Owning the Mafia Don

Proserpina

As I entered the foyer of the Club, the cold air hit me and I shivered. It was cloudy and I squinted up at the sky. It might rain; I hoped that young Philippe would take in the baskets of chopped vegetables we had left to dry in the sun. I was trying out a recipe for an Indian pickle and I needed to have sun-dried vegetables for that.

The cool interior of the Club was dark after the brightness of the day and it took me a minute to recognise the woman who had appeared before me. Shrugging, I walked forward and entered the elevator. The men with me had dropped back; this was after all, Lucien Delano’s territory. No harm could come to me if I was making my way alone to my husband’s rooms.

Before the door slid shut, Sophie stepped in and I glanced at her in surprise, but having been at the receiving end of her machinations for far too long, I did not feel the need to exchange pleasantries with her.

I frowned as she stepped forward, blocking my way.

Startled, I met her eyes, as she began to speak,

‘Mrs. Delano.’ she said, an ingratiating smile on her face. But her eyes were gleaming with an unhealthy joy and I stepped back.

Sophie had never called me by my married name; what was happening? Why was she being so formal?

She moved closer and I could see the way her eyes were wide with some kind of ghoulish delight.

‘I think the Boss is a bit busy in his room upstairs, ‘she said in a mock-servile manner and my skin crawled as she went on,

“He must be busy with Catalina attending to his needs. She is always there and he f*cks her when he comes to the Club, did you know that Ms. High and Mighty Proserpina Delano?’

She stepped closer, gloating and I knew in that instant that she hated me.

With a sinking heart, I realised that we were alone. it made me feel uneasy and I moved back. But she was till speaking, her voice a venomous snarl.

‘He is such a good lover, she can barely leave the bed when he is done, did you know that?’ she taunted as she came closer and I saw the madness in her eyes,’ I have seen him tie her up and f*ck her…’

But I had stopped listening to her lies. I stared at her, the pieces falling into place.

‘YOU lured me here?’ I asked, astonished. I still could not believe that she could mean me harm.

“Sophie? Was it You who sent me those sick pictures?’

The smile that did not reach her eyes was answer enough for me. I had a hollow sinking feel in the pit of my stomach.

I had never recognized the emotion in her eyes for what it was: hate! I cursed myself, fool that I was…

But I was totally unprepared for what happened next; she reached out suddenly, catching me unawares and gripped my arm and I felt a sharp pain, like a pinprick.

“What…?’I asked and felt a coldness spreading through me in seconds.

Immediately, she slipped an arm around my waist, smiling reassuringly nodding as the elevator doors slid open and at the people around who were walking about, totally unaware of the little drama being enacted.

In a daze, I realised that she had stopped the elevator and we had been going back downstairs..

I tried to move and found I was becoming incapable of movement. My body felt heavy and I could barely move my fingers. I tried to speak, slurring.

But the words were simply not forming in my head and my tongue felt heavy, so very heavy.

‘Let’s send you to a safe place, Ms. Hoity-Toity.’ she sneered and led me down the corridor, her fingers digging into my arm ungently. My legs moved but as though they weighed a ton each. I wanted to scream for help but no sound came as I opened my mouth, just a frantic, pitiful whisper, a moan. The tears rolled down my cheeks slowly.

“Wh… Why…are you doing this, Sophie?’ I whispered with difficulty but she was practically dragging me down the corridor that had once led to Lucien’s old office. It led to the outside now, the alley where the food trucks came. Although at this time, it was practically empty.

But to my horror, it was not deserted.

A large black sedan with tinted glasses, stood, the door open and a man in a dark suit stepped forward, his arms outstretched to grab me.

In a flash, she had shoved me into a waiting car. A pair of rough hands gripped me and pulled me in. the door slammed and I wanted to cry out for help. But I was only able to move my eyes, which were also becoming increasingly heavy. Another man, his body odor overpowering, settled beside me and I was boxed in between them. As I tried to sit up , I caught a glimpse of a woman who was stepping ut of a car, her narrow eyed gaze on us as the vehicle I was in picked up speed.

But it was Sophie I turned to look at as the car drove away. I met her eyes as the car began to glide away, through the tinted windows. The triumphant, ugly look in them made me want to shout but I could only moan.

Then my head fell back and I was spiralling into a world of darkness.

*

Aiyana

As she turned the corner and entered the Club parking lot, a large dark sedan shot by and she frowned. Her years of training made her alert at all times and as though it was yesterday once again, she memorised the details of the large blue vehicle as it rounded the corner and shot onto the highway. It was moving too swiftly for her to make out the number but the details of its make and model were something she naturally captured.

The evening crowd was just beginning to trickle in and she saw quite a few of the town’s elite, men with their escorts or mistress’ on their arms, sauntering in, greedy eyes like those of vultures, taking in the surroundings.

*

Slamming the door of her vehicle, Aiyana stood, her hands on her hips,

‘Why had the man been in such a hurry?’Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

She had glimpsed a face in the back seat, a white face, someone she knew?

Frowning, she strode over to the doorway.

The first person she noticed on entering was the red-haired woman, Sophie. She appeared to be scurrying away from the side entrance and Aiyana slowed down, thinking.

She had done her fair share of research and knew that the woman never came on time for her duties. Had it not been for Proserpina Delano taking up cudgels for her all the time, the redhead would have been on the streets a long time ago.

Now she stared at the woman, her name was…

*

“Sophie!’ she called out authoritatively.

The woman turned and her face reflected a strange mixture of guilt and regret… As she recognised Aiyana, her expression became stiff and hard but her eyes were moving from side to side. Something was wrong, screamed the warning bells in Aiyana’s mind and she quickened her pace.

This woman was in the thick of things, she thought grimly.

Aiyana strode to her and seeing the intent on her face as the woman with the exotic cheekbones and the determined look in her eyes approached, Sophie panicked.

She bolted.

*

Lucien

The work in the basement arena was almost over.

‘Boss,’ said Jackson, his wingman and the one who stood beside him all the while, shielding him if need be. He had just received a call on his in-house phone, a call that caused him to look sickly looked pale and upset. Lucien noted in surprise that he had never seen Jackson look unsettled.

“Boss, there is some commotion upstairs on level One.’ said the man awkwardly.

Lucien swung his head to look at him, scowling.

‘What a…?’ he never completed the sentence. Suddenly, to his surprise, he saw Danielle. She was in the hall, running to him.

“Boss, Boss,’ she gasped,

“Come quickly…’

Her face, an inscrutable mask at all times, was now that of a terrified woman,

“HURRY!’ she bawled.

*

He was running out, his men in tow, ‘What is it? Is it the children…?’ he barked.

And felt as though his world was coming to an end as she sobbed, gripping his arm, digging her long fingernails into his arm,

“NO! Its Proserpina! PROSERPINA!!!’

“What about her, woman?’ he shouted hoarsely, shaking her. ‘Is she in labour?’

Danielle could only shake her head, as she cried, loud sobs.

*

The elevator doors glided open and he rushed out. And came to a sudden halt.

The FBI woman, Aiyana Laughing Water, knelt over Sophie, her knee on the woman’s back, pinning her down to the ground. She had Sophie’s right arm twisted painfully behind her back. Lucien could see that she was exerting pressure.

Sophie was moaning and sobbing.

Aiyana raised her expressionless face and her black eyes seemed to have pity in them as she said in her clear, bluesy voice,

“I think they have got Proserpina.’