by Mia Knight
Gavin parked in front of Vega & Sons, the most successful attorney’s office in Las Vegas. He armed himself and walked into the building with five men flanking him while the others waited outside. Gavin walked through the office, which quieted immediately when the workers caught sight of him. Every local knew his face since he had been on the news for suspected criminal activity and murder. Gavin didn’t give a fuck. He walked into the executive offices and bypassed the stammering secretary as he slammed into Paul Vega’s office. The old man was on the phone, but he hastily put it down when Gavin entered.
“Gavin,” Paul said, running a hand over what little hair he had left. “To what do I owe this honor?”
“Don’t fuck with me,” Gavin said and didn’t stop until he stood beside Paul. He didn’t trust the fucker behind his desk. Paul had a gun in his desk just like he did. “I want Rafael.”
Paul’s expression didn’t change. “What?”
Gavin’s temper snapped. He grabbed fistfuls of Paul’s shirt and hauled him out of the chair. He put his face in Paul’s and hissed, “You know why.”
“Gavin, I don’t—”
Gavin withdrew his gun and shoved it under Paul’s chin. “Rafael’s always wanted the title. He always pushed the limits, coming to my clubs, trying to bribe my men. How many times has he toed the line? How many times did you step in to cover his ass?”
“You think he killed Manny?”
Gavin’s finger tightened on the trigger. “Does he have an alibi?”
“Yes.”
“What is it?” Gavin hissed.
“He’s dead.”
Gavin didn’t move. “He’s what?”
“Rafael was murdered a couple of days before Manny,” Paul said, sounding weary instead of frightened.
Gavin released him and watched Paul sink into his chair, looking very much like an old man rather than his father’s rival. “Where was he murdered?”
“At his home.”
“You know who it was?”
Paul rubbed a shaking hand over his face. “No.” The hand lowered and the eyes that looked up at Gavin were filled with fire. “I was planning a hit on you when I heard Manny and your girl were attacked.”
“Who’s the new crime lord?”
“Fuck if I know. No one’s saying shit.”
“You think it’s the same killer?”
Paul glared at him. “Rafael was so disfigured, I had to identify him from his tattoos. I heard Manny got the same treatment and your girl got gutted.”
“Fucker likes knives,” Gavin said in an even tone, but the need to retaliate burned a hole in his chest. “I talked to Harmon today. I’ve put out money, a fuck load. No one’s talking.”
“They will eventually,” Paul said and lit a cigarette. “I heard you’re married.”
Gavin tensed. Even though he and Paul had a common enemy, he didn’t trust him. There was bad blood between their families. Despite the Vega’s money, connections to the police and under the table deals with criminals, they hadn’t been able to dethrone the Pyres. Paul and his son Rafael took it personally. Blood had been drawn more than once when they clashed.
Paul blew out smoke as he surveyed Gavin. “Heard the gal’s a looker. Rafael had a lot to say about her.”
The memory of Rafael and Lyla talking in that restaurant still had the power to raise his blood pressure. “If Rafael wasn’t already dead, I’d shoot him.”
Paul shook his head. “You Pyre’s are something else. You get so fired up about your women.”
It wasn’t a secret that Paul Vega had no respect for females. The word was he treated his prostitutes like cattle. According to his father, Paul impregnated countless prostitutes until he got the sons he wanted.
“Stay away from my family,” Gavin said.
Paul blew smoke out of his nostrils. “You have nothing I want, Pyre. Not anymore. Now, get out of my office.”
Gavin flicked the cigarette from Paul’s lips and grabbed him by the throat. Paul’s eyes bulged as Gavin applied pressure. Gavin enjoyed the feel of Paul’s vocal cords squishing beneath his fingers. It had been too long since he dealt out a punishment. Gavin leaned in close and stared into Paul’s panicked eyes.
“I may not be the crime lord anymore, Vega, but you know what I’m capable of, don’t you?” Even though Paul nodded vigorously, Gavin didn’t release him. “I could break your neck so easily. Don’t fucking test me.”
When the old man was purple Gavin let him go. Paul fell to his hands and knees, retching and gasping for air. Gavin stood over him and debated whether to shoot Paul for the hell of it when the door opened behind him. Gavin turned as a skeletal man rushed in. Since his men wouldn’t let just anyone into the office Gavin examined the newcomer and realized it was Paul’s younger son.
Gavin gestured to Paul who was gasping like a fish out of water on the floor. “I was just getting reacquainted with your father.”
The son said nothing, but his eyes flicked from Paul to Gavin and back again. He didn’t say a word, which was wise since one punch would crumple this guy. He was reed thin and had a dainty air about him that neither his father nor brother possessed. It wasn’t surprising that this brother held no resemblance to Rafael since they were probably from different mothers. To Gavin’s knowledge, this nerdy brother wasn’t involved in the criminal underworld and was a damn good lawyer.
“What’s your name?” Gavin asked into the loaded silence.
He swallowed hard. “Steven.”
“Your father tells me your brother was murdered,” Gavin said.
Steven gave him a jerky nod, but said nothing. He clasped his hands in front of him and Gavin noted that he was trembling. He hoped he had enough dignity not to wet himself.
“You have any leads?”
Steven opened and closed his mouth without uttering a word.
“Spit it out,” Gavin said impatiently.
“E-eli Stark.”
Everything within him froze. “Eli?”
Steven’s eyes fixed on something behind him. It was all the warning he needed. Gavin dodged to the side just as Paul fired his gun. Steven let out a high-pitched scream as the bullet meant for Gavin nicked his arm. Gavin whirled and shot Paul in the wrist. Paul shouted blasphemies as he dropped his gun and clutched his injured arm. Gavin stalked forward and shot his father’s nemesis in the shoulder at point blank range. Paul fell out of his chair and twitched on the ground. Gavin shot him in the thigh for good measure and didn’t bother to shut him up since the office was soundproof.
The hair on the nape of his neck rose in warning. Gavin turned and was mildly surprised to see Steven fumbling with a gun. It took him only a split second to aim. One bullet shattered Steven’s kneecap. He squealed like a pig and crumpled to the ground, hands hovering over his useless leg. Gavin reloaded his gun and debated whether Steven needed more punishment and if he should let Paul bleed out.
Gavin crouched beside Paul. Eyes glazed with pain focused on him. Gavin welcomed Paul’s loathing and was satisfied by the flicker of fear in his otherwise soulless eyes.
“You don’t want me to visit you again, do you, Paul?” Gavin asked.
Paul bared his teeth. “No.”
“Then you’ll let me know what you find out about this crime lord, won’t you?”
“He killed Rafael!”
“And I’ll make sure he dies nice and slow, you got me?”
Even though he was in acute agony, Paul hesitated before he nodded, giving Gavin the right to avenge their loved ones. Gavin rose and strolled over to Steven who wasn’t taking the pain well. Tears streamed down his face and he was pleading for Gavin to call 911. Gavin placed his foot on Steven’s shattered knee and he shut up immediately.
“You got off easy today,” Gavin said and leaned down, exerting enough pressure to make Steven’s eyes roll in their sockets. “You ever pull a gun on me again, it’ll be the last thing you ever do. You understand me?”
Steven nodded fervently. Gav
in lifted his foot and allowed Steven to believe that was the end of his punishment for thirty seconds before he belted the lawyer across the face. A sharp crack filled the office as Steven’s jaw was dislocated. Steven collapsed against the wall and then slid to the floor.
“Stick to what you know,” Gavin said patronizingly. “I might call you if I need a good lawyer. Be a good boy.”
Gavin rose and opened the door to find his men talking loudly, drowning out the sound of the Vega’s moans. Gavin closed the door and walked out of the building, dissatisfaction eating at his gut. His men dispersed once they were in the parking lot. Gavin drove home, his temper nowhere near assuaged by the encounter with the Vega’s. Lyla saw Eli Stark at Incognito. The new crime lord couldn’t be Eli Stark, could it? Gavin didn’t hear about the hit on Eli’s mother until it was too late, but Eli had his own code that didn’t fit with the savage beating the crime lord did on Raphael and his father.
Gavin made it home in record time and wasn’t pleased when he heard a deep bark when he opened the front door. Lyla ran towards him, her delighted face doing crazy things to his insides. She hurled herself at him. She had to stop doing that at some point, but he fucking loved it. He wrapped his arms around her and drank from her mouth. He needed her more than he needed food or water. She was everything to him. Her silver blue eyes were alight with happiness and his worries fell away as he lost himself in her.
Pregnancy suited her. She had bouts of nausea, but vomited only once. Much to his delight, her pregnancy was now obvious. Her slim build made her stomach painfully obvious and her breasts were swelling and extremely sensitive. Lyla seemed to be shining from the inside out. It made his heart ache.
“How was your day?” she asked, linking her hands behind his neck.
“Fine,” he said and looked down at a gray muscled beast. Dark assessing eyes met his. The dog sniffed his bloody shoes. He tightened his hold on his wife, keeping her airborne and away from the predator watching him so closely. Everything in him wanted to back away, lock Lyla in a room and get the damn thing out of his house. Why the fuck did he assume she would pick a poodle or something? Fuck. Lyla never did what he expected.
“You see Beau?” Lyla asked and fought to get out of his arms.
He didn’t release her. “Can’t miss him.”
She caught his tone and gave him an exasperated look. “Gavin, I’ve known Beau for a month. I see him three times a week. He’s really great. I couldn’t leave him there. He cries when I leave. It broke my heart.”
Gavin grit his teeth. Another male who had a piece of her heart. He reluctantly released her, but kept his hand fisted in the back of her shirt as she leaned down and scratched the beast under the chin. The dog closed his eyes in ecstasy and Lyla chuckled.
“You’re such a sweet boy, aren’t you? You’re happy here, huh?” Lyla cooed before she turned to him. “Come on, dinner’s ready.”
He slipped off his shoes, but kept his hand on his gun. Lyla walked into the kitchen with the dog trotting happily after her.
“Enjoy the peace and quiet,” Lyla advised as she dug into her chicken. “Tomorrow is going to be madness. Carmen says she’ll be here with the party planner at seven.”
“I’ll be in my office.”
He had no interest in the decorations and games and shit. He just wanted to know the sex of the baby. It was Carmen’s idea to do the baby gender party and when Lyla agreed, he decided to indulge her. The doctor informed the baker making the cake what the sex of the baby was. If Gavin knew which bakery was making the cake, he would have called because he couldn’t stand the suspense. Tomorrow he would know what he was having—Nora or a boy. He thought of Marcus’s comment about Nora dating and scowled.
“What is it?” Lyla asked.
“Fucking Marcus.” He loathed the small smile that curved her mouth. If Marcus was stupid enough to show up at the boxing ring, he might show him his lethal right hook.
“What about him?” she asked.
“He invited himself to the baby gender party.”
“He wants to come? Oh my gosh. I didn’t think about giving him an invitation. He’s a man.”
“He’s a weird bastard.” Gavin eyed the dog that looked blissed to be near Lyla’s painted pink toenails. “I don’t even know how he knew about it.”
“Maybe Alice or Janice told him.”
He wasn’t sure how he felt about Lyla befriending his staff but the damage was done. Alice and Janice became Lyla’s fans when she forced him to attend the Incognito opening and volunteered at the dog shelter. They were becoming quite chummy with Carmen as well, which could only be a recipe for disaster, but he knew better than to interfere with Lyla’s attempts to socialize and make a life for herself. At least she was still in his realm, which meant he possessed a modicum of control.
“They’ll be here tomorrow?” Gavin asked.
“Yes. Janice and Carmen have been driving the party planner crazy. Some of the volunteers I met at the dog shelter are coming too.”
He didn’t care who came as long as Lyla was happy and he found out what the sex of the baby was. On that thought he smoothed his hands over the loose button up shirt she wore. “How is she?” He would assume the baby was a girl until it was confirmed otherwise.
“She’s active today.” Lyla waved her hands. “It feels like a weird flutter in my tummy.”
“I can’t wait for her to kick,” he said and pressed a kiss to her belly. He glanced once more at the dog that was doing a good imitation of a furry rug. The dog was obviously house trained and well associated with Lyla. “Do you know the dog’s story? Where he came from? Why he was turned in?”
“His name is Beau,” Lyla said primly, which made him want to bite her. “I don’t know how Beau came to be there, but he was in the shelter for about a year. He seems uneasy with males so only women walk him.”
“And out of all the dogs, he’s the one you wanted?” Beau looked like a freaking tank. If he used his teeth and muscle, he could easily take down a full-grown man. “You say he doesn’t like men?”
“He shies away from men. I think some asshole must have done something to him. I hope Beau fought back.”
Lyla rubbed her foot over the dog’s head. Gavin suppressed a snort when the dog’s tail began to wag. While Lyla talked about plans for tomorrow he ate and let the sound of her voice chase away his frustration and rage. Since finding out about the pregnancy, Lyla had become more like her old self. Pregnancy had the desired effect—Lyla looked towards the future with excitement and no small amount of trepidation. He loved the way she clung to him and demanded things from him. Before, she’d been too wary to ask for anything. Now, she called whenever she wanted to and it eased something inside of him. Lyla was settling into married life. He wanted to believe that things could go on as they were, but the grim reality of the past whispered in his ear whenever he wanted to believe in a happily ever after. He didn’t deserve Lyla and the miracle in her womb, but he would keep taking everything she had to give.
When he finished his meal, Lyla continued to talk as they headed upstairs. He was not happy when the dog followed. When he entered their bedroom, he saw Lyla point to a huge pillow on the floor on her side of the bed. The dog glanced at him before he obeyed, spinning twice on the pillow before he lay down with his head on his paws, not taking his eyes from Lyla. Apparently, she couldn’t resist the sad puppy dog look. She went on her knees beside the huge dog that made Gavin want to train his gun on it just in case. She whispered to the dog and kissed him on the head before she went into the bathroom. Lyla stripped and he admired the view before he followed her into the shower. Having his hands on her made the savage beast in his head retreat.
When they toweled off, he nixed the nightgown in favor of feeling her bare skin against his. They climbed into bed. She baby talked to the dog again and he realized the dog was here to stay because she was besotted with the damn thing.
“Thank you for letting me have Beau,” Lyla s
aid, tossing an arm over his chest and snuggling close.
“If I’d known you were going to bring home a sixty pound beast, I would have laid down some conditions.”
“But he’s a good dog.”
“We’ll see.”
She nibbled on his neck. He suppressed a grin. He liked her bite.
“I love you,” she said.
He would never tire of hearing it. It was a gift from God he could never repay. This woman had been created for him and he would do everything in his power to ensure she left this world knowing she had been loved.
“I love you too much,” he said.
Lyla chuckled and the sound made him hard.
“You can’t love me too much.”
“I do,” he said, dragging her on top of him. He catalogued every precious inch of her exquisite face. If she had the height, she could have been a supermodel, but she didn’t use her looks to get what she wanted. She looked beneath the surface as so few people did. “You don’t know what I’d do to keep you safe.”
Lyla searched his face. He held his breath. She, more than anyone else knew how dark and twisted he was. She’d left him twice because of it and he wouldn’t survive a third time.
“I know what you’d do,” she said quietly and brushed his hair back. “I just hope you don’t have to do it.”
If he had a tail, it would have wagged. He craved her touch. He didn’t care where she touched him or why. He just wanted her hands on him all the time. It took a concentrated effort to focus on her words.
“I might have to,” he said.