Page 45 of Snow Good to Lose
I opened the door. Dead men littered the back deck and grounds. The makeshift kitchen continued to burn.
We scampered back the way we'd come, pausing before turning the corner and skirting the side of the house. We ran to the paved driveway.Carlos’ Mercedes pulled up two seconds later as planned. Only he was driving.
Gusmaro sat in the passenger seat, bleeding. Miguel was nowhere in sight.
I opened the door and pushed Amari in. She scooted across the seat; I climbed in after her.
Carlos took off before I closed the door.
“You get it done,” Carlos screamed, sweat pouring off him. His hair was a mess, and the car smelled like gunpowder and blood. He held out his hand. I pressed the thumb drive into his palm. He chuckled and put the thumb drive in his pocket.
“Gusmaro, man.” I adjusted to check him out. “You okay?”
“No, goddammit.” He groaned. “I got shot.” He chuckled and groaned again.
The blood seeped into his shirt around his shoulder. His breath was steady, and he wasn’t in current distress. He’d be alright.
“Well, that was fun.” Carlos cackled. I shook my head and looked back at Amari.
She blinked, dipped her head, and licked her lips. I knew the look all too well.
My girl was turned on. She crawled onto my lap and our lips crashed together.
“Who’s the masochist now?”
She didn’t answer; she kissed me instead.
* * *
We drovefor another hour to the airstrip. The plane waited to take Carlos and his men back home. Another to take Amari and I anywhere we wanted to go.
Mr. McCoy and Anna stood out in the middle of it all, looking misplaced and confused.
“Your dad’s here.” I turned to Amari. “You want to talk to him?”
She nodded.
We climbed out of the car. Amari took my hand and held it tight as she made her way through the throngs of people to where her father stood.
“Sweetheart.” Mr. McCoy came toward her. She stopped, putting me between her and her father.
“I told you not to call me that.” She spoke loud and firm. “In fact, don’t call me at all. Stay away from me.”
“Amari.” He used the wrong tone. She no longer needed me to protect her. She was ready to stand up on her own. I’d always have her back, though.
“No. You have no more leverage left, Dad.” The way she saiddadmade me flinch. “I don’t belong to you anymore. You might as well grieve me again, because I am dead to you.”
“You don’t understand.” Anna stepped forward.
“What is there to understand?” She held her hands up. “You sold me and for what? Money, power, all the things you already had, and now you have nothing. Including me.” She stepped closer to him. “I never want to see you again.” She walked past him and climbed the steps into the plane.
“Caden, where are you guys going?” He placed his hand on my chest. “Let me come with you. She doesn’t understand.”
“You're right, she doesn’t.” I pulled the envelope out of the back of my pants and handed it to him. “She will, though.”
He stared at the envelope as if it had snakes coming out of it.
“Go ahead, take it.” I shook it and one photo became a little more visible. “What’s in that envelope doesn’t justify your actions in the slightest, but I’ll tell Amari what I found. Don’t try to find us. If she wants to forgive you, she’ll find you.”
