Page 86 of The Woman with the Target on her Back (Grassi Family)

“Baby, you don’t have to explain it to me. I don’t know anyone but my mother’s number by heart,” I admitted. “And my siblings, but only because our numbers are all just a digit apart,” I added.

“What are we supposed to do?” she asked.

We.

Fuck.

I liked the sound of that way more than I could have realized.

“I would like to call a cousin of mine to see if she can look at you,” I told her.

“I’m fine.”

“I know you feel fine right now, but a lot of that could be adrenaline and shock,” I reasoned. “It won’t take long. She can come here. Please,” I added, watching her defenses slip a bit. “We can’t help your father and uncles, if they need our help, if your shock wears off, and you collapse or something, right?” I asked.

To that, she exhaled hard.

“Okay. But only if it’s quick,” she said. “It’s an hour back there again,” she added.

“I need to get Aurelio too,” I reminded her.

“Right. Okay. Alright,” she agreed, nodding.

“Hey,” I said, reaching to put my hands over hers again. “We are going to figure this out. We just need to give it forty minutes, an hour. Then we will be on our way.”

“Yeah,” she agreed, swallowing, then wincing.

“How about I get you something to drink while I make the calls?” I asked. “You want cold or warm?” I asked.

I’d never been strangled. I had no idea what would feel better for that.

“Warm,” she said.

“Coffee work? I don’t think I have tea.”

“Yeah,” she agreed, pulling her legs up onto the couch, and wrapping her arms around them.

“I’ll be right back,” I said, patting her knee before I made my way out of the room.

“Aren’t you sick of me yet?” Aurelio answered.

“Get over here,” I barked as I brewed a fresh pot of coffee.

“What’s going on?” he asked, all the humor gone.

“Traveler is here. She was attacked. I need to call Lettie. Then we need to go back to her town to see what the fuck is going on.”

He didn’t ask a million questions.

“Do you want me to get Milo to come with us?” Aurelio asked.

I heard sniffling coming from the front of the house.

“Yes,” I decided.

We were going to end this.

Once and fucking for all.

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