Page 86 of Recaptured by the Crime Lord

“I don’t know. Let’s get out of here.”

“Jordy shot Beau.”

“Lyla, we have to go. I don’t know who we can trust—”

“I’m not leaving without him!” Lyla drove towards Beau who hadn’t moved. When she tried to get out of the car, Beau clamped a hand on her arm.

“Keep your ass in here!” Blade ordered and got out.

He went to Beau’s body and held up his gun when two guards approached. They tossed their guns and Blade lowered his. She heard low voices and then the trunk opened.

“Is he alive?” Lyla shouted. She wanted to see and touch, but she couldn’t pry her hands off the steering wheel.

“He’s breathing,” Blade said and slammed the trunk.

The driver’s door opened. Lyla raised her gun and the guard held his hands up.

“I’m not gonna hurt you, I promise,” he said showing a suit covered in blood. “I’m gonna drive him to the vet.”

“I can drive,” she said, voice shaking.

“You need to call the boss. Are you hurt?”

“I-I—” she stammered, unable to get out a word.

“Come on.”

The guard pulled her out and helped her into the backseat. Lyla caught a glimpse of Beau in the trunk and it jarred her out of her shocked state. She dropped the backseat and crawled over to him. Her hands hovered over the bullet wounds. He was breathing too hard and fast. Lyla curled herself around him and willed him to live.

“You can’t die, you can’t die!” she whispered.

Fear grabbed her by the throat. Beau was her companion, her friend. He couldn’t die. She wouldn’t allow it. Lyla ignored the pain ripping through her stomach and hugged him close.

“You can handle this,” she whispered, stroking his head. “You were such a brave boy. Mommy loves you so much. Stay with me, Beau. Just stay with me.”

The dam collapsed and tears streamed down her face. The SUV lurched forward and she clutched Beau. Blade was shouting from the front seat, but she didn’t care. The sound of her cell phone broke through her near hysteria. Gavin. She scooted towards the backseat where her purse was. She snatched her cell phone and put it up to her ear as she lay beside Beau again.

“Tell me you’re okay.”

Gavin’s voice was guttural. Lyla opened her mouth to speak, but a sob escaped instead. She buried her face in Beau’s wet fur and held onto him. She wanted him to know she was here.

“Lyla, please.”

“Beau’s hurt,” she managed to get out.

She heard him suck in a deep breath.

“I know. Blade told me. Tell me you’re okay.”

Lyla shook her head. “I-I’m not okay. Why does this keep happening?” A cramp in her belly made her moan. She panted and tried to ignore what was happening to her body. Everything had to wait until she got to the vet.

“I promise I’ll get him, baby.”

The SUV braked hard, making her slide a foot. The SUV doors opened and shut. Blade opened the trunk, reached for Beau and dragged his body into his arms. Beau wasn’t moving. The other guard helped her out of the trunk. She sagged to the pavement on her hands and knees and breathed through another gut clenching cramp.

“We’re at the vet,” she said through clenched teeth as she forced herself up with the phone in her hand.

“Don’t get out of the SUV,” Gavin ordered.

---