AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As much as possible, I try to hide my fear. “So, what now?”
“I never said I would enlighten the woman caring for Braulio’s child on my thought process, did I?”
But I need to know. At least for poor Franco’s sake.
“Will you kill him?”
Jaguar’s eyes flash. “Ah, so that’s what this is really about. Are you here to beg for Braulio’s life? Should I tell you a cautionary tale?” He flexes his hand against my thigh, his lips tilting in a playful smirk. “There once was a man who dared to cross me. You might have heard of him, in fact. Roy Pavalos, the once glorified patron of our fair corner of Texas.”
An icy dread washes over me. Pedro mentioned him, according to the rumors, Domino ended his attempts to weasel into Jaguar’s territory—permanently. But…
“He died after a car crash,” I say, withholding the rest of Pedro’s gossip. I pray my expression seems innocent enough.
Jaguar’s cold smile derails that hope. “A pretty tale for the tabloids, yes. Do you want to know how the authorities really recovered him? In pieces. A ploy for sympathy won’t sway me.”
“What aboutFranco,” I rasp. Images of Braulio’s face plastered all over the evening news wouldn’t bother me one damn bit—but Franco? He would be devastated, and I’m ashamed that reality didn’t occur to me until now. “He doesn’t deserve to watch his father suffer. It would destroy him. If you do it—”
“When,” he corrects, his tone lethal.
“When you do it, I only ask that you make it quick. Quiet. Franco’s already worried sick because of what he heard your men say. I’m not saying don’t take care of your interests. I’m just asking you to help me keep him in the dark for a little longer. Please.”
He’s a beautiful mixture of stoic and disinterested. “And why would I do a thing like that?”
“Because he likes you,” I admit, despite how much it stings. “He likes you enough to be devastated if he ever learned that you hurt his father brutally. He would never forgive you, and he would never forgive me for putting him within your orbit.”
“The nerve of this woman,” Jaguar says coldly. “I think it’s time for you to run along, Lupe. Go give Francisco a kiss goodnight on behalf of his father. Braulio could use the goodwill.”
“I am not trying to provoke you,” I say, rising to my feet. “I’m speaking with you honestly. Would you rather I simper and lie?”
“I’d rather you not plead the case of a traitor. You care about him so much? Scurry back to him and lead me directly to where the bastard is hiding. At least then, you might make yourself useful. Get out.”
My heart sinks. The last time he spoke to me in this way, I found myself inside the cage of a live jaguar, ready to be devoured. My intuition is warning me that I’m on a dangerous precipice. One wrong move, and I’ll wind up with the same fate as Braulio.Think, Pita. Think!
I want to spare Franco the pain of being caught in the middle of a bloody war, as well as any danger that comes from a bounty on my head. The easiest way to do both would be to remove myself from the equation. Get him somewhere safe, and then draw the crossfire. I don’t owe shit to Braulio or Tiena, but I owe it to him. I’ve been so worried about keeping him safe that I didn’t stop to remember that I am not his mother. I don’t have the right to make every single decision for him.
So, I face Jaguar and raise my chin.
“You don’t need to waste your efforts tracking down Braulio. You can use me.”
CHAPTERTEN
“You?” Jaguar laughs, seemingly unconvinced. Still, he sits back, folding his hands together—the thoughtful tilt of his head turns what could be a mocking gesture into a disarming one. In merely a second, I suspect he’s sized me up and come to a decision already. Still, he enjoys making me squirm. “So, you mean to tell me that you’ve known where Braulio has been hiding all this time?Thatwould make me very angry, Lupe. I would have to second-guess your usefulness to me.”
“No,” I say, fighting to keep the terror from my voice. “I don’t know where he is, but I can think of a way to draw him out. And perhaps any of your men who might be working with him.”
He raises an eyebrow, intrigued. “Go on.”
I can’t suppress a sigh of relief. One minefield navigated. “You let it be known that I’m in your possession. I’m sure that will send your enemies scurrying from the woodwork.”
“And you think that Braulio will come running? He nearly killed you the last time, if I remember correctly.”
“You dangled me like a frightened toy then,” I snap. “If you want to use me to your advantage, you would showcase me proudly on your arm. Make it known that I am not your prisoner. I am here willingly and have been telling you all I know.”
“Oh?” He chuckles, making my heart pound. “But I thought you didn’t know anything?”
“I don’t. ButTienamight. Do you think Braulio suspects she might have seen something she shouldn’t have? Or his friends? You should let them think I’m her. After all, to sniff out rats, you bring a cat into the barn and watch them scamper.”
“Are you saying the threat of facing me isn’t enough?”
