When Bianca crept back to her room, she was exhausted. O’Grady came with her, his arm around her waist, holding her up.“Ah, pet,” he said in a soft, tender tone and she wanted to lean into him, spend the night in his arms. But…She kissed him quickly and opened the door slowly.Luckily, the doors in the Delano mansion did not creak.Bianca stood for a while, holding her breath, staring at the dark shape of her sister who was dead to the world. Poor Anna was dead to the world, exhausted, no doubt.She smiled as she tiptoed to the washroom and took a quick shower, giggling to herself as he saw the marks made by her Masters on her body.They had been aware of the small window of time they had, but her Masters had pleasured themselves, taking care to bring her to the heights of pleasure too, in that short space of time. But she had been too on edge to stay and bathe with them.Lord, but she loved them…When she snuggled down in bed, beside her sister, she smiled, looking out at the moonl
It was the Don who made the Mafia brothers make the momentous decision.Later, they thought that he had, in his aggressive way, forced their hands.He had summoned them to his room for a meeting that morning before they left for the hospital, to meet Bianca’s mother. The idea was to leave for Hunter’s Folly before evening. Bianca would stay here for a couple of days before joining them.The white-haired Don, his massive musculature belying his advancing years, was in the study, his Woman perched on his lap when the younger Mafia men entered. They had been kissing ardently, like young teenagers making out, thought Liam O’Grady in astonishment when they entered. The Don’s hand was on his wife’s heavy breast, kneading as he kissed her relentlessly.Proserpina scrambled off her husband’s lap, her beautiful face pink, and quickly smoothened her hair and hastily rearranged her clothes. Her blouse was open, St Just noted in interest but his gaze stilled as he felt the Mafia Don’s cold eyes
It was like a cue for the woman on the bed when she saw her beau walk out, under the guidance of his daughter.Heather began to sob loudly, her face in her hands.Bianca sat like one turned to stone as she saw what had happened. The full enormity of the actions seemed to hit her.She had never imagined in her wildest dreams imagined that her selfless actions to help her stepmother and sisters would result in her being ostracised.But what hurt the most ws the way Heather had quickly jumped onto the bandwagon. No one had asked her for her side of the situation.In some convoluted way, she felt her rage growing, but it was directed against her Masters.But her sister’s voice interrupted her thoughts.Anna was the one who spoke, her small face red with indignation.“What a dirty woman! How dare she speak to our Bee like that?” Beth echoed her sentiments, as he put her arm around her wildly sobbing mother,“Luigi does not deserve you, Mom, if he …” But Heather lowered her hands and spat
Beth and Anna were upset. They knew that Bianca had been bending over backwards for them. And Anna was only singing praises about the Mafia men to her sister. In private, of course.She had gone into detail, narrating how the two men had managed to bring down the evil Cahill, even going so far as to put themselves in the line of fire for that.“And Mom said such horrible things about them!” exclaimed Anna in a fierce whisper, scrubbing her tears away as her mother lay, whining and wailing.Neither of the twins had been impressed by Luigi who had slunk away when his daughter had read him the riot act. As Beth put it,“He was a wimp.”The sisters looked at each other, with identical expressions of disgust, as their mother sniffed and glared at them suspiciously.“You two should not follow in her footsteps,” began Heather. But Beth, the pragmatic one rose to her feet.She had had more than she could take with her mother’s self-righteousness.As she had confided in her twin, she just want
The Mafia Don’s craggy handsome face was hard as he looked into his Woman’s flushed face. She was upset, he thought with a pang, knowing, before she parted her plump lips, that he would agree to whatever she asked him, no matter how outlandish. He just wanted to erase the frown of worry, the look of anxiety from her face.She leaned into him now, as though she wanted to borrow his strength, her soft brown eyes, filled with sadness, meeting his.”Lucien,” she began,” That poor child…” but they were interrupted by a cross voice at their elbow.“She’s not a CHILD, Mumma,” It was a frustrated-looking Jamie. Lucien’s heart filled with warmth as he gazed at her, his favourite child, the one he spoilt rotten. As Proserpina said reproachfully, It was wrong to single her out for his affection. Poor Rudy could turn cartwheels before the Mafia Don and he would not even notice!Whereas young Jamie only had to pout and her father woud rush to do her bidding.As Tara declared drily,“Pappa was gro
Liam O’Grady was pounding his opponent relentlessly during one of his many practice sessions at the gym.All his frustration and desperation had watered down to this; he spent most of his time in the ring, preparing for the Big Fight which was to happen in the newly built Club at Hunter’s Folly. He had given up women. Full stop. Just like that, he did not feel the need to take a woman to bed. At first, during the first few weeks after Bianca had left them, he had tried. Brought women home, tried to visit the places where high class escorts indulged every whim and fancy of the gentlemen who turned up. But even at the fanciest joint of all, the one in Thomastown, which belonged to Alexander Van Dyke, not all the high-class women could make him feel anything. True, he had sex with a couple but it was like, he thought dolefully, as mundane and unexciting as brushing his teeth or wearing his socks.Mechanical. No pleasure was involved at all.The big blonde Van Dyke had eyed him wryly w
Bianca was still sitting on the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks when Serena marched in. From afar, she had heard the argument between Louis and his fiancée as the redhead shouted at him, rebuking him roundly for being insensitive.“Don’t you see, Louis,” she had been saying, her voice rising in anger,” Bianca is not the villain here…”And Louis's deep baritone, so similar to the deep tones of the Mafia Don, as he sneered when he replied,“What do you want me to believe, Serena? That she’s some kind of victim?’He had huffed in disbelief.The girl on the floor covered her ears. No.She was not a victim. She had survived!Her decision to agree to what the Mafia brothers had suggested, had been her own. Completely voluntary. Yes, life had thrown lemons at her, but she had fought, and had managed to make a success out of what she had been given.Her grades at University were also good and her professors had begun to take notice of the petite, quiet chestnut-headed girl who was s
Bianca opened her mouth in an involuntary O as the cab swept up the long curving drive and pulled up at the entrance. Shangri La was all about flashy, in your face, alright. But the place also exuded a grandeur, an opulence that left her gasping. Money had flowed in copious quantities, obviously, she thought as she stepped out when a door attendant rushed to open the door and helped her out. It was opulent, it was the playhouse of millionaires. And tonight, little Bianca Cruz, was here, invited by none other than the wife of the man who owned this fantastic place.Serena was standing beside her, an amused, indulgent smile playing about her beautifully shaped mouth as she watched Bianca.“I know, ‘ she said smiling,” it’s extravagant, but a once-in-a-lifetime experience to visit.”She turned away but Bianca heard her softly whispered words,“And stay to play…”Her brow crinkled in confusion but Bianca managed to keep in step with the taller woman as they entered. The inside was equally
St. Just was being shifted to a private room, the most luxurious, on O’Grady’s demands that afternoon.He came awake to see Bianca and Liam O’Grady by his bedside, peering at him, anxiety on their faces. Bianca gave a sob and pressed her fist to her mouth as St. Just’s tawny eyes fluttered open and he grinned weakly.“Am I in Heaven?” he growled, his voice hoarse from disuse and as he looked at his half-brother, he added, pretending to groan.“Nah, can’t be. This f*cker would not be there!”O'Grady stepped to him and held his hand in a fierce grip as he growled, an arm around Bianca, who was weeping silently.“As pleasant as ever, eh Saint?”And then he grinned, his handsome face splitting in an expression of joy.St. Just smiled and shut his eyes, drifting back to sleep. This was what Heaven was, he thought with a small smile.*Bianca had been sent off to university, as she was chafing at the bit and wanted to resume her studies. She was also torn between staying at St Just’s bedsi
Bianca’s examination came back with no untoward discoveries. She was fine, the doctor assured them, save for a sprained wrist and a few scratches and cuts to her hands. But apart from the abrasions, she was good to go, as the cheerful doctor declared. Besides, most importantly, the baby was fine. O’Grady sighed in relief and looked at his pet. She was yawning widely and he felt a strange sense of protectiveness towards her. Bianca had been planning to go down to meet her sisters and stepmother, Heather, the next day; she had told them about her pregnancy and Heather had at first been a little perplexed and not so happy.But later, mainly due to the influence of her daughters who thought that Bianca was the coolest person on earth, she had come round. Besides, there was also, as Bianca declared archly, the way Bet and Anna tended to regard O’Grady. In their teenage gaze, he was like a superhero who might just sprout wings and fly out the window, Bianca said drily. The adulation was h
Proserpina looked across at the doorway, sighing. She was in the enormous nursery at her mansion, beside Piers’ two sons, one on her lap, cuddling her, his thumb in his mouth, the other, Luc, already asleep. Her own sons, Gabrielle and Alexander, were giggling as they made funny sounds, mimicking the characters in the book she had been reading to them.Tara’s babies were also asleep, as was Claude’s little girl. Ria’s little one was also sleeping peacefully.Camille said with a huge grin, “Full house, tonight,” before she headed downstairs to bed. Proserpina had been worried when Hila had come to her to ask her to keep her sons here. “Where they will be safe,” she had said.That had been after Piers had gently informed his mother that Hila was leaving to scout for the person who was behind the deaths of so many of the Mafia Don’ associates. Placing his hands on his mother’s shoulders, Piers had looked at her tenderly and said,“We’ll all be safe, Mumma. And don’t fret.”The air seeme
Jana Rudenko looked around herself. She had landed in the United States under the guise of a woman who was part of a group tour, complete with falsified documents and a fake passport. She even had a fake husband along for company, a man who had once been a killer but now served her as her bodyguard.The fictional Mrs Liga Edgars, for that, was the identity she had taken for herself, also had a story to back her up. She had been a dour-faced widow who had been coerced to go on the trip by her children, with her newlywed second husband. But Jana had stepped in and stolen the real Mrs Edgar’s identity after having gotten rid of the real lady in question. Mrs Liga Edgar had been of Belgian ancestry, as her passport said, Now the false Mrs Edgar looked around as she accompanied the other eager tourists who were heading to the terminal.She hung back and her fictional husband, the good Mr. Edgars, slowed down too.“Stay with me,” she commanded in a low voice and he nodded. They joined t
Bianca was beside the window overlooking St Just’s bed, her eyes intently fixed on his as his lids fluttered. She looked around to her other lover, Liam O’Grady who stood behind her, hands in his pocket, his jacket open as he studied his brother’s pale face.They were on the other side of the thick glass pane.“He’s…getting better, isn’t he O’Grady?” she asked tremulously and he smiled tiredly. Now that his brother was in hospital, O’Grady spent most of his time shuttling between the casinos, the loan offices on High Street and the hospital. He looked forward to seeing Bianca at the end of the day, to fold his arms around her and be enveloped in her embrace, her lips on his.But this evening, the doctor had looked a little tense when he came to the hospital.“He’s contracted an infection,” the doctor had said grimly and went on,” We need to shift him.”And at Bianca’s alarmed look, he added kindly,“To the ICU, young lady.”Bianca had slumped down on the seat, close to tears and O’Gra
Many years agoFather Pavel Rudenko looked at his sister who was weeping wretchedly. The brothers had gone to meet their newly widowed sister. As a man of the cloth, the Monk had accompanied Dmitri Rudenko. “Take my son, take this monster, my brother,” she had begged with hands clasped before her, as she wept,“I cannot handle him anymore…”Her husband had been an abusive man; the boy was following in his footsteps, a cold-hearted brute who was terrorising his mother and sister.The Monk had stood silently and looked at his nephew, the son of his only sister, a half-sister, but still, his blood. Dmitri Rudenko had walked to him, gripping his chin firmly and he studied the teenager.“Duska?” he had queried and the boy had looked at the sinister-looking man, slim as a reed, with his menacing eyes.“Yes, uncle,” he had said, a feeling of exhilaration arising in him.That was how he had been left in the care of Dmitri Rudenko, the man who was regarded as a dangerous warlord, a gun-runne
Danielle, thought Proserpina as she sat in the large limo gliding over the streets silently, covering the distance as soon as possible. The woman who had seen her from the time she was the young, naïve, innocent mistress of Lucien Delano; the one who had become the bulwark of her life at a time when Proserpina was torn between leaving the Mafia Don for good…Proserpina had been with her Mafia Don when the call from Louis had come. The Don’s demeanour had altered in a flash.He had pulled her into his arms and growled,‘I have to leave, Woman. Danielle…” Breaking off, he had been scowling as he turned to make a call to Schwartz on the intercom, for James Schwartz had a set of rooms, a suite of his own, in the Delano mansion.But Proserpina’s small hand on his arm arrested him.In a firm voice, she said,“I’m coming too.” He swung around to slam her, to insist she stay home. But the determined look on his little Woman’s face made him stop. His Proserpina had grown, and how!She had be
Perhaps, the relief of knowing that St Just was out of surgery, and more importantly, that he was not going to leave them, added to their excitement.They made it to the bed for O’Grady was adamant, scooping her up in his arms and wrapping her in a towel as he carried her to the bed.“My child will not be manhandled, I refuse to f*ck his mother in the shower cubicle,” he grunted as he laid her down on the bed carefully.Bianca pouted crossly, reaching up to grab his head, and kissing him frantically.O’Grady chuckled as he knelt over her, his powerful arms supporting him as he looked down at her eager, flushed face.“You’re demanding, little Pet,” he teased,” Ask your Master nicely and we’ll see what you get.”She arched her back in response and he inhaled the smell of her arousal, his hard staff, stiff with desire, leaking profusely onto her thighs now.“Ah, Sweet Jaysus,” he groaned and lowered his head, kissing her fiercely, their tongues engaged in a combat that was as old as time
The surgeon stepped out, his face grey and looking exhausted. Six hours had elapsed. He stood and looked at the sea of anxious faces, Bianca in her lover’s arms, clutching him tightly, almost afraid to breathe.The surgeon smiled tiredly.“ It went off well. St Just’s out of surgery.”Disregarding the look of horror on his face, O’Grady strode over and enfolded the man in a bear hug.Bianca was sobbing in relief, her arms around Rani and Serena as she wept in abandon.They helped her to sit down, and she held her face in her hands, saying over and over again,‘Thank you, God, thank you…!”Rani knelt down on the ground before her and said in her heavily accented sweet voice,‘Here, drink this, drink some water, Bianca.”Serena was on the seat beside her, holding her shoulders.The Delano boys, Claude, Louis and Dom were beside the overwhelmed-looking doctor.‘He’ll still need rest, a lot of rest,” warned the surgeon before he managed to walk away.O’Grady’s eyes were shining with tears