Bianca Brian Jones, as the chauffeur said he was called, drove me to a quiet residential area in the upmarket area of Hunter’s Wood, near the state highway that led out of the little town, into the bigger city of New Haven. I had never been to this part of the town; all throughout our childhood, we had been confined to the poorer section of the town and our school, Dad’s tiny bakery and our home-all of them were around the same area. I had heard about the place I was now driving into, the residential area called Widow’s Retreat, because of the many wealthy widows who had bought homes or stayed in this beautifully designed, clean area of the town. I stared out, looking at the houses we passed, barely aware of the scenery or the palatial condos we were driving past. * The Widow’s Retreat Residences was supposed to be the apex at which life and play converge. Positioned at the highest elevation in the region, the luxury condominium residences combined expansive sunset and golf cours
I sat the girls down and made Heather sit with me as I spoke to them. They needed to know why I was sending them in different directions tomorrow. The How of it, what I was going to do myself, would not be for them to know. Dinner was a silent one; the twins ate, their eyes rolling as the dishes appeared before them. Burgers with wedge fries, sweet and tangy baked beans followed by apple pie. Nothing very special, all picked up from a local restaurant, Ms Benz assured me crisply when I thanked her. Heather picked at her food and I had to coax her to eat. It was not the thought of being denied a drink; I sensed the real worry in her as she met my eyes. We ate in silence and when she was done, Diana Benz excused herself and walked to the patio to make a few calls. * Left alone with my family, I looked at them. We cleared the table and as we stood in the kitchen, I hugged the twins. “Anna, Rose, you’re …” my voice faltered and then I continued bravely,” I’ve managed to get a job wit
Liam O’Grady woke up with a stiff shaft. And he knew he had been dreaming about a beautiful, olive-skinned virgin, her eyes like molten chocolate, her hair, all those deep chestnut waves, spread out across his bed, as she lay, her full breasts peaking. She had been staring at him, her plump lips parted and he had wanted to decide whether he was going to f*ck her wet pus*y, or her lovely mouth when his phone trilled loudly at his ear. Swearing loudly, like a trooper, the Mafia Don sat up. Bleakly, he peered at the caller’s name that popped up and his scowl became even more ferocious. Paige Hardy. He had left her at the party, unable to continue to pretend that she was doing anything for him and had left with Finn, who was as unperturbed as ever. Finn St Just did not think much of Paige, anyways! * Now she was probably calling to whine and make him feel guilty for leaving her high and dry. He threw the phone across the bed and rose, stretching his muscular body. He was going to hi
BiancaI am in a new dress, one of the clothes Daisy and her team have selected for me. It’s a flowing green gown, floating around me. Some transparent material that makes me feel like I am a creature from another world … * Diana Benz called me early this evening right after Shelly Jacobsen had left. “Mr O’Grady is sending a car to collect you at 6 pm. Be ready.” Her voice was clipped and businesslike and she replaced the phone before I could ask her anything more. Be ready for what? I asked myself nervously. * But here I am now, dressed like a sacrificial virgin, for that is what I am, dressed to win, to charm, to seduce. But my fear makes me tremble. Makes me want to turn tail and run. Only, I can’t because I foolishly signed away my life for a year to two of the cleverest, most ruthless men in the country. Liam O’Grady and Finn St Just. A tear trickles down my cheek but I know it is too late for weakness. One year, I tell myself bravely, just one year… * A large black
BiancaMy heart was pounding.I swallowed, noting the deep blue eyes on my throat, fixed on the pulse that was fluttering wildly as I said, in a whisper,‘Ta..Taste…Taste me?” And then, as I heard the low growl of St Just as he rose to his feet and came to stand behind me, I asked, trembling,‘Wh…what do you mean? Ummm…Sir?” Laim O’Grady raised a mocking black brow. He looked supremely in charge, like the Devil, I thought in fright. I took a step back and felt myself come up against Finn St Just’s soft, rich dinner jacket. His hands landed on my upper arms which were bare and I felt as though my flesh was burning now. I looked up helplessly into the face of O’Grady who had moved closer.Together, between them, they had hemmed me in.On one side was the large grey couch, on the other, the coffee table with it’s elegant glass top.I swallowed.‘Taste me…wh…where?” I asked, my voice a husky whisper, my chest rising and falling as I felt my agitation grow.O’Grady smiled. A cold, hard
BiancaI was trembling, panting, and unsure of myself when St Just spoke, which put me out of my misery.‘Leave her be for tonight, Liam,” he growled, holding me to his chest and I saw Laim O’Grady’s hot eyes narrow in disbelief.“The fu*k do you mean, Sian?’ he snarled at his brother.But St Just went on, cooly,‘It’s her first time, bro. We need to go gentle on her.”I looked at Laim O’Grady’s face wordlessly, trembling.He seemed like he wanted to erupt. His thick fists, which were like slabs of meat, clenched as he breathed hard, his eyes on my face, my body and then they shifted to St Just.‘We made a deal…” he growled.‘But she’s a virgin, Laim,” snapped St Just, ”She’s not like the other girls we’ve kept. Dana and Anita; they knew the score. They were all well-used pets.” I bowed my head, mortified. For a few seconds, neither man spoke. But both of them were locked in a battle of wills, breathing heavily.Then Liam O’Grady flung himself away, with a savage oath.‘Have it your
Bianca“What I shall be doing?’ I echoed stupidly.His eyes gleamed hazel in the lighting, the clever lighting which made me feel that the eyes were promising me so much…I bite my lip nervously.What did I really know about these two men to whom I had sold my body for a year?Liam O’Grady was charming and handsome, clever and dangerously wicked and a man with a huge sexual appetite. I guessed that, despite being a virgin, when I felt his eyes on me. He was a man who would not take no for an answer. A man who would go after what he wanted, who would not hesitate to claim with his fists.But this man? Finn St Just was equally unpredictable. Beneath that suave, sophisticated mask, I sensed something lurking; a man who would not be easily crossed. They were like the Yin and Yang to each other.Deadly together. For O’Grady was a fighter while St Just was the cool, calm but equally fearsome counterpart…Looking up, I saw a deep flush dusting the cheeks of the man in front of me; his wide,
Bianca I opened my eyes, confused, angry, hurt, frightened and all of it together! Depositing me gently on the couch beside him, O’Grady rose to his full, muscular height and stretched. I looked up at him,Somehow, these two brothers seemed to be so much in sync; what had they meant? O’Grady strolled across to the bar, turning with a large crystal tumbler in his hands, half filled with a deep brown liquid. His face was unreadable, hard and distant. I stared at him wordlessly as he rang a bell and Alfred appeared.‘Show Ms Cruz her rooms,” he said crisply Then, turning to me, he said, his voice cool and unemotional, “You are on the third floor. Your things have already been placed there.” Sipping from his tumbler, he went on, formally,‘You may leave.”I rose shakily and said in a soft tone, ”Goodnight. Sir.” I glanced to where St Just was sitting, his long legs crossed, his eyes on me. I felt the combined gazes of both brothers boring into me as I followed Alfred out.*Alfred
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
Bianca stared as she climbed the marble steps to the large entrance of the palatial house they had arrived at. The women in the car had been murmuring in quiet whispers throughout the journey, but no one had asked her probing questions. She had the strong feeling that Tara Delano Lord had worked that one out for herself, thank you very much. The huge double doors were opened by a woman in a white starched uniform and beyond her, a huge hall stretched out. In the evening light, lit by amber in the background, a woman emerged, the most beautiful woman she had seen.Proserpina Delano.Bianca swallowed. The woman was coming forward, her arms outstretched, a gentle smile on her face. Bianca stood awkwardly. Was she going to embrace her daughter, maybe?But with a small giggle, Tara pushed her forward.“Welcome to our home, Bianca dear child,” said the lovely woman, wrapping her in a loving hug, a faint fragrance of vanilla surrounding her as she dimpled and Bianca sagged.It had been so l