Page 91 of You, Me, & Après-Ski
“You still have a chance,” she said softly, “if you want it.”
When she dropped her gaze and studied her shoes, afraid to look me in the eye, my heart clenched. I tipped her chin up until those gorgeous eyes found mine. “You are what I’ve always wanted, Valeria.”
A small smile lifted the corners of her mouth and she pressed her lips to mine in a kiss so soft and sweet, it filled up every empty part of me.
“Let’s get Juanito back and then we can talk.”
Chapter 34
VAL
“I’mprettysureyoubroke about a hundred laws to get us here,” I said, gripping the oh-shit bar in the passenger seat as Nolan zipped through traffic and ran countless orange lights. Diego just snorted from the coupe’s cramped back seat.
The whole drive had been tense. Quiet. All of us trapped in our own heads as we prepared for what we were about to face. When we arrived at the dumpy motel, we parked down the road away from the street lights. It was dusk and the increasing shadows provided decent cover.
“That’s Hal’s car.” I pointed to a shitty El Camino that was one of a few cars in the lot. The dummy hadn’t even tried to swap cars. As I swept clammy hands through my tangled hair, a nervous sweat broke out on the back of my neck. To calm myself, I studied Nolan’s profile. Backlit by distant streetlights and with the red of a traffic light reflecting on his tan skin, he looked like an avenging angel sent straight from hell to mete out his vengeance. Holding the steering wheel in a death grip, he looked ready to explode with wrath.
Several minutes later, the rumble of tailpipes approached and a couple rough-looking bikers parked a block away.
“There’s our backup,” Nolan said. Then he turned to me, brushing a hand across my cheek. “Stay here.” He got out of the car, his hand onthe gun hidden under his shirt. Diego climbed into the front seat and followed him, his own weapon tucked in his pants.
“Like hell,” I mumbled and got out too.
Both men glared at me over the top of the car, and I glared right back. “This is our little brother. And that’s our mom, as much as I wish she wasn’t. Maybe I can talk them down.”
A muscle feathered in Nolan’s jaw, and he exchanged a look with Diego. “Your sister, your call.”
With a scoff, Diego said, “Like she’d listen to me,mano. C’mon.”
When we reached the bikers, they looked even scarier up close. They were some of the biggest men I’d ever seen, covered in tattoos and battle scars, the tell-tale bulge of weapons visible under their leather cuts. Nolan and Diego gave them that dude-nod that guys did in greeting.
“You with the Switchblades?” Nolan asked.
The largest of the men responded with a grunt. “We’re associates.”
“Thanks for coming,” Diego said, offering a hand. The man eyed it for a moment, then shook it.
“Don’t much care for kidnappers—at least not when it’s actual kids,” the man said. “We’ll watch your back if things go sideways, but if the cops show up, we’re out.”
“Understood,” Nolan replied.
“See you on the other side, then.” The guy crossed his arms and glanced at his two men, who moved down the block to keep a lookout.
Then Nolan, Diego, and I were walking toward the motel. “Stay behind us,” Diego said to me. I wanted to brush him off, but my fear beat a stuttering rhythm in my chest, so staying behind them sounded like a good idea.
Nolan knocked on the room in front of Hal’s car, keeping one hand poised on the gun in his waistband. Diego, however, looked more casual,as if he was accustomed to doing things like this. It had me wondering what kind of jobs he took to pay for Juanito’s meds.That’s a follow-up conversation for later.Looking at those two, ready to go to battle, I gulped. There was certainly no love lost with Antonella, but I didn’t want tokillher. Hopefully she’d come quietly.
A few seconds later, the motel room door cracked open, held back by the safety chain. Hal’s ruddy face appeared in the slit. When he recognized me and Diego, his eyes bulged and he moved to slam the door shut—
Nolan’s hand shot out and caught it, all of his teeth flashing in a cutting smile. “Hi, Hal. I believe you have something of ours.”
“Who the fuck are you?” asked Hal in a gruff voice.
“Doesn’t fucking matter,” Nolan said. But the look on his face said,Your worst fucking nightmare.Nolan opened his mouth to say more, but Diego took over.
“You’re going to open this door and let Juanito leave, or I’ll call the police and send you and Antonella to prison for the rest of your pathetic lives.Me oyes, cabrón?” Diego said the words calmly without a shred of malice, and that was somehow scarier than Nolan’s outright animosity.Who’s this guy and what did he do with my brother?
Hal’s face rivaled the redness of a tomato and he had a crazed look in his eyes. I took that moment to jump in. “If Antonella wants more time with Juanito, we can arrange it,” I lied. “But taking him without permission? That looks bad to a judge. And you don’t want that, right?”
