Owning the Mafia Don

Proserpina

I waited in the doctor’s clinic, feeling my anxiety grow. The doctor who had been with me through my pregnancy with Claude was not available; he was out of station said the nurse politely. Instead, I was directed to a woman who looked at me over the top of her spectacles severely. She had white hair in a short, neat style and thin, unsmiling lips.

When she began to examine me and asked me the regular questions, I could see she was taken aback to know I had had three children.

She looked at me again, sharply as though to be certain I was not joking.

Frowning, she looked at my face and said,

“You are rather young…you must have had your first child …’

“My twins.’ I said softly. ‘My first children are twins.’

Her frown intensified as I was led to the room where the ultrasound was done.

She gave me another rather incredulous look and began to watch the monitor screen.

She looked puzzled and snapping at the nurse, she asked for a second Ultrasound to be done.

I bit my lip hard as my anxiety increased. I wished Lucien was with me. Bitterly I realised that he had never been with me when I was pregnant and visiting the doctor.

I turned my face away to avoid the doctor’s curious, searching look.

***

Grace had accompanied me and of course, the inevitable troop of security guards.

“Is your husband outside?’ said the doctor grimly.

I shook my head and said softly,

‘Umm…no… he … he is in Argentina. He will be flying back today…’

The woman nodded and continued her examination in silence. Indicating that I should wait there, she left the room and I heard her ask someone over the phone to join her in the room as she wanted a second opinion.

I clenched my fists and tried not to cry.

The nurse saw my misery and stroked my and,

“Hey there, no crying, young lady. I am sure your man is happy to see that you are going to have a baby.’ I smiled a little at that.

***

She strolled across the square in her pants and jacket cutting a severe but svelte figure with her brisk steps.

As she entered the coffee shop she had chosen, her eyes took a while to adjust to the light, coming as she was from the bright sun.

Suddenly the burly figure of her erstwhile partner at the FBI, Ben Church was before her, gathering her into a bear hug.

“Ai!’ he chortled,’ hey man, it feels good to see you again.’ Holding her out at arm’s length, he grinned,’ as smart looking as ever.’

His eyes narrowed as he looked at her face and he gave a slow whistle.

‘There is a man, isn’t there? There is a man!’

She laughed. Church and she had shared many encounters and had had each other’s backs on all the occasions. At first, they had started off frostily. He was a big, dark-skinned man with tight black curls who had come from the Sudan with his family when he was a year old. To be paired with a woman, and one as unfriendly as Aiyana had taken the wind out of the sails of the normally cheerful Church. But somewhere along the way, they had understood that they had to be there for each other.

Ben Church had also been the rock on which she had leant on during the early days of her widowhood.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

Now she grinned up at him as they sipped their coffee, hers was black and strong the way she liked it.

‘You did not call me here for old times’ sake, did you, Ai?’ he asked, narrowing his eyes as he looked at her.

She avoided his gaze for a while then she met his deep brown eyes head-on.

‘Dmitri Rudenko has crawled out of the woodwork.’

She said softly. Church looked at her impassively and she realised that he had already known.

“You KNEW?’ she began, in an accusatory tone.

“Hey, hold on, ‘ he said, gripping her wrist to keep her from storming away.

‘Yup. I follow the b*gger.’ He said simply and she did not know if she wanted to hit him or hug him.

“And I know he has it in for Lucien Delano. He tried to take down the Boss’ family but did not reach anywhere.’

Church sipped his coffee reflectively and went on,

‘You had better take care, Ai.’

His brown eyes mirrored his concern and she felt a rush of affection for the big, warm-hearted man who had been her best friend in the FBI.

‘I need some help…’ she began carefully and he groaned.

But he listened as she began to talk…

***

Sophie

She had listened to Worthington’s words. Now she leant close to the door, pretending to be picking up a napkin as she strained to hear what Danielle was telling someone.

‘…and on the 16th, Boss wants the room rearranged the way it used to be. This is a special day…’

She did not want to alert Danielle to the fact that she had been eavesdropping.

‘… him and Proserpina.’ continued Danielle, as authoritative as ever.

Her voice approached the door and Sophie quickly reared up and began walking away down the corridor.

Danielle opened the door, still talking,

‘Yup, they want to enjoy the night alone here, Boss and his wife, so I want you to make sure nothing goes wrong. It’s the anniversary of their…’ her voice trailed away as she noticed Sophie hurrying away. Alarm bells went off in teh astute manager’s head and she raised her voice

“Hey, you! ‘ She bellowed and scowled as she recognized the person who had been trying to flee.

“Sophie! What were you doing here?’

Sophie turned, her face red.

She thought quickly.

“I wanted to…Ummm…clean the rooms upstairs but I shall be back later .’

Danielle puffed on her cigar thoughtfully, frowning as she watched the young woman scamper away.

Something was not right, she thought and then glanced at the phone to see what her lover, Grace, who was with Proserpina, had texted.