Recaptured by the Crime Lord (Crime Lord Series Book 2)

by Mia Knight

  “I’ll see you at the house,” Carmen said when they rose at the end.

  Lyla kissed her cheek and nodded. Gavin pulled her out of a side door. Blade pulled the SUV around and they were off before they could be waylaid by anyone.

  “That was a good speech,” Gavin said, squeezing her hand.

  She let out a long breath. “He really was a great guy.”

  “He was. I talked to him several times. He liked Vinny.”

  “Yes. What did you say to Aunt Isabel?”

  “I’ll cover the cost of the funeral and whatever else she needs help with.”

  “What?”

  Gavin glanced at her. “She’s family.”

  “My family,” Lyla corrected.

  “She’s Vinny’s mother-in-law. He isn’t here to help, but I am.”

  Family loyalty. She was surprised and touched by his generosity. Who was this man?

  They reached the house as Carmen and her mother pulled up. Carmen gave Gavin a frosty look before they went inside and prepared for their guests. Gavin and the men stayed out of the way as Carmen talked to the caterer. Lyla reluctantly acted as hostess and greeted people at the door before ushering them into the backyard where everything was set up. Lyla recognized some of her family from her mother’s side. No one asked about her life with Gavin. Everyone knew he had been in the press on suspicion of murder and criminal activity. They seemed to realize it was best they didn’t know.

  Seeing familiar faces should make her feel warm and fuzzy inside, but she felt anxious and weary instead. Making polite chitchat was something she used to do so effortlessly. Now, she wanted to go into a dark room and shut the door. Smiling took more effort than it should and she had a raging headache. After mingling for an hour, Lyla made her way towards the house for solitude and came face to face with her father.

  “You got nothing to say to me?” Pat asked.

  Lyla crossed her arms over her chest. “Am I supposed to go out of my way to say hi to you?”

  Her tone, derisive and sharp, caught him off guard. She’d never spoken to him like this in her life and it felt damn good. He always treated her like dirt, but no longer. She sacrificed herself to save his ass after he stole half a million from Gavin. Her father’s gambling addiction made him reckless and stupid. Gavin had every right to end her father’s life for embezzling, yet Gavin let him get away with it because she came back to him. Her father’s punishment was broken bones, a tap on the cheek for his sins. Now, Gavin paid his bills since no one would hire an accountant with a tarnished reputation. Her parents didn’t ask about her well-being, the rumors swirling about Manny’s death or her disappearance. All he thought about was himself. Typical.

  “You can’t talk to me like that,” her father snapped.

  “I can talk to you however I want,” Lyla said crisply. “What do you want?”

  “We have to talk.”

  “About what?” she asked suspiciously.

  “That shit allowance you have us on. It’s too small.”

  Of course he wanted to talk about money. That’s the only reason he bothered to talk to her. When he had a string of bad luck in her senior year and couldn’t pay the mortgage, she started working for Pyre Casinos. That’s where Manny came in. He and Gavin had been there for her ever since. When she began to date Gavin, he gave her an allowance that she used to help her parents pay their bills when they came up short. Gavin was still paying their bills and her greedy father wasn’t satisfied.

  “You shouldn’t have an allowance at all,” Lyla said and turned away.

  He whirled her back to face him. “Don’t talk to me like that, you bitch.”

  Lyla wrenched her arm out of his hold. When he reached for her again, she knocked his hand away. Her hand tingled from the impact, but she didn’t shake away the pain. She endured mindless agony when she was carved open. This was nothing in comparison. She looked death in the eyes and lived to tell the tale. She faced off with her father and sensed someone approach. She had no doubt who it was when she felt the force of his fury.

  “You don’t touch me,” Lyla hissed at Pat.

  “I need more money.”

  Gavin gripped her waist and squeezed. Her father took a step back and his righteous fury died down a bit, but was still evident when he looked at her.

  “I need more,” her father said again.

  “For what?” Lyla asked, already knowing but wanting to hear whatever bullshit answer he came up with this time.

  “The bills are going up,” he said lamely.

  “Maybe you should downsize and move into an apartment,” Lyla suggested.

  Pat’s eyes flicked to her ring. “You’re swimming in money and can’t give your father a couple extra thousand? You worthless whore.”

  Gavin lunged, but Lyla stepped in front of him so he couldn’t get at her father. Gavin tried to push her to the side, but she clung to him and he stopped.

  “You just lost your allowance,” she said and Gavin froze.

  “What?” her father shouted.

  “You stole half a million and gambled it away. Then, Gavin gives you an allowance to survive and you’re still not satisfied. You insult me and treat me like I’m nothing. Well, from now on, we are nothing. You never acted like a father, so my duty is done. Find a way to get a job and survive. If mom needs a place to stay, she has one. You, no. I’m done.”

  Lyla pushed against Gavin and he went willingly as they walked away from her father. Of course, their argument attracted some attention, but once she made eye contact, people turned away and resumed talking.

  “I’m your father!” Pat shouted.

  Lyla closed her eyes at her father’s furious bellow. He was a glutton for punishment. Gavin’s body was tight against hers. She knew he wanted to pummel her father, or worse. Lyla took a deep breath and turned back to her father who was red in the face and dripping with sweat as if he ran a marathon.

  “You are not my father. My father was murdered nearly two years ago,” Lyla said loud enough for everyone to hear.

  Gavin’s arm around her flexed.

  “Manny Pyre?” her father scoffed. “He got what he deserved.”

  Lyla wasn’t aware that she moved. One moment she was staring at him with a good ten feet between them and the next she was in his face. Her fist flashed out and collided with her dad’s mouth. He stumbled back and fell to the ground, cursing. Lyla stood over him with her fists clenched, shaking like crazy.

  “Don’t you ever talk about Manny like that!” she raged.

  “Did you fuck father and son?” her father jeered.

  Lyla dropped on top of her father, used one hand to grab a fistful of his shirt and used the other to belt him across the face. There was a sickening crack as his nose broke and blood dribbled down his face.

  “Both of them are better men than you will ever be. They would do anything for me. What have you ever done except cause me grief? You care about no one but yourself,” Lyla screamed and drew her fist back again. Before she could land the hit, she was lifted off her father. Even as Gavin carried her away she kicked and caught Pat on the temple. “If I ever hear you talk about my family again, you better hope I’m not armed, you son of a bitch! You’re lucky I didn’t let them finish you off, you worthless piece of crap!”

  Lyla cursed as Gavin walked through the house. She didn’t stop shouting until she was tossed into the back of an SUV and pinned to the seat.

  “Holy fuck!” Gavin tucked his head under her chin and began to laugh.

  “That was amazing,” Blade said as the SUV pulled away from the curb.

  “Why did you stop me?” Lyla screamed and bucked beneath Gavin, bloodlust clouding all rational thought. “I sacrificed everything for him! I could rip him apart. Why didn’t you kill him when you had the chance? If I ever see him again I—Why the fuck are you laughing?”

  “Oh, baby, that just made my day,” Gavin said breathlessly and raised his head. He had a broad grin on his face and his e
yes were shining with delight. “I enjoyed beating his ass, but watching you do it was ten times better. Then you jumped on him and kept going.”

  He leaned down to kiss her. Rage morphed into something carnal as his tongue slipped into her mouth. Lyla’s fingers dug into the back of his suit and her legs wrapped around him. Gavin sensed the change. The kiss became deeper and more seductive. His tongue stroked hers while one of his hands began to knead her breast. Lyla bit his lip and wrenched her mouth away.

  Lyla looked towards the front of the car where Blade and the guard in the shotgun seat had the radio blasting and stared straight ahead. Gavin gripped her chin and turned her face back to him.

  “You want me?” he asked in a low, growly voice that made her instantly wet. When she hesitated, his hold tightened fractionally. “Do you?”

  “Have I ever stopped?” she snapped angrily.

  Gavin was selfish and possessed a code that would make most people cringe, but he loved her. She was so fucking tired of feeling dead inside, of wondering what her fate was. She was tired of being a means to an end. The way Gavin looked at her, as if she meant everything in the world beckoned her out of the darkness and into the light. No matter how much she wanted to suppress her emotions, they were at full mast right now.

  Gavin folded one of the seats down. She stared, bemused, as he crawled into the back of the SUV and beckoned. His eyes were blind with need. He didn’t give a fuck and at the moment, neither did she. Lyla crawled into the back and he flipped the seat up. He dragged her beneath him and ran his hand up her thigh before slipping his fingers beneath her underwear. Lyla let her legs fall open. He hissed when his fingers slipped easily into her. She was soaked. She wasn’t sure if it was the adrenaline or because it was Gavin. Maybe it was the funeral. Death pressed in around them. She needed affirmation that she was alive and that someone would care if she were gone.

  Lyla reached for Gavin’s zipper and jerked it down. He was going commando. His fully erect cock fell into her hand. She gripped and gave him one long stroke. He jerked her hand away and positioned himself between her legs.

  “I’m not going to last. It’s been too fucking long,” Gavin said through clenched teeth.

  He latched his mouth on hers as entered her with a hard thrust, going in to the hilt. Lyla gasped and dug her fingers into his suit as he ground himself against her. There was no give in the floor. She moaned into his mouth as the radio, playing hard rock, blasted even louder. Gavin delved both hands into her hair as he pounded into her. Lyla wrapped her legs around his waist and sent her hands questing over him, seeking skin. She yanked his shirt from his slacks, shoved her hands beneath the fabric and dug her nails into his muscled back. Gavin sped up his thrusts. Her eyes flew open as she climaxed, breaking their kiss to bury her face in his chest as her body convulsed.

  “Look at me,” Gavin commanded.

  Lyla opened blurry eyes and saw Gavin above her, face drawn with unquenchable hunger. Lyla was dimly aware of the car rocking from side to side as Blade made turns and glimpsed buildings through the long windows on either side of them.

  “I love you,” he said.

  “I know,” she said and bucked as he planted himself deep.

  “I’ll love you till the day I die.”

  Lyla dragged his mouth to hers for a desperate kiss, hands claiming as much of him as she could reach. Gavin shuddered and braced his hands on either side of her as he rushed towards his climax. Lyla watched his eyes burn to gold as he flooded her with his seed. He kept thrusting until he had nothing left and then collapsed on top of her. Lyla wrapped her arms around him, panting.

  “I won’t fuck up this time,” Gavin said against her ear.

  “Shh.” She cradled his face and kissed him.

  Gavin moaned into her mouth and kissed her back. Lyla’s body buzzed with adrenaline and endorphins. Gavin rolled until she was splayed over him. She braced her hands on either side of his head and rocked her hips. He hissed and two big hands circled her waist.

  Lyla sat up and realized they were on the freeway. There were cars on either side of them and if the windows weren’t tinted, some of the truck drivers would have been able to see a show. Instead, the only ones who knew what was going on were the two other men in the car. Blade had his shades on so she wasn’t sure if he was staring at her in the rearview mirror or straight-ahead. She moved on Gavin and was urged onward by the adoration on his face. He quickly grew hard again, more than ready to meet her needs. He was completely open to her, his emotions on full display and it spurred her on. His hands flexed on her as she bounced and then tipped forward, hands braced on either side of his head as he thrust upwards.

  “Fuck!” she shouted as he reared up and latched onto her neck.

  He fucked her like a demon. She collapsed on top of him, clutching his head to her when she came. Gavin’s teeth sank into her neck as he climaxed. She knew she would bear his mark and didn’t care. Lyla lay bonelessly on him until the music dimmed.

  “We’re almost there, boss,” Blade called.

  Gavin lapped at her neck. “You okay?”

  “Mmm.” The part of her that cared what others thought urged her to make herself presentable, but a greater part of her didn’t care. It didn’t matter how others perceived them. She had to live in the moment and embrace her feelings. That’s what made her human.

  “If Blade saw anything, I’ll kill him,” Gavin said against her neck.

  Lyla laughed.

  “It’s not funny,” Gavin growled.

  Gavin looked ravished, delectable and dangerous.

  “Maybe if we didn’t fuck in a car with him, then he wouldn’t see anything,” Lyla said and brushed kisses over his face.

  Gavin closed his eyes and rocked his hips. His cock twitched to life.

  “We’re almost home,” Lyla said and toppled to the side with a loud thump. She giggled as Gavin forced himself into his pants. Lyla felt blissfully unconcerned as they pulled up in front of the mansion and Gavin yanked her dress down. Blade stopped the car and flipped up the back door of the SUV to let them out. Gavin hopped out and hauled her into his arms as the rest of his security parked in the driveway. Lyla waved at Blade who was grinning like a maniac as Gavin went inside and slammed the front door. Gavin paused in the entrance and kissed her long and hard.

  “I love you,” he said.

  “I love you too.”

  His arms tightened to the point of pain and his expression turned fierce.

  “Don’t tell me you love me unless you mean it,” he warned.

  Lyla brushed her nose with his. “You hurt me, but I can’t stop loving you.”

  He dropped his head on her shoulder. “Thank you, thank you God.” He raised his head and looked her straight in the eye. “I swear, baby girl, I won’t let you down this time.”

  “I know you won’t.” He was different, and so was she. Death separated them twice. She wasn’t going to run a third time. This time, she would fight for life. She would fight for Manny because it was his dying wish that she and Gavin be together. Gavin was no longer a part of the underworld and she chose to live.

  “We’re going to spend the rest of the day in bed,” Gavin decreed.

  That sounded great to her. Gavin carried her upstairs and set her on the bed as he leaned down to undo her shoes and then shrug out of his clothes. That was when she noticed that her dress had splashes of her father’s blood and her hand was swollen. She flexed it and winced.

  “You want me to call a doctor?” Gavin asked, cradling her hand in his.

  “No, I think I’m okay,” she said and noticed that he had blood on him as well. She must have gotten it on him when they were fucking.

  “Come on,” he said, helping her stand and pulling down her zipper.

  The dress began to fall before she remembered her scars. She clutched the dress to her front and bit her lip as cold, hard reality seeped back. He made love to her without seeing—

  “What is it?” Gavin a
sked.

  “I—Um, it isn’t pretty. You may not want to see—”

  Gavin gently pried her hands away from the dress and let it fall. Lyla closed her eyes as she was left standing in only her underwear, her scars on full display. Even she could barely stand them. Gavin was used to beautiful things and she definitely wasn’t. Her chest was a representation of how she felt inside—disfigured and ugly. The silence stretched. She tried to turn away from him. Gavin fell to his knees, wrapped his arms around her and pressed his face against her stomach.

  “Gavin—”

  “I don’t care about the scars,” he said and she stilled. “I’m so fucking happy that you’re here with me.”

  He pressed his lips to the horizontal scar across her lower abdomen and traced the raised line with his tongue. Goosebumps raced over her skin as she watched him, stupefied, as he laved her scars with his tongue. Beauty out of ashes, she thought. He bent his head and she saw the dried blood on his neck and it dimmed her lust. She didn’t want a reminder of her father to intrude on their time together.

  “Let’s take a shower,” she said.

  He kissed her belly and rose. Lyla led him into the shower and stood beneath the strong spray and let him wash her hair, a habit from their past. She enjoyed the feel of his hands in her hair and returned the favor. He sat on the bench and moaned as her fingers moved over him. He really did have an amazing body. When she finished, he toweled her dry.

  “I can’t believe we consummated our marriage in the back of an SUV,” he muttered.

  Lyla flushed a little, wondering how much Blade had seen or heard. She didn’t have time to ponder this because Gavin picked her up and tossed her on the bed. She bounced and watched him prowl towards her. Her breath caught as he lay beside her and traced his fingers over the scars. This was their history. There was no way to forget or ignore it. She saw the fury, sadness and guilt on his face.