Page 21 of Crime Lord's Paradise

Angel shrugged. “He seemed a little nervous, but otherwise, fine. Smart guy. Why?”

“No reason.” He hadn’t had contact with Huskin since Maine. He gave his orders to Z who passed them onto Huskin. It was better that way. “He’ll be installing our system while we’re gone.” There was no way in hell he would allow Huskin in the house with Lyla around. Their trip to Bora Bora was a convenient excuse for Huskin to come in and do his thing.

“You have some interesting contacts,” Angel said.

“They come in handy,” he said as he got to his feet.

“Don’t worry about the city, Gav. I got it.”

“Good. Then maybe you can get Luci to stop calling me every day.”

Angel grinned as they exited the office. “She’s going stir-crazy. I may have to let her come here for a weekend or something before she does something stupid.”

He didn’t like the thought of Luci coming here when things were still in transition, but it was Angel’s call.

They passed the kitchen, which was filled with catering staff. He didn’t like having strangers in his home. It put him on edge, but he could tolerate it for a few hours. There was a fancy table set up beside the pool. Lyla chatted with Carmen’s mother, Isabel. He assumed the older man and teenager with her were the Armstrongs, the family she would be marrying into. He had looked into them and found they were as vanilla as could be, lucky for them.

He walked toward Lyla who turned when she sensed his approach. When she saw him, she smiled, and held out her hand to him. He was powerless to deny her. She was shaking off the aftereffects that Hell and Vega had left on her and was shining bright again. He grasped her hand and kissed her before he switched his attention to Nora who grabbed his shirt with a tiny fist and stared at him with impatient eyes.

“Dada!”

He couldn’t stop his shit-eating grin. He was never going to tire of hearing his title. Nora chanted it daily, and it was music to his ears. He couldn’t be more delighted that dada had been her first word. He settled Nora in the crook of his arm while Lyla introduced Isabel’s fiancé, Marv, and his daughter, Maddie.

“Cousin,” Angel said as he kissed Lyla on the cheek.

He draped an arm over her shoulder and whispered something that caused her to give him a dirty look. Angel grinned and said something else that made her laugh and shake her head. When she wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned into him, he saw Angel fully relax. Lyla’s light had the same calming effect on Angel that it did on him. Angel didn’t have his family to keep him anchored, so they needed to step in. When they returned from Bora Bora, he would make a point to have his cousin come by more often. Angel treated Lyla with the same warm affection he had for Luci. The Romans had accepted her as one of their own. He’d heard Lyla on the phone with Luci several times. He didn’t know what was said, but the contentment Lyla exuded afterward boded well.

He wasn’t pleased when Blade came up beside him since Nora reached for him. Blade took the baby who rested her cheek on his chest and sucked her thumb. Carmen arrived, dressed as if she was on her way to the opera. He knew she was behind this get-together, but he couldn’t find it in him to be pissed when everyone was having a good time. They settled around the table as the food was served, women on one side with the men on the other. It took him less than five minutes to discern that Marv Armstrong was a good man. Blade and Angel were impressed with Marv. He served in the military, ran his own mechanic shop, and loved to hunt.

He was glad when the evening wore down, and they escorted people to the door.

“Thank you for coming,” Lyla said as she hugged and kissed Isabel.

He shook hands with Marv and nodded at Maddie. She met his gaze for a moment before she flushed and looked away. Lyla waved them off before she turned to him with a dazzling smile.

“You had fun, didn’t you?”

He shrugged and pulled her into the house so he could kick the door shut. He was very aware of the staff still in the kitchen and the fact they still had some guests in the house, but he was distracted by her warm weight against him. When she pulled him toward the couch, he didn’t fight. She pushed him down on the cushions and then curled into his side.

“I had a great day.” She sighed. “Hair and shopping with Carmen and then a great dinner with friends and family.”

He slipped his hands through her blond locks. “I’m glad you didn’t cut or dye it.”

“Of course, you are.”

“You’re always messing with me.” She had been teasing him for days, threatening to dye it some ugly ass color.

“You’re so easy,” she said lazily.

He loved her hair, and she knew it. It was shiny and heavy, and he loved falling asleep with it tangled around him or wrapping his fist in spun gold as he fucked her.

“Two more days until Bora Bora,” she said.

“Yes.”

“Are you excited?”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

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