Darlin' why did you choose that gown for the poor child?' Grace half scolded Daniella who was puffing away on a cigar again.
'She looks like she hates it!'
Danielle shot a look at Lucien and said nothing.
"Grace,' I whispered softly, shifting uncomfortably in the soft armchair, ' I wanted to use the washroom...could you come with me?'
Danielle frowned and looked at Lucien.
"Boss, hey Boss!' she said raising her voice a little.
When Lucien turned his cold look on her, she snapped,
'Proserpina here wants to pee.'
Lucien's eyes bored into me, searching. I lowered my head like a truant kid but he stepped closer and asked, his rasping voice tinged with concern, as his eyes skimmed over me.
" Do you want to leave now, woman?'
The hard features had softened and I felt a warm feeling spread over me.
But I was exhausted and in no mood to be placated. My back hurt, my feet were killing me and all I wanted was to get back home and curl into bed and sleep.
With my lover's big body shielding me.
'If you say so,' I replied wearily. I was tired of his treating me like a precious bundle one minute and the next moment, regarding me like I was part of the furniture.
"Poor little girl' he rumbled, stroking my cheek, with the back of his hand, rubbing his thumb across my lower lip. But his eyes blazed with a familiar hunger as they roved over my face, searching, slipping down to my exposed cleavage and his hand dropped to drop me closer, his large hand cupping my a*se cheeks lightly.
I met his eyes, and my confusion was evident.
"One minute,' I spat in a low voice, glaring at him,' One minute, I'm like the disgusting thing the cat brought in. The next, you're dripping concern for me. What is this, Lucien? I'm tired of this game."
My voice was soft but plaintive, the hurt evident. using my hands as leverage to push him away, I moved out of his embrace.
He stood for a while, rocking on his heels, watching me, narrow-eyed.
Without another word, he turned to his security men and growled,
"Ray, Stavros, go along with my Woman. She needs to use the washroom.'
A million questions darted through my fertile imagination. Why was there a need to have two large burly bodyguards accompany me to the washroom which was just around the corner, anyways? I asked myself curiously. But Lucien pulled me into his arms and kissed me on the tip of my nose, as he grunted softly,
"Just let them wait outside. '
He was asking me, requesting me. this big Mafia Boss?
His eyes were sharp with concern and I realised that in some strange way, he was terribly anxious about me...
I nodded dumbly, and made to turn but he grabbed me again and to my bewilderment, his hard mouth slanted on me.
I gazed at him in some astonishment. The expression on his face seemed to suggest that he was feeling regretful for having behaved abominably earlier.
I smiled softly and rising on my toes, I kissed him shyly before I turned to my waiting friends.
Danielle, who looked like she had had one too many, slurred,
"We'll go along too, right, Gracie.'
Grace reached out and wrapped her arm around my waist and the three of us left the room. The two guards kept pace, watchfully. Although I knew that Lucien was watching me, I also had an uncomfortable prickly sensation of someone staring at me, malevolently.
Turning back, I noticed one of the bearers, a burly fellow, watching me. He immediately lowered his eyes and looked away but the sense of foreboding remained as I left the room with my small retinue.
***
As we left the room and crossed the foyer, heading to the executive washrooms, I turned to Grace.
She had linked her arm in mine and had slowed down to help me walk comfortably.
"What's happening, Grace? Dani, please, tell me!' I cried.
I had noticed the uneasy look on Ray's face. He kept looking around and speaking to someone on his walkie-talkie.
Stavros kept looking around, his large muscled body prepared to take on whatever menace they were expecting to come charging at us. Both men had their hands on their guns and it was scaring me more than I cared to acknowledge.
"Why are there so many security men around?' I demanded although Danielle retained a stoic silence.
.She remained quiet for a while but I saw an unspoken glance shared between the two women.
*
As I stood before the mirror, watching Grace reapply lipstick, I asked her urgently,
"Tell me. I know you know something. What's happening?'
She sighed and opened her mouth to speak when Danielle broke in,
"There's an old feud; Lucien bumped off a dude whose brother is looking for revenge. That's all.'
I met her eyes in the mirror.
Something told me that there was more but nobody was about to enlighten me,
'Why did Lucien...I mean why?' I whispered.
"Schwartz's wife and son were killed by Dmitri Rudenko, who is a violent...' said Danielle, using some swear words that had me staring at her in shock.
Bundling me to the door as she spoke, she drawled,
' Dmitri Rudenko and the Boss have had a running feud for years over business but when Dmitri killed Schwartz's wife, he mucked things up real bad. He made it personal.'
She took another puff of her e-cigarette and drawled,
"Boss took out his younger brother, in a violent manner; you do not want the details. They are gory, So , now Dmirtri is after the Boss' blood.'
I stopped, frozen.
"And ...'
"Yup, girlfriend, 'she went on, too high to realise that she had not been meant to let me know,
Grace stepped forward, a look of anxiety on her face but Danielle was speaking,
"Our man does not care for his own life But he is scared about you and the kids, which is why he is such a bear with a sore head type these days, likely my Nana used to say.' She gave a hoarse chuckle with no mirth.
'Boss is aware that Dmitri is going to go after the person Boss cares for the most. That. Is. You, '
The words sank in.
Lucien feared for me. He was fearful about our children.
He loved us.
Lucien Delano loved me.
*
Just then, the security man, Ray, knocked on the door.
'Boss wants to know why you aren't back, ladies. Let's go.' he said, sounding apologetic.
Murmuring something unladylike under her breath, Daniela stormed out and we followed at a more sedate pace, the men flanking us protectively as we went.
My mind was churning as I waddled along, the panic building up although my heart was soaring. My husband loved me.