“That isn’t as easy as it sounds in romance novels,” Julia remarked as they rinsed the soap from their bodies.
“No, ma’am. I think I strained something.”
“Oh, I hope not because I’m not finished with you yet.”
“Good God, woman,” he said again.
They made love one more time. Julia eased into his arms, and he kissed her temple. “I’m so in love with you I can barely breathe, Jules.”
“Oh, Miguel.” His name ended on a sigh of deep contentment. “Do you believe in Providence?”
“Yes. We were destined for each other.”
“I fall more in love with you each day. With every glimpse you give me of your heart.”
“Same here.” He kissed her lips, swollen and bruised with passion, and raised himself into a sitting position, drawing herup with him. “Jules, what happened when you spoke with your grandfather?”
She ran a hand through the tangled mass of her hair. “He explained that my father’s death was an accident. There’s more, but the gist of my conversation was that Axis and Axalia are my problem, and it’s up to me to solve it.”
“How?”
“A fight to the death between the four of us.”
“Son of a bitch! Does he think we’re in a movie? That’s his solution?” Anger surged through Miguel.
“Well, to be fair, he did offer another option. He’ll help us take Axis and Axalia into custody.”
“And we’re right back where we started. They’ll avoid trial and end up in another mental institution. Even if they’re sent to separate facilities, they’re too crafty and manipulative to be allowed any type of freedom. So, they spend the rest of their lives chained to a wall? And you and I and Trey spend the rest of ours watching them? That’s no way for any of us to live, Jules.”
Julia furrowed her eyebrows. “Miguel, you said yourself that we’re not coldblooded killers. We’re not monsters.”
“Killing them in cold blood would mean walking right up to them and shooting them dead. General Escobar’s solution does make a sick kind of sense. We’ll be forced to defend ourselves.”
Julia rose on her haunches so she could face him. “Are you saying—” Disbelief resonated in her voice.
“That we should accept the challenge? Yeah.”
“Miguel, you’re not one hundred percent. The General is only giving you three days to get into shape if we agree to this.”
“Jules, during the past four years we’ve been working with Justice, he’s taught us how to fight better and smarter. Trust me, I can be in shape in three days.” He grinned. “I just can’t have sex, though.”
She let out a cute little laugh that sent his blood racing straight to his cock. “Okay, Rocky. I guess we’d better make the most of tonight. That is, if you’re ready for round four.”
Miguel rolled her beneath him. “Baby, I intend to go the distance with you.”
Shortly after dawn,Julia slipped out of his bed and went to her room across the corridor. He noticed he hadn’t been locked in like previously. Julia had left her cell phone so he contacted Justice.
“Good morning, Chief.”
“Good morning, Chief?” Justice sputtered. “Fuck, Miguel, is that all you’re going to say?”
“No. I was going to add that Julia and I are okay. We’re guests of General Escobar, not prisoners.”
“What did you do? Sweet talk him?”
Miguel chuckled. “No. I saved his grandson’s life when a rival cartel attacked us in Tijuana. I haven’t spoken to him face to face yet. Julia met with him last night. Uh, Justice, wearein a bit of a bind, though.”
Quickly, he explained the General’s proposal and held the cell phone away from his ear as Justice railed at him and the absurdity of the situation.
