ProserpinaI woke up, smiling as I felt Lucien's strong presence beside me. Turning to look at him, I felt a strange sense of apprehension.It must be because he is going in for a fight tonight, I thought, looking at the man slumbering beside me. His harsh face was relaxed in sleep and I wanted to kiss his mouth, kiss away the cruel look he had when he was awake.The world knew him as The Boss, cold and unforgiving. But for me, he was Lucien, my lover, my husband, the father of my three children.I smiled inwardly.And, I thought, placing my hand lightly on my flat stomach, perhaps the fourth child if I was not mistaken.But I had to make sure before I told him. Besides, how would he react? I was not sure. He was bogged down by the matter of Dmitri. He kept us close, the children and I, cloistered in the house. Although I had created a niche for myself, working online as the Director of a Japanese unit of the Buddhist Studies, attached to the University, there were still restrictions
Lucien Earlier that day Lucien was at the breakfast table, bathed and relaxed. He planned to go into the Club a little later. He wanted to spend time with his children and his woman. These moments were so few and far in between. There were days when he barely saw the kids. When he came in late and could only look at their sleeping forms. Even as he ate, his phone pinged.It was a message from Catalina. Damn the woman, he thought irritably.She had been texting him continuously all night. Sending him raphic pictures of herself with the naked young man as she mounted him, as he f*ckd her , her mouth open in a loud scream...With a disgusted grimace, Lucien had deleted the messages even as she kept sending them. The woman seemed to think that his invitation to her to be his card girl that night was an invitation to re-enter his bed and his life. She had no idea that he was bent on using her for a means, an end.She repulsed him.*When the messages had kept landing on his phone into the
SophieThree months agoSophie was serving drinks at the Club.Her feet ached, her hands smarted to slap some of the lecherous men who thought all women enjoyed being pawed.She stomped into the kitchen, her tray in her hand when one of the girls stopped her.“Hey Sophie,’ said the girl as she swayed past,’ You have a visitor. At the back door.’Sophie trotted across, alarmed. Had something happened at home? Was it about Mom? Or Paddy?A couple of girls stood, smoking around the doorway and one of them indicated a figure waiting beside the gate set in the wall. The gate opened onto a narrow road that took the staff directly to the main highway, bypassing the front gates. The delivery vans generally made their way in this manner to the kitchens.Sophie marched across, worry in every step.“is it..’ she beganBut one of the figures stepped forward and said n a low voice,“This is for you. Your sister sent it.’And before she could make sense of the whole thing, the man had disappeared.
SophieShe had arrived early in the hope of meeting Schwartz. She needed him, needed to tell someone about her sister, seek help for Sondra who was undoubtedly on the run again. Sophie had sent a message through a burner phone on another number her sister had provided on the slip of paper. She had succeeded in buying Sondra enough time to run before Worthington got back to interrogate her again.***But Schwartz was too busy. He was in the basement, she was told when she made enquiries. Handsome James was helping to oversee the last-minute preparations for the Christmas Eve fight which was taking place tonight. The entire Club was humming with activity; Lucien Delano was going to fight and it was not an everyday occurrence!Damn the man thought Sophie, as she walked back along the carpeted corridors, hands in the pockets of her hoodie, brooding.***Although she had signed into the building earlier, she had beseeched her supervisor, Tanvi Shah, a sultry beauty, to give her ten minutes
Sophie She almost cried out as she watched the two pairs of feet approach the bed under which she was hiding.,And then it struck her.“He’s going to shag her! Oh, Sweet Jesus!’ Sophie closed her eyes, screwing them up and tried to shut out the sounds the woman began making, as Worthington’s trousers and his boxers slid to his polished shoes. It would have been comical if it had not been so terrifying.“Loud enough to wake the dead.’ She thought in disgust.’Oh…Paul…I love it when you spank me…AAAA!’ came the woman’s voice as the sound of a hand landing on flesh resounded in the room. She screamed as he hit her. Repeatedly.Sophie bit her lower lip to stop herself from puking.The sound of the woman screaming in pleasure was becoming louder.Sophie scowled and her jaw tightened. She would leap out and hit the both of them on their damned heads if they kept on like this, she thought grimly, revulsion coursing through her.The tips of Worthington’s polished shoes were almost in her fac
LucienHe was getting into the mood for the fight. It had always excited him, this rush of adrenalin before a fight. He had given some of his best years to it. He knew he was growing old and was not as agile as he had used to be. Schwartz had glumly pointed it out many times over the past week. But he had wanted to inaugurate the Fight Club at his own Club, his home turf.He also wanted to send a message to Dmitri: Do your worst. I am not afraid of you.He scowled as he thought of Dana/Catalina. The woman had been in his bedroom adjoining his office when he had arrived. He had had to use tact and firmness to throw her out, She had been reeking of sex and he had only felt a wave of revulsion. An image of Proserpina, sweet and fresh smelling had come to him. Her soft, willing body, the shy smile, the way she blushed...He wished she was here beside him. But he knew she loathed such events. He smiled to himself.Tonight, after he had defeated Denizen the Destroyer, he would take his Woman
I rang up Grace.I knew she would do just about anything for me; we were very close friends now. Grace was Danielle's partner, a strikingly beautiful Ethiopian. She was a kindergarten teacher and often came home to spend time with me and the kids. Since Danielle worked at the Club and was in charge of all the duties that Shark had carried out before Lucien had killed him, both Gracie and I were familiar with the world that our respective lovers moved in. it was easy to relate to her.Now I called her:“Grace, I need your help.’ I said, tightly.“What is it, love?’ she asked, having picked up on the tension in my tone.‘ I need to go to the Club. Lucien is fighting …’Her voice was incredulous.‘YOU want to attend the Fight?’ she cried, astonishment in her dulcet tones. I closed my eyes briefly and counted to ten. Grace was aware of my revulsion to the fighting and brutality that took place in the Boxing ring.‘Yes.’ I said and the passion in my voice made her pause.“Right. Fine.’ She
SophieShe wandered around, a scowl on her face, holding on to the tray that was suspended from around her neck with bright crimson satin ribbons.The high heels hurt her. Sophie’s chosen footwear would have been a pair of flip flops. Obviously, she could not wear them when she was at work. Now she stormed about in her shiny black boots. When anyone signalled her to bring them drinks or some nibbles, she would march over to them, a painted, fake smile on her face.Most of the people did not bother to look at her. Their attention was singularly concentrated upon the action in the Ring.Everything was on the house tonight, the drinks and expensive food. Sophie's lips twisted. The room was packed; burly bouncers stood at the massive doors, restricting the entry of those who wanted to enter for free. The fact that the tickets had been exorbitantly priced had not deterred any of these rich folk. They had descended by the hordes, all giggling women on the arms of wealthy men in suits, looki