ProserpinaAs I worked the soap into a rich lather on my husband's thick, muscular arms, I knew he was watching me. Leaning back against the tub, his eyes, pale and steady, stayed on me, unwaveringly.Despite myself, I felt the warmth on my cheeks as I felt his gaze moving to my breasts which were bobbing in the water, the soft pale mounds just visible, as I scrubbed his chest. He reached out for me suddenly and I gasped, my hair in a messy bun at the top of my head as I looked at him, wide-eyed.He gripped the back of my neck in a gentle but firm way as he growled,‘Woman…you came to me…’The note of awe and something else in his tone made me stop what I was doing.I stopped my ministrations and remained still as I met his gaze. Drunk he might be but my Mafia Don was as alert as ever.I sighed and said quietly, facing him,‘When you love someone, Lucien Delano, you accept them for what they are and you forgive.’I held his eyes as I moved closer, wading slowly in the huge tub as I cl
Schwartz stirred and groaned as a shaft of pain laced through his body. He swallowed painfully; his mouth felt like sand paper. A soft touch on his shoulder, and someone was placing a straw to his lips and then Proserpina’s soft, melodious tones came over to his distressed mind.‘Drink James,’ she soothed. His lids flickered, and he tried to smile.Was he dead ? Was he in heaven?But then her light laugh broke into his thoughts.‘James Schartz!’ And he opened his eyes, those heavy lids, with a superhuman effort, and took in the woman he loved. Proserpina was gently stroking his shoulder as she held the straw to his lips and he drank wearily, shutting out the pain as best as he could.His body felt heavy and his lids were drooping as he sank back into the world of sedative-induced sleep.There was something he had to do, something to do with Proserpina. Something to do with Fionella…But he was too tired to think anymore and the waves of blackness rushed to enfold him into welcome slee
Claude strolled into the coffee shop he had gone to with Paddy. A friend of his, a close buddy he regularly worked out with, Gillian Murphy, was with them too. His brother was most comfortable in the company of the beefy fighter although Claude was years younger than him. As they walked, heads turned appreciatively to follow Claude. With his big, muscular body and his cheeky smile, he looked handsome and enticing and many young girls looked at him, their lips parted. He was to meet Piers here later in the afternoon; something about a restaurant owner who was playing hard to get and not paying the dues he had to give the Mafia Don.The chunky young man sat down on a seat, his men closely monitoring the area, alert and watchful as ever. Paddy had his head down, zoned out, as always, his nose glued to the phone screen, thought Claude indulgently. Apart from the cane he used, no one would guess that he had been in a coma for a while.The young Delano lazily let his eyes trail over the peo
“We got a meeting with old man O’Deary here in ten minutes and I want to keep it simple.’From the corner of his eye, he noticed Paddy looking up in something like wariness and Piers felt a frisson of alarm. What had his hotblooded, impetuous younger brother done This time?His brother looked abashed.‘There was a girl…’ he began and Piers groaned.*Hours beforeNo amount of pleading and dire warnings from Gillian and Paddy, had stopped him from rising to his formidable height and lumbering in the direction of the girl. His gut twisted as he turned the corner and he saw the lean man with the oily black hair who had the girl pinned to the wall, his arm on her throat. He was speaking in some Slavic language while the girl was practically standing on her toes, struggling to breathe.Claude felt his fury rise. No man had the right to behave so brutally toward a woman, certainly not a girl. The two bouncers sneered as they saw Claude approach but their eyes shifted to the men behind Claud
Piers was smoking standing at the window, leaning a hand on the window ledge as he puffed away furiously. Ria was pacing furiously, occasionally snapping at the unfortunate Philippe who stood, his big frame in the doorway as he ran his hands through his hair, uneasy and upset.Tara sat by Claude who had just been ministered to by the ever-efficient Camille, and now he sported a band-aid over his nose and his bruises had been washed clean and ministered to. The young girl who was rapidly growing to be a beauty, with her fresh-looking skin and large grey-blue eyes, was tenderly holding her brother’s hand as she sat by the bed. Lou and Dom had disappeared. They had been tired by the long flight from the Continent and Rudy was safely tucked in bed.‘What did he mean, how dare Pappa say something so nasty…?’ Ria was hissing at her twin who looked harassed and unhappy as he continued to smoke moodily. Piers never smoked before his parents but it was a habit he had developed of late to help
ProserpinaShe swept out of the room, still seething. Her lover’s eyes bored into her back as she stormed out, head held high, ignoring him.Lucien remained, talking to Tara and Ria, his darling daughters who were literally coddling him and then, as he saw Claude’s eyelids droop, he rose to his full height.Stepping closer to the figure on the bed, he growled,‘My son.’And bent his head to kiss the young man’s head lightly. The look of incredulous joy on the young man’s face tore at Lucien as he straightened. He had never done this since Claude grew up. Hell, he barely kissed his children! Claude grabbed his father’s hand, his voice breaking as he said,‘Pappa, I…I …never meant to make trouble…’Piers was standing on the other side of the wide bed, watching his father, and he interrupted.‘Pappa, Sir, we are always there with you.’Lucien looked up frowning.‘Pappa needs to sleep now,’ said Tara softly and Lucien looked down at his daughter fondly. She was the spitting image of her m
To give her credit, Aiyana did not seem to be at all judgmental. Her black eyes, keen and alert, were fixed on my face as she listened. Then she sat back, crossing her legs elegantly as she said,‘It’s true. ‘I blinked and asked,‘About…Yuri?’She nodded, her eyes on my face.I shuddered. I had once been kidnapped by one of Lucien’s greatest foes, a maniac called Dmitri Rudenko. He had displayed the same level of instability.Aiyana nodded thoughtfully, tapping her thigh. I wondered belatedly if she was wearing her weapon; she was always armed and ready for any eventuality. Now she headed her own security service which worked for the big corporate houses.But it was my feeling over how I had misjudged my husband that made me rise to my feet,I rose shakily as Aiyana looked up.‘I need to talk to Lucien,’ I said softly.I had misjudged him and yelled at him before we went to Claude. Now I felt engulfed in remorse.She nodded and I knew she wanted to say something but was in two minds
Later as they lay in each other’s arms, their bodies still damp with sweat after their passion-filled lovemaking, Lucien gathered her in his arms, and she snuggled into him, her small hand tickling his chest, licking his flat nipples.He growled a warning and she giggled as his hand clenched around her waist, tugging her closer to his hard, muscled length. Her small rounded stomach was digging into his side and he smiled slightly, as he thought of the eighth child growing in her womb.Proserpina sighed as she thought of her husband.With a sigh, she murmured softly, brown eyes luminous with a sheen of moisture as she whispered,‘I can’t think of a life without you, Lucien.’The seriousness of her words was clear and he met her gaze as she went on, dragging the comforter around her heavy breasts as she said softly,‘ When Philippe said that…’Alert immediately, he sat up on an elbow, and said, his voice threatening,‘What did that young fool tell you?’She sighed and moved to him on he
Piers's loud shout made the hall fall silent. For a minute, every head in the room swivelled to stomp in the doorway.Even Lucien Delano and Proserpina, absorbed as they were in their burning need to lose themselves in their desperate need for each other, stopped. Proserpina blinked as she turned to look, safe as she was, nestled in her lover’s strong embrace. And the Mafia Don scowled in annoyance, muttering,“What is with that fool boy?’Piers whipped his head to face his parents across the room, an arm around Hila, holding her to his chest as he cried, "Mumma! Pappa!’And when he was hurrying to them, his eyes were wild with excitement as he cried in joy, dragging his lover beside him,‘I…you… I mean… Mumma, I’m going to be a dad!”Proserpina was out of her husband’s protective arms as her son whooped and threw his arms around her, laughing with him. Lucien watched drily as Claude and Ria immediately crossed to him, pulling him into a huddle. Tara joined them, and after a pause, so
LucienHe began to make his way slowly through the milling throng of his guests to where his Woman was standing, in a daringly backless gown, her beautiful body making his staff harden with desire. Ria and Tara had chosen the slinky gown for her. When Proserpina had protested in embarrassment, her hands on her pink cheeks, the girls had declared,‘Mumma! Even after eight kids, you still look WOW!’It had been one of those rare weekends when Tara had come home. Ria had little Jamie on her lap, jiggling the fat little girl who was cooing at her Pappa, for the Mafia Don was hands down, her favourite person. Jamie was the apple of the Don’s eye, as Ria often teased her father.Lucien, who had been in the bedroom working on his phones and tablet, had been watching them in amusement.After the heart attack, mild though it had been, he had taken to spending time at home, working from his office or sometimes, his spacious bedroom.‘Please…but it’s BACKLESS!” Proserpina had gone on, her eyes m
A love like the kind her parents shared was almost like a fairytale…She sighed and touched her small belly. Big Philippe placed his large warm hand over hers and whispered concernedly in her ear,“Princess?”She looked up into his dark eyes and felt the rush of affection, of love that kept them bound to each other. Philippe, the Capo would bring the Moon and place it at her feet if she asked for it, she thought and unmindful of the crowds milling around her, the sound of glasses clinking, the chatter of people as, Ria reached up and pulled his head down. Murmuring against his lips,‘Philippe Diaz, I love you,” as she kissed him.***Piers Delano was staring at his phone. His mind was on other matters, although he had turned up for the party after his twin’s wedding ceremony. It had been a brief ceremony; Philippe had been born a Catholic, so there had been a small wedding service at Church. Old man Diaz had passed away a few years ago, and Philippe’s brothers, both of whom had been a
A few years later.The years have been kind to him, thinks the Don fondly as he surveys the guests at his daughter’s wedding party.Lucien Delano has aged but in his predictably indomitable manner, he looks and of course, his wife is testimony to the fact, that he still behaves in the same manner as he used to.His still-muscular physique belies his years and he continues to practice in his gym and has a friendly bout of boxing in the Ring, off and on. His son Claude is now an established name in the world of boxing, simultaneously running the underground fight clubs he has set up, and partnered with Paddy. The two of them work in tandem, Paddy with his enviable skills on the computers, has managed to make the Fight Clubs very lucrative indeed! thinks the Don.The Mafia Don is still actively handling the matters of his mob, which has branched out to become a powerful organisation, but one that is totally against human trafficking. He has made his millions through his arms dealings, a
LucienHe looked at his Woman fondly. She was on the bed, her head lowered to the baby at her nipple, the little child whose brown curls were bobbing as she sucked hard at her mother’s swollen teat.Proserpina wore a look of divine bliss, and Lucien moved over to her, taking her chin in his hard grip and kissing her.It was all he could do, for she had been spending almost a month at the hospital now. A month during which the Mafia Don had practically lived in the hospital too, his only concern being his Woman.And of course, the littlest child of his, who had charmed him already, though she was too small, too tiny to utter a word. Yet she could be ear-splittingly loud, too!He found himself staring in wonder as the baby yawned, exposing her small toothless gums, pink in colour, as he watched her face adoringly. And when Proserpina laughed at him, at the way he fawned over his youngest daughter, the Mafia Don growled at her, his eyes hungrily wandering over her.“Woman, I want to bree
RiaShe was running down a corridor that stretched out endlessly. The sound of the man’s footsteps thundering after her made her pant in fear. He was after her. She stumbled and fell, picked herself up, and kept running, her hands reaching out in the dark for some door, some way out of this place. And then, suddenly, out of the blue, she grabbed a shirt sleeve.The face of the man looked up in front of her.She screamed as Dusak’s face appeared out of the gloom, grinning maniacally.He had blood pouring down his forehead and a large hole in his cheek where he had been shot. But he opened his mouth and spoke in a guttural voice she knew she had heard before.“LOVELY Ria, my Ria, I am going to be with you forever now...'He reached out a long skeletal hand with talons, and that was when Ria screamed.Dusak Rudenko began shaking her throat ungently, and she felt a gurgle of panic erupt within her. A deep fear, unnamed and unknown.And then Philippe’s voice came into her consciousness, be
Lucien stood, staring in shock as a beaming Camille reached out to hand over the little baby to him. He stared in confusion for he had never held any of his newborn kids; it was a first for him.But even as he hesitated, the little child, its skin pink and puckered, a thatch of dark hair on its tiny head, opened one eye and looked at him quizzically an eyebrow raised questioningly, weighing him up critically so to speak, before shutting her eye firmly and ignoring the people around her, her mouth blowing a red raspberry pout.Ria and the other children began to laugh as Lou cried, with a shout of laughter,“Pappa, Sir, she is not impressed by you!’But it was Ria who declared, wonderingly, as she leaned against Lucien, who was holding the precious bundle cupped to his chest fiercely,“Pappa, I think she has Mumma’s colouring!”***ProserpinaI opened my eyes slowly. It felt as though there were weights holding my lids down. It had been a dream that seemed to go on forever, tumultuous
Lucien looked around at his family who were in the large waiting room. The younger boys, Dom and Lou, were piled on a sofa, their mouths open as they snored softly; Tara was curled up in an armchair with Aiyana beside her, an arm draped protectively around the child. The ex-FBI woman sat, her legs folded elegantly even in sleep.James Schwartz was sitting in another chair while the Capo dozed uncomfortably, Ria’s golden head on his lap, Rudy nestled beside her. Lucien’s face softened slightly as he looked at James. As though his thoughts had touched his second in command, the Scotsman stirred and stretched, sitting up, alert in an instant.He looked around himself and met Lucien’s eyes, an unspoken look passing between them.Snoring loudly, Claude was sprawled in abandon, sleeping on a mattress someone had thoughtfully provided, which was spread on the floor, his arms thrown wide, while Paddy had chosen to settle in an armchair close to the corridor leading to the theatre door, positi
She mumbled,"Yes Sir...' and her molten brown eyes, clouded with desire and want, with pain and pleasure, misted over as she looked at him, beseeching him to release her from her need.Her absolute submission aroused him tenfold, and the big man growled shakily, for the sight of her large breasts with the evil clamps fastened to her tender nipples was too much for him.“I shall f*ck your t*ts today, wh*re,’ he said hoarsely, "to punish you. Pain, wh*re, and pleasure."She made a sound, her breasts wobbling as she tried not to shift too much, but he lowered his head to sink his teeth into the fleshy mounds savagely, and she cried out.He tugged lightly at the clamps with his teeth, and she met his eyes, her own filled with tears of pain but she dimpled slightly as she said breathlessly,'Master... I am yours, Lucien Delano..."He grunted.F*ck, but he could never have enough of this delectable offering laid before him: this lush body, the thighs wet with her want, her shining pink c*n