Claude The young boxer was flushed and sweating as he stopped and turned to look at his father. His body was damp and his heart was racing. He had done well, he knew that but what did the man who stood silently on the ground near the ropes, with James Schwartz beside him, leaning on a cane; what did the Mafia Don who was watching him broodingly, from the ground, think?Because the world knew what a pitiless, powerful street fighter Lucien Delano had been a long time ago, a legend in the ring, the man who had never lost a single match during any of his savage Underground fights.Claude Delano wanted to live up to his father’s reputation. It was not an easy thing to dream of achieving but he had been slogging, practicing, for as long as he could remember, for the day when his father would be proud of him.That was all that mattered.After a long time, Lucien Delano growled,“That was …well done, boy!’Paddy, who was skulking in the shadows of the gym, for he was still terrified of the D
LucienHe sat in the front seat of the little amphitheatre, designed specifically to allow the audience to watch fights from a vantage point. The Ring or the Cage, whichever was in use, would be at a lower level, allowing the audience to see clearly without having to crane their necks as blows were delivered, one after the other.He sat, one suave leg crossed over the other, his splendid underground fighting Club, his cherished dream, spread around him. This was unlike his other fighting clubs which housed many cages, and many rings, where mixed martial arts fighters and boxers, all of them could perform at one time as people moved from one to the other, like in some shopping arena. Of course, the prices were exorbitant. But this was more sophisticated. He had the seats designed so that the viewers could recline, sipping drinks of their choice as they watched. Servers moved around discreetly, and all the girls had been trained rigorously by Danielle. They had firm instructions not to
When Basheer the Basher strode onto the ramp, pounding the air with his fists and grinning, his white teeth gleaming as he looked about him ferociously, Proserpina gulped. Lucien glanced down at her quickly, and she lifted her frightened eyes to him. Her husband patted her small hand and tucked it into his elbow.‘Stop fretting, woman,’ he growled almost impatiently, and she nodded, but her heart was pounding in fright.Claude came in soon after, and the shouts went up the loudest from the Delano faction, with the kids whooping and yelling loudly.Ria screamed,‘Kill him, bro!’Lou and Dom had leapt up in their immaculate tux, shouting encouragement. Karina was watching him, her fist in her mouth and her eyes wide in apprehension.Some of the people in the audience turned to look at them and noticed the small white-faced woman beside the big figure of the Don. Proserpina sat, biting her lower lip, her eyes wide.Proserpina had never been to a full fight; the one time she had attended
Claude was swept away by his team, and his family crowded around him protectively as he strode out, his big shoulders sloping tiredly. Piers walked by his brother’s side, alert for any mishap whatsoever.As they were leaving. There was a sudden flurry of movement, and Karina pushed through the crowd, making her way to Claude. The girl’s eyes were shining as she beamed and wrapped her arms around her beau’s neck. At first, Claude looked surprised, and then he wrapped his beefy arms around her waist, kissing her back unashamedly with enthusiasm.Piers sighed.Incorrigible, he thought as he swivelled his head to catch his sister’s eyes as Philippe urged her out. Lou and Dom were with them, and of course Tara, with Aiyana holding her hand to keep her safe. For some reason, Aiyana seemed to have a huge soft corner for his little sister, he thought as he turned to the kissing couple who were still at it."Move, Claude,’ he growled, and his brother broke off the kiss, his eyes dancing in del
Finally, Lucien sobered down and said in his gravelly voice,“Enough of my f*cking life story.’He cleared his throat and waited for the laughs to die down ,“My friends, I take great pleasure in announcing the engagement of my children this evening, before all of you.”He paused, and his eyes met Ria’s softening as he growled.“My beloved daughter, Ria, will be getting engaged to my Capo, Philippe Diaz.”The couple stepped forward, Philippe looking darkly handsome and flushed with pleasure, while Ria was glowing.Ria moved to her father, who pulled her into his embrace, dropping a kiss on her hair.Lucien continued,“And the engagement of my son Claude, with the daughter of the Bratva, Karina Kosova.’The plump figure of Karina approached the stage, bobbing shyly as Claude ambled on stage, grinning from ear to ear. He was freshly showered and changed, looking elegant and handsome.Still, with an arm around my waist, Lucien bellowed,‘I want all of you to bless these youngsters, for t
Parwiz Mousa was a slim man with yellowing, nicotine-stained teeth. He was dressed in a suit but nothing could take away from the look in his eyes, the cold, dead look of a killer.He walked steadily, making his way out of the auditorium amidst the commotion that erupted when Delano’s boy smashed the jaw and the nose of Basheer the Basher.The killer had no interest in the fight; he had been asked to take out the Mafia Don’s wife and kidnap the older daughter. But neither task looked possible now; not after he had spotted the Israeli woman he had raped all those years ago. Hila Zaidi had been an agent of the Mossad then; when she had been captured because of a plan involving a leak in the agency, he and his men had meant to kill her after torturing her for a few days.Unfortunately, she had escaped when a few of her companions returned to rescue her. The woman who had put up a spirited fight throughout her captivity. When she was free, she had single-mindedly chased and succeeded in k
Mousa came to a halt when he saw the wall ahead of him. Cursing robustly, he spun around and came to an abrupt halt.Hila Zaidi stood at the end of the dimly lit corridor, the backlight framing her still figure. The sounds around them had dulled, for they were in the North Wing, an area housing just the offices of Lucien and his close associates. But Mousa had not known that. He had fled from Hila, knowing that she was tailing him relentlessly.For a long moment, neither of them said a word. Then she began to move forward, slowly, taking her time, like an animal stalking her prey.She had all the time in the world. Her face was blank, impassive. Not the expression of a person who had finally sighted the man who had tortured and raped her brutally, the most savage and cruel of all the so-called fighters.Mousa drew himself up to his full height, his lips drawn back in a sneer as he spoke,“Hila Zaidi. Well, well, well, so you are here, eh?’She was unarmed, he thought, doing a quick ca
HilaShe had been prepared for him, but her focus had wavered for a split second when the man in front of her mentioned Piers. Now, she let out a low hissing sound as she agilely sidestepped the charging terrorist and he skidded to a halt, arms flailing.She smiled now, the cold, confident smile of a killer and he felt his gut clench as he saw her expression. Turning his face red with fury, the man made another dive at her but that was when Hila attacked him.*During the days when she had been injured and barely conscious, with a ruptured uterus and broken jaw among other bruises and broken limbs, Hila had been swimming in and out of bouts of consciousness, heavily sedated and barely conscious.While she had been advised therapy, she had resolved to take matters into her own hands. The pain had motivated her, even when the doctors whispered softly amongst themselves, appalled at the terrible injuries inflicted on her slight body.Dr. Jerome, the lead doctor there, a big man with a sn
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