“Hands. Now.” He lifted the barrel and pointed it right at her face.
Her stomach lurched. Before she could drop the blanket, the door burst open, and three men rushed inside.
Rickert turned and fired at them.
She screamed and barreled into his shooting arm, smashing it against the truck. Strong arms grabbed her and yanked her away, and then she was off her feet and held against a muscular chest. The wrong chest. She looked up, shocked, as Rory Albertini squired her away from the gun and body on the floor to the other side of the shop, keeping her covered by the blanket.
She gasped and turned to see Bosco hit Rickert so hard he flew across the hood of the truck. “Bosco,” she whispered.
He turned to look at her, a wild and furious glint in his topaz-colored eyes. Cuts, bruises, and bumps covered him. “You okay?”
Numbly, she nodded.
He rounded the truck, picked Rickert up by the neck, and slammed him down onto the metal so hard it dented.
“Enough,” Detective Pierce ordered, not moving very quickly to stop him. He leaned over Denny and then rolled him, calling out. “We need an ambulance. Now.” He leaned down to apparently listen for Denny’s breathing. “Bosco? I mean it. Stop playing around.”
Oh, Bosco wasn’t playing. He lifted Rickert by the hair and threw him face-first into the wall. Rickert bounced back, flipped around, and caught a fist from Bosco in the gut. The sound of ribs breaking shattered the rough silence.
“Enough,” Pierce bellowed, just as two uniformed officers ran into the shop followed by more men who looked a lot like Bosco.
Bosco let Rickert slide to the floor and calmly stepped over him, walking toward her. He reached them and gently ran his bruised knuckles across her cheekbone. “How badly are you hurt?” Lifting the blanket, he looked over her form while Rory kept his gaze on the uniformed officers behind him.
“I’m okay.” Now that she was safe, tears gathered in her eyes. “I was so scared.”
“I know.” He gently lifted her out of Rory’s arms, keeping the blanket in place and wincing.
She sucked in air. “You’re hurt. Let me down.”
“Never.” He turned and strode past the police officers and what had to be his brothers to the misty night outside. “It happens fast with us Albertini brothers, you know.” Ducking over her, he protected her from the pelting snow.
“So I’ve heard.” She gave up trying to reason with him and just snuggled her face into the crook of his neck, breathing in his scent. Her body shook, probably from shock, and she let him protect her.
“Good.” He opened the passenger side door of a silver truck and stepped up, keeping her on his lap. He shut the door, and heat blasted from the vents, warming her. “So, here it is. I know this is fast, and I’m more than willing to give you all the time in the world for us. We can date, we can court, we can go at your speed.” He cuddled her closer, his heartbeat steady beneath her chin.
She blinked and looked over at the driver, who had black hair and twinkling greenish-blue eyes. “Hi.”
“Hi. I’m Knox. Thanks for taking care of my dog.” Knox grinned and put the truck in drive. “Are we headed to the hospital?”
“Yeah,” Bosco said, settling her more comfortably on his lap. “I want to get her checked out, and I think my stitches popped again.”
Knox drove away from the red and blue lights swirling from the emergency vehicles. “I’m sure the authorities will want to have another talk with you, anyway.”
Now that she was safe, all sorts of aches and pains were springing to life on her body. But she couldn’t get the sound of the gunshots out of her head. “What about Fabio?” she whispered. “He was so brave trying to save me, and Rickert shot him.”
Knox smiled, watching the road. “Tess called. Fabio is doing well and will be released tomorrow.”
Marlie sighed and relaxed against Bosco. She’d been so worried about the dog. “Oh. Okay.” Relief buzzed through her. “So, courting, huh?” Sounded good.
“Yeah,” Bosco breathed. “I figure we’ll get married in the spring.”
Knox laughed out loud.
Chapter14
Bosco settled Marlie on Nonna’s sofa while family members milled around, and at least two of his brothers kept spiking the punch over on the main table. Of course, the family knew it was spiked, so everyone kept the kids away from that bowl. Christmas music wafted throughout the space from hidden speakers, and the family was spread throughout the entire house, all eating, drinking, or goofing off. It was good to be home.
Marlie looked delectable in a red sweater and black slacks, a glass of red wine in her hand. Her arm was still bandaged but she was moving with ease even though she had to be sore from the explosion. “You are going to have to stop hovering over me.” She was cute, but even she didn’t sound like she believed that.
