Page 75 of Crime Lord’s Captive

“You’ll marry me?”

Lyla bit her lip and he grinned.

“You love me, you marry me.”

“I do love you, but marriage...”

“Is inevitable. I already talked to a wedding planner.”

She tried to rise, but he kept her lying beside him. “Wedding planner? Are you insane?”

His smile had an edge to it. “The day you agreed to stay, I talked to him. He’s over the top. He’s handled some prestigious weddings. You can meet with him, go over details.”

“Details for a wedding,” Lyla said numbly. “You don't ask for much, do you?”

“We wasted years. I'm not wasting another month.”

“Month?”

“Didn't I tell you, baby girl? We're getting married by the end of the month.”

Lyla held up a hand as her stomach pitched and rolled as if she were on a roller coaster. “Gavin, we can’t—”

“Of course we can,” he said. “We'll have the wedding at one of our hotels, invitations are being made and anyone will jump at the chance to make your dress.”

“This is too fast!” she exploded, thumping his shoulder with her fist. “Within two weeks you show up and turn my life upside down. I've been blackmailed, pushed around, seduced, kidnapped and now ordered to marry you! When is it going to stop?”

“It won't stop until you’re mine,” Gavin said firmly. “I should have the other side of the business wrapped up by then and I'm not wasting anymore time. I’m tying up loose ends so we have time to build a life, a family.” His eyes searched hers. “Do you want that with me?”

“Holy shit, I'm not ready for this.”

“You will be. I'll make sure of it.”

Lyla bit her lip. “What about my parents?”

“Give them whatever you want. My money is your money. I'll get you a credit card and put you on my bank accounts.”

He gave her an allowance before, but this gave her even more freedom. She was stunned by his trust and generosity. “Really?”

Gavin flopped on his back and fit her into the curve of his shoulder. “You want them to pay for not being good parents to you, so be it. Let them be homeless. You want them to be millionaires, I don’t give a fuck. I don’t respect them. You’re you despite their influence. They have no idea how special you are. If they treated you right, I would have rewarded them. Instead, I watched your father skim hundreds, thousands, and then hundreds of thousands. I'm not going to lie and tell you that I didn't enjoy beating the hell out of him.”

“Why did you allow him to steal from you?” It was a question that had bothered her from the start. Five hundred thousand was a lot of money. Gavin wasn't the typeto miss something of that proportion.

“I know your family is your biggest weakness. When I found you, I’d need a way told you here, keep you indebted to me. I let him dig himself a hole and waited to use him for my benefit.”

“And what if you never found me?”

“I would've found you, Lyla, sooner or later.” He shut his eyes and wrapped her close. “Stay with me while I take a nap.”

“Okay.”

Lyla stared out the window at the brilliant blue sky and wondered if she would ever have a simple life. Probably not. Not when she was about to marry Gavin Pyre. She never imagined that Gavin had marriage on his mind. He always managed to surprise her. His face, even in sleep, was fierce and dangerous. He loved her. She loved him. They were complete opposites and yet somehow they fit together. Lyla said a silent prayer before she dozed off.

***

Lyla woke alone, which pissed her off. She had always been a light sleeper, but now it seemed that she slept like the dead. It was dark outside, which meant she had been out for a while. She decided to shower and was in the process of shampooing when her hair snagged on something on her hand. She yelped and slowly jiggled her hair until it came loose. She lifted her left hand and froze. A beautiful diamond ring winked seductively at her. Lyla held her hand up to the spray and stared at a pale blue diamond set on a thin band decorated with white diamonds. It took her breath away.

“Gavin?” Her voice was weak.

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