“God, you look sexy like that,” I growl, unable to stop myself.
Stephanie blushes, a soft smile tugging at her lips, but her eyes flick to Jackson.
He still has his face tucked firmly against my neck, his arms forming the most gentle choke hold I’ve ever been put in.
“Stay close behind me,” I warn. “And be ready for anything.” Trading out my knife for a gun of my own, I slowly lead the way back up the stairs and into the room above.
When we reach the door to the hall, I press my back against the wall, carefully peering around the corner to ensure no one is coming.
Then I shift my hold so I can keep Jackson’s forehead gently pressed against my throat.
With a silent nod from Stephanie, confirming that she’s ready, I step out into the hall—and across the first dead body as I head toward the door.
Stephanie gasps as she follows, her eyes flying wide and her free hand going to her mouth to cover her shock.
Jackson tenses against me, his neck straining slightly as he tries to lift his head, but I keep him tucked closely beneath my chin as I whisper reassurances in his ear.
Then we’re rounding the corner, the grisly sight behind us.
“Thank you,” Stephanie says, her tongue darting out to wet her lips as she tips her chin toward Jackson, silently indicating that she’s grateful I didn’t let him see what she did.
I nod, then slowly sink to one knee. “Okay, bud,” I murmur, setting Jackson on his feet so I can look him in the face. “I need you to do me a favor now. We’re going to sneak out of here veryquietly, okay? But to keep your mom safe, I’m going to need you to stick by her side and stay behind me. Can you do that for me?”
Jackson nods, his green eyes wide and grave.
“And if I tell you to do something, you do exactly what I say. Got it? If I tell you and your mom to run, you do it. You stay right by her side, and you don’t look behind you.”
“Okay,” he whispers.
“I knew I could trust you,” I say, flashing him a quick grin as I chuck him under the chin.
“Gio?” he says, and I pause to stay eye level with him.
“Yeah, buddy?”
“I’m really glad you’re here.”
If words alone could bring me to my knees, that would do it. I choke down my emotion as I clear my throat. “Me too. Now, let’s move.”
I give Jackson a gentle nudge in Stephanie’s direction, and she pulls him close against her, pressing a kiss to the crown of his head as she passes me the second gun.
Then I take point, checking carefully around each corner as I guide them through the maze of rooms and hallways to the garden door I came in through.
The fountain in the koi pond trickles softly, and the sound of cicadas fills the still night air.
The peaceful sound makes my stomach knot—because it means our time is up.
The distraction is over.
I only hope my brothers got away.
Now it’s our turn, and I keep my footsteps soft, my body low to the ground as I lead the way across the yard to the nearest point in the wall that we can scale.
We reach the perimeter without incident, and as we breathe heavily from the effort of being both quick and quiet, I tuck my guns back into their holsters and create a stirrup with my hands.
“You first,amore,” I say, nodding to Stephanie.
But she hesitates, glancing at the wall then down at Jackson. “I can’t leave him,” she says, the first true sign of fear flashing in her green eyes.
