Page 8 of Crime Lord’s Captive

Lyla turned her back on Gavin. “It’s me, Dad.”

Dark brown eyes focused on her. “You shouldn’t have left.”

The venom in his voice battered at her.

“You ran off, leaving your mom and me to fend for ourselves, you selfish bitch—” he ranted, blood trickling out of his mouth and over her pristine robe.

“That's enough, Pat,” Gavin hissed as he appeared at Lyla’s side. With one quick, ruthless shove, Gavin caused her father to topple backwards onto the concrete. Lyle heard her father’s head smack the concrete. She screamed and tried to go to him, but Gavin jerked her against him. “Your daughter is the only reason you're still breathing.”

Lyla was sure her father was unconscious. The way his limbs were bent at unnatural angles made her stomach heave. She fought Gavin’s hold, but he easily controlled her. Her father moaned and she dug her nails into Gavin’s arm, but he didn’t budge.

“If she stayed, I wouldn’t have borrowed money from you—” her father garbled through his mouth filled with blood.

“Borrow?”Gavin asked in a dangerous voice.

“She used to give us half of the allowance you gave her every month.” Her father's voice took on a whining note. “I've been having a hard time paying the bills.”

“You think I don't know how much money you gamble away every week?”

Gavin’s rage was ice cold and even more terrifying then Lyla remembered. She wanted to tell her father to shut up, but he wouldn't listen to her. He never had.

“I thought if I could just make more money, I could hire my own investigator to find Lyla for you and—”

“Shut your mouth,” Gavin said and her father went silent. “The only person you care for is yourself. You never cared for Lyla. The only time you remember she exists is when you need money.”

Gavin pushed Lyla behind him. She stumbled and was steadied by Blade. Gavin crouched down and grabbed her father's face between one huge hand and squeezed.

“Gavin, no!” Lyla tried to go to her father, but Blade wrapped an arm around her waist to stop her from interfering. Lyla was close to hyperventilating. She knew what Gavin was capable of.

“Don’t you ever talk to Lyla like that again,” Gavin said in a calm, even tone. “Even if your stupidity brought her back to me, deal or not, I'll end you.”

Gavin released her father who turned his head to the side and coughed up blood, which splattered the already stained floor. Gavin rose and turned. His expression darkened when it lit on her. Blade released her instantly. Gavin grasped her hand and hauled her in the opposite direction. When she fought him, he hauled her over his shoulder and carried her upstairs into his beautiful home that was untouched by the horror in the basement. Gavin didn’t stop until they were back in the master suite. He set her on her feet with a jarring thud.

“Your father is a piece of shit,” Gavin said as he took off her robe, which was stained with her father's blood.

Lyla didn’t agree or disagree. Gavin pulled her into the bathroom and washed her arms with warm water and took care of himself before he conjured up another cashmere robe and slipped her into it.

“You hungry?” Gavin asked.

Lyla shook her head. Had she expected her father to change since she left? Wasn’t distance supposed to make the heart grow fonder? Fuck that shit. Apparently, that didn't apply to her father. Even after all these years, she hadn’t earned a crumb of his affection. He had always loathed her. Apparently, even sacrificing her life for his didn’t inspire any emotion from him. After Jonathan's gentle caring, her father’s disgust felt like a slap across the face. Didn’t her father know why she was here? He didn’t care. Even if she'd known that her father didn't change, she still would have come back for him. He was her father—a liar, gambler, thief... and her downfall.

“I have work to do,” Gavin said abruptly.

Good, she thought. She needed to be alone.

“If you need anything, let me know.” Gavin pointed to a cell phone on the nightstand. “My number is speed dial one.”

Lyla nodded. When he moved towards her, she went rigid, but that didn't stop him from cupping her face and giving her a quick kiss. She didn't react. He rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip and searched her face. What the hell was he looking for?

“I wish the circumstances were different, that you came back to me on your own, but I’m glad you're back,” he said.

Lyla didn't respond. Gavin gave her another kiss before he walked towards the door. He opened it, paused and turned.

“No contact with anyone from your old life,” Gavin said, face hardening. “That’s done now. You don't want anyone to get hurt, do you?”

How could he go from protector and lover to threatening her? Lyla glared at him, but he didn't back down.

“You're back in my world, under my rules. You disobey, I'll know. You got me?”

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