My mother smirks at Ted. “We might be old ladies, but we get the job done.”
Ted laughs and shakes his head at her. Giovanni is cuffed and dragged out of the building, complaining the whole way about old ladies who carry bricks in their purses, and how he’s going to sue the department for using excessive force. The ambulance arrives moments later and Vinnie is strapped to a gurney and wheeled outside.
My mother and her friends are taken away to go down to the police station to answer questions, and when it’s finally quiet, Ted turns to me.
“Care to enlighten me on why you whispered an apology into the mic and we never heard anything that happened in here?”
Before I can inform him that taking off that mic most likely saved my life, I hear my name shouted, and I turn to see Matt running toward me. I turn just as he gets to me, scooping me up into his arms and crushing me to him.
“Jesus Christ. Thank God. Kennedy wouldn’t let me anywhere near this place, and when she got a phone call that shots were fired, I thought I was going to lose my mind.”
Matt pulls me away from him and runs his hands over my head, my face, my arms, and every part of me he can reach, checking for injuries.
“It’s okay. I’m okay,” I reassure him as his fingers lightly skim the bruise that I’m sure is now forming on my cheek from Vinnie’s punch.
“Where is that asshole? I’m going to kill him,” Matt says.
“Don’t worry. My mother already got a head start. She shot him in the leg.”
Matt glances over at Ted in surprise.
“It’s true. Paige’s mom and her friends snuck in the back and took care of business, angry-old-lady style: with a couple of handbags and a revolver,” Ted tells him.
“Wow. Now I’m kind of regretting not bringing my dad with me. He’s got a cane that he’s not afraid to use,” Matt adds.
“Paige, I’ll give you guys a few minutes. Meet me down at the station as soon as you can.”
Ted pats me on the back and then walks out of the church.
As soon as he’s gone, Matt pulls me back up against him and runs the palm of his hand down the back of my head.
“I don’t know what I would have done if anything happened to you today. I know we haven’t known each other very long and you’re probably going to think I’m saying this because of the fear of losing you, but I swear I’m not. I wanted to tell you a few days ago but I chickened out.”
My heart thumps wildly in my chest. I pull back and stare up into Matt’s face, bringing my hand up to cover his mouth.
“Not yet. I want to say it too, but not while I’m a complete mess with Vinnie DeMarco’s blood on my pants,” I tell him with a smile.
Matt brings his hand up and brushes my hair off of my cheek. “Paige McCarty, you would still be beautiful to me even if you had blood on my favorite pair of black Guccis.”
Standing up on my tiptoes with a smile on my face, I wrap my arms around Matt’s neck and bring his head down to mine.
“Shame on me for ever thinking you were anything like my ex.”
Right before our lips touch, Matt suddenly pulls back and stares down at me. “Speaking of Andy. Where the hell is he?”
Just then, we hear a door slam open behind us. We turn to see Andy, tied to a chair, hopping and sliding his way across the floor toward us.
“Hello?! A little help here!” Andy shouts as he looks back and forth between us.
Matt tightens his hold on me and shakes his head while we stare at him struggling.
“You were supposed to help me, Paige! I’ve been tied to a chair fearing for my life and you’re out here snuggling. I had to kick that door open all by myself and I’m pretty sure I just broke my toe. You don’t even care that I almost died!” Andy complains as he continues to jump the chair closer to us, inch by inch.
Matt leans down and kisses me on the top of my head. He grabs my hand and we walk toward Andy.
“Would it be wrong for me to kick his ass when he’s tied to a chair?” Matt whispers.
Andy continues to struggle, trying to get out of the bindings, and shoots us another dirty look when we finally get to him.
“Oh, my God, I can’t feel my hands! You guys, I CAN’T FEEL MY HANDS! I can’t live without my hands!” Andy whines.
“If you don’t kick his ass, I will,” I mutter to Matt as we begin untying Andy.
CHAPTER 22
All right, Paige, I think we’ve got everything we need. Thanks for coming down to the station. I’m sure you’re ready to get home and relax,” Ted tells me as he turns off the recorder in the conference room. We stand up from the table and head toward the door.
It’s definitely been a long day. I’m exhausted and dirty and I just want to take a hot shower, preferably with Matt.
“Thanks for trusting me to do this today. Even if I screwed everything up,” I say to Ted as he holds open the door to the interview room so I can go out in front of him.