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Chapter 4: The Don

Proserpina

The house he took me to was on a small street set amongst tall trees that stood stiffly to attention along the roadside. Paved pathways bordered the orderly area, and a few people moved around, walking their dogs, jogging, or simply strolling along. The line of row houses was uncannily similar to each other as they faced a mirror image of themselves on the other side of the road. A small garden in front of each house, some well maintained and others with barely any plants, appeared to be the norm. It seemed to be a residential area that was obviously upper middle class, quiet, and unremarkable. Double-door garages stood open in some houses, revealing the shiny vehicles owned by the people who lived there.

Discreet and a place where no one was going to ask questions about their neighbours, as I was to discover later.

When we drew up to one such little house, Lucien's bodyguards alighted first, and while one of them held the door open for us to alight from the large luxury sedan, the other stood, looking around, on guard, his eyes moving about swiftly. Again, a fluttery feeling of panic arose in me; who exactly was this man, my lover? I knew so little about him...

I knew his name, I knew he was someone big at the Minotaur, the foremost fight club in Hollowford; I also knew that he was a filthy rich playboy. The last thought had my heart sinking but I straightened my shoulders and brightened as I remembered that he had decided that I should live with him from now on.

But why did he bring you to another house?, whispered the evil voice in me. Is it because he is ashamed of you? Uncertainly, I glanced at the man with the silver grey hair, and the dark grooves on his face, who was barking orders over his phone, a tablet in his left hand.

The curtains in the house opposite the one we drove up to, fluttered, and I had an uneasy feeling that there was someone watching.

Stepping closer to Lucien, I felt reassured as he drew me close and walked up to the door, with his man leading the way. The white door was opened almost immediately by a dour-faced Hispanic woman in an apron. When she looked up and saw Lucien, her expression altered radically and was replaced by an ingratiating one.

"Loretta," he said almost indifferently, "Loretta Gomez. This is Proserpina. She'll be staying here from now."

The woman stared at me, her beady eyes taking in Lucien's arm draped around my waist, running over my expensive outfit, noting the high colour in my cheeks, and the look of contempt that slid across her face made me step back, stumbling, for I was taken by surprise. Her thin lips twisted in a sneer before it was replaced by a cold mask.

Lucien had not noticed this little byplay for he was speaking to his men as we stood in the foyer. He gripped my arm and guided me inside the cool interior of the house.

"Loretta Gomez is the housekeeper," he explained almost absently as we walked. I noticed the small, cozy-looking kitchen on one side of the corridor as we passed it.

"She'll be here during the daytime if there's anything you need." he continued, without noticing the look of horror on my face.

A feeling of unease crept into me. The woman's eyes seemed to be drilling holes into my back.

But Lucien was already striding ahead, down the corridor, opening a door that opened into a compact living room. A carpeted staircase at the end of the corridor indicated that there were rooms upstairs.

With his hands on his hips, Lucien surveyed the room. Then he turned to look at me quizzically, raising an eyebrow at the confused look on my face.

His harsh face gentled as he gazed at me.

"Come here, little girl," he growled, and I rushed to him, throwing my arms around his strong waist, titling my head to look up at him, my eyes full of unshed tears, and a million unanswered queries that threatened to tumble out in agitation.

He lowered his head and kissed me hungrily, and I, fool that I was, surrendered to his touch at once, forgetting everything around us, straining to be with him, to have his body on mine.

The sound of a sharp knock on the door made us move apart, and I saw the flash of annoyance on Lucien's face as his head reared up.

The housekeeper stood there, bland-faced, but I knew from the look in her narrow, spiteful eyes that she had entered deliberately.

I asked myself furiously, the voyeur, how long she had been standing there. My cheeks were burning.

Seeing the frown on Lucien's face, she spluttered, feigning innocence,

"My apologies, Sir. I just wanted to know if you would be staying for lunch.... as you always used to do earlier when Ms....ummm..."

The tightening of Lucien's facial muscles made me tense as the meaning of the subtly phrased words sank in.

I turned to look at Lucien in bewilderment.

"What had she meant by 'staying for lunch as you used to do?’"

The iciness in Lucien's voice made me quake in apprehension as he said quietly, his face like a cold mask of anger,

"You may leave, Ms. Gomez." As the woman gaped in astonishment, he went on, dangerously soft,

"And take your things with you as you leave. Brandon will collect the keys to the house from you"

I stiffened. My lover, Lucien Delano was firing this woman?

Because she had let slip the evidence of his flings?

The blood seemed to leave the woman's face at his ultimatum. Wringing her hands with a dishcloth, she turned to leave but not before giving me a look of pure hatred as she shuffled out.

Turning to his men who had entered behind her with my bags ( a motley couple of large, ancient, and battered suitcases that had seen better days) he added, dismissively,

"Trent, collect the keys from her as she leaves. I want her out of here in fifteen minutes. "

I realized that he was going to leave me there alone in that strange house and I grabbed his arm, clinging like a child as I whispered,

"Are...You're leaving already?"

A flicker of impatience crossed his face and I hastily let my hand drop.

My voice had sounded whiney, like a needy child and I guessed that he hated such clingy women.

No, I thought fiercely, I would be the kind of woman he wanted me to be. Strong and saucy. And Lucien Delano would love me forever.

Easier said than done!

He seemed to relent as his eyes met mine; moving closer, he touched my face, stroking my lower lip, completely ignoring his men who were moving around.

And yet again, I swayed, like a bitch eager for her master’s touch, looking up at him, my adoration shining in my eyes.

"I'll be back at night," he grunted, kissing me, a quick, hard, and possessive kiss before going on,

“Make yourself at home, little one. And keep yourself wet and ready for me," he murmured before his mouth swooped down again in a long kiss that seemed to stamp his ownership on me.

I felt my heart pounding as I watched him stride out, dragging his left leg a little as he went, his men following him closely.

The sound of the door slamming shut with a finality, made me understand that this was how things were going to be in my new life. The house was eerily quiet and with a sigh, I set about unpacking, humming with joy.

For a while, I sat, debating whether to call Tanya and Rachel or not. Then, deciding against it, I sent her a voice message. Or I would be taking too many questions, and I was not ready for that yet, I told myself as I set about arranging my stuff in the small bedroom upstairs...

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