Page 6 of Crime Lord's Paradise

He collapsed against the reclined seat and draped her over him. She panted against his chest and clung to him as her throbbing body tried to recover. The smell of their combined scents comforted her, and she floated on the aftermath of amazing sex. His strong heart thumped beneath her ear. He was her rock. They had their ups and downs, but it always came to this—their bond forged over a decade ago. Nothing could break it, and they were stronger now than they had ever been.

“We should spar more often,” he said gruffly.

Her lips quirked as she stared at their reflection, her tiny form draped over the large warrior. “Next time, I get to win.”

“If I win, you win too.”

She couldn’t refute his logic. “True.”

His hand slid beneath the fall of her hair and cupped her nape. His strong fingers massaged while her breathing evened out. Gavin was right. There were other ways to work out her demons, but the bad thing was, at some point, her mind circled back to what caused her to feel like shit today. He couldn't fix this, but he had a right to know.

“I took Nora to see Mom,” she said.

He didn’t speak or stop his caressing.

“The nurses told me she hasn’t been eating. I thought Nora would brighten her day since she’s never met her before.” Her chest tightened. She brushed her cheek over his skin, taking comfort in his presence before she said, “The minute she saw Nora, she went ballistic. She started screaming, throwing things, telling us to get out. It’s the most she’s talked in months.”

She wasn’t sure why Nora’s presence triggered her mother, but it had, and not in a good way. She handed Nora to Blade and reentered the hospital room to find Beatrice trying to get out of bed. When she tried to stop her, Beatrice turned on her and tried to pummel her with her fists. Her mother actually hurt herself since she was weak and still in casts. Beatrice had to be restrained by the medical staff and sedated. Lyla emerged physically unscathed but mentally traumatized.

“She remembers,” she whispered.

When her mother woke from the coma, no one knew how much she would remember. She hoped her mom would be spared that knowledge. No such luck. Today, Lyla had been introduced to an all new level of pain. She thought the worst thing in the world was seeing her mother strapped to a bed where she had been beaten to the brink of death. She was wrong. The worst thing in the world was seeing how much those monsters changed her mother into a bitter, enraged woman who couldn’t stand the sight of her.

“She said she doesn’t want to live with us … and that it’s my fault Dad’s gone.”

The worst part was, her mom was absolutely right. If only she knew the whole truth … The shit that spewed out of Mom’s mouth brought back everything she’d been trying to forget. She swallowed bile and buried her face against him.

“She asked where Pat’s buried,” she said against his skin.

“What did you say?”

“That he was killed by people in the underworld, and I don’t know what they did with his body.” She hesitated and then asked, “Did anyone go back to the cabin after …?”

“Yes. He’s buried near the cliff.”

She wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

“I shouldn’t have let you see her without me,” he said.

“It would have been the same outcome.”

“I don’t think so.”

“She’s changed.” That was the understatement of the year.

“She has a right to act out, but not at you.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not. You can’t help her, so let the doctors and nurses do their job. We’ll finance whatever she wants.”

She nodded, recognizing the wisdom in that. She was going through her own shit and needed to take care of herself and Nora first before delving into her mother. She drank in Gavin’s strength and willed his presence to chase away her feelings of guilt and helplessness.

When he straightened, she let out a disgruntled moan. He chuckled and gave her a swift kiss as he rose and settled her on the bench where she swayed before she found her balance. She watched him go to his pile of clothes and pull on his slacks.

“What am I going to wear? You ripped my shirt.”

He tossed his dress shirt, which stopped at her knees. She eyed her pants, but they were too far away. He collected their clothes and her gun and circled back to her. When he eyed her expectantly, she lifted her arms and pouted, knowing he wouldn’t deny her.

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