LucienHe strode out of the room, shutting the door softly behind himself.Lucien left the room. He walked to his study, dragging the leg that seemed to be throbbing painfully. But the heaviness he felt within him, was what felt heavier than any physical ailment.He had killed people before, with his bare hands himself. He had also employed men to kill those who stood in his way. But this was different. He felt as though he had mortally wounded a person who had only given him love, had trusted him, had believed in him.Her words rang in his ears; she had waited for him. While he had been spending his nights trying to get over her, whoring his way through an endless stream of highly forgettable women who had not succeeded in making him get over her, all the while, she had believed in him, trusted in him, and waited for him.How could she know how he had been trying to get over her? The women he had bedded were just bodies, no one stood in his memory after they had satisfied him physica
The men turned around, chagrined expressions on their faces. Schwartz colored, like a guilty schoolboy. He tried to change the subject, asking in return,“How’s she? Mate, how is Proserpina?’There was no ignoring the deep passion in his eyes, in his face as he watched the Boss who stood, hands clenched, breathing hard, his eyes narrowed.But Lucien Delano had not become a powerful Don by being sidestepped, even if it was by his closest friend.“What was that?’ he rasped, moving into the room looking more dangerous than he knew, the dark stubble on his cheeks adding to the roguish look on his face.‘What are you keeping from me, eh?’ he barked.Schwartz stood up, as elegant as ever though it was probably past eleven at night and he had been wearing the suit since morning. Like the other men, he had discarded his jacket too but he still looked as though he had stepped out from a photoshoot of a gentlemen’s fashion magazine, thought Lucien drily. His deep blue hemp shirt with the sleeve
LucienA desire to check on his wife had him head towards her room. He knew the door to her bedroom would be unlocked; she wanted her children to walk in if they wished at any time in the night.Now he pushed the door open softly and stared in stupefaction.The bed was empty. It did not look as though it had been slept in.A sense of panic engulfed him. Disregarding the fact that he was in his shirtsleeves with bloodstains on his once crisp white shirt, he strode across to the anteroom,And stopped.***ProserpinaSleep had proved elusive once the effects of the sedative had worn off. I had finally gotten up and headed for a bath. Anything to get over the thoughts that were running through my mind. I wanted to stop thinking of Lucien.After having stood under the warm shower for a long while, I towelled myself and stepped out, wrapped in my fluffy white towel. The twins wanted me to prepare Indian pancakes for breakfast tomorrow, I thought as I applied the fragrant body lotion to my l
When he woke up the next day, the sunlight was streaming into his bedroom. The light drapes at the French doors had been left open when he went to bed last night and now he sat up slowly, blearily. Too much drink and a very late night had made him restless and he had finally fallen asleep at dawn.The excited sounds of his children floated up and he curiously limped across to the windows facing the lawn. He was bare-chested, wearing his boxers and he became aware that the chill of winter was beginning to set in. Striding to the balcony, he looked down onto the lawns below his rooms on the second floor, scratching his hirsute chest absently.His wife and children were on the grass, at what Proserpina possibly imagined was a secluded part of the garden. She had no idea that when he came out onto his terrace, he had a good view of his family. She was doing her morning yoga exercises and the kids were fooling around. They were all in yoga outfits but it was his wife’s flexibility that mad
LucienHe sat at his desk, nursing a drink brooding. It was late evening now but he had begun to drink almost immediately after breakfast to deaden the unfamiliar feeling of guilt that seemed to be raising its head within him.Breakfast had been unusual but Lucien admitted, delicious. The warm Indian pancakes were something that he had been eating for the first time. Ria, who sat at his elbow, kept instructing him on how to eat them, much to his amusement. Soft and fluffy, they seemed to practically melt in his mouth and he relished the taste of the light, exotic curry that accompanied it. He also noticed that his wife seemed to be eating more than she had been doing until then.He had also given up his habit of having a drink along with his food. His little daughter had put her foot down firmly when he had tried to have a tipple one afternoon at lunch. With a straight face, she had turned importantly to his man, Gustav, who had brought it in.“Take away,plee.’ she commanded, lisping
James Schwartz walked into the darkened room and glanced in mild astonishment at his friend, the Boss, who looked dead on his feet.The drapes had been drawn, and the lamps around Lucien’s large oak table were lit, making his face seem even more haggard and grave.As debonair as ever in his grey suit, Schwartz pulled a face when he saw the half-empty decanter on the table and said, joking,"Celebrating, huh?'Shark who walked in behind him looked worried,‘ Bro, bad news.'Lucien directed a cold look at handsome Schwartz and ignored his remark.Swivelling in his seat, leaning his head back in the rich upholstery of the leather chair he jerked his chin, his eyes opened to half slits as he growled,"What?' he asked Shark who had moved to the well-stocked bar and was pouring himself a large shot. He moved back to the table and settled himself in a chair facing Lucien after handing Schwartz a drink as well. The Handsome man made a face; unlike the other two, he was not a heavy drinker.Ta
ProserpinaStrangely enough, I found that there was now a change in my attitude to the baby and to the world around me. Possibly because the little devil in me had begun to allow me to eat without forcing me to rush to the washroom to throw up, I thought, half amusedly. I had an idea that the child I was carrying would be more like Ria, a tyrant.To be fair to him, Lucien had fixed an appointment with the old doctor who had arrived at the house, as crusty as ever. But after examining me, he had seemed more satisfied and informed me that the child seemed to be growing well. He also seemed to be agreeable with my gain in weight and left after prescribing more vitamins. I dozed off, feeling a strange sense of peace.Dreaming of Bhutan and the cool hills, I woke up and stretched languidly and yelped in alarm as I saw a figure looming at the edge of my bed. I sat up in fright and winced as the movement resulted in a flutter in my belly. Lucien stood there, as dark and broodingly enigmatic
ProserpinaHaving got back to work, I felt better, more productive. The work was going on smoothly and we were actually making headway in garnering interest in our projects! Many students had enrolled in the courses and I felt quite pleased knowing that the work I had done had been so successful. As for dear old Professor, he was elated to see that I was back at work. But the old dear kept fussing over me, asking me to take it easy.***Lucien seemed to be operating from the house these days, I thought as I stopped clicking away on my laptop to think of my husband. Although I kept to my rooms and the kitchen, going out for a walk in the garden when I felt like it, it was clear that he was very much there in the house. The bodyguards, the cars that appeared at all times of the day and the night, Shark and Schwartz who were present for the meals as well... *** Yes, these days I kept thinking of him. I was now into my seventh month. And unfortunately, I was beginning to feel hugely horny