Page 104 of Once A Crime Lord

Carmen took a deep, fortifying breath. Her bravado faded to reveal the vulnerability and terror she tried to conceal. She fell to her knees beside the bed.

“How did you do it?” she whispered.

“Do what?”

“How did you have the,” Carmen made fists with both hands and shook them in Lyla’s face, “cojonesto tell us to run? To go back and face those men by yourself...” Carmen covered her face with both hands and moaned. “I can’t do that ever again. I can’t.”

“I’m sorry.”

Carmen grasped her hand and squeezed as her eyes shimmered with tears. “Aunt Beatrice?”

Her throat closed up. Carmen rose and hugged her. She took a deep, shuddering breath as the tears spilled over.

“I think there’s something wrong with me,” she whispered as Carmen’s cotton candy scent engulfed her.

“Why?”

“My mind went blank and I just... I just...”

Carmen pulled back to give her a fierce look. “You became a fucking badass.” She splayed one hand on her chest and waved the other in the air as if she was in church. “I mean, Lyla, you took out five professionals. I heard about what they did to your mom at that warehouse... and what you did too.”

She couldn’t breathe. She set Nora on the bed, went to the window, and threw back the curtains. Guards milled on the property. There was no sign of the attack that sent them fleeing through the underground tunnels. If she hadn’t heard the sound of gunfire taking place or the bomb, she wouldn’t believe there’d been an attack on the fortress.

“Lyla?”

She turned and saw Carmen watching her with Nora on her hip. She ran her hands over her face and saw that although she wore a clean nightgown, she was still covered in... stuff.

“I need a shower,” she said and headed toward the bathroom.

“What are you going to do?” Carmen asked as she settled on the vanity bench with Nora.

“What do you mean?” she called as she stepped under the spray and vigorously began to scrub herself. She wondered how many people’s blood she had on her skin.

“Blade told me you saw Gavin at the hospital.”

She didn’t want to discuss Gavin. She was so fucking angry with him. He risked their relationship because he couldn’t stand that she had been with another man. Gavin’s blind jealousy resulted in this—a fuck up of epic proportions. Had Sadist known that Gavin wasn’t in Las Vegas and that’s why he scaled this attack? If Jonathan was dead, how would she handle Gavin?

“Gavin must have gone through hell, trying to come home when all this crap was going down,” Carmen continued.

She stepped out of the shower and examined her reflection. She didn’t look any different, but her eyes seemed a shade darker. Was that possible? Her skin was paler than normal, which was expected. The woman looking back at her had bloodshot eyes and an impassive expression that concealed the turmoil going on inside her.

“This has to end,” she whispered.

“Yes,” Carmen agreed and kissed Nora. “Gavin is probably slaying everyone in his path, trying to find out who Sadist is.”

“Did you undress me?” she asked suddenly.

“Of course. Blade isn’t going to do it. He wants to keep his head on his shoulders.”

“The phone was in my pocket—”

“Blade gave it to Gavin.”

She blew out a breath. Sadist didn’t trust anyone, which was how he survived this long, but he was human and could make a mistake. She hoped they found something on the phone that would identify him. He wore a mask the day he killed Manny even though he never intended to leave behind a witness. Sadist was intelligent, cautious, and cruel—a dangerous combination.

“What are you doing?” Carmen asked as she slipped on jeans.

“I have to see Mom.”

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