Page 56 of Recaptured by the Crime Lord

The cook stared at her. “You like broccoli, right?”

“I do normally, but... maybe I'm coming down with some kind of weird bug.”

“A bug,” the cook repeated flatly. “You know that I can prepare anything you want. I can cook based on what you're craving. In the past, Mr. Pyre preferred that I make meals at home and deliver, but I'm not opposed to coming here if you want to request something special.”

“Oh, no, I'm fine. I'm sure it'll pass.”

There was a bloodcurdling scream from the top of the stairs. Lyla took off towards the staircase with Blade on her heels. Lyla ran into the master bathroom and found Carmen on the floor, holding something to her chest with her head bowed, rocking back and forth. What the hell? Wondering if her cousin was having a grieving episode, Lyla got down on her knees and wrapped her arms around Carmen.

“Are you hurt?” Lyla asked.

Carmen shook her head. Blade closed the door to give them privacy.

“What’s going on?” Lyla asked.

Carmen mumbled something incoherent.

“What? Carmen, you're scaring me.”

Carmen raised her tear-streaked face. Lyla was startled by the broad grin on her face.

“You’re pregnant,” Carmen said.

Lyla’s arms fell away. “What? What are you talking about?”

“I did a pregnancy test using the pee you left in the toilet.”

It took a moment for Lyla to register what Carmen was saying. When it penetrated, Lyla fell on her ass. Her cousin held up a white wand with the word ‘pregnant’ on it. Lyla snatched the test and shook it as if it was an eight ball and the words would change.

“I can't be. I just had my period two weeks ago.”

“I looked it up on my phone. In the beginning, you can still spot when you're pregnant.”

Lyla couldn't describe the feelings rushing through her. She leapt to her feet and jabbed the wand at her cousin. “You had no right to do this!”

Carmen stared at her. “Don’t you want to know?”

Lyla paced around the bathroom, blindsided by the news. She was still trying to overcome panic attacks, bad dreams and depression and now she was pregnant? Lyla stopped and shook her head. “I want to take another test.”

Carmen got to her feet, watching her cautiously. “Lyla, you can't fake this kind of stuff.”

“B-but I'm not ready,” Lyla stammered.

Carmen held up both hands. “Wait, do youwantto be pregnant?”

“Yes. No. Not right now.”

“But you haven’t been on any type of birth control. You must have known this was a possibility.”

Lyla ignored that. “You bought a test at the store?”

“Yes.”

“Do you have another one?”

“Yes. Can you pee again?”

“That's why you gave me that green tea, isn't it?” Lyla asked.

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