Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 77160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
He and his brother headed out, and I reached for Roe, pulling her up into my arms.
“I can walk, you know.” But she leaned against my shoulder.
“You’re gonna need to let me take care of you. It’s the only way I’m not gonna be eaten alive with guilt.”
“I’m okay.”
“You don’t need to keep saying that,” I said, lowering her onto the edge of the bed. “It’s alright to feel like shit when you got punched in the face.”
“In that case, I kind of feel like shit.”
“We’ll see what we can do about that,” I said, leaving her for just a second so I could get the bags Remo’s brother had brought. “Looks like he hooked you up. He’s got a good eye for comfort shit, considering he doesn’t have any sisters.”
“Didn’t you say his mom has some health struggles? Maybe that’s how. Is there something comfy to wear?”
“Looks like he got you pajama pants and this sweater. Holy shit, is that soft.”
She took it, rubbing it against her sore face and letting out a little whimper.
“Got socks made of the same material too. And a blanket. You’ll be in a cocoon of comfy.”
With that, I helped her shimmy out of her tight dress and stockings, then slip into her new outfit, before covering her with the blanket.
“I know you have things to do, but can you hold me for just a few minutes?”
She had some pain meds (the good kind) working through her system. She was probably already getting sleepy.
So I toed off my shoes, climbed on the bed, and pulled her into my arms.
“Oh!” she said, shooting up. “Whoa,” she added, pressing her palm to her aching forehead.
“What’s wrong?”
“Alley.”
“Your cat?”
“What if someone hurts her because of me?”
“Okay. I will have Remo send someone over to get your cat and bring her somewhere safe until we figure out what we’re doing.”
“Soon?”
“As soon as Remo comes back, I promise.”
“Thank you,” she said as she rested back against me.
Just two or three minutes of stroking her hair had her body going lax against me.
I heard Remo come back, but I held her for another minute or two before sliding out from under her and walking back into the common area to find Remo sitting at the dining table, a tray of coffee in front of him.
“I need someone to go get Roe’s cat. She’s worried someone might hurt her.”
“I can do that.”
“You have somewhere to stash her?”
“She can stay at my place. Someone’s always in and out of there to take care of her.”
“Thank you. I know there’s a lot of shit going on, but I think your ass needs to catch an hour or two of sleep.”
“I’ve gone longer without,” he said, reaching for a coffee.
“Tell me what you need.”
“I need to find Dom. That other shit, with Frank, with the people I suspect he’s in debt to, that can wait. But I need to find Dom and know he’s safe.”
“Where is your head on that?”
“The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced it was the woman. So I got men in her room. But she hasn’t been back. Have one of my brothers tracking down someone who can do some facial recognition.”
“So you’re doing everything you can right now.”
“It’s not enough.”
“It’s all you can do.”
“I located the pit boss. She’s getting moved to a safe house for the time being. She ain’t happy about it, but at least we don’t have to worry about her for the time being.”
“Are you stretched too thin? Do you want me to call my brothers down here to have some extra hands?”
“If we don’t hear from Dom tonight, I’ll call Luca myself.”
“Okay. What can I do?”
“I want you here, keeping her safe. These guys are vicious. And they’re going to be extra motivated to find her now. You’re strapped, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t think they’d be messy enough to bring a shooting to a hotel with the level of security there is here. But I want to be prepared for any possibility.”
“Alright. I’m heading out,” he said, draining one coffee, then reaching for another. “Figure your girl will be out cold for a while, so I’m stealing this. Keep your phone charged. Think shit will be coming in fast now.”
With that, he was gone.
On the one hand, I felt guilty. I wanted to be out there helping.
On the other, though, I wanted to be exactly where I was.
I made my way back into the room, plugging in my phone, then climbing onto the bed with Roe, just holding her as she slept, half watching the TV and half watching the damn bruises on her face darken with each passing hour.
As they did, I knew down to my fucking marrow that the bastard who did it had to pay.
And I wanted to be the one to cash in.