Proserpina emerged, looking drawn but still ethereal in a simple cotton dress, a baby doll variation that had a deep neck and flared out from her waist lovingly. She smiled as she approached her husband. They exchanged a look which Maja noticed, a quick quirking of his heavy grey brows by the Don, an “are you ok?’ kind of look and the beautiful wife of the Don replied with the barest of nods, a small, barely imperceptible smile on her face, the dimples reappearing magically. The woman was glowing, thought Maja enviously.How did she look so dramatically beautiful, without being beautiful in the full sense?She was round and curvy, with a well-endowed figure. But it was the movement of her body as she swayed across, sultry and sensual.A siren, through and through, but with an innocence as well.Maja felt a pair of eyes on her and turned to catch Schwartz, a speculative gleam in his eyes as he met her startled blue gaze and then his eyes moved away. Maja Nord looked down quickly and c
ColeHe was agitated. Cole Brandt nee Delano, was a desperate manHe had found out that his father was planning to have him transported to a remote area in Australia, sea salt mining of all things, in Karratha. It sounded like the back of beyond. Not for Cole the drudgery of work and from what he guessed, his father was not going to allow him to sit about in a fancy office. No, this would be work, work and more work.For F*ck’s sake, he swore as he paced nervously, now that he was in a small room in the Club still under the watchful gaze of his father’s people. And of course, that white-haired Amazon, Daniele.He had to get out of here and fast. His father had agreed, grudgingly, to send him in a week, not the very next day. But that was because his partner and friend in Australia, was away at the moment and he needed to be back to oversee Cole’s relocation.He needed to get word to the Monk. Britney, he had learnt that morning had been spirited away to Mexico again. Danielle had been
RiaShe looked at her father who gave her a silent, warning look.’Not now, “his cold eyes warned, ‘not in front of everyone.’Mumma was on her feet again, asking Philippe to join them for lunch. But to Ria’s relief, he gently refused. She bowed her head and went on eating, dimly aware of the conversation around her. She avoided looking at him but her heightened senses knew when he turned and left the room. Ria met her twin’s eyes and noted the amusement. She glared at him and said, in a chilly voice,“Piers, could you pass me the lime pie?’ He nodded sagely but his eyes were still dancing with merriment. He was probably the only one who knew about this crazed infatuation she had for the Capo of her father’s mob. But she suspected that her mother knew it too. Her eyes met Proserpina Delano’s and all at once, she knew her mother had figured it out, a long while ago. She smiled weakly at her mother and went on eating.Mumma was privy to a whole lot of things; she could be s intuitive, t
Ria spoke first, leaning forward, confusion writ large on her lovely face. ‘Pappa, you knew?’Then Piers burst out, but his tone was tempered with anger.‘Then why…? Why did you make Mumma suffer?’Lucien sighed and looked away.‘Your Mumma is a soft hearted woman.’ he said his voice cool, ’She would only have felt sorry for that ba*tard.’She is still innocent and believes the best of everyone, he could have added but he did not.He sighed again noting the mutinous expressions on the faces of his eldest-born children, knowing that he had caused his Woman a lot of grief. But then, he was a man who saw the big picture.‘Your Mumma will understand when I tell her.’ he went on, confident of his Woman.‘You mean, you haven’t told her yet?’ shouted Piers, leaping up, his face red with anger.His fists clenched, and Piers glared at his father. How could Pappa have put Mumma through so much pain? There were times when he sorely hated his father, and this was one such time.They stared at eac
RiaShe walked out of the room, conscious of Philippe behind her. She could actually smell his strong fragrance, a woody, spicy fragrance. And of course, she was aware of his gaze on her, felt his eyes on her pert rounded behind and for the umpteenth time, she wished she had not chosen to wear her low slung, figure-hugging jeans. His hot gaze seemed to be sending prickles of awareness down her spine.‘Would you like to come with me?’ he asked politely enough, his deep baritone making her jump.‘Or I could arrange another vehicle for you…"The Capo had stopped walking and now stood close by, jangling his keys in a casual manner.Like hell you will, Philippe , she thought grimly.She stopped and turned to face him, her hair in a messy bun, long tendrils having escaped to caress her cheek as she whirled around crossly. and then wished she had not. He was too close for comfort, his hair tied back in a neat ponytail, the black eyes curious as they assessed her face.“What?’ she said, her v
RiaIt was a small place and the proprietor, a Sikh gentleman with his bright blue turban, looked up at them questioningly over the top of his spectacles, as they approached the counter.Only a handful of customers were around and Ria saw that there were just two assistants, probably, the owner’s family, she thought as she noticed the striking similarities between them.Philippe had stepped up to the counter, his cold expression making the older man freeze. The Capo was already speaking to him, authority resounding in his voice when Ria moved to stand beside him, feeling dwarfed by the big, muscular man beside her.’We are looking for Erin Dorsey. I was told he works here,’ stated Philippe without a preamble. The man behind the counter looked alarmed his eyes taking in Philippe’s dominating presence and dark jacket and well-dressed looks.“Erin? Is he in some trouble? Who are you? Are you from the police?’ The man was flustered and he kept wringing his hands as he gabbled.With a sigh
PhilippeThe store owner’s sons had moved closer. While the older one seemed hypnotised by the thrust of Ria’s full breasts under the T-shirt which clung lovingly to the swell of her youthful body, the other was looking at the Capo in earnest.It was the younger son, his face too young for him to be anything more than a boy, who spoke up.“I remember now!” he cried and his father turned to look at him in surprise.“ After that man came in last week, Erin was a little upset.’ piped up the younger son knowingly and Ria felt her heart sink.Philippe was immediately onto it.“And what did this other man look like?’ he queried in a silky tone.The young boy, perhaps around fourteen or so, looked scared now, as he realised he had said something very important but Ria poked her head around the Capo’s brawny body and smiled pleadingly. The young boy’s eyes flickered appreciatively and he said,‘He was thin, I think, wearing a black leather jacket and dark jeans. Dirty blonde hair. Ah, yes, he
El CapoHe was beside her in a stride, grabbing her small figure as she swayed, her hand at her mouth, the look of shock and terror a reflection of the image she would carry in her mind forever.The Capo swore roundly; he had not wanted to expose the lovely young woman he was holding in his arms, to the shocking spectacle of a dead man who had obviously been tortured brutally before he died.Paulo was beside her, his face white and shining with sweat though the night was chilly.‘ Capo, I could not stop her…’ he said and then,’ F*ck man!’ exclaimed the bodyguard as he saw the dead figure.The Capo grabbed Ria as she seemed about to collapse.“The f*ck you don’t obey orders, woman?’ he said through gritted teeth as he held her to him, her face buried in his chest, forcing her to look away from the terrible sight.“Philippe,’ she cried, weeping softly, shuddering at the sight of the man who had been tortured and left to die, the stench of the blood, the sights embedded in her brain maki