Piers
He had been under a cloud so to speak, all during the amazingly delicious meal that his mother had brought to the table. He reached for the meatloaf and smiled at her. She looked so beautiful, the thought, wistfully. The phone at his side was on silent mode but it pinged and he looked away in irritation as he saw that it was Susie his ex-fiancee.
His lips tightened.
He had made it clear to Susie and her father that he was not interested in becoming a puppet. It was, of course, her father who was creating obstacles, but Piers had had enough. He was not going to pretend that he did not know his father was a mob Boss. He had lived with the knowledge for years and had even toyed with the idea of taking over but he knew that his heart was not in the violence and bloodshed that went with the post. And the good thing was, his father had understood.
The problem now was that Susie simply would take no for an answer. She kept ringing, weeping, begging him to listen to her father’s plans.
But when she said she loved him, he wanted to laugh.
This was not love; you did not attach strings to love, he wanted to say, but knowing her, she would probably run straight to her father to report what Piers had said. He found himself wondering what had attracted him to her in the first place!
He only felt a kind of weary pity for her. She had nothing about her that would stand the test of time, unlike the bond between his mother and father. Those two were simply remarkable. They had been through so much, and even now, the flames of passion sizzled between them, scorching and bright.
Piers had discovered that he was interested in doing his own thing and his father had actually agreed to give him the support for the venture he had in mind. But yes, he had been carried away by Susie’s father and his manipulations for quite some time. True, at one point, he had wanted to become a politician but …not any longer.
He looked up to meet the gaze of his twin who was watching him solemnly. Piers grinned at her. Ria and he could read each other’s minds and he knew from the soft look on his sibling’s face that she was aware of what he was feeling.
As he tucked into his meal, he wondered where Paddy was. And Claude? He had been supposed to meet the family for dinner. Where the hell was that rogue?
They all knew that Paddy was a loner; there were times when he would slink in after midnight to have the meal Mumma kept hot and ready and waiting for him in the kitchen. But this time, he had not contacted Mumma, who was his champion.
Again, Piers’ eyes went to his mother. Pregnancy made her glow, he thought lovingly, like a light had come on within her and she was dazzling in her loveliness this evening. Naturally enough, Pappa had not been able to take his eyes off her. Right now, they were holding hands. It would have been corny in any other situation if someone else had done it. But Pappa and Mumma? No, never.
He checked the screen of his phone again. No, neither Claude nor Paddy had called, and now he was feeling uneasy.
*
Beston
He listened to the Capo. He had seen Philippe grow into a capable young man. Every inch of him as a Mafioso and he respected the youth. But what he was saying now seemed incredible.
“Here?’ he asked again, scratching his head as he stood, his wide hand on his waist, scowling at the gloom outside the security cabins. The rain was insistent now and the cold wind blowing was cruel.
‘Beston, I know what I am talking about,’ said the Capo, sounding exasperated. ‘Paddy was seen heading to the house in the last clipping that was caught on camera; the one that picks up the feed from the crossroads.’
He waited and went on, his voice sombre.
“Paddy can be seen riding like a madman, dangerously, taking the turn leading to the house. And there was a car in pursuit. Black SUV.’
“Black SUV? Details?’ asked Beston at once.
‘There are three cars in pursuit. I am sending over the images. But the footage is grainy; could not capture the number plates,’ Philippe went on, sounding grim.
Beston thought for a while and then Philippe continued,
“Comb the area, the woods around the house. We may be too late already.’
The slight urgency in his normally cool, clipped voice, did it. Beston nodded to his men as he grunted in affirmation.
“I am calling the Boss.’ said the Capo and Beston sighed.
Lucien Delano would be furious if something happened to his adopted son; mainly because his wife doted on the boy. Pulling on a windcheater, patting his holster to check if he was armed, he led his men outside into the driving rain. Philippe had assured him that he would be joining in the search in a little more than an hour. He had not gone into details, but he mentioned that Claude was hurt; he had been in a fight, said the Capo briefly.
Beston issued orders to his men, directing them to set up a search in the area around the house, outside of the gates.
*
Cole
He was startled when the door to his dingy little cell was thrown open. And about time, he thought furiously, rising to his feet. He had been lying on the cot, trying to think of a plan to get back at his stepmother, who was the reason for his humiliating captivity.
Danielle stood there, with two men, burly guards.
“Surprise, sunshine,” she cackled and he could smell the whiskey on her breath.
‘You crazy s*ut, you wh*re!’ he shouted, mad with rage and fear. The woman was unpredictable. What was she planning to do to him?
The men with her stepped forward at a sign from her and gripped his arms firmly, hauling him forward.
“Where are you taking me?’ he cried, real panic setting in.
‘Your Daddy had decided to be generous. We are shifting you to an apartment on the High street.’ she said but her smile was like a shark’s in the dim light and he felt his heart sink.
What was in store for him?