“Where’s Miguel?”
“I’m afraid he’s tied up at the moment.”
“If you harm him?—”
“Now that depends solely onyou, cousin.”
“What do you want?” Julia already knew the answer, but she needed to hear it.
“Our grandfather requests the pleasure of your company.”
Julia crossed her arms. “Oh, really? Well, Gramps can shove his request up his ass because I have my own request.”
Alfredo Escobar laughed. “Oh, really?”
“I’ll accompany you to Mexico on one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“I want Gramps to kill Axis and Axalia Anderson.”
Alfredo Escobar’s expression changed from mild amusement to cold fury. “Fuck, no. He finds them useful. And I want Axalia.”
Julia almost gagged. Brielle let out a small gasp. “She’sseventeen.”
“And quite the woman. A consenting adult.”
“She and Axis are psychotic. Axalia will rip out your heart and eat it for breakfast.”
“Should make for an interesting relationship.”
“Then tell Gramps I want Axis’ head on a silver platter.”
“Why? He’s your half-brother. Your blood.”
“His blood doesn’t run through my veins. I feel nothing for him or Axalia. They deserve to pay for their crimes.”
Alfredo inclined his head. “You are more alike than you think.”
“Call Gramps right now. Make the offer.”
“Or what?”
“Or I’ll blow your head off,” Brielle declared. While Alfredo’s attention had been on Julia, she’d pulled out her gun. She released the safety catch. “Make the call.”
Something akin to respect entered Alfredo’s dark eyes. He yanked his cell phone from his back pocket. “Don’t shoot. I’m laying down my gun.”
“I think we should shoot him anyway,” Brielle said. “Just because of what he’s probably done to Miguel.”
“It’ll be good sport. We can send his body to Gramps.”
Alfredo scowled. The call went through, and he put it on SPEAKER. “Grandad, I’m with Julia. She’s willing to accept your invitation if you cut off Axis Anderson’s head and give it to her on a silver platter.”
In the background they heard shrieks of laughter.Axis and Axalia.
General Escobar guffawed. “Julia, are you listening? Come do it yourself. Alfredo, take me off SPEAKER.” Whatever he said to Alfredo caused his face to darken with determination. “Yes, General.”
Alfredo quickly lifted his gun off the coffee table. “Playtime is over, ladies. Come with me now, Julia, or Miguel Rivera is a dead man.” He took a step forward.
