Page 88 of Recaptured by the Crime Lord

Lyla bore down as the contraction obliterated all thought.

“Don’t push!” a nurse barked.

Gavin brushed her hair back from her face and kissed her brow. “Hold on, Lyla. Just breathe.”

Fear and panic clawed at her throat. This was what she had been waiting for, but now that the moment was here, she wasn’t sure she would survive. There was a confused tangle of voices and people looking under her gown and asking questions. Lyla let Gavin handle that as she focused on her body, which felt as if it was trying to destroy itself.

Lyla trembled like a plucked bow and stared up at Gavin as the contraction ebbed. The lethal predator that lurked just beneath the surface stared at her.

“You could have died today,” he whispered.

“I didn’t.”

“But you almost did.”

She clutched a handful of his shirt. “Beau has to live. I won’t let him die.”

“Blade is talking to the vet.”

“I want to know—” she began and clenched her teeth as another contraction hit. How did women endure two days of labor? She wasn’t sure she could handle another hour.She endured pain like this only a year ago, when Sadist attacked her. Her labor pain was amplified by the fear and horror of what occurred not even an hour ago.

“Beau is still alive. He’s in surgery,” Blade reported.

“I need to know he’s okay,” she panted.

Two nurses shouted in the hallway and a second later Carmen appeared with a Taser. She slammed the door and rushed over.

“I made it! How the hell can you be in labor? You left my house two hours ago. Is that blood in your hair?”

“They fucking turned on me—” Lyla began to say before another contraction took hold.

The doctor came in and measured her.

“You ready to push?”

She was more than ready. Her body was covered in sweat and she was shaking like crazy. Carmen stood on one side, Gavin on the other and Blade stood off to the side. Lyla stared up at the ceiling and tried to get into the headspace that would allow her to focus beyond the pain. Today had been a shit day full of death, fear and desperation. Tears leaked out of the corner of her eyes as she squeezed two of her best friend’s hands.

“Lyla, when the next contraction comes, you have to push,” the doctor said.

Lyla nodded and took deep breaths. Her womb tightened and she leaned forward and bore down. She stared at the doctor positioned between her legs. She listened to him count and fell back on the raised bed when the contraction passed.

“You’re doing great, Lyla,” the doctor praised.

“Holy shit,” Carmen said and rubbed her arm. “You’re almost there, Lyla.”

Gavin’s face was closed off. There was a battle taking place in him. She knew all too well what it was. It had been a shit day for him too. Of course the underworld chose today to rise up and make a mark against them. Nora’s birth would forever be tainted by Gavin’s old life and nemesis.

“Here we go,” the doctor warned.

Lyla felt the contraction coming and met Gavin’s eyes. On a day like today, they needed something like this to remind them that life would go on. Pain eclipsed all else. She bore down and pushed for all she was worth. She felt as if her vagina was ripping in half... and then it was done.

Her ears rang as the doctor placed a small bundle on her chest. Lyla looked down as the baby opened her mouth and let out a piercing cry. The baby began to change color right before her eyes. Nora clawed the empty air and burrowed close for warmth, screaming at the top of her lungs.

The nurses took Nora to clean and weigh her and then gave her back. Nora splayed face down on Lyla’s chest. Despite being eight weeks early, Nora was a healthy six pounds, four ounces. She had a head of black hair and when her eyes opened, they all saw the flash of bright blue. Gavin placed his hand on Nora’s back. His daughter could fit in his palm. Something elemental moved through her as she registered that she was now a mother.

When the medical personnel cleared out, leaving Blade, Carmen, Lyla and Gavin there was a strained silence.

“What the fuck happened?” Lyla whispered hoarsely. She felt numb from today’s events and couldn’t stop shaking.

Blade widened his stance and clasped his hands behind his back. “The men were bribed by the new crime lord. The mission was to kill Lyla. Eight switched sides. We lost two men. All the traitors are dead.”

“Identity of the new crime lord?” Gavin asked, his voice as calm as could be, but the air around him sizzled with rage.

Blade shook his head. Carmen opened her mouth and then closed it. Lyla’s throat burned with the need to rage. She held Nora up and then buried her face against Nora’s soft skin and absorbed the feel of her. Nora was so small and defenseless and had been so close to dying today. There was so much hate and evil in the world. She and Gavin were Nora’s only defense against the darkness waiting for her. Tears streamed down her face asshe listened to Nora quick breaths. Her tiny hands gripped Lyla’s hair and she nuzzled close. This was her child to protect and she would do so. Lyla rested Nora on her shoulder and looked at Gavin who was watching her.

Tears trickled down her face, but her voice was steady as she said, “You go back into the underworld, you find him and kill that fucker slowly.”