Proserpina
I was aware of the commotion in the hall as we approached, the way the guards seemed to be on alert, hurrying us along. But the spectacle unfolding before us brought me up short. It made me stop breathing for a few minutes. Lucien was beating up a guest, brutally, viciously.
I had never seen this side of my husband although I was aware of his violent nature. Now I watched, open-mouthed, one hand protectively laid on my stomach, the other on Grace's arm for support. He was thrashing the man, mercilessly. As the man tried to get onto his knees, I saw his suit: Ramos? Lucien kicked him in the ribs and hit him, uncaring that he had the guests watching in undisguised glee, like vultures.
I felt sick. Schwartz rushed forward, murmuring something about the Boss and his aggressiveness and making a scene for no reason like an uncivilized thug.
But I could not pull my eyes away from Lucien. He looked massive and frightening and I began to tremble. He kicked the man at his feet last time. Then turning, he growled at the audience who immediately turned away. His shirt was torn open, exposing his heavily muscled chest and he was breathing hard. The knuckles on his left hand that he had used to beat the unfortunate man at his feet, were raw and bloodied. His hair mussed and body glistening with sweat, he looked savage.
When he raised his flinty grey eyes, he met my eyes. Unflinchingly, he looked straight at me and I turned blindly, hurrying, stumbling in my haste to get away.
Lucien
As Lucien watched, he saw Schwartz frown and hurry over to the three women who had just entered. His concern for Proserpina was evident to everyone in the room. But Proserpina was staring at him, Lucien, her pretty face pale, the horror on her face clearly etched on her features. As he met her eyes, she stumbled back, shaking her head in denial, mouthing the words, 'No, no, no!' and turned to leave,
With an oath, Lucien strode over to the doorway. Jerking his chin to Ray, he indicated that they should leave. 'No,' he snapped as the other men raced to him. Schwartz who had taken off after Proserpina, turned, a strange expression on his face as he snapped, "Delano, let me handle this. I think...'
But Lucien rudely pushed his friend away, snarling, as he gripped his reluctant wife's arm and pulled her closer. "I need to talk to my wife.' He growled, his eyes burning as he faced his friend. And then, in a lower voice he went on, turning to his wife who was shaking like a leaf, 'We're going to my office, little girl'
***
Proserpina
From the tight expression on my husband's grim face, I knew that he was furious. His hand in the small of my back as he led me out would have seemed to a lay observer, the gesture of a man who was concerned about his wife who was carrying their third child. But I knew that he was seething with rage.
As we crossed the foyer, I watched our reflections in the large mirrors adorning one wall. I in my purple gown that exposed the tops of my creamy breasts, my face a study of dread as I walked along with the big built burly man in the crumpled and stained dinner suit that seemed to have been stitched on him, so closely did it frame his powerful physique. His shirt had been torn during the scuffle and the bloodstains on them made me recoil, remembering the cruel way he had attacked Ramos. I tried to keep pace with his quick strides and I could sense his impatience, my three steps for his one stride. We hurried along the richly carpeted corridor which was deserted. There was no one in sight as we approached Lucien's room at the end of the corridor. T
he rooms flanking his belonged to Shark and Schwartz but that evening, those doors were firmly shut. Dimly lit, enhancing the feeling of exclusivity, the corridor yawned before us as my husband half dragged me to his large office, the room I remembered so well. It was the same room where we had had our first unexpected rendezvous, a burst of sexual fireworks that had yet to die down.
I sensed his desire to keep me beside me, his protectiveness reaching out like a physical thing coupled with his need to have me, all rolled in one as I waddled along with him now. The steady beat of the burly Ray's muted footsteps on the thick carpeting followed us, reassuring me. All the guests were in the hall, merrymaking since the drinks flowed freely.
Schwartz had obviously not spared any expense to keep his guests and the clients happy. When we reached the room, he said in a clipped tone, 'Ray, wait here.' The well-built bodyguard who had earlier accompanied me to the washroom nodded his head and I saw him position himself before the door, looking down the long, dimly lit carpeted corridor as Lucien slammed the door shut.
*
Once we were inside, Lucien let me go and strode to the bar and poured himself a stiff drink and gulped it down in one shot although I had seen him drinking steadily all evening long. To my astonishment, he raised the bottle and poured the contents on his bleeding hand, flinching as the raw spirits touched his wounds. I walked over, my feet sinking into the soft carpet, kicking off my heels as I went and grabbed his powerful arm, forcing him to turn to face me.
"Lucien Delano,' I whispered, my voice trembling with rage, What the hell was all that?' " He turned to me, anger radiating from every pore as he spoke, his large hands on either side of my face, on the door. 'What are you doing to me, woman? 'he growled and I stared at him, my chest heaving, confused. Me? What had I done to him? I opened my mouth to speak but then, he stopped me, stepping closer.
His eyes dropped to my breasts and he sneered, 'You want to exhibit yourself to all those men, eh ?' That was it. HE had been to the one who had stood and allowed those women to kiss him, rub themselves against him shamelessly while I sat, looking at them. He had not tried to stop that shameful display by those cheap females. And now he was accusing ME? Hurt and anguished, I slapped him as hard as I could.