Page 85 of Once A Crime Lord

“Yes, but I believed he was in Maine, doing his thing. It’s a different story if my psycho husband murders him!”

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell him you had a kid.”

She flinched. Carmen had been there when she made her last call to Jonathan. Hearing the devastation in his voice made her chest ache. She kept hurting him and didn’t know how to stop. “I thought I told him!”

“Well, you didn’t,” Carmen said heartlessly.

“Every time I see him, I’m in a state of shock. Fucking give me a break. I didn’t do it on purpose.”

Carmen munched on marshmallows. “Who knew your life would become a soap opera? A love triangle with a nerd and a possessive, psychotic husband who worships the ground you walk on.”

“Gavin doesn’t worship the ground I walk on.”If I didn’t love you so much, I’d kill you.She hadn’t been able to get his words out of her head.

“Gavin would do anything for you.” When she opened her mouth, Carmen waved her hands. “If Jonathan was an asshole, Gavin killing him would be romantic!”

“But he’snotan asshole!”

Carmen sighed and ate a pink marshmallow. “I know. So sad.”

“Every time I think Gavin and I are on the same page, he does something to make me question if our lives will always be like this.”

“Sorry to break it to you, babe, but once a crime lord, always a crime lord. Even if Gavin gets out of the underworld, which is debatable, he’ll never really be out. You know that.”

Blade walked into the kitchen and glared at them. “What are you two doing up?”

“You want some popcorn?” Carmen extended the bowl, which had popcorn mixed with more marshmallows.

Blade’s lip curled. “No.”

“Your loss,” Carmen said and munched away.

“Have you heard from Gavin?” Lyla asked.

“No.”

She called Gavin after she spoke to Jonathan. Even if he was mad, she still wanted to hear his voice. He didn’t pick up. What had she expected?

“Do you know if he’s in Las Vegas?” she asked.

Blade gave her a direct look. “I don’t keep tabs on the boss.”

“Would you tell me if he went to Maine?”

“No.”

She scowled. “If Gavin told you to kill Jonathan, would you?”

“Yes.”

No hesitation.

“Why?” she demanded.

“Because whatever it takes for Gavin to do his job is worth it,” Blade said.

“What the hell does that mean?”

Blade’s phone rang before he could answer. He glanced at the screen, frowned, and said, “What?” He listened for a moment and then glanced at Lyla.