Bianca I was lying on my stomach on the bed, humming to Billie Elish’s ‘Lovely’ as I did a Sudoku puzzle. I was at my wit’s end and only doing puzzles kept me engaged.Life, I sighed, was dead boring. Here I was, waiting to attend college, meet people my age and get a degree.I stared up at the ceiling, brooding.What would happen at the end of the year, the thought popped up in my head and I felt a sense of impending glom descend over me.*The Masters, O’Grady and St Just would move on, get another woman to pleasure themselves…I would be back to my old life, a lot richer, but…And then, I sighed, my eyes filling. Strike that.Not my old life. Never my old life.I would be treated like a wh*re.I bit my lip.I would need to leave the town, get a job somewhere else, maybe, get an apartment for myself…*Suddenly, the little phone on the bed beside me pealed and I almost fell off the bed in shock.It was St Just.“Get dressed, something that’s formal,” he rasped and I shot up in be
BiancaI was driven to a building in another part of town. St Just accompanied me. We spoke very little on the drive. St Just seemed to be preoccupied and kept texting and receiving phone calls. When we turned up at one of the streets in the city which housed all the financial institutions, I stepped out in a daze, unsure about where I was heading. Tall buildings crowded either side of the street, bearing some of the names of the financial giants in the state. I bit my lip nervously as I realized that I was being trusted with something a lot more complex than my Dad’s little old bakery!St Just frowned and said in a curt voice,“Come on in, Bianca.” Now that we had reached, St Just sounded impatient, quite unlike my kind lover. I turned around, more than a little nervous.*He strode to the doors and I trotted after him valiantly, trying to keep in step but his larger strides made me positively run and I was breathless when we reached the elevators.I had a blurred image of the rece
The little office Joe Simmons led me to was a tiny enclosure, in one corner of the large office space. It was separated from the other people in the room because it was a tiny cubicle with solid walls.I looked about curiously at the other people working in the large room, which had computers on desks, monitors and enormous screens on walls and wires trailing everywhere. A few faces watched me curiously and I smiled back hesitantly. A bespectacled, young man , with a mop of ginger hair, grinned back. He was closer in age to me, I figured, maybe in his early twenties. Another couple of women, also around the same age, nodded at me. The rest of the people in the room were mostly older and they flicked glances at me disinterestedly before getting back to their work. I noticed a couple of the women watching St Just as he strode out of the room, without glancing my way.*I sighed as I looked around the tiny space I had been provided. A whole lot of files were on the floor, on a table by
Bianca hurried behind the big bouncer who led her to a car that was parked on the sidewalk, away from eh building. It was totally inconspicuous amongst other models which were similar to it and she hesitated a second. The tinted glasses hid the person who was inside the vehicle from her eyes but she felt a warmth spread through her.It was Liam O’Grady, she knew it instinctively. And when the big dark man called Davis stepped to the door and opened it for her, she slid onto the seat and turned her flushed face to the man she loved, her lovely open face revealing her heart’s secret..*His question took her totally by surprise.“Who’s he?’ barked O’Grady and she shrank back. He looked thunderous.“Who’s who?” she said in a small voice The door had shut noiselessly behind her, the glass partition separating the front seat from those at the back was raised and she knew that no one could hear them now.Or see them any longer.She bit her lip, eyes widening in alarm.*The knowledge that
St Just knew that O’Grady had bungled the moment Bianca Cruz walked into the tiny apartment with O’Grady behind her. A couple of the men were following them too, keeping a wary distance from the rabid-looking mob Boss, who looked drunk.O’Grady had kept drinking steadily and Bianca had sat still and unmoving in her corner of the car all the way, biting her lip, holding back her tears with an effort. They had not shared a word after the way they had made violent love.*St Just sighed.The f*ck was wrong with O’Grady? It had been Liam O’Grady’s idea to put a distance between them and the young girl; she did not need any further damage to her reputation, he had argued. St Just had been a little apprehensive; how would Bianca take the decision?And when he saw her face, the swollen mouth, eyes that slid away from him, her lovely mouth turned down a the corners unhappily, he wanted to hit his brother across his face.The Irishman had clearly made a mess.*Bianca walked in and stood to th
I looked around myself when St Just stepped out to make a call.It was a small, cosy apartment and the person who had probably decorated it had had good taste, I reflected , studying the pale walls. Or had it been done to accommodate the latest woman in the life of my Masters? I’d never know and I shrugged in determination. No way was I going to weep and sob.O’Grady had made fierce love to me in the car and after a long day at the office, which was something I had done after a long time, I was tired and hungry. To my astonishment, my clothes and all my possessions had already been brought here and arranged neatly in the little wardrobe in the small bedroom. Sighing I pulled out a comfortable pair of harem pants in pink and a large T shirt to change into before heading to take a shower. I sighed as I soaped myself. I had been able to smell the fragrance of O’Grady on my body , could see the mark on my breast where he had sunk his teeth into me and I squeezed my eyes shut.The muscl
Bianca There was another surprise for me the next morning.St Just had spent the night with me and when I came awake, it was to the aroma of bacon and eggs sizzling on the pan.I peered into the kitchen, wearing my towel as I rushed over after a quick shower. And I was startled to see St Just at the stove, preparing breakfast like he did it every day. I was fresh from the shower and went up to him, winding my arms around his waist and kissing his back.The fresh smell of his body made me thrill. St Just was only clad in a Pir of track pants and I dimly wondered if he had sent is man to fetch some clothes for himself.He grinned, throwing me a smouldering look over his shoulder and said softly,“Morning, sugar.”I giggled.“ I didn’t know you could cook,” I said, kissing him as he swept me around.He smiled and kissed me gently.‘Maggie was a good mother but she also made sure that O’Grady and I learnt basic survival skills. Like cooking basic meals.” I looked into his golden eyes cu
Dean Nelson watched from his tinted windows as Bianca Gomez drove away breezily. He had found out where she was staying and he intended to get into the apartment and familiarise himself with it better.Something like a welcome gift when she returned from wherever she had zoomed off to, with that lumbering giant in her wake…He had turned up a little late and had not seen St Just get into the vehicle and leave.*Bianca breezed into the parking area for the people working in the building a short while later. A couple of people noticed her car and commented on it. She made sure to say that she had left it at a friend's the previous day. Bianca Cruz was nothing if not resourceful. She had no intention of getting caught in the crossfire if someone were to discover how she was related to the Masters.But even as she sat down to work, she sighed as she thought, suddenly, of O’Grady, his bulk and his fierceness and she blushed as she recalled how he had made her feel that day in the car.She
They arrived at Hollowford late in the evening. Bianca had been on edge all day, waiting to meet her sister.And of course, her Masters…She blushed as her mind wandered over the different things they would do to her; with her full consent, of course, for both O’Grady and St Just had never ill-used her. They cared for her feelings, as was obvious with how they had stepped forward to rescue Anna. Serena Kingston, who had proved to be surprisingly friendly, for all her tough exterior, had described how the siblings had taken Cahill off guard. Bianca had felt her heart pounding as she listened.Earlier, Proserpina had wisely declared that Anna could stay the night here, at the mansion, before returning to the hospital the next morning.”Hospitals have visiting hours,” she pointed out gently and Binaca sighed. True. Her stepmother needed to rest, as her Italian beau had pointed out in the afternoon, a little reproachfully. For Heather had been so relived, she had wept a lot, till the nur
The next morning, Bianca arrived at the hospital. She had been over the moon with the news, bursting to tell Heather and when she met Proserpina at breakfast, she blurted,“Please, can I stop by the hospital? I want to meet my mother…”The look of undiminished joy on her face made Proserpina smile. But thinking of how the sister had behaved cruelly to Bianca, Proserpina paused, thinking. The Don’s wife had a meeting with her academic team later in the morning and she was dressed to leave for it in a simple skirt suit. Bianca thought that the woman looked gorgeous in a burgundy twill wide lapel suit. She had a curvy figure and the skirt dramatically clung to her hips.But Proserpina had been thinking. The protective mother hen in her reared it’s head.“I’ll get Serena to come with you,” she said, after some thought, because Serena was between work at the moment and was expected to join them for lunch at the mansion in the afternoon.Proserpina found her much easier to get along with t
Bianca had not slept all night long. Sitting in the armchair beside the long French windows in her room, she stared out at the beautiful rolling lawns and the small fairy lights scattered around them and sighed.What was happening to Anna?And her Masters…?When the phone rang, she jumped up and ran to the bed where she had left it .O’Grady’s face appeared on the screen, as handsome and vital as ever, his black hair mussed, eyes gleaming.His expression said it all and, in that instant, she knew that her sister had been saved by the men she loved.She was already crying in happiness as he spoke, gently, his voice reaching out to caress her,“Bianca, lass…”He sounded like honey and she leant against the wall, looking at him. “Here’s someone who wants to see you,” he added and turned his charm on the person sitting beside him.ANNA!!!Biaca almost screamed in joy.Her sister was sobbing openly, her face bruised, looking haggard and pale . But she was alive!!Bianca managed to say so
The atmosphere on the airfield was tense; Serena Kingston was out of the car, ignoring the rain as she got into position, her army training kicking into place as she tried to figure out how to shoot the man without harming the girl. Louis Delano was beside her, cocking his gun, a feeling of desperation rising in him. Any false movement might trigger off the frantic man who had his gun on the unfortunate child. Anna was sagging, unable to stand, her head lolling back. Drugged, thought Van Dyke. For Joe Cahill, the rain streaming down, over his head, down his long black raincoat, had hauled the poor child up and was using her as a shield, his gun to her temple.The large Jeep had pulled to an abrupt stop and men tumbled out. The blonde, lean St Just, his gun in his hand was running forward as he shouted, his voice faint over the sound of the rain.“Cahill, Joe! Man, don’t do this!”And then as Cahill shook his head and yelled,“Stop right there, St Just, or I shall shoot this little c*
roserpina, who had emerged from the kitchen, with a bowl of food in her hands, quickly shot her daughter, the only one who resembled her, a quelling look.“Jamie! Don’t talk to our guests like that!”And handing the bowl to Karina who had entered behind her, she glided over to Bianca and said,“Come child, you can sit beside me.”Bianca felt close to tears but Tara had come up beside her and sank onto a chair, reaching out to her comfortingly.‘No Mamma. She can sit here, with Karina and me,” said the young woman.Proserpina, who had been bending over her husband, serving him some food, looked up, her wide brown eyes puzzled. Then she nodded. Sitting beside the Don on a good day had a detrimental effect on one’s appetite. And this child was distraught! Proserpina’s place was always on the right-hand side of her husband. She would be under the Don’s silent scrutiny and it would make her feel horrible!The Don’s sharp grey eyes, which reminded Bianca of glaciers, had been following the
The huge giant, Alexander Van Dyke had come up behind O’Grady. He had heard every word and his velvety voice growled,“Which girl?”St Just gripped his brother’s arm as the Irishman sought confirmation from the hard-faced Serena Kingston.She flipped her red ponytail over her shoulder as she said, addressing Louis,“I’m off. I’ll follow him.”And she was running to her Subaru, heedless of the rain which had increased. One of Louis' men joined her at the Delano scion’s nod.Louis Delano turned to O’Grady.“Claude got a tip-off from one of his Bratva men. Cahill had kept the girl on a schooner in another area. Not here.” He indicated the large liner which was now swarming with SWAT operatives. The FBI had also been alerted for it was a major international issue. There were apparently women from countries in the Far East, who were being used as captive sex slaves.Gunshots sounded and they could hear men shouting, and women screaming over the drumming of the rain.Van Dyke was watching
It was to be a big operation, the police chief had growled, apprehensive as he looked at the cruise liner that was preparing to leave, having applied for clearance from the port authorities the previous evening.Lucien Delano had snapped his fingers and the Governor had acted at once, pulling out all the stops to prevent the luxury liner from sailing away.It was raining now, a light, annoying drizzle and O’Grady, who had been instructed to stay in the background, for his was a noticeable face, with his reputation sticking out a mile before him. As the owner of the chain of Casinos in the area and a boxer of some repute, along with his playboy tag, the reporters would have a field day if he was noticed.The burly Irishman had bristled but his brother had shot him a warning look. It appeared that Serena Kingston and Louis were working in tandem with the Bratva here, for Claude Delano and his brother had been the ones to leave the car and talk to the police chief. The shorter thickset
Lucien Delano stopped as he watched his Woman, hurry towards him. Proserpina, the girl he had taken as his mistress when she was just eighteen, the woman who had weathered so many storms with him.The Woman he had grown to love, whom he cherished.She still made him grow hard, just by appearing before him, her Bambi brown eyes wide and trusting, those plump lips, moist and parted; and the body of a Siren.She was hurrying to him, for he always insisted that he met her in the hall before he proceeded to his study. James Schwartz, who had entered behind him, grinned, a debonair older man now, but still strikingly handsomely.Now his friend, murmured gently,“Looks like our hen has something important to say to you, mate,” he said as he grinned at Proserpina, who dimpled at him affectionately.Handsome Schwartz had been his Underboss and best friend for decades now and the mutual respect they had for each other was a sign of their relationship. The debonair Schwartz, who had seen all t
It was dinner time, but the Mafia Don had not arrived. His lovely wife stood, biting her lower lip, glancing at the clock before she turned to her daughter Tara, who was cheerfully munching on a peanut jelly sandwich at the breakfast bar.‘Tara, darling, round up the little ones, please. And Bianca, would you like to help her?”The words were spoken sweetly but Bianca guessed that it was Proserpina’s way of suggesting that she move out of the kitchen and stop behaving like a lost ghost.With a baby latched to her hip, the Mafia don’s wife came forward and gently stroked Bianca’s hair as she said,‘Your men …I will see that they are contacted. But I would like you to stay here for a few days.”And as Bianca opened her mouth to protest, her alarm over Anna overriding her caution, the beautiful woman went on, softly,“I was kidnapped and kept a prisoner for months. Lucien and Melissa’s husband sought me out and brought me back home.”With a soft smile, she took Bianca’s arm, guiding her