Page 70 of Crime Lord’s Captive

Lyla saw her mom holding the box of condoms. Lyla held out her hand, but her mother didn’t hand them over.

“What is this, Lyla?” she asked as if Lyla was fifteen-years-old.

Lyla raised her brows. “Condoms. You put them on dicks to save yourself from an STD or getting pregnant.”

“Yes, but why would you need these? You’re with Gavin, right?”

“Yes.”

Her mother’s face turned sympathetic. “Is he cheating on you again?”

Arrow through the fucking heart. Lyla was stunned by the pain that simple question caused.

“They’re men, honey,” her mother said, patting Lyla’s cold hand. “But if they take care of you and come home to you, who cares?”

Lyla cared. She cared too fucking much.

“But it is better to be smart,” her mom continued, putting the condoms near her hand. “You still have your IUD? You might want to take that out if you want to hook him.”

“Hook him?”

Her mother began to roll chicken in flour with quick, practiced movements. “He’s a ladies man. He might move on and then where will we all be? You have to have insurance.”

A child as insurance... Lyla rose. “I have to go to the bathroom.”

She walked out before her mother could say anything else and passed Blade who had been standing just outside of the kitchen. She ran upstairs so no one would hear her vomit. Lyla used the mouthwash under the sink and sat on the closed toilet lid, hands over her face. When her phone rang, she jolted and reluctantly pulled it out of her pocket. When she saw Gavin’s name, she considered ignoring it, but he paid for her parent’s groceries and he might want to talk about how she could pay him back.

“Hi,” she said.

“I’m home. I want you here.”

Her hand tightened on the phone. “Mom’s making fried chicken.”

“I’m calling Blade. He’s bringing you to me.”

Gavin hung up and she sat there, wondering what the fuck was wrong with her life. It didn’t take even two minutes for Blade to knock on the door.

“Lyla? We have to go,” he said.

“A minute,” she said and took deep breaths.

He knocked again. “He’s pissed off. We don’t have a minute.”

Oh fuck. Lyla rose and opened the door. Blade gave her a sharp look.

“You okay?”

“Fine.” She walked past him and ignored her father’s curses when he caught sight of her. He fell silent when Blade stopped in the doorway.

“What are you doing in my house?” her father roared.

“Gavin told you what he’d do if he heard you talk to Lyla like that,” Blade said quietly. “I hear you insult her again, I’ll finish the job he started.”

Lyla ignored them and went into the kitchen to kiss her mother on the cheek.

“But the chicken!” Mom protested.

“Enjoy it,” Lyla said and put the condoms in her pocket.

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