Page 51 of Recaptured by the Crime Lord

Lyla screamed and sat up in bed, fingers curled into claws as she tried to gouge out the eyes of the crime lord. Lyla stared at her surroundings through a haze of tears before she realized she wasn’t in Manny’s mansion but the master suite of her home with Gavin. Lyla rocked back and forth, trying to banish the vivid memories of the attack and the taste of Manny’s blood. She was shaking uncontrollably and covered in a layer of cold sweat. The memories came without warning, slamming into her with such force that she curled into a protective ball.

Lyla was grateful Gavin was already gone for the day. A text from Carmen drew her out of the past and into the present. Today she was supposed to help Alice at the dog shelter. She didn’t want to leave the house, but Gavin would know something was wrong if she didn’t go. Lyla forced herself to dress, put on makeup and go downstairs.

“Lyla,” Blade said and gestured to the waiting SUV.

“I want to drive myself,” she said, glad for the shield of sunglasses. Her eyes were still a little swollen. Blade would have reported that small detail to Gavin.

Blade hesitated and then, “Security-wise, this is the safer choice.”

She held up the keys to Gavin’s Aston Martin. “Can you have one of the guy’s bring the car around?”

“Lyla...”

“Blade, not today,” she said shortly.

Blade tossed the keys to one of the men and pulled out his phone. Lyla glared as he spoke to Gavin.

“Lyla wants to drive herself,” Blade said without preamble and then extended the phone to her.

Lyla snatched it. “I’m driving myself.”

“Why?” Gavin asked.

“Because I want to.”

“It’s safer to—”

“I need some space today, Gavin,” she said and her voice shook.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just want to drive myself.”

Gavin didn’t say anything for a moment and then, “Give the phone back to Blade.”

Lyla did as she was told and hurried to the Aston Martin. The guard blinked when she got behind the wheel. Blade rushed to an SUV and got into the driver’s seat. She blew out a breath. Gavin wasn’t going to push the issue, thank God.

Two SUVs flanked her as she made her way to Aunt Isabel’s house. After she parked in the driveway, she went in and chatted with her aunt before Carmen came downstairs in Uggs, ripped designer jeans and a crop top.

“Why are you driving yourself?” Carmen asked when they walked outside.

“Because I feel like it,” Lyla snapped.

Carmen’s brows went up. “What’s up with you?”

“Bad dreams.” Lyla rolled her shoulders to relieve the itch between her shoulder blades as she turned the key in the ignition.

“Are you fighting with Gavin?”

“No.”

“Is it because he was a prick at Incognito?”

Lyla glanced at Carmen as she backed out of the driveway. “No. Why?”

“Gavin and Kody were all over the papers.”

“That’s your fault,” Lyla said sourly. “I think Kody wanted to ask me about you. Gavin got pissed when he tried to pull me to the side.”

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