Owning the Mafia Don

Schwartz

He looked up to meet Aiyana’s cool gaze in the mirror. She was in her black pants and jacket, a pale pink shirt the only note that showed she was off work. Her long black hair was in a bun at the nape of her neck.

She asked in her throaty voice,

‘Sure you do not want me to come? My contacts in the FBI are still around.’

He smiled slightly and shook his head. Crossing over to her, he said,

“No, baby. You stay here.’ he made to kiss her but she moved her head at the last moment and he ended up kissing her cheek.

Stepping out of his embrace, she said in her cool way,

“Well then, best leave. Cannot afford to keep the Boss waiting.’

Her face was guileless, but he knew she was piqued. She had never taken to Lucien. the feeling was reciprocated.

He smiled and said,

‘See you soon, baby. I shall text you…’

She nodded brusquely; he did not say it but he knew she had understood.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

It all hinged upon a number of “Ifs’

If he had the chance to.

If he remained in a safe place long enough to text her.

She nodded.

He stopped short as he noticed her briefcase and black bag at the door, packed and ready.

“Are you leaving, baby?’ he asked in astonishment. She had followed him to the door. Now she met his eyes, her arms folded across her chest.

‘Yes. I need to get back to the farm.’ Her voice was expressionless, and her face gave away nothing. But he knew she was stepping back. Stepping back from the relationship they had had.

And he knew he was to blame for it.

He sighed.

***

Aiyana

She watched Schwartz as he strode out, his long, lean body clothed in a pair of jeans that hugged his thighs, his jacket and shirt as fashionable as they come. But she felt a sense of disgust at herself.

How could she…???

She had not been able to live down that day when she had brazenly asked him to marry her, had actually proposed to him.

The look of bafflement on Jams Schwartz’s handsome face had been almost comical.

And he had been horrified.

It had left her feeling unlike any way she had felt before in her entire life; Aiyana had felt like the biggest idiot on the planet. Good sex and a comfortable relationship did not necessarily mean the people involved were thinking of marriage.

She had wanted to take back her words. Seeing James Schwartz stumble as he tried to speak and put her down gently, she had cut him short. Reaching out, she had clasped his wrist in her bronzed, strong hand.

“It was a joke. Forget that I asked such a damn fool question, James,’ she had said but his eyes had told her that he knew she had been serious.

As she rose to collect the mugs, he had gripped her hand and said softly,

‘Marriage is a big commitment, baby. I do not know…I need time…’

The pleading in his eyes had made her smile.

Poor James, ever the gentleman.

How could he tell her that he was in love with another woman?

A woman who could never be his?

A woman who did not think of him as a lover?

The wife of the dreaded Lucien Delano himself?

She had disentangled her wrist and changed the subject.

They had continued to talk, awkwardly but something had changed. He did not try to stop her when she went to her house that night and the other nights after that.

Now she waved from the doorway as he drove off. But both of them knew that she would not be there for him when he returned.

IF he returned from his perilous mission

***

Lucien

He stopped to look at them as he prepared to get into his bulletproof sedan-his wife and the children, all six of them. Proserpina’s mouth was trembling, but she smiled shakily, as though to say she understood. Her eyes had been wet with tears as she kissed him. Ria had been crying softly while Piers stood, arms folded across his bony chest, eyes unwaveringly fixed on his father. Lucien felt a sense of pride as his eyes met his son’s gaze. The boy was stronger than he had believed.

Little Claude was watching him too; with a pang, he realized that the little fellow regarded his father more as a stranger, sometimes here, then gone the next moment.

His eyes moved over his triplets, all wrapped and brought to the basement to watch their father leave. Beatrice had insisted.

“Dunno what a man can get up to when he don’t see his kids,’ she had been muttering to the nurses as she supervised their being brought to the basement.

His wife watched him now, eyes glittering with unshed tears but holding herself together proudly..

He strode over to his family one last time, kissing Ria on her wet cheeks as she sobbed into his shirt front, her small arms wound around his neck. Gently, he lifted her away and moved to his other children, lovingly embracing Claude and kissing the littlest ones’ blonde heads before turning to squeeze Piers’s shoulder. Then he pulled his wife into his arms and said,

‘Be good. Stay wet and ready for me.’

She gripped his arms fiercely suddenly and whispered,

“You belong to ME. Just remember that.’ Her brown eyes, always so soft and loving, flashed fiercely and he felt himself harden. She looked so beautiful, like a fiery Amazon and he wanted nothing more than to sweep her off and make violent love to her.

He smiled slightly and kissed her again.

‘Yours, woman. Only yours now and forever.’ He kissed the tip of her nose and stared into the brown pools of longing.

Behind him, Beston coughed politely.

“Boss…’ he said but Lucien immediately put his woman away from him. Then, without a backward glance, he got into the vehicle and left.

He knew she was standing there, staring after him till the sedan and the cavalcade of cars accompanying him, disappeared around the bend of the garage. But he did not turn back. The pain in his chest was too great.

***

Proserpina

I watched him as he drove off. My man. The only man I wanted, the only one I loved.

My Mafia Don.

A killer, a ruthless strategist.

Lucien Delano.

“Be safe,’ I prayed, biting my lower lip to keep from crying, ‘Keep him safe, God, please.’

Then turning to my children and gathering the tiniest one in my arms, I led them indoors, a brave smile pasted on my face.

***

Sophia

She waited at the gates, fuming.

She had come to meet Paddy and maybe, take him back with her.

Sophia had secured a job for herself in New Zealand. Far away from Hollowford and the people here, the memories that made her choke back her tears.

Of Sondra and her wasted life. Her mother who had died, passing away without any family besides her.

And Paddy. she had his passport. She just needed to take him back with her. Lucien Delano had made sure that no one would employ her. She shook her head bitterly. The man had destroyed her financially and emotionally.

Now she tapped the steering wheel of her old car which would die any day, she thought grimly.

Sticking her head out of the window, she met the gaze of the stony-faced guard.

“And how much longer do you want to keep me waiting here? Her Highness Mrs. Uppity Delano has not given you permission yet, huh?’