Owning the Mafia Don

Proserpina

I sighed and sat back in the chair, raising my arms and stretching. It was late evening, and I had been working on my notes and projects. I had enrolled for a refresher course at the university along with my doctoral course and was thrilled to have been accepted too.

Anything to dull the ache of my heart as I sat about waiting for the return of my husband, I thought despondently. I longed to hold him in my arms, to feel his harsh claiming of my body…

I loved him, and I ached for him.

Rachel was arriving the next day, and I had wanted to see that my work was done before that. I longed to see her, my dearest friend.

Brian had also hinted that he would stop back on his way back to Japan. I was eager to see him too. I smiled happily as I thought of them.

***

The sound of Beston clearing his throat politely, made me jump.

I turned around and got to my feet.

He stood in the doorway, and he gave a twitch of his lips to signify a smile.

Ria and Piers had appeared behind him, Claude tailing them. They had probably sighted him entering the house, heading to my room and had chased after him to be there with me in case I needed emotional support. In the corridor, behind Beston, I could make out lanky Philippe lurking around too.

“Tony?” I asked in alarm and the kids rushed to me.

“No, Ma’am,” he said quickly,

‘It is nothing about the Boss.’ I released the breath I had been holding. My kids swarmed around me, providing moral strength.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

“It is about a matter he had told me about. I believe he was going to tell you himself when he got back but seeing since he is getting delayed, I thought it best to relay it myself.”

Talk about beating about the bush!

I wanted to reach out and wring his strong neck.

“What is it?” I said through gritted teeth.

I had to go and begin the preparations for dinner. The kids wanted hamburgers tonight they had said and I wanted to make sure that they were done before I turned my attention to the littlest ones. Once again, I sent up a prayer of thankfulness for the people around me.

Beston looked at me as he went on,

“Tristan Lord’s…uh…wife…”

I straightened up in some alarm.

“Yes, Tony,” I prompted, “what about her?”

He quickly added,

“She has been found and …”

I clapped my hands in joy before he could continue. Ria clutched my skirt and asked, throwing her head back and looking into my face,

“What is it, Mumma?”

“A man who saved me, sweetheart,” I whispered into her hair, ‘His wife. That is who Tony is talking about.”

She turned to him while Piers lounged about, watching, listening, analyzing. My son was sharp. But he remained low-key, particularly before his firebrand sister, who leapt headlong into the fray every time, heedless of whatever damages it might cause her.

I feared for her on many an occasion but I knew that she would be safe as long as her brother was around.

And Philippe, of course. The young boy had taken upon himself the role of Guardian Knight.

I smiled.

***

Now I looked up at Beston He looked like he had something more to say. He cleared his throat nervously and went on, his eyes sliding to meet Ria’s briefly and then reverting to my face.

My daughter scowled at him. She hated suspense.

“Actually,,, ahem…that is…”

I stopped him. Whatever he was about to say, he was not happy about it.

“Beston, get to the point,” I snapped, tired of his ‘ahems.’

“Boss had asked me to put up the lady and her children at the safe house. The one on Walton Cross.”

I felt my face flame. I knew the house well enough. When Lucien had swept me up from my mediocre, innocent life as a student at college and made me his mistress, I had been kept in that house. A pretty, little house in a street with other similar buildings, I had stayed there for months, imagining that he loved me. Lucien had not really advanced to the stage of loving, I thought whimsically, but I had fallen desperately, head over heels in love with him by then.

When I discovered that I was only one in a long line of previous mistresses he had used and discarded uncaringly, I fled and gave birth to my twins.

Lucien had come looking for me, furious that I had dared to run away.

And we had continued our relationship; we had gotten married, and now I knew that my husband would not look at another woman.

Our story had continued and today, we still had the same physical attraction for each other.

Coupled, of course, with a deep love and grudging respect for each other as well.

Although I suspected, nay, I KNEW that I would always love him more.

***

Meeting Beston’s eyes, I knew in a flash that he was aware of my connection with that house.

Thrusting my chin out, I said coolly,

“Why are you telling me this?”

Ria turned to look at me. I was using my Strict Mommie voice as she called it.

Beston stared at his boots and went on,

“That house is …uh…no longer available.”

I stiffened,

What did he mean?

He must have realized that I had taken it amiss. He quickly reassured me.

“No, I mean Ma’am, the house is not empty because it is being renovated. The Boss is selling it.”

Letting my breath out in a huff, I sank onto the seat I had just vacated.

“Yes, so what are you saying?” I enquired, raising my brows.

“I was wondering if… The Boss had said …”

He hesitated and went on, slowly,

“Can we bring the lady and her two children here? Just for a week? We have found another place which needs to be vetted…” he met my eyes as I nodded.

Lucien had made a vague mention of the woman in question being in danger; about how her lover’s former girlfriend was trying to kill her. But I had been half asleep and when he draped an arm around me and pulled me to his body, I had fallen fast asleep in Lucien’s arms.

Now I nodded.

“Yes’ I said,

“She can stay.”

“It will only be for a week,’ he added apologetically.

“Alright,’ I nodded dismissively as I turned to my kids.