The Capo
He turned to look outside the small window of the aircraft as Lucien Delano’s private jet taxied to a halt, it was bitterly cold outside but the Capo’s mind was on other things as the darkness outside stared back at him. He had slept for a few hours, but it had left him feeling rejuvenated. It was the way he was; he could snatch a couple of hours of sleep and feel rested.
His mind went back to the encounter, hot and passionate, he had had with Ria before leaving the country. She could make him harden with desire with just a look from her laughing eyes, the dimples appearing as he teased him. As for her luscious body, he groaned and rubbed a hand over his face, he needed to get a hold of himself. Unless he stopped thinking of her, he would be fisting himself helplessly in the tiny washroom.
Karan Shah, his second in command, glanced at him, a blank expression on his face. Shah had been a friend for a few years now and he had worked his way up in the Delano mob, rung by rung. The man was in his thirties and older than Philippe but he was dependable and loyal; something that had endeared him to the Capo.
He was glad that the had chosen to bring Shah along with him on this mission. Along with a couple more of his trusted men, Philippe was on his own.
Now he glanced at his cell phone as his screen lit up. A message from the Boss?
And then he saw, to his growing unease, the missed calls from the familiar number and he had a feeling of trepidation.
He put his call through, the private number of the Boss.
It was picked up almost at once. The Boss’ gruff voice came through. The signal was bad and the only word he could make out was ‘COMPROMISED.’
*
Tara
She smiled as she looked out of the schoolroom from the window beside her. Her mind was on the messages that appeared on her phone every day. Only Maddie knew about them; she was not stupid enough to share them with anyone, not even with Ria. Her older sister was too besotted by Philippe anyways to care about anything else. And besides, she was too much into caring for Mumma and baby Rudi to notice what was happening with Tara.
Now she sighed and watched the snow. It was lighter now, winter was slowly receding. Tara smiled.
*
Melissa Lord frowned as she called Tara’s name for the third time before the child responded. And she blushed as she looked bout and saw the smirks on the faces of her classmates and realized that Melissa had been calling her name for a while now. Even Madeline Nord, whom Melissa did not like, was grinning at Tara, not in a nice way.
*
Later, as the class dispersed at the sound of the bell, Melissa called Tara over. The child had been trying to slink away with Madeline.
“Come here,’ said Melissa, her tone a little softer as she looked at the face of the lovely child who was also the daughter of her dearest friend, Proserpina Delano. Tara came closer reluctantly. Melissa frowned to herself. The child had always been so sweet-natured and eager to help; now she was scowling. As her eyes went to Maddie behind her, Melissa frowned openly.
“No, I only want to talk to Tara,’ she snapped and the Nord girl stalked off, muttering rude obscenities. Melissa stared after her.
Tara was standing, her shoulders stiff, eyes avoiding Melissa’s clear green gaze.
“Something wrong, Tara?’ asked Melissa. But the child stubbornly refused to make eye contact as she mumbled something about everything being fine.
After a few minutes of trying to coax the truth from her, Melissa let her go. But she watched the girl walk out with a sense of disquiet.
*
Later that night, when Melissa was at home, grading papers while the snow fell softly, and the evening deepened into night, she stopped to gaze abstractedly at the fire. Her older son, Jack, came to her and said gently,
‘Mommie?’ Melissa looked into the eyes of her son, the son born of her first lover,
‘What is it, Mommie?’ asked the young man as he settled down on the rug beside her, at her feet.
Tristan, her husband, had flown to LA about some unfinished business and was expected back later that week. Her son Leo was working on his computer and her daughter was safely tucked in bed, fast asleep. Jack looked into his mother’s beautiful green eyes and asked again,
“Mommie?’
Melissa sighed. Jack was an artist and was pursuing a degree at the University. He was young but very talented and he had come down for a couple of days. He was also very astute and could read her moods the way no one else could.
“I am worried about that child, Tara,’ she sighed. Jack looked at his mother solemnly. He knew how much she cared for Proserpina Delano. He patted her hand and said,
‘Why?’
Melissa looked at her eldest son and said,
‘There is something I cannot put my finger on, about her friend, Madeline Nord; and the girl is a bad influence on Tara.’
She broke off for Jack was frowning as though he was trying to recall something.
‘Nord?’ he said slowly,’ That is an unusual name. Is she related to Magnus Nord?’
Melissa nodded, puzzled but also feeling alarmed.
Jack sighed.
“Mommie, Magnus is bad news…’
*
Dusak
He smiled; he was going to pull in the rope, slowly but surely. Little Tara Delano, the silly fool, was beginning to believe that she had a suitor.
He was going to play a very careful game this time; he would get the girl on his side and then, he would get her sister.
Soon he would have Ria Delano at his mercy and the very thought made him howl in joy. The men in the room looked on impassively; Dusak’s moods when he was high were things they were used to but this morning, he was flying as high as a kite without having taken any substance.