Page 68 of Crime Lord’s Captive

“Maple.”

The driver pulled up to a Dunkin’ Donuts. Lyla was mildly amused when Blade put in his donut preference, as did the guard in the passenger seat. Lyla felt marginally better when he came back with two dozen warm donuts. Lyla snatched a chocolate and maple donut before anyone else could claim theirs and finished both before they pulled up to her parent’s house. When she threw open the door to get out, Blade put a restraining hand on her arm.

“Let us check it out first,” he said and jerked his head at the two guards who climbed out.

Lyla’s body itched from the restriction and security. When the guards gave the all clear, she slipped out and walked into the house, which had already been searched by the driver. Her mother looked serene, but Lyla saw the unease and fear beneath the facade. Lyla shooed the guys outside before she hugged her mother.

“Hi, Mom.”

“You look great! Gavin must be doing something right.” She wore an overly bright smile and then worry crept into her expression. “You are keeping Gavin happy, right?”

With all that happened recently, it was easy to forget that her father’s half a million dollar debt brought her here in the first place. She and Gavin hadn’t talked about the debt since the night at the club. Another thing to talk to him about... Half a million was a lot of money, money she didn’t have. Her temples throbbed with tension.

“Gavin’s fine.”

“And you’re... with him?” Mom asked hopefully.

“Yes.”

She blew out a breath. “Good. Why don’t you go see your father while I get my things together?”

A not so subtle hint that she had daughterly duties to attend to. Lyla went upstairs and knocked on her parents open bedroom door. Her father’s left arm and both legs were in casts. His face still looked mangled. After witnessing what Gavin did to Pervert, she knew her father got off easy. Her father lifted his head and sneered at her. Lyla half hoped he’d tell her to take a hike.

“If it isn’t Princess Lyla,” he drawled. “Come to see your boyfriend’s handy work?”

Lyla grit her teeth and walked forward so he wouldn’t get a neck cramp. “No. Came to go shopping with Mom.” His nose had been broken and not reset well. It was off center.

“You know how long I gotta stay like this?” he demanded as if she’d done this to him. “Three months!”

Lyla said nothing.

“I feel like a fucking handicap.”

Still, she said nothing. His mean brown eyes narrowed on her.

“Living the high life, Princess?”

The sarcasm and jealousy in his voice made her want to back away, but she stood her ground. He never wanted her with Gavin, not because of the business his family was in, but because Gavin took her out of her father’s control. Lyla loved her father and had done everything in her power to win his approval, even getting a job and giving him a portion of her paycheck to gamble away. That stopped once she got involved with the Pyres. Manny showered her with affection she didn’t have to work for and her father’s approval became less important to her. Her father resented the Pyre’s power and money.

“I’m okay,” she said. Her parents knew nothing about the kidnapping and honestly, she didn’t know if they’d care either way.

“I bet you are,” her father grunted. “You think about anyone but yourself?”

Lyla blinked. “Excuse me?”

“I don’t have a fucking job and your mother’s never worked!” he bellowed, face red with rage. “You ever think how we’re going to buy food to eat if I’m bedridden and don’t have a job?” When Lyla just stared at him, he mumbled, “Selfish fucking whore.”

“Don’t talk to me like that,” she snapped.

“Why not? You waltz in and out of this family as if we’re nothing to you. You don’t give a shit what’s going on in our lives.”

Lyla opened her mouth to shout, but heard Mom calling her name. Instead, Lyla whirled and slammed the door on her father’s stream of insults and stomped downstairs.

“Everything all right, honey?” Mom asked.

Lyla bit back all the angry words that wouldn’t make a difference to her mother and nodded.

“Let’s go, then,” Mom said.

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