Page 31 of Snow Good to Lose
Caden
Amari’s scream made my blood turn cold. I turned. Figured I deserved to see who had caught up with us.
I palmed the gun in my lower back.
“Uh-uh.” Carlos grabbed my gun and cocked it. He pointed it at my head.
“No,” Amari yelled and darted toward me. Johnny Sinezilio grabbed her around the waist. She clocked him solidly in his shin with a swift kick.
“Fuck.” He doubled over and dropped her. She scrambled to get her feet under her and took off.
Two guys grabbed her. She punched and kicked and screamed. “Get the fuck off of me.”
“Stop,” Carlos yelled. “Tell her to calm down.” Carlos nudged me with my own gun.
I grunted.
He pointed the gun at Amari.
My heart stilled. I grabbed my chest and sighed.
“Amari,” I yelled. She didn’t stop fighting. She wore the two guys out. “Amari, baby. Stop fighting. Don’t worry. It’s going to be okay.”
Johnny stood to the side frowning. His pale skin splotched from anger or embarrassment. I couldn’t tell.
Amari got in one more good punch. The guy holding her down let go to collect the blood rushing from his nose.
I smirked.
“Amari, calm down.” Carlos walked toward her. “I’ve made a deal with your father. I promised him you would be returned to him unharmed.”
“Fuck you,” Amari screamed in Carlos’ face.
To his credit, he didn’t flinch.
“I like her.” He turned back toward me.
The guys had Amari by the arms. She punched out, barely missing Carlos’ head. I loved her fight, but if she hit Carlos, he would have hit her back or worse. His deal with her dad be damned. And we both would have surely died, because if he laid a hand on her, I was going to kill him.
“What kind of deal?” I crossed my arms over my chest. It helped me maintain control. Every muscle in my body twitched to fight my way out, but it would put Amari in danger.
Carlos grinned and looked around at his crew. They all giggled.
“Easy.” He shrugged. “I hand his daughter back over to him and kill you. I get a percentage of the southwest U.S.”
Amari whimpered.
“How much of a percentage?” I asked.
Carol laughed.
“Come on, old friend. Tell me what I’m worth.” I scratched my chin. If you’d asked me before tomorrow if Carlos would trade me for territories or money, I would have said no. I gave him too much credit. He had turned into his father.
“Fifteen percent.”
“That’s all.” I nodded.
“I was being generous; the entire detail calls for forty percent. I credit Amari here with the other twenty-five.” He waved my gun around like it was a toy.
