ClaudeHe reeled from the next blow, delivered by someone else who had come up behind him but Claude was agile on his toes. Ignoring the pain radiating through his arm, he swung around, the knife in his hand, the one he had grabbed from the floor. With a broad sweep, he made it clear that he was no coward, the knife was his weapon and with a snarl, he lunged suddenly at his opponent, a skinny man with a goatee and thinning hair. The man yelped as Claude’s blade sliced through his flesh. At the same time, Hank appeared behind him and dealt the attacker a blow that sent him to the ground. Castle had also finished overpowering the men who had been futilely attempting to subdue him, With a vicious kick at the man who had been trying to reach for a glass on the counter to attack him, Claude immobilised him.Castle came closer, breathing heavily, blood trickling down his forehead.‘Sir,’ for he insisted on addressing Claude as Sir, ‘The Capo is on his way.’ Claude grinned wickedly, eyes dan
ProserpinaI dressed up with a sense of foreboding. When I looked into the mirror, I was mildly surprised to see that I looked good. My face did not betray my distress for I knew that I should not make my children worried, at least, not more than they were now. The silver-grey slinky dress was made of a shimmering material and contrasted dramatically with my deep brown hair.The pretty dress came down to a little below my knees and had a deep plunging neck with billowing sleeves. The back was also daringly deep and I knew that the dress hugged my bosom, flaring out slightly from the waist but still revealing my slight baby bump. I smiled my hand on my stomach. I looked like a woman expecting a baby and I was happy about it.Glancing at the time, I sighed, dabbing a dash of mild perfume to the area behind my earlobes, affixing the tiny diamond studs that Gaston had gifted me. I needed to go and see that the final touches to dinner had been done.MajaShe settled down in the chair at th
Schwartz“Mate, hey!’ The Boss looked around, his hand still holding his wife’s small wrist imprisoned in his large one.“We have guests, Lucien,’ said his wife gently and the Boss‘s cold, pale eyes swept the length of the room to land on Maja. He raised a brow and grunted.His wife went on, smiling reassuringly as she looked at Maja’s strained white face that contrasted vividly with her blazing red hair and blue eyes.“That’s Maja, she’s going to be a teacher at Hollowford High and her children. Magnus and Madeline.’The big man’s narrow gaze flickered across them but they rested longer than necessary on Magnus, who coloured slowly under the critical scrutiny. His eyes stabbed at Schwartz, and a message seemed to pass between the two men.Maja felt her palms break out in a sweat and she turned to look at Magnus. What had they noticed about her son that she, as a mother, had not seen?Schwartz was staring keenly at Magnus now and the boy had the look of a hunted animal.Maja did not k
PiersHe had been under a cloud so to speak, all during the amazingly delicious meal that his mother had brought to the table. He reached for the meatloaf and smiled at her. She looked so beautiful, the thought, wistfully. The phone at his side was on silent mode but it pinged and he looked away in irritation as he saw that it was Susie his ex-fiancee.His lips tightened.He had made it clear to Susie and her father that he was not interested in becoming a puppet. It was, of course, her father who was creating obstacles, but Piers had had enough. He was not going to pretend that he did not know his father was a mob Boss. He had lived with the knowledge for years and had even toyed with the idea of taking over but he knew that his heart was not in the violence and bloodshed that went with the post. And the good thing was, his father had understood.The problem now was that Susie simply would take no for an answer. She kept ringing, weeping, begging him to listen to her father’s plans.
Lucien DelanoHis face tightened, a mask that he wore when something terrible had happened, coming over his harsh features.Proserpina Delano, sitting beside him and attuned to every change in her lover’s moods, was immediately alert, her great brown eyes watching him almost fearfully as his hand paused over the plate.Then, he was on his feet, his eyes signalling to his best friend and second in command, James Schwartz, who stood up at once, unquestioningly.The people around the table stared at them in some surprise.Piers got to his feet too, “Pappa?” he said, a question in his voice and Lucien nodded. Proserpina rose to her feet shakily,“Lucien, is it…what is it?’ he turned to her and gripped her arms.‘Nothing, woman. Do not fret.’ Over her shoulder, his eyes met his eldest daughter’s steady grey-blue gaze.‘Look after your Mumma.’ he growled and moving his wife out of his way, he walked out taking swift, decisive steps and crossed the room even before they knew it.His men fell
Proserpina DelanoI sat at the small dining table tucked away in a corner of the kitchen; my hands clasped as I tried to focus on an image of the Buddha which had always made me feel peaceful. But tonight a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach made me aware that something was horribly wrong. I could not concentrate easily.My eyes absently ran over this delightful corner of my large L-shaped kitchen. This little area was my refuge. The cheerful yellow wallpaper created a sunny disposition no matter how low and weary I felt. adorned with the unlacquered copper pots I had picked from a flea market once a long while ago, the soapstone counters that quickly patina, and a simple central dining table instead of a kitchen island, the kitchen's lived-in atmosphere instantly makes anyone who enters feel right at home.It was tucked away in a corner, slightly removed from the ultra-modern equipment of the rest of the chrome and marble kitchen. There was a small pillar that sheltered it for it
LucienHe stared at the still figure of the boy, the blood roaring in his ears. there was just one thought going about in his head as he looked at the inert figure lying motionless at the bottom of the ravine, How would he break the news to his wife, he thought, his fists clenching. How?Beston and Piers, led by Philippe and a few of the men, had already scrambled down the slope, slipping and sliding but uncaring in their haste to get to the prone figure of the youth at the bottom of the crevice.All the while, Lucien stood, unmoving, his blood boiling as he realised that the boy had been deliberately targeted. This had been no accident. Paddy was someone who revered his bike; he enjoyed gliding along the roads and Gaston had seen him, a beatific smile on his face as he rode by, lost in the moment.He would never have rashly driven his beloved bike into the woods in this way; would never have taken this path which was not a path at all.Someone had chased him, forcing him to drive mad
Lucien Delano.He stared at his wife as she lay, a slight figure on the hospital bed. She had fainted in the corridor on hearing about Paddy and had been brought there. Seeing Claude sporting a thick bandage and lording it about in the corridor had only added to her distress, caught as she was totally unawares, for he had skipped telling her about their rash son and his actions.Although she was showing signs of coming to, she looked so tiny and white as she lay there, helpless, vulnerable…The Mafia Don sighed. F*ck, but how he loved her! And to think of the incessant pain she was being subjected to, mainly because of him, had him feel guilty as hell.*Now her lids flickered, the beautiful mocha-coloured eyes widening as the curling lashes lifted to look around the room and finally, to meet his gaze.She lay for a while, blinking as memory returned to her, eyes going around the unfamiliar room in surprise and alarm.Turning to him, she whispered, ’Lucien?’He sighed and she sat up s