AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Eli relaxed fractionally. He eased back from Gavin and glanced at Lyla again. She couldn’t read his expression.
“We’re done,” Eli said and walked away.
Gavin’s security moved out of his way as he strode towards them. Gavin sat and took a drink of water as calmly as if nothing out of the ordinary happened. The look in Eli’s eyes disturbed her. He was going to kill those men, cop or not. What other dealings was Eli involved in? Lyla glanced at Carmen who was unperturbed by the incident. She downed the last of her drink and beamed at Lyla.
“Let’s dance!” Carmen shouted over the relentless beat of music.
Lyla nodded. She didn’t want to sit here and listen to more of Gavin’s business dealings. She looked at Gavin who was blocking her way and completely unaware of Carmen’s suggestion... or her. Did he ask her to come tonight to ease his father’s mind and make up for putting bruises on her? It only reinforced her suspicion that bringing her back to Las Vegas had everything to do with his pride and Manny’s affection for her. Gavin didn’t wanther. Gavin saw her as a possession that slipped through his fingers. Gavin respected and loved his father more than anyone in the world. He even dated her to please his father. How far would he go to make his father happy? Lyla glanced at Ricardo who sat back in the booth with a deceptively uninterested expression. It was time to prove her point.
“Let me out,” Lyla said and when Gavin ignored her, she placed a hand on his arm to get his attention.
His head snapped towards her and the intensity of his gaze startled her.
“I’m going to dance,” she said. When he gave her a puzzled look, she was forced to lean towards him. “I want to dance with Carmen!”
Gavin didn’t move immediately. He scanned the dance floor and the surrounding tables before he stood. He held out a hand to help her out. Lyla heard women at a nearby table grumble, jealous of Gavin’s display of old world charm. Of course, the dress covered her bruises. If only these women knew that beneath the gorgeous exterior, a killer lay in wait. When she and Carmen linked arms, Gavin gripped her hip to stop her.
“Stay in my sight,” he said, lips brushing her ear.
Lyla slipped away without saying a word. Lyla pushed thoughts of him away as she and Carmen slipped onto the dance floor. Of course, Carmen didn’t stop until they were in the middle of the crush. Lyla felt a moment of panic when people pressed in around her, but Carmen wrapped her arms around her and squeezed.
“Feel it, Lyla!” she shouted. “Stop thinking anddance! We used to do this all the time, remember?”
Lyla closed her eyes and forced herself to move. She and Carmen would go to parties and clubs every night. It felt like a lifetime ago. She didn’t know how to move with the reckless abandon she once had. Carmen hugged her from behind and moved with the beat. Lyla smiled as she felt Carmen’s hips do ridiculous things that probably made Vinny wild. She loved Carmen and missed her craziness. Lyla knew that Carmen had her best interests at heart. Carmen risked her life to get Lyla out of Las Vegas and had given her a huge chunk of money to make her way in the world.
Lyla opened her eyes. It took a minute for her to pinpoint Gavin through the blinking lights and sea of people. He was on his feet, leaning casually against the booth, talking on his phone. He looked good enough to be on the cover of a magazine. He was effortlessly masculine and gorgeous. No woman would pass him without a second glance. On impulse, Lyla glanced around. She grabbed the arm of a woman who men were fighting over. The woman came willingly enough and Lyla found herself in a hot girl sandwich that made the men brush their hands over their crotches.
“You straight?” Lyla asked her.
The gorgeous brunette tossed her hair and rubbed herself against Lyla’s front. Carmen, never one to miss an opportunity, copped a feel of the woman’s fake breasts and gave her a thumbs up.
“Who’s your doctor?” Carmen shouted.
Lyla elbowed her cousin aside and leaned in close to the brunette. “You see that guy?” Lyla pointed to Gavin who was still on the phone and now pacing.
“Holy shit,” the woman breathed.
“He’s working too much,” Lyla said with a pout. “You think you can get his attention, distract him?”
The brunette licked her lips before she turned to Lyla with a frown. “You his wife?”
“No. Trying to prove that he’s still a cheater.”
“Don’t have to ask me twice,” the brunette said and kissed Lyla on the lips before she made her way off the dance floor.
Some of the men chased after her, but the bombshell didn’t give them a second glance. She was focused on her target.
“What the hell are you doing, Lyla?” Carmen demanded.
“He’s still a cheater,” Lyla said and switched places with her cousin so she could unobtrusively watch the show over Carmen’s shoulder. “He always will be. I need Ricardo to see that we aren’t meant for each other.”
She and Carmen moved together in the middle of the bumping and grinding bodies and watched the brunette slowly make her way towards Gavin. Damn, the brunette was good. She leaned on the railing in front of the booth next to Gavin’s, just far enough that if he was interested he would have to turn his head.
“Get off the damn phone!” Lyla shouted, frustrated.
“He’s not interested, Lyla!” Carmen shouted back gleefully.
“She’s being too subtle—Oh!”
