로그인Dear Readers, I've been very unwell and could not update.
It was O’Grady who received the frantic message from Claude late that evening. “Our Mumma,” sobbed the distressed Claude, who was soft at heart and not really Mafia material, as Bianca thought privately. O’Grady, who had been cradling Cian, set the little fellow down gently beside Bainca who sat in her pyjamas and getting ready to sleep. St Just strode in from the washroom on hearing his brother’s raised tones. He cocked an eyebrow and looked at Bainca, who lifted her hands, palms upwards, to show she had no idea what was going on. When O’Grady finally replaced the handset on the side table, his face was grim. “Saint, Claude just called,” he said. His brother nodded, hands on his hips, waiting, watching the Irishman. Bianca rose to her feet gracefully, Cain over one shoulder, for the little fellow had fallen asleep. She padded to O’Grady and placed her hand on his muscled arm. Ever since the murder of Heather, for Captain Ethan had grudgingly conceded the fact, since that dreadful nig
Serena polished off the burger which turned out to be a lot better than what she had expected. As she sat, warming her hands around the coffee she had ordered afterwards, she watched the bartender polish a row of tumblers. The bar had thinned out — just a few regulars scattered along the counter, the sound of a muted TV filling the space between words. She waited until he passed by again. “You’ve worked here a while?” she asked, casual. He nodded. “About eight years now. Why?” She offered a faint smile. “Just getting a feel for the place. I’m with The Echo North news.” She slid her notebook halfway out of her bag, enough to make it visible but not intimidating. “I’m writing a piece on that woman. “ She looked up and met his eyes as she went on, “You must have heard, the one who…” She hesitated, lowering her voice. “The one they found over in the apartment block last week.” The bartender’s hand stilled on the towel. “Yeah. I heard.” “She used to come in here, right? People said she was
Serena had chosen to disguise herself.No need to get whoever was behind Heather’s death into a tizzy, she thought as she changedThe dirty blonde wig transformed her totally, the short tendrils alien to her as she turned her head to check. The young woman had also taken care to work on her face, paying attention to her thin, pale brows. Skilfully using a pencil, she turned them darker, thicker and was amazed to see how these superficial changes had altered her face.Next, Serena set to work upon her eyes. When she was done, she sat back, thinking ruefully that they were no longer the startling green which Louis always commented upon.Instead, she had chosen a set of blue contact lenses that made her appear totally different. Studying her freckles, which were dusted over her nose and cheeks, she set ot to work on that. Using medium-coverage foundation, Serena effectively hid her trademark freckles and then chose a mauve lipstick and greyish eyeshadow to go with her new blonde look.Op
Bianca came awake first and she lay in the grey dawn, thinking.It had to be Snake, she reasoned.The man had been lying low for a while now. He must have taken it upon himself to use poor Heather as bait, to make Bianca grow overwrought with grief.Bianca’s plump lips firmed. He had obviously no clue about just how formidable she, Bianca could be, when she was in her element, she thought grimly.St Just rolled over and placed a hand on her belly, making slow circles as he stroked her. Meeting his tawny eyes, Bianca went warm with love. She was carrying his baby, no doubt about it, she thought, as she pulled him down to kiss him with love.He raised himself on an elbow and smiled down at her, his breath warm as he said softly,“How’s my girl?”His eyes twinkled, the blonde hair falling across his forehead and she smiled, relaxing immediately as she raised her arms once again, to pull his head down for a long, deep kiss. Beside them, O’Grady rumbled loudly, approvingly.“Think our Pet
Bianca spent the next few days in a state of fugue. She ate when her Master came to hold her and feed her; she slept when they wrapped their arms around her and held her to their warm bodies. She washed and dressed in a nightmare state, going about her motions like a zombie. Poor little Cian watched his Mommie, wondering why she was so distant seeming to ignore him, look through him. Beth and Anna had left. While the twins did not hold Bianca responsible, Beth seemed to be colder and distant. As though she believed Bianca was somehow responsible for the tragedy.“The funeral will be arranged just as soon as the body is released, Pet, “said St Just soothingly, stroking Bianca’s long hair, smoothing out the tangled knots.She grunted. A soft sound of acquiescence.Roxanne turned up and held Cian in her arms, cooing and generally making the little fellow feel less lost. But Bianca sat, her eyes fixed on something in the distance.Finally, Jamie could take it no longer. Her hands on her
Both St. Just and O’Grady worried about Bianca’s health after the detectives had left.Knowing that she was pregnant again, their concern had intensified, and they led the white-faced, shaken Bianca to the bedroom. She leaned against O’Grady, too utterly spent to walk, and he scooped her into his arms and carried her upstairs.As the Irishman deposited her gently on the bed, she clung to him, her hands digging into his shoulders as she tilted her face to his and whispered,“Liam, I… Am I responsible?”He felt a deep pain in his chest as he lowered his bulk beside her and said softly,“Ah, lass… Heather has been avoiding you for some time now. The old woman just would not listen to you…how are you to blame?” He kept his voice low as he stroked the brown tendrils off her forehead and cheeks. She sighed and burrowed into his chest.*St Just helped Anna to her room, where Beth was already asleep, deeply sedated. Anna wrapped her arms around her waist and then she said, as he stood in th







