Page 50 of Crime Lord’s Captive

“Are you on any birth control?”

“IUD.” Thank God.

“I want to check you down there. Can you handle that?”

Lyla nodded. The doctor positioned her on the bench seat and with her eyes still closed, felt the doctor prod, pause.

“I can see your IUD. I need to take it out.”

Lyla trembled like a plucked bow. “I can’t—I can’t get pregnant, right?”

“You’re bleeding. Do you have your period right now?”

Lyla shook her head wildly.

“I’m going to take out the IUD and examine you more thoroughly, okay? Tell me if I’m hurting you.”

Her whole body hurt. Her mind was a dizzy whirlwind of fear and pain. Lyla didn’t feel anything as the doctor examined her and reported that there was a tear in her vagina. That fucker’s fingernails—. “H-He was dirty. He was rough. I-I—”

“Let me clean you up and swab you to see if there was anything transmitted.”

Transmitted? Lyla wanted to scream and fight. Instead, she lay there and let the doctor finish her examination. The doctor cleaned the cuts on her wrists and ankles and wrapped them with bandages before she helped Lyla into pajamas.

“You have a concussion, vaginal lacerations and bruises. I’m prescribing pain killers. You need a lot of bed rest. I’ll let you know the results of the test.”

“C-can you tell how many times he—” Lyla asked, stumbling over her words.

“You’re bruised, bleeding and tender, but I don’t see semen. I will let you know the results. Here’s the morning after pill.”

Lyla held out a hand and downed it even though her mouth was dry as dust.

“I’ll be back in a few days and I’m only a phone call away.” The doctor hesitated and then said, “If you need to speak to me, I know a lot of great counselors.”

Lyla nodded. The doctor helped her into the bedroom and Lyla realized that she was in Gavin’s house, not Manny’s. The doctor helped her into bed and handed her pain killers. Lyla took those too, but this time drank from a water bottle on the nightstand. She pulled the covers up to her chin and tried to get warm. The doctor left, dimming the lights as she left. Lyla lay there, tossing and turning. Her body hurt, her insides hurt and every time she closed her eyes, she saw that fucker’s face. She needed someone beside her, someone who would beat back the memories battering her. She needed her monster. He came for her and destroyed that twisted human being. Suddenly pissed, Lyla staggered to the bedroom door and flung it open.

Blade stood in the hallway. His eyes flicked over her, but his expression was unreadable.

“Lyla?” he asked cautiously.

“Where’s Gavin? I want Gavin,” Lyla said through chattering teeth.

“He’s—”

“Get him for me.” He hesitated and she screamed,“Now!”

Blade backed away with his hands up and ran. If Lyla wasn’t so shaken, she would have been amused by the turnabout in his attitude. Instead, she tried to keep herself in one piece as she stood there, waiting. Male voices echoed down the hallway and then she heard the sound of footsteps pounding towards her. Gavin stopped in front of her, hollow-eyed and wary. Lyla hesitated only a second before she launched herself at him. Gavin caught her as she wrapped her arms and legs around him.

“You can’t leave me,” she babbled.

“Lyla—”

“You can’t!” she shouted and buried her face against his neck, trying to absorb his heat, his scent. “You can’t leave me like this.”

A tremor passed through Gavin as he walked to the bed and got in with her clinging to him. He lay on his back and pulled the covers over them. She tucked her head under his chin and lay over his big, strong body. I’m safe, I’m safe, she chanted in her head and willed herself to believe it.

“You stay with me,” she ordered.

“I won’t go anywhere,” he promised.

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