PaddyHe could sense her presence even before he heard her. His eyelids fluttered as he did his best to blink, and he felt hands on him, examining him. With a sense of wonder, he thought, they are checking to see if I am alive!But then the voice of the woman he loved the most, his mother in every sense but one, sounded close by.Proserpina Delano.She was here.She was beside him.He tried to speak but his voice was not strong enough. The words would not form. She seemed to understand. Her hand, soft and cool, rested on his forehead and then stroked his face.“It is all going to be all right, son,’ she said softly and he smiled.If Mumma had said it, then it was going to be all right, he thought as he slipped back into a deep slumber.*TaraShe checked her phone surreptitiously on her way to school. She was very fond of Maddie but she was beginning to resent having to share her phone, okay, it was not really hers, but to let Maddie read her messages; it was getting to be a little to
Proserpina.My husband returned sometime in the afternoon and after a quick shower, he closeted himself in this study along with Schwartz. Lucien Delano was his usual taciturn self, laconic when he was stressed as he irrefutably was, at this point in time. With just a brief, hard kiss that left me reeling with its intensity, he had walked away, his faithful Gustav behind him and a couple of his bodyguards keeping step as he headed for the elevator on his way up to our rooms at the top of the house for a shower and to change.But his daughter managed to waylay him. Ria rushed to him, throwing her arms around him, and stopping him.“Pumpkin,’ he growled as he kissed the top of her blonde head and then gently put her away from him. His face was soft with affection and I felt myself grow warm. This was my lover, the doting father, Lucien Delano.What with the shooting of his aircraft, the threat to Philippe’s life, and the knowledge that his friend in Azerbaijan had been compromised, he w
TaraThe man who had been pretending to be Ben Iusuf reported directly to Dusak’s man. He put in a phone call that morning as soon as the silly schoolgirl had stopped sending him messages that were oozing with teenage love.The fat man, balding and bespectacled, whistled through his teeth as he set up a call with Dusak. He had a tattoo on his left arm, a reminder of his days in prison and he was in his mid-thirties. He was also interested in young children. His stint in jail for his pedophile tendencies had not cured him of his desires.Tara Delano, unfortunately, was just a bit too old; he liked them below ten.He knew from past experience that the One-Eyed would be angry. And that was putting it mildly.*RiaShe giggled again as she helped her mother in the kitchen, her airpods in her ear, as she listened to Philippe. She had never really thought of how sexy and warm his voice was as he growled and told her about how he was waiting to get back to Hollowford, to the Delano mansion.
PiersHe wanted to follow the woman, find out about her but he knew that Mumma had arranged a celebratory dinner at home and he needed to get back and change. Claude drove back with him, both the brothers lost in their thoughts. Danielle had also been invited and she was going to be there with her partner, Grace. And of course, Mumma’s best buddy, Melissa Lord. As for Uncle Schwartz, he was practically family but Piers wondered if he intended to bring along Aiyana Laughing Water, the dark and reticent woman who had been with the FBI and who had been Uncle James’ lover off and on.He just hoped that Maja Nord and her obnoxious children had not been invited; Mumma was a sucker for sob stories so one could never say but he did not really like those kids or their mother. Philippe would be returning in the evening after his battery of tests at the hospital had been completed. He was under observation in the hospital, heavily guarded by Lucien Delano’s men. The sorrow of having lost three o
MajaShe shifted from one foot to the other uneasily, aware that her rented dress was a little over the top as compared to the other women. Proserpina Delano was moving about in the kitchen, with James Schwartz leaning against the counter, chuckling at something that Proserpina was saying to him, shaking her head and smiling.As for the woman who had walked in with Schwartz, Aiyana Laughing Water, she was dressed as impeccably as ever. After giving Maja a distant nod, she turned away and greeted Melissa with a lot more warmth. Soon she strolled away, her phone at her ear, lost in some conversation, her forehead crinkling in thought.As for Melissa, she stayed on, in the kitchen with Proserpina and Schwartz. They were obviously very close to each other, like a trio of comrades, she thought as she saw them put their heads together. The aroma of spicy food filled the kitchen and Maja felt her stomach growl in anticipation. Whatever it was that Proserpina had put together, it smelt delici
Schwartz had left to join the Boss who had just reached home, announced Beston, when he came to inform them that it was time to serve dinner. Proserpina smiled her thanks at him and wiped her hands on a tea towel.Dinner was served when the Don had come down after a shower. He had come straight from the Clubs and wanted to be fresh for the evening. He had also invited a couple of men, his friends from his days as a youth and Proserpina’s heart sank as she saw old Patrick O’ Connor.The talkative Irishman with the bright blue eyes and charm had been a drinking buddy of Lucien’s from the days when they were street fighters. The man had run through four marriages if she remembered right and was generally away in the UK or in Ireland. But when he did come, and he met her on some very rare occasion, he made it a point to flirt heavily with her and she disliked his bright blue eyes that seemed to strip her. He also had a pair of roving hands and she made it a point to skirt him when he did
LucienHe wiped his lips and tossed the napkin down. Looking around, he saw the satisfied faces of his guests. As usual, he thought approvingly, his Woman had outdone herself. The flavored rice, with the taste of spices, had been subtle and delicious. The chicken she had prepared to go along with it, which was called Tandoori chicken, had been exquisite and O’Connor had been in raptures. But then, he was always like that, observed Lucien, his eyes moving over his old friend.The man’s dramatic utterances and cheerful, almost benign little goblin looks, made him a guest who could hold the attention of the guests with ease , with his many stories.Patrick O’Connor had been in his element, flooding his eager audiences with myths from his country. Tara had listened wide-eyed as he narrated the tale of the Banshee. Right now, he was onto the myth of the Children of the Lir.His eyes kept roving to Proserpina, repeatedly, and he seemed to wait for her to smile and applaud, a fact that did n
Lucien was furious with Schwartz; it was obvious that he had kissed his Woman and he sat in his car, clenching and unclenching his fists.Schwartz had got into his own vehicle but Lucien could see that he was distracted, had seen the way the man who was his best friend, had avoided Proserpina’s confused brown eyes.She had looked hurt and unhappy, not the expression of a woman who was cheating on her husband, he knew.So it had been Schwartz who had got carried away.Now he got out of the car in silence, his body stiff with anger and strode into the Club.Schwartz followed, his long legs striding beside the Don, head hanging low, morose and repentant.*Once in the study, however, Lucien indicated that he wanted to be alone with his mate. His guards and valet trooped out silently.And the moment Schwartz stepped in, Lucien swung his fist, connecting with Shwartz’s jaw. The tall man lurched back, his hand going to his face, stumbling, a crystal vase crashing to the floor and shattering