Page 12 of Crime Lord's Paradise

“Yes,” she whispered. No matter how far she ran, he would catch up to her. She wasn’t sure what connected a girl from a middle-class family to a crime lord, but the connection was there, unbreakable.

“I loved the innocent because she helped me believe the lie, but I love the woman because she made me accept who I am.”

He sat up and dragged off her nightgown. She didn’t fight him. He draped her thighs over his and stared at her body for long moments before he freed himself and pressed for entry. She was wet enough to take him but just barely. He didn’t stop until he was in to the hilt. He stroked her belly and then her chest, over the scars.

“I’m a monster. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my family safe, to keep the dogs at bay. No mercy, no second chances.” He placed a dry kiss on her lips and pulled back, eyes searching hers. “You know what’s in me, yet you ask me for piggyback rides. You challenge me, showing no fear. That’s why I love you. You’re my anchor, my partner, my mate, my badass.” His hand moved over her stomach. “You’re giving me a legacy, a love that will never run dry. If you think I’d leave any room for you to wiggle out of, you’re dead wrong.”

She let out a choked laugh and rested her forehead against his. “You scare the fuck out of me sometimes, but most of the time, I love the way you love me.”

“And how’s that?”

“Like a fucking monster.”

3

Lyla saton a lounger beside the pool in her backyard. The sound of the waterfall and the light of the sun bouncing off the water were relaxing. It was unusually quiet, but she wasn’t alarmed. Her eyes moved over the mountains she had stared at so many times before. Something was different about them, but she couldn’t put her finger on what.

“Hey, baby girl.”

She turned her head. Manny Pyre lay on the lounger beside her in bright red shorts and an awful Aloha shirt decorated with blue flamingoes. The shirt was unbuttoned, showing a chest and stomach covered in snow white hair. He wore a straw fedora and oversized shades. He was a sight for sore eyes. Her heart swelled with so much emotion that she couldn’t breathe. The only way to release the pressure was through the tears that slipped down her cheek. She tried to reach for him, but her body was heavy and unresponsive. She didn’t fight it. Instead, she drank him in. His smile lit up her world.

“How’s life, baby girl?”

She smiled through the tears. “Better now. How are you, Manny?”

He pulled down his shades and eyed her. “Better than you.”

She let out a weak laugh. “I bet. Life hasn’t been smooth sailing lately.”

“No, and it never will be.” He wriggled his toes and tipped his face up to the sun. “There’s always going to be another wave, another battle. Take what you can get. God gives you pockets of time to enjoy and regroup, so take advantage and don’t squander it. Life is too short.”

She stared at the shimmering water as the sun beat down on them. “Yes, we need a break. Maybe we should get out of the city.”

“You should. Your first family vacation.”

That brought her attention back to him. A shaft of sorrow cut through her joy. “Have you seen her?”

Manny pressed his hand against his chest. “Nora’s perfect, just as I knew she would be.”

She swallowed hard as another tear slipped down her face. “I-I wish you could meet her. She’d love you.”

“I will one day. Until then, I get to watch over her.” He grinned roguishly. “She’s gonna be entertaining, that one. She’s gonna lead the pack, a born leader. Teach her to trust her heart and she’ll never go wrong. The others will follow her lead.”

“Others?” she echoed.

He tilted his head back and laughed. The wonderful sound tickled her ears and invited her to join in. The compulsion to touch him intensified. A part of her knew this was a dream, but she didn’t care. Touching him was paramount. She wanted nothing more than to feel him, warm and solid, just for a moment. As she willed her body to move, Manny’s image blurred. She felt herself drifting between wakefulness and sleep and instantly stilled. She was relieved when Manny snapped back into focus.

“You have no idea,” he said, unaffected by her consciousness. “Your life’s just getting started, baby girl. The best is yet to come.”

“Really?”

He nodded curtly. “You have years ahead of you full of ups and downs, but you’re gonna make it. No matter how bad life is, it keeps moving, and so do you.”

She felt the intensity of his gaze through the dark shades.

“You done good, baby girl. You avenged me.”

She ignored the prickle of unease that slithered down her spine. “Yes, Manny, he’s gone.” Her eyes moved over his body, which was unblemished, as it had been before his murder.

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