“Fucked us. Got Adriano shot. Got abducted so you could be raped and tortured by the guy who killed my sister.”
His words land like physical blows, knocking the air out of me.
“I’m sorry,” I breathe. “I wanted to see my Zia. I wanted to—”
“She didn’t have a choice man,” Archie slurs. “Parker was coming for her no matter what you guys did. He’d burn the world to the ground before he let you have her.”
With a growl like a dog Doc drags Archie to the floor, giving him a vicious kick in the side. “You know that shit because you helped Parker take her. You were in it all the way.”
“Nurghht,” Archie moans. “I brought her to you. I want that bastard dead.”
“You fucking liar.”
I climb to my feet as Doc kicks Archie in the back. I’m pretty sure he knows Archie’s telling the truth and he’s just venting his anger at my kidnapping. But I’m equally sure that won’t stop him beating Archie to death. I move to grab Doc’s shoulder, but before I can touch him, huge arms wrap around my waist lifting me into the air.
“January, JJ, Jay! Holy fucking Christ, you’re okay! I’ve got you! You’re okay!January!”
This relief isn’t an afterthought. This relief is a firehose pulsing through my body. “Bobby?”
“Yes, baby. It’s me. I’ve got you.”
He spins me around and I see it’s true. Roberto Bassilotta beams at me, as soft and steady as Doc is hard and manic. His hair is on end and his chocolate brown eyes are full of tears. He runs his fingertips across my cheek. “Jesus Christ, JJ. Tell me you’re okay. Tell me he hasn’t hurt you?”
But before I can answer he’s kissing my cheeks, my chin, my nose. It’s not romantic, it’s more like a Labrador snuffling you, loving you physically because it can’t say what it means in words. I let him kiss me, let him rub my arms and run his hands through my hair, dizzy with the knowledge that somehow Bobby is still on my side. That despite my betrayal he might protect me from the others. My mind flicks to Adriano in the hospital, yelling for me to run.
“Mr. Rossi,” I gasp. “Is he okay? Is he alive?”
Bobby presses his forehead into mine. “Yes, baby, he’s okay, but don’t think about that. Are you okay? Did Parker hurt you?”
There’s a dull thump and a moan of pain.
“Get her out of here,” Doc snarls. “I’ll finish this prick and come find you.”
“Okay—” Bobby begins but I tear myself away from him.
“Stop it,” I wail. “Stop hurting Archie! He and his brother got me out of Mr. Parker’s limo. They saved me.”
Bobby takes my arm. “No, JJ—”
“That’s what we were doing, Tits” Doc says, stomping on Archie’s leg. “We were tracking you. We would have gotten you back.”
Archie rolls on the floor, blood pouring down his face. “Parker was taking her to a private airstrip. He was in a military grade vehicle. You couldn’t have saved her.”
Doc presses his sneakered foot into Archie’s neck. “Shut the fuck up, rat.”
Archie shoves at Doc’s shin, trying to get him off. “Me an’ my brother rescued your girl. What kind of fuckin’ thank you is this?”
Bobby steps around me, squaring his shoulders. “The kind you get when you don’t explain yourself. Why’d you take January? And why’d you bring her here?”
“Because he’s a fucking rat.” Doc bends, grabbing Archie by his collar and hauling him up. “I don’t want an explanation. Whatever he and his fuckhead brother had planned can die with them.”
“You don’t unnerstan’,” Archie moans.
“I understand you and your prick clone work for Parker. Have done for years.”
“They wanted to leave!” I say. “Mr. Parker killed Archie’s friend!”
Doc shakes Archie like a rag doll. “I’ll kill his fucking friends. You know his twin’s the one who shot Adriano?”
