Page 17 of Crime Lord’s Captive

Carmen's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets. “You fucked him?”

“He raped me.”

Carmen's eyes narrowed to slits.“He raped you?”

“I was having a sex dream and when I woke up, he was in me.”

“A sex dream? About Jonathan? Is he, like, ahotIT consultant?”

“He’s cute.”

Carmen didn’t look convinced. “You love him?”

She and Jonathan never discussed it, but, “Yes,” she said defiantly.

Carmen leaned in close and examined her suspiciously. “Like,love him, love him?”

“Yes.”

Carmen gave her a somber look. “Lyla, there's no escape this time. The moment you started dating Gavin, you became Pyre property.”

“That was years ago!”

“Doesn’t matter. It’s obvious that Gavin will do everything in his power to make sure you stay put this time. Men like him don’t let go of a good woman.”

Lyla made an impatient sound. Men like Gavin... Maybe she could get Gavin hooked on someone else and she could pay off her father’s debt another way other than as his sex slave... or whatever it was that he wanted from her. Invisible walls were closing in. The urge to run was an insistent drum beat in her mind. Lyla jumped as someone knocked on the door. Her mother appeared with Lyla’s cell phone in hand.

“It's Gavin. He wants to talk to you,” Mom said.

Lyla’s heartbeat went into overdrive. Before she could figure out a way to avoid the call, Carmen snatched the phone out of her mother's hand.

“Gavin, what the fuck did you do to my cousin?” Carmen demanded.

Fearing for Carmen’s life, Lyla lurched into motion and tried to rip the phone out of her hand. Carmen ruthlessly shoved Lyla away and continued to talk.

“Don’t give me that shit, Gavin. If Manny sees her like this, he'll have a cow. What do you mean, its none of my business? Of course it is! She's my cousin.” Carmen’s heel tapped rapidly as she listened to what Gavin said on the other end. “No, I’m taking her out.”

Carmen yanked the phone away from her ear. They could hear Gavin shouting. Lyla shook her head wildly while her mother wrung her hands.

“Carmen Pyre,” Lyla’s mother said and tried to take the phone from her.

Carmen held up one finger and gave Lyla’s mother a threatening look. Carmen put her hand over the phone and mouthed, “He needs to woo her back.”

Lyla made a gagging sound.

Carmen put the phone back to her ear. “She needs some work done. Hair, nails, the works. We’re going to have a girl’s day. You can see her after.” Carmen listened for a moment and her eyes flicked to Lyla. “Okay. Fine. Here.”

Carmen handed the phone over. Lyla took it, afraid what hell Carmen created and how dearly she would pay for it later. “Hello?”

“Lyla?” Gavin bit out.

She closed her eyes against the sound of his voice and the memories of this morning. He wasn’t the man she fell in love with. He wasn’t a man she wanted to be around, ever. She learned to care for herself, to work for what she had. Now, she was reduced to a possession, a child that would be punished if she didn’t please her master. She trembled with helpless rage. “Yes?”

A pause and then, “I should have figured Vinny would tell Carmen you’re back. Do you want to go with her?”

“Yes.” She needed to get out of this house, away from her mother who worshipped the ground Gavin walked on. Carmen stood up for her when no one else dared. She would stick to her cousin as much as possible.

“Blade will shadow you,” Gavin said.

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