Page 44 of Crime Lord's Paradise

The door opened. She couldn’t see beyond Gavin’s bulk, but there was only one person who dared to enter.

“What the fuck, Gavin?” Blade asked.

“Get her out of here,” Gavin ordered and then smothered her with his body. “Nora, not Lyla.”

She heard the soft tread of Blade’s footsteps as he crossed the room. Nora’s wails got louder when he opened the door. Blade’s gravelly voice softened as much as it could as he comforted her. Gavin didn’t move an inch as Blade came back into their suite. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Blade standing several feet away with Nora in his arms. Her baby reached for her, for once not placated by Blade. Once more, she tried to move, but she was completely immobilized and the grip on her throat kept her from talking to Blade or reassuring Nora.

Her eyes pricked with tears as she glared at Gavin. The vacation was over. Three days of good and then she came crashing back to reality. He went from loving husband to merciless ass so easily. The brutal rage in the hazel depths promised her that she would be punished for lying to him.

“Get the fuck out,” Gavin snarled.

“Gavin—”

“Out, Blade!”

“Don’t make me fucking kill you,” Blade said in a menacing voice she had never heard from him before.

Blade slammed the door so hard it shuddered in its frame. Gavin rested his lips against her temple in a mockery of affection as the hand against her throat trembled.

“Every time I think we’re on the same page, every time I think I have you where I want you, you do something that makes me feel unsure of youagain.” His tone was soft, almost gentle, which made his words all the more chilling. “I’ve fought long and hard for you. Now, tell me why you’re guarding your body against having more kids with me and don’t you fucking lie to me.”

His hold loosened so she could get take a full breath. She’d known if he discovered the pills, he’d be angry, but she hadn’t expected him to go on a rampage. If they had been home, Blade would have sedated and locked him in the basement. Instead, she was going to have to face the monster with no backup.

As if he could read her thoughts, he said, “No one’s going to save you. Now, talk.”

“You won’t understand,” she said hoarsely.

“I know I won’t understand! How could you do this to me? How could you lie to me?”

“I’m not ready.”

“I fulfilled my end of the deal. You told me you’d stay with me if I gave up being crime lord. Now, you give me what I want.”

“We have Nora.”

“I want more kids. I said so right from the start. I asked you less than a week ago if you took a pregnancy test. I’ve never hidden the fact that I want more. Why the fuck are you holding back on me?”

When she didn’t respond fast enough, he gripped her chin and lifted it. They glared at one another. He leaned down so she could see the beast watching her.

“You make me feel more than any other person on the planet. You should take care that you don’t push me too far,” he warned.

“Don’t threaten me,” she hissed.

“You don’t know how close I am to putting my hands on you.”

She raised her chin. “You already have.”

“Tell me why, Lyla.”

“It’s my body,” she whispered.

“Is that what this is about? Your body?” Before she could answer, he muttered, “That’s not it.”

“Itismy body!”

“You carried Nora well, and you know I don’t care about the stretch marks or scars. That’s life.”

“The scars are part of our lives, not everyone else’s.”

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