NOW
Ria glared up at him. He had no right to look so handsome, she thought angrily, with his olive skin and slicked back dark hair, molten chocolate eyes and just the right amount of stubble. And the way he carried himself, with a confidence that made other men seem like inconspicuous little mice.
Philippe
He stared down at the young woman whom he was holding lightly and as always, he felt the familiar beat of his heart as it thundered when he was around HER. He loved this beautiful young woman with the flashing grey-blue eyes, the pouting mouth and the heaving full breasts that thrust out firmly under her thin cotton button-down shirt and jacket; she of the gently rounded hips and the dimpling mouth which was now set in a firm line as she glared at him belligerently. The young Mafioso wanted nothing more than to make her his but…
She was beyond him.
Unattainable.
The Mafia Princess. And he was only the future Enforcer of her father’s mob.
*
That day
That evening, after she had run away, stumbling blindly down the path back to the main Club buildings, he had hurried after her. Only to find her with her father. Lucien Delano had been berating her icily for visiting the Club; he did not want his daughter to step into the corrupt portals of the gentlemen’s club. And she had been standing, looking forlorn and downcast, and listening to the Boss meekly.
The Boss forbade his wife from coming; if she ever did, he was sure to be in attendance, a proprietary arm draped around her waist or holding her hand, anchoring her to his hard body. Watching her like a hawk, he never left her side and he had heard the sniggers, jealous ones, as guests murmured and said that he was afraid that his much younger, sexy wife might be attracted to someone not as old as the ageing Don.
Which was rubbish as Philippe knew. Proserpina Winters was as besotted with the Boss as he was of her. She practically melted when she looked into his eyes and the six children he had sired made it apparent that they were passionate about each other.
But that evening, his chest heaving with guilt, wondering why Ria had come to visit him at his quarters, Philippe had slowed to a halt and watched from the shadows as Alysia emerged.
No one had the guts to speak to the Don. After one rather malicious look in the direction of the Boss who had been coldly chastising his daughter standing right there in the foyer of the Club, Alysia had also skirted them warily and disappeared in the direction of the dance floor.
Minutes later, Ria had been bundled into a car and packed off home.
*
He had tried to meet her when he visited his house the next day, but she had thrown him a look of disgust and stalked off into the hall beyond the huge kitchen disappearing into the cavernous house.
The next he heard, she had shifted to a small town university, not one of the bigger ones, not the prestigious one in the capital that Piers had chosen to attend. No, Ria had opted for Grace Springs Hall, a smaller university in a campus town which was closer to Hollowford. He learnt that Ria had chosen a course which offered the best guidance there at Grace Springs, rather than attend a course at one of the fancier city ones. But what ate at him, what made him feel remorseful, was that when she visited every fortnight, she made it a point to avoid him.
Only her mother seemed to sense that there was something wrong. And Proserpina Delano would turn her large, soulful brown eyes on him, silently questioning him.
*
Now he held Ria lightly. Her large grey-blue eyes, so like her father were wide with shock and surprise.
Ria was breathing faster, and her bosom, soft and full, rose and fell rapidly. In her t-shirt and jeans with a large utility jacket and backpack, Ria could have been any girl in any university in the Midwest. But his eyes were riveted on her soft mouth that trembled, the large eyes fluttering with reaction and the way her chest heaved, drawing his unwilling attention to it. He was glad of his sunglasses which hid his expression. The halo of long blonde hair around her pretty face only added to the picture of innocence that she presented.
She pushed him away forcefully, recovering herself.
‘What do you want?’ she snapped, tilting her small pointed face to glower at him,
‘Why are you here?’ She followed this up by planting her small hands on her hips, fixing him with a furious look.
Philippe did not lose a beat; he answered smoothly, his voice hiding his reaction at seeing the girl he loved.
“Your mother has been trying to reach you. And your father sent me to fetch you. ‘
She scowled at him but he could only feel his eyes rivet on her generous mouth. He wanted to kiss her, hard. Ria was perplexed, wondering about the urgency of the summons.
She crossed her arms before her and said in a voice dripping with hostility,
‘ Why? And why send YOU?’
The disdain in his voice was meant to make him feel like scum. Instead, he smiled slowly, she looked so appealing when she was furious. It made him hard just looking at her.
“Your father trusts me, I guess.’ he said softly. She glared at him, breathing furiously.
“Well Phillipe Diaz,’ she said in a cold voice,” I have no intention of missing my lecture and going with you. If you…’ At that, he gripped her arm again and hauled her to him roughly, taking out his phone.
‘Listen to this,’ he grated harshly.
He pressed a button and her mother’s voice came over the line,
“Darling, please do come back immediately, your father has sent Philippe to accompany you.’
Ria shook off his arm fiercely and stepped back. Her cheeks were flushed and it was not only because of her annoyance with the man standing before her, she told herself, fishing the tingling feeling that spread over her when he held her arm. His proximity did something to her.