. But demanded she still be close enough for me to come visit. She’s been there for almost a year now.”
I cuddled against him. “I can’t imagine losing anyone like that. By degrees. By inches.” I pressed a kiss to his chest.
“It sucks. And it's one of the worst things that’s ever happened to me. The gradual. Like you said, she’s dying by degrees. Sliding away in inches. The good days are becoming less frequent. The bad ones more normal.”
I gathered up my courage as an idea flashed through my mind. “If we were to get married—”
“I’m pretty sure you mean ‘when’ we get married,” he interrupted with a growl.
I snickered. “You didn’t let me finish, Mr. Bossy. If we were to get married soon, how quickly do you think we could put it together?”
His arms tightened around me so much, I struggled to breathe. I could feel the pounding of his heart under my cheek. The thud, thud, thud was heavy and racing. “Ryker…air,” I gasped.
He let me go with a curse. “Fuck, sorry.” He pulled away for a second. The light blinked on. “You’d do that? Get married faster so she could be there?”
I nodded. “I know—I see—how much she means to you, Ryker. Of course I would. Other than the Amatuccis, Jessa, Nik, and your mom, I’m not sure I need or even want anyone else there. Beverly arranged my last wedding. I want this one to be as small and easy breezy as possible.” I looked up into his face. “If that’s okay with you. Did you want a big wedding?”
He snorted. “Fuck no. You, Grams, Baxter, and a JOP is fine with me.”
My brows rose. “You don’t even want your mom? Your sister?”
He shrugged. “Sure, it would be nice. But it honestly wouldn’t bother me one way or the other if they weren’t there. Grams and Baxter are my must-haves.”
I smiled. “So less than twenty. We could do that pretty quickly.”
He sat up. Pulled me up with him. “Wait right here.” He jumped from the bed and went racing off.
I stared after him. If he was getting a pad of paper and pencil, I was going to murder him.
He rushed back in just as quickly as he’d taken off. He crawled up on the bed. He grabbed his phone up off the wireless charger. Stabbed at a few buttons. Music filled the air.
He stabbed at a couple more buttons. He turned the screen towards me. It was full of flickering candlelight and rose petals. He set the phone down between us. Rising up on one knee, he pulled something from his pocket.
My eyes widened as I gasped. “Ryker?”
He smiled. “Grams gave this to me when I turned twenty-five. Told me it was good luck. Told me I could only offer it to one girl.” He looked at me. “That girl is you.” He opened the ornate gold box. Inside was a ring that took my breath away.
A center oval diamond was surrounded by little half-moons of filigree. Inside each half circle was another diamond. The sides of the diamond were bracketed by a set of double round diamonds. A matching wedding band set with sapphires nestled directly below the engagement ring.
“Willow Koa Chase, the moment I met you, I kinda wanted to throw you down the stairs and storm away.”
I blurted a laugh.
He smiled. “But as soon as you fell into my arms I knew I was going to be forever changed by you. I just didn’t want to admit it. I am the jagged pieces to fill the broken holes of your heart. You are the light that banishes my darkness. Together we are whole.” He took a deep breath, his love shined from his eyes. “Will you marry me?”
I nodded as tears welled in my eyes. “Yes. I’ll marry you, Ryker Anthony Penn.”
He took the ring from the bisected pillow of the box. His hands were trembling the slightest bit as he slid the ring on my left ring finger.
It got stuck on my last knuckle.
I winced as he tried to shove it down. “We might need
to get it resized,” I said quickly.
He looked up at me. His eyes were a little wild as he shook his head. “You have to wear it. You have to wear it all the time.”
I grabbed his face in my hands, put my lips against his. I waited until I felt him settle down enough to hear me. “And I will. Every day. But Ryker, we could either damage it or get it stuck on my hand. Cut off the circulation. I could lose a finger.”
His eyes widened. “Yeah, we’ll get it sized.” He leaned his forehead against mine. “Sorry.”
I kissed him again. “Just because it’s not on my finger tonight, doesn’t mean I’m changing my mind. It just means I don’t want to lose a finger.”
He nodded, his cheeks the slightest bit pink. “I know. Sorry.”
The music from his phone caught my attention as it switched to a different tune. I chuckled as I grabbed it up. The ring glinted in the lights. It snared me with its beauty again.
I sighed.
Ryker put his head against mine. “You like it?”
I nodded. “I love it. It’s exactly what I would have picked for myself.”
He pressed his lips to my hair. “Then I guess great-Grams approves.” He pulled the phone from my hands, turned off the music.
I chuckled. “Music, flowers, one knee. You were paying attention.”
He laughed. “It might not have been exactly how you pictured it, but –”
I laid a hand over his lips. “It was perfect. I wouldn’t change anything about it.”
He kissed my finger. “But I do deliver.”
I laughed. Nodded. “Every time. In every way.”
“Do you want to sleep in it?” he asked.
I grimaced. “Yes and no. Yes, because it’s beautiful and you gave it to me. No, because I don’t want to damage the setting.” I held my hand out. “Here. You have to take it off. I’m not sure I can make myself do it.”
With a gentle smile, he reached up. Pulled at it. And pulled at it some more.
When he looked up at me again, surprise was in his eyes. “Shit. I think it’s stuck.”
