My mother married a Capo

Chapter 44

Mason leaned on the railing of the balcony of his office in the base and stared at the utter darkness that had fallen on the woods in front of him. He inhaled from the cigarette he had in his hand and watched the cloud that left his mouth as he exhaled the toxic fume. His mind was a mess. He was tired. He had not slept from last night after he left Bella and he was exhausted especially after having a long and hard week preparing for the gathering.

The only thing he wanted at the moment was to go home, pull Bella in his arms, and sleep peacefully inhaling her heavenly scent. But she couldn't go home. After everything she had gone through to help him get Volkov, he had let that snake slip through his hands at the last moment. Now Volkov knew it was Bella who gave away his hideout and she was in more danger.

"Fuck!" he muttered under his breath and ran a hand through his hair as he took another puff from the cigarette and let the bitter taste somehow make him forget about Bella's sweet taste and help him to calm down and bear the torture of being away from her.

"You only smoke when you are so fucked up." Ben's voice came from behind him and a moment later he stood beside Mason and leaned his back on the railing. His hands were in his pockets and he crossed his legs and stared at Mason. He looked as tired as Mason. He had not left his friend even for a second alongside Rich. 

"Dad is leaving to go home now." said Rich and stood on the other side of Mason and looked at his older brother with concern. "Why don't you go home? I'm sure Bella will need some comfort that only you can give her."

Mason took another puff and disposed of the filter of the cigarette on the ashtray of a garbage bin that was in the corner of the balcony. "Give her which comfort?" said Mason and leaned on the wall. "There is no comfort as long as that son of a bitch is alive somewhere out. He seemed already obsessed with her and now she will be certainly one of his main targets. I can't face her now after whatever she did to help me. The least I could do after what I did to her last night was to catch Volkov and fill her mind with relief. But I fucked up."

"You are expecting too much of yourself." said Rich and put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "You did your best."

"I should have tried harder." said Mason and shook his head.

"We will catch him." said Ben reassuringly. "He has no power right now. We destroyed his two main bases."

"All the Russians are supporting him." answered Mason. "He can easily get back on his feet."

Just then they heard knocking on the office door and they went back into the room. "Come in." said Mason.

The door opened and one of the mansion's guards walked in holding a food bag. Mason frowned. "Sir." said the guard and nodded for all of them and put the bag on the table in front of Mason. "Miss Bella has sent this package for you. She insisted I come here and give it to you. Marisa told me to tell you that Miss Bella has cooked it for you herself."

"Thank you, Malcolm. You can go now." said Rich and dismissed the guard as he saw Mason staring at the bag speechless.

"She is truly an angel." said Ben and licked his lips feeling hungry again. "No one cares for you as much as she does. Marry her before you do something shitty again and make her run away. Come on. Open it."

Mason opened the bag and pulled out a food container and a folded piece of paper on top of it. He quickly grabbed the note while Ben pulled the container toward him and opened its lid. Steam raised from the delicious-looking meat-filled donuts with grilled vegetables next to them and a fantastic smell filled their nostrils. 

Mason unfold the letter and his eyes were graced with Bella's curvy handwriting. He smiled as he read a few sentences.

Eat something. You have to keep your strength. I said come back home fine, not on the verge of dying from starving yourself.