Chapter 517

• Proserpina
• I sat in the aircraft in which we were flying to James Schwartz. I had insisted that I be taken to see him and finally, exasperatedly, my Mafia Don had agreed. In my heart, I knew it was because he did not want to expose me to the sight of a badly burnt Schwartz but I was adamant; I wanted to be with him. Besides, he was family in our eyes.
• I sat, my hands coiled around the glass of fruit juice the stewardess had served when we got on and Lucien was beside me, his dark face cold and shuttered. I knew he was seething with rage for having allowed Schwartz to return alone in a limo, Schwartz, who had dismissed Lucien’s offer of having the normal escort team accompany him, with his big grin for he was thinking of going to meet Aiyana Laughing Water, his off and on girlfriend. And Aiyana hated the sight of Lucien’s men escorting Schwartz. She loathed the reminder that James Schwartz was still intrinsically intertwined with us, the family of the Don.