SchwartzA woman slammed into him, and James Schwartz swore as the phone flew out of his hands. He was about to shout at her when she gripped his arms.Startled, he found himself looking into a pixie face, wide eyes on him as the woman whispered frantically.“Please,’ she whispered desperately, digging her hands into his arms, her green eyes filled with terror.He held up a hand, a gesture that stopped his men in their tracks, for they had been preparing to tear the woman away. Schwartz was in the Club, the safest of places for him and the Boss but they still went about with their bodyguards, loyal, trusted men who would not hesitate to lay down their lives for the men they served.But Handsome James was astute enough to recognize real terror when he saw it. The young woman who was hanging onto his arms was terrified, and he was curious to know why she was so scared.She was speaking now, trying not to stammer as she shivered.‘Please, you... you have got to help me.’He raised his br
Schwartz He entered in answer to his mentor's urgent summons.‘Delano?’ frowned Schwartz enquiringly as he entered, his wingmen waiting outside. As always, Schwartz was dressed well, looking sharp in a crisp dress shirt, blazer, and tailored pair of dress pants in coordinating neutral colors—white and navy.Lucien Delano turned to look at his dapper friend and smiled slightly. Lucien himself was a fit two hundred pounds plus, with his graying hair and windowpane oxford shirt and chinos, along with his sports coat and leather loafers, making him look classy on the exterior. But anyone who looked into Lucien’s cold gray eyes would know he was dangerous, the cold gray gaze taking in everything and missing nothing.Now he nodded at Schwartz, indicating that he should wait, and turned back to his work, frowning as he spoke to the dealer in Spain.***Schwartz studied his friend and mentor, his partner, and the man he could trust with his life in silence. His friend was in his early forties
Schwartz had seen Lucien evolve. Having been born to a prostitute, he had been heartless and cold.He had been a brutal man, incapable of loving.His sexual needs were insatiable. He had had a reputation for sleeping with more women than it was considered humanly possible, joked men in private, envious and admiringly. Schwartz himself knew that the core of his friend’s heart was empty. He kept aloof from relationships. He never surrendered completely to any woman.But all that was before Proserpina wafted into his life.When young Proserpina Winters had breezed into his life with her sunny disposition and her cheerful innocence, Garston had been caught unawares.He had fallen hard.At first, he had been his usual self. He had brutally claimed Proserpina for his mistress. But the young woman had shown her mettle. She had been swept off her feet but her love for the older mob boss had been real.So when she had discovered that she was only one in a string of mistresses, she had run away
SophiaSophie hurried away, darting into the corridor that led into the kitchen area. She almost collided with Danielle Eton who gave her a cold glare. Sophie trotted off hastily. She avoided Danielle like the plague. The woman had a tongue like a whip and an attitude to match. With her close-cropped ice blonde hair and cold blue eyes, she made Sophie tremble in the way she had when she had been in school and summoned before the Head teacher for some misdemeanour.,Cold Bi*ch she thought and moved around, helping the other servers who were rushing in and out, balancing drinks on small trays and delicious looking tiny bites of caviar and sushi. It was a busy night. The whole Club was buzzing. It was because of the scheduled inauguration of the Fight Club in the basement the next night. The Boss had decided to have the first fight on Christmas Eve.Crafty bugger, thought Sophie as she smoothed down her rebellious red hair, tucking a strand in place. The guests were excited, she had see
SchwartzHe watched in a mixture of astonishment and dismay as the woman seemed to hang onto Lucien, her hand moving to stroke his crotch. But Lucien easily stepped away from her tight embrace with a thin smile and turned her around to face Schwartz.Schwartz felt his heart sink further as he recognised the woman standing before him, leaning back into Lucien***She was CatalinaCatalina the C*nt was what her fans liked to call her.For she had been a reigning porn star at one time. Although now that she was older, she had been regaled to the background. But she was still known to be a viable star.***Only, Schwartz remembered her from the days before she had become a star. She had been Dana Leigh, a mediocre club whore, around Lucien's age and from a similar background.And she had been besotted by Lucien.He could recall the days when Lucien had been in his heyday, a brutish Don. Rising in his career,Dmitri Rudenko had just been a rival. Lucien, Shark and he were just starting out
SophieShe swore as she stepped out of the Club. It was cold and dark, and the side street which the staff generally usually used to leave the buildings was all but deserted. This road took them along a shortcut to the main street on the other side of the building. She hated to go alone. There were always some creeps who came along and hung around, hoping to enter the heavily guarded boundaries of the Club. From journalists looking for a quick, sleazy story to men who thought that any woman working at the Club would be an easy lay.Sophie scowled and pulled her hoodie down.Damn! She thought, if Danielle had not made me stay back for another hour, I could have left with Tracey and Princess, the two young women she normally returned home with. They would drop her before heading off to their apartment which was a few blocks ahead.But Danielle had been insistent. They needed young women to serve the drinks and the popcorn and snacks in the Fight Room the following night, she had said, f
He was leaving the Club. He was still scowling as he thought of the woman he had met in the Boss’ room.Was Lucien out of his bl*ody mind? He thought furiously as he strode out, his men a few paces behind him.The new Fight Club was going to be larger, more exclusive than the Minotaur and that was saying something! Lucien Delano had spent millions on his pet project and Schwartz was aware that it was his ploy to draw out the evil Dmitri Rudenko.But why bring in that filthy woman with the morals of an alley cat, he thought for the millionth time. he ahd done hs fair share of snooping and had discovered more details.Catalina had been with the filthy East European warlord for a brief time before his tastes had made her leave him and switch to another lover. But would that guarantee that Dmitri Rudenko would turn up at the inauguration of the new Club?But most of all, how would beautiful, loyal Proserpina feel about it all? The young woman had suffered enough; why put her through more?
SophieShe stammered, embarrassed,“I…I am sorry…’Schwartz shook his head gently, amused. He sighed. It had been a long day. Tomorrow was going to be even longer. It was the day of the first Fight, the official inauguration of the Club fighting centre. He wanted to get back to his almost empty house and catch a few hours of sleep.And return to the Club again the next morning.It kept him going. This lonely road of his life.Tiredly, he gesticulated at the girl.“Just get in. It’s late. ‘ Turning away, he added,“You won’t get any other transportation either at this time.’As she still hesitated, standing there, immobile, he said in exasperation.“Come on, girl. I want to get to my home too.’It was perhaps the tiredness in the handsome face that made Sophie decide.She nodded and murmured,“Thank you….ummm…Sir.’He nodded and the sleek sedan doors opened. She slipped in hastily. And let out an involuntary sigh of pleasure as she settled into the soft leather.Schwartz got in and she