Page 137 of Once A Crime Lord

“Please—” Steven got out before another sword joined the first.

By the time Gavin finished, no less than six swords stuck out of Steven’s body. He shuddered as his blood drained out of him. No one moved, no one spoke.

Lucifer grabbed his bloody shield. There was an angry murmur when the spectators saw his bullet wound. Lucifer eyed Lyla for a long moment before he held out a fist.

“That was awesome,” he said solemnly.

Did he want a fist bump? She hesitated, but he didn’t lower his fist. The setting was surreal enough that she hit his massive fist with her smaller one.

“He brought a gun into Hell.” Lucifer shook his head. “Doesn’t he know me at all?”

With a swift savageness that took her aback, he brought his shield down. Steven’s head rolled away and the spectators grunted in approval.

“I might have to revise my rules about women in the arena. That was great.” Lucifer smiled at Gavin, Blade, Angel, and Eli who looked as if they walked through red rain. “How you feeling, boys?”

No one spoke. They were jacked, and Lucifer knew it. She couldn’t stop shaking.

“Need to visit the whorehouse? First rounds on me,” Lucifer said graciously and then eyed Lyla. “I also have men—”

Gavin’s hand moved. Lucifer raised his shield. A knife sparked as it collided with metal and then toppled to the sand. Lucifer grinned unrepentantly at Gavin.

“Just a suggestion,” he said with a shrug.

Gavin turned to her and cupped her face with gritty hands. “Are you hurt?”

“No.”

She glanced at Lucifer who was watching them with his head tilted to the side, eyes narrowed. “Lucifer saved my life.”

Gavin dropped his forehead on hers. “Fuck.”

“He stopped the bullet with his shield.” She smoothed her hands over his tattered shirt. “Are you hurt?”

“Nothing that’ll kill me.” He wrapped his arms around her. “It’s over.”

“You kept up your end of the agreement. That was a bloody good show,” Lucifer said. “I knew Lyla would figure out it was Steven.”

“All this time you knew,” Gavin said.

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Why should I? I don’t have an investment in the underworld, and I admired Steven for having the balls to dethrone you Pyres. You’ve had it too easy for too long.”

“It’ll take a decade to right the wrongs Steven’s done in two years,” Gavin hissed.

“Good thing Angel’s hungry for it, huh? You’re not planning on getting a hobby, are you, Roman?”

“Nope,” Angel said dryly.

“You hear that? No harm, no foul.”

She whirled in the circle of Gavin’s arms. “No harm?”

Lucifer eyed her coolly. “You’re alive, aren’t you?”

She tried to take a step forward, but Gavin held her back. “He left mutilated bodies all over the city!”

---