Page 42 of Crime Lord's Paradise

Lyla stoodon their private terrace just outside their bedroom and watched the sun set. She tried to imprint every color in her mind since her camera couldn’t do it justice. Her starving soul drank it in.

Gavin wrapped his arms around her from behind, and she leaned back against him.

“You know how I never ask you for anything?” she murmured.

He settled his chin on her head. “Debatable.”

“What have I asked for?” she demanded.

“There’s two dogs in my house.”

“You love them!”

“Your ex is still breathing.”

“You hired him,” she muttered.

“And I still allow you to speak to your crazy cousin.”

She smacked the massive arms wrapped around her. “You’ve been saying that since we got together, and you love Carmen.”

“She’s a bad influence.”

“She is a bad influence. That’s why she encouraged me to date you.” She screeched when he bit her neck.

“That’s the one good thing she ever did,” he growled.

“And she saved your daughter’s life.”And mine, she thought. “You bitch about her, but you love her like the sister you never had.”

He grunted and kissed his bite mark. “What do you want?”

She turned in the circle of his arms. “I want an island,” she said bluntly.

He looked beyond her to the sunset. “An island, hmm?”

She tapped his chest nervously. She had never asked Gavin for anything extravagant. She didn’t ask for jewelry or designer labels, but the peace she experienced here—that was worth asking for.

His hand smoothed over her bare back as he contemplated the view. She wanted to plead her case but remained quiet instead. She didn’t need an answernow, but knowing that she could come back anytime, that she had her own haven waiting would make anything she experienced in Las Vegas bearable.

“We’ll look tomorrow. There’s a bunch of tiny islands all over the place,” he said.

Her mouth sagged. “Really?”

“Of course. You think I can’t see for myself how happy you are here?”

“But … you’ll really buy me an island?”

“I promised you paradise.”

“You meant figuratively.”

“I mean it whatever way it needs to be.”

She shoved him into the room and knocked him backward on the bed. She covered his face with kisses.

“You are thebesthusband ever!”

She gave him a kiss with tongue. His hand slipped beneath her bikini bottoms. Things were just starting to get dirty when his phone rang.

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