Maja
She yawned and hid her wide-open mouth behind her hand.
Unsuccessfully, it turned out that Camille looked at her and said, ‘You carry onto bed, why don’t you?’
Maja Nord bristled and then realised that it was the done thing to alternately feel protective and adoring, about her children. She stifled another yawn and glanced at the large wall clock on the small, pretty alcove in a corner of the kitchen. April’s corner, the old woman, Beatrice, had said fondly when she caught Maja glancing at the area again and again, admiring the pretty floral arrangements, the wallpaper which made the corner so distinctive and warm.
It was past 4 in the morning, and Maja rose. She had a long day ahead. First, she would have to find accommodation; there was no way she would live in that dismal little hovel she had seen. And dealing with her kids was an ongoing battle, an everyday penance, she thought tiredly. Especially Magnus.
While Maddy was just a handful and mouthy, Magnus was tight-lipped and sometimes, downright contradictory. She sighed.
As she rose, mumbling her excuses to the women around the table who were sipping another round of coffee, she heard the front door open.
The house was peppered with guards and one of them must have opened it, she thought as she heard the gravelly tones of the Boss and his wife’s dulcet voice.
Beatrice and Camille rushed out and she saw the relief on April’s weary-looking face as she was enfolded in the arms of the old woman.
“Honey Chile,’ crooned the old woman and the Mafia Don, who had been speaking to Handsome James, turned and snapped, ‘Let the Woman go and get some rest now, you old crow.’
Surprisingly, the old woman did not react. April laughed tiredly and smiled at Maja, a genuine, warm smile.
“Paddy…is out of surgery. But…’ and her voice broke but she took a deep breath and went on, he’s in a coma…’ All the women were silent as the implications dawned upon them.
“And Claude will be released this evening.’ she added as she moved to the stairs. But her husband, the Mafia Don strode forward with a scowl on his grim face and taking her by the arm, bundled her into the elevator and the two of them, along with a couple of guards, rode up.
Maja turned and met the keen gaze of Handsome James. She flushed, sadly aware that her skin tended to turn beet red when she did so. Meeting his eyes, her small chin jutting out belligerently, she glared at him. What was the fellow staring at?
Schwartz grinned and the handsome face, made her stop in thought. But he was such a dashing specimen of a man though he looked tired now. How had he not been snatched up by now?
The errant thought had her turn away quickly, so quickly that she stumbled, having forgotten the stool that she had been perched on which was right behind her Schwartz moved forward, graceful and quick as a bolt of lightening and grabbed her before she had landed in an ungainly heap on the floor. His eyes twinkled in amusement as he said softly with a teasing grin,
“Had a tipple?’
She stiffened, glaring although her entire being longed to laugh. And then, awareness settled in. The closeness of this man, the strength of his arms as he helped her to steady herself. And his nearness. A heady combination.
Her eyes widened; they were so close, that she could see the rough hairs of his jaw, the way his eyes were not all green but with specks of gold…and the fragrance of his manly cologne and the warmth of his body. Her body came alive and her lips parted slightly. But then, with a jolt, she remembered herself.
Snapping out of it, she pushed him away fiercely.
“A Thank you would have been nice,’ drawled Schwartz and she rounded on him and saw the laugh building up in the tall, lean man who was dressed so immaculately, he could have been modelling for a fashion magazine
Maja was aware that she looked like a frump in her old, faded t-shirt and pants. He was teasing her, the damned rogue. She stomped off, her mass of red curls bouncing rebelliously and thought she heard him laugh as she went.
*
Schwartz watched the woman leave. She had a nice behind, he mused, round and firm. He caught himself sharply
Damn, but he had never felt this way since Fionella. Yes, Aiyana and he had been lovers for a while now but it was different. There was a relaxed feel to their lovemaking. Not the kind of tempestuous feeling he had shared with his late wife. Wistfully, he walked out and found that Maja Nord was
still a few paces ahead of him. She had stopped to admire the paintings that April had collected over the years. Now she stiffened and turned to look at him sharply, hands on hips.
“Are you stalking me or what, Mr Schwartz?’ she snapped, blue eyes sparkling with fury. Like an affronted cat, he thought and grinned, feeling interested despite himself.
‘No way, lady,’ he chuckled and watched the red flush on her plump cheeks. “My room lies ahead, that way.’
As he pointed, she turned in some bewilderment, falling back as she noticed the large door at the end of the corridor; the exclusive suite he occupied when he spent the night here at the Delano, he caught a whiff of her fragrance and his muscles tightened as he felt a wave of lust shoot through him… It was nothing fancy, just the fresh smell of soap and shampoo but he felt strangely turned on. Without another word, he entered his room and shut the door gently. Then, crossing over to the bar, he poured himself a stiff drink. He must be growing old, he thought, to be lusting after a middle-aged woman with two troublesome kids! He threw his head back and drank before tugging off his tie. His phone made a mewl and he glanced at the screen.
‘
No sleep for the wicked, he sighed as he saw the Capo, Philippe had managed to get the details of the cars that had hounded the poor sod, Paddy, who now lay on the hospital bed. Schwartz sighed, running his hand across the back of his neck. He was fond of the shy youth and he knew that he shared the same fury when he thought of the people who were behind this attack. Finishing his drink, he padded to the bed, tumbler in hand as he read the message.
*