Claimed by the Sicilian Tycoon (Criminal Seduction #3)(54)

“It hurts,” she whispered.

“The possibility of shitting yourself not such an issue now, huh?” Lyra teased. “Come on.”

She led Rachel out onto the street as she called through to Dominic. He sounded as panicked as his wife.

“Meet us at the hospital,” Lyra said. “We’ll be there soon. Ryan is on his way.”

Dominic shouted something down the phone, but Lyra cut him off, focusing instead on her sister. She was so tiny, so delicate, even with the generous bump.

“You’ll be a mommy soon,” Lyra whispered.

“A good one,” Rachel whispered back.

“Without a doubt.”

“But…ahhhh…that f*cking hurts!”

Her cry made people walking past stop and stare. Some gave them a wide berth, but a couple offered them help. Lyra thanked them but sent them on their way. She totally had this. She would make sure Rachel was safe and well, just like she always had. Just like she always would. They were all she had now, Lyra thought. Penny and Sebastian. Rachel and Dominic. And now the baby. The baby she would love and care for with all the spare love that had nowhere else to go.


Her family.

The only people she had ever been able to count on.

“Lyra?”

Lyra froze. Oh God no. It was the voice from her dreams. The voice, that just like he had promised, woke her first thing, and held her tight as she fell asleep. Andros. She paused, her heart itself seeming to miss a beat, and turned almost if in slow motion.

“I knew,” he whispered. “The moment I saw the hair.”

Lyra’s entire body exploded, every cell, every muscle, everything that knew him, seeming to come to life. Adrenaline zinged through her veins as she looked into the eyes of the man she loved. The man she ached for every single f*cking day.

“Andros,” she said stupidly. “It’s you.”

“Who else?” he asked.

It was like everything else had dropped away. There was him, there was her, and there was the bubble. Like the clock had turned back all the months. She looked into his eyes, he into hers, and the familiar lust pulsed between them, but it was more than that now, so much more. Lust. Desire. Anguish. Love. Too many emotions, too caught up in one another. How she missed him.

“Lyra!”

It all came back, the roaring in her ears subsiding, and Lyra snapped back around to her sister. “It’s okay, Rach.”

Andros moved forward, so that he was in front of both women. “What is wrong with her?” he asked.

“She’s having a baby,” Lyra said, shivering from the sound of his voice, his body so close. How she wanted him.

“Right now?” Andros asked.

“Yep.”

“Good God,” he breathed. “What shall I do?”

She almost wanted to laugh at the horror in his voice, but her chest hurt too much to allow it. “Nothing, we’re fine.”

“But if the baby is coming…”

“It’s her first. It’s gonna take a while yet,” Lyra said. “Labor probably just started.” Words from the books came back to her and she turned to Rachel. “Did you get your bloody show yet?”

Rachel moaned. “Never, ever, say those words again.”

“But—”

“Shall I drive you to the hospital?” Andros interrupted. “Larsson is right there. Where is she giving birth?”

“I said we’re fine,” Lyra replied, the thought of being back on those leather seats again making her feel faint. How the hell was she supposed to keep a hold of all her emotions when the man that caused them was right f*cking next to her? And there was Rachel to consider here. She could not afford to be distracted.

“But you need help,” Andros said. “Rossa, let me help.”

The use of his pet name for her, after all the months apart, snapped something in Lyra, and she had to swallow around a lump. “For f*ck’s sake, Andros, take the hint already.”

“So you are still mad,” he said slowly. “You have not had enough time to think.”

“Think?”

“About us,” he said. “I planned to give you another couple of months at least before I came to get you. I have had much time to think whilst we were apart, Lyra. I can give more.”

“To get me?” Lyra whispered, unable to believe what she was hearing. “Give more?”

“Yes, Lyra. You surely did not think I would give up that easily.”

“I—”

“Oh my God, will you give it a rest? I’m totally in labor here.”

Rachel’s words penetrated her fogged brain and Lyra looked away from Andros’ intense stare, flushing. “Sorry, babe. Where’s your Blackberry?”

“You have it. Call Dominic again,” she moaned. “And where the hell is Ryan?”

“Dominic? Dominic Rimeria?” Andros demanded. “Why the f*ck do you need to call him?”

Lyra sighed, remembering oh so clearly, the scene outside of Dominic’s building. Was Andros wondering if she had followed up on her threat to bed another man? Maybe she should let him think that, Lyra thought. Make him hurt just as she did. But then she met his eyes all over again, and realized that she could no more hurt him than she could Rachel. They were beyond that now. She loved him too f*cking much.