Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80014 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80014 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
While my brother repacked his large first aid kit, I finally got why they’d brought him along. He was our field medic, and if that rescue operation had gone south, he might have had his hands full.
When we pulled up in front of Romy’s apartment a couple of minutes later, I got out with him and gave him a hug as I whispered, “Thank you for helping. But if you ever put yourself in danger again because of me—”
“Try and stop me. I love you, Reno. Get some rest, and see a doctor tomorrow. You look terrible.”
I grinned a little and said, “Maybe,” as I climbed back into the SUV. He rolled his eyes, because he knew what my version of “no” sounded like.
Finally, we drove to the vacation home the Dombrusos had rented. It was just too much effort to haul ourselves out to my house in the desert, so Jack and I decided to spend the night.
When we got inside, I was introduced to Josh and Darwin, who’d been in on the rescue mission and had gotten home minutes ahead of us. Then I was crushed in an embrace by a little old lady in a pink track suit. After she squeezed the hell out of me, she held me at arm’s length and said, “Let me look at you.” There were tears in her dark eyes as she nodded and told me, “Yup, you’re definitely a Dombruso. You look just like the rest of my grandsons. We have so much to talk about, kiddo.”
“Tomorrow, Nana. He and Jack are dead on their feet.” Dante handed me a couple of bottles of water and some ibuprofen as he told me, “Go on upstairs and pick out any of the empty bedrooms. We’ll see you in the morning.”
I paused and took a good look at him for the first time. He was a little taller than me, and his coloring was darker, but he looked so much like me that it was eerie. There was a lot I wanted to say to him, but for now I left it at, “Thank you, Dante. For everything.” I turned to Vincent, who could practically be Dante’s twin, and said, “Thank you, too. I won’t forget what both of you did for me today.”
Vincent shrugged and said, “Happy to help.” He was so casual about it, as if he’d just helped me carry some groceries into the house, instead of saving my life.
I handed Jack the bottles of water and the Advil, and then I picked him up and carried him upstairs. At the same time, Nana started cussing a blue streak and chewing out Dante and Vincent for leaving her behind on the rescue mission. I liked her already.
Once we reached an unoccupied bedroom, I closed the door behind us with my foot, carried Jack across the room, and sat him on the edge of the bed. After I gave him a few pills and he washed them down with water, I told him I’d be right back and hurried into the adjoining bathroom.
I returned a few moments later with a dry towel and a wet one. Then I knelt in front of him and cleaned his feet one at a time as I asked, “What happened to your shoes, baby?”
He mumbled, “I left them with the bike I used to ride up to the compound. They were squeaky, and I needed to be quiet while I was trying to find you. We knew we were in the right place because Josh flew his camera drone over the property beforehand, and I recognized one of the men who’d shot up the bar. But we didn’t know where exactly they were keeping you.”
I helped him strip off his soiled outfit before tucking him into bed. He fell asleep almost immediately, and I went and took a long, hot shower.
When I came back to the bedroom, I shut off the overhead light. I could still see Jack in the light spilling from the bathroom, and I moved a chair beside the bed and watched him while he slept.
As tired as I was, I couldn’t quiet my mind enough to sleep just yet. Instead, I drained one of the bottles of water and leaned back in the chair with a heavy sigh.
My head was pounding. Since I’d been knocked unconscious earlier that day, I probably had a concussion. Just about everything else hurt too, including my wrists, which were raw and chafed from the ropes. And my bruised ribs ached on every inhale, thanks to a hard punch from one of Greco’s lackeys.
But I’d gotten damn lucky today, and I knew it. If Greco hadn’t been out of town when I was captured, he probably would have tortured the hell out of me. He might have even killed me.