Page 51 of Fight Me Daddy

"Jesucristo," I muttered.

Amadeo turned to me. "Since when do you say that?"

I blinked at him, confused until I realized what I'd said. Calix. I was around him way too much. I shrugged at my brother. His gaze lingered before he turned back toward the building.

"So far I've found a few leads," I said redirecting the conversation before I could become the subject of it. "Whoever these people are, they're smart. They're covering their asses well and they have some powerful people in their pocket to be able move around Atlanta this undetected."

Ama rubbed his right temple. "Shit, shit, shit!" he snapped before he blew out a deep breath. "We need more than that, Gabe. Leave Calix alone and put your focus on this."

I jolted before I glanced at him. "Is that wise?"

"What do you mean?"

I shrugged. "You know, letting him off the hook could send a bad message to everyone else we loan to. If they see one person got away, they'll think they can do it too. That makes it a hell of a lot harder to collect debts in the future.”

"Is that it?" Amadeo asked as he gazed at me. "You want to stay beside him because you want to uphold the ways of our family? Or is it because there's something going on between the two of you?"

Amadeo knew something was up. If he didn't, he wouldn't have said anything. I stiffened but tried to appear relaxed as I turned toward him.

"There's nothing going on between Calix and me."

"Hmm." Amadeo nodded, but his face screamed he didn't believe a damn word of what I was saying. "Don't get too close."

I scoffed. "I'm sorry, what is this? Fucking deja vu? Wasn't I the one that told you not to get too close to your boy toy a little while ago?"

"Yes, and I didn't listen," Ama said as he shook his head. "That almost got everyone I loved killed because I was distracted. Don't make the same mistake as me." He laid a hand on my shoulder. "We look out for each other, we always have. But you've changed lately."

"How?" I asked in disbelief.

"You're secretive and distant, Gabe. Not to mention you disappear for hours and you're not reachable. I could name a hundred other things but the truth is that you know you're different. Just...be careful."

I shrugged his hand off of me. "I'm always careful."

Amadeo searched my face, but he only shook his head and turned back toward the building. The tension between us built. Dario's head swiveled between us, but neither one of us spoke. The longer I stood there, the more anger crawled up my spine as I clenched my fist.

“Don’t put these deaths on me,” I said through gritted teeth. “I won’t be told I’m responsible for this shit. We both know I’m doing the best I can.”

“I never said you did,” Ama snapped. “Don’t put words in my mouth, little brother.”

It took everything for me to shut up. One more word from Amadeo and I would swing on him. For once, just once, I'd let someone cloud my judgment and fill my time and now I would pay for that with unspoken words and accusatory gazes.

I shoved my sleeves up my arms. "I'm going inside to speak to the fire department and see what else I can learn," I said as I walked forward. "And I'm going to figure out who did this even if it kills me."

"That's not what I'm asking for," Ama said. "I just want you to remember your job and where your loyalties lie at the end of the day."

Like you did with Six?

The hypocrisy made me want to slap my brother. Apparently, only he was allowed to fall in love and live some version of a normal life. I had thought that future was impossible for me, but now that I had a taste I craved it.

I’d keep my head down and plow ahead. But when all was said and done, I would put Calix first.

Even if it got me killed.

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