Moving In

His Father's Son

Chapter 29

Axel

"Mom," I slowly remove her thin arms from around my neck and take a strategic step back, "I'm surprised you're here."

I watch a flash of hurt skim across her blue eyes, but refuse to fall for it. She has manipulated me enough times with that look, and I am not in the mindset to deal with her.

"Didn't your dad tell you I was coming?" she asks excitedly her bubble smile and bouncing frame is the opposite of what a mother-son reunion should look like.

"Yes but I didn't think you would actually leave Alexander," I say as softly as I can trying to remember is he was her most recent lover.

"Oh honey he has been out of my like for a long time!" she assures me with another blinding smile.

"How long?" I ask shortly and glance up at her aging features hoping to find some kind of hint, but I can't break through her mask. Truly I think she might like Blaze because they are both so damn guarded.

"Oh you know," she says deflecting but when my gaze doesn't falter she sighs, "about four days."

"But!" She says jumping right back into a different topic, "enough about me. So how are you and Blaze?"

"You know her name?" I ask surprised waiting for the punch line, the one where she asks for information about my father or if I wouldn't mind covering rent his month as if she doesn't have the money.

"Well, of course, I do baby! I was so excited to hear about you settling down. Your father has told me all about her."

I glance over my mother once more, noticing her designer purse and silk blue top. She hasn't been slumming it down in Puerto Rico I can see that much. Her hair is professionally done, botox is carefully injected and from a stranger's perspective, she might seem like a hot, caring mother.

"Has he?" I ask with raised eyebrows.

"Actually no. But I was hoping you would," she says with a far off look and a longing sigh, "first loves are always the most intense."

I glance around the room of suited men with their guns ready in their holster. They did not trust my mother, and neither did I. The house could have burnt down and she would send some lawyer with a briefcase, but my girlfriend getting kidnapped she shows up.

"Mom, really why are you here?" I ask in a no bullshit tone.

Before she could answer an irritated voice from behind me sounds, "She knows Blaze has an inheritance. She is hoping to get a part of that," my dad says filling in the blanks.

"Shut the fuck up John," She hisses as her beautiful features turn up into a scowl and her mask dripped off of her positive exterior. Her manicured hands reach out for me but I quickly step back again.

"Of course," I mumble with a sigh. My mother is many things, but interested in my life, much less my love life, is not one of them.

"Baby don't listen to him," she calls softly trying to take back control, "I am here to help. I have connections as well. Legal ones that can help your Blaze."

"At what cost?" Dad asks from beside me now and immediately her glare returns as she shoots him daggers, "You come to see what you could get your hands on."

"Go to hell," she hisses, but he doesn't stop.

"You never take care of them. You never call your own sons. Do you think he will be stupid enough to believe you are here for him?" John is pushing her, but for what I'm not sure.

"I am here for him!" she shouts before turning back to me, "I am here to help you, baby."

The silence hangs as my father waits for the right moment to play the angry women.

"Then prove it."

The words fall out of my mouth, not Johns surprising everyone in the room.

I have always put up with her antics. Given into her so many times I lost track of who was the parent. Now was my chance to finally use her as she has used me, just like my father would. I feel the constant anger boiling in my gut. It is as if I could burst at any moment, just like my father used to.

"What?" She whispers shock evident on her face.

"Prove you are here for me. Get Blaze back to me," I tell her with a stoic expression.

"How?" She snapped back not liking her son's retaliation.

"You're a smart woman. I know you still have connects, use them."

She didn't like that answer as her lips pulled down into an unattractive frown, "Do I really need bribe and blackmail to prove my love to my own son."

"No," I say stepping closer, "You have to get her back to me and then get the hell out to prove your a half decent human being."

My father can't even hide the shock as I spit the words at her, "Better get to it. I am very impatient."

It was at that moment the room of men realized that I was becoming my father even without his presence. I am the son of the monster, and I felt the room shift as their realization lead to their fear and a new found dedication to get the girl back. The one who could stop this transformation.

Slowly my mother backs out of the room and glares at my father one last time, no doubt believing it was his influence that made me say the things I did, then stomping back to her car parked in the driveway.

We watch in silence knowing that if she can't get results in the next 6 hours then we will be planning a full-scale attack and rescue mission.

"What else did Mo say?" I ask without looking away from the black SUV speeding away.

My father glances at me before taking a seat in the same chair tucked into the corner, "She confirmed the location that we believe Blaze is at, as well as identified Eric as being a big contributor to the kidnapping."

"Son of a bitch," I mumble under my breath knowing I should have done something more to him, but what explanation could I give? I had a feeling he was going to tip off the murderous Aunt of my girlfriend? No fucking way that would be reason enough for the beaten body of Eric Hanson being scooped out of a river.

My own imagination makes me pause, I need to get this under control. No, what I need was Blaze to slap some sense into me.

"Don't worry I have a feeling your mother will be able to get Blaze back, and then from there we can give them what they deserve," My father says with a lazy smile.

"What you plan on killing all of them?" I ask accusingly as if I didn't just picture that myself.

He watched me a moment before shaking his head, "No, they will get a trial in a courtroom."

I am taken back by his plan and even more surprised that the Mafia will be helping the justice system, "How do you plan to do that?"

For the first time in years my father gives me a wicked grin, "My boys will gather evidence, your mother's lawyer is pretty good, I remember from the divorce. Add in the testimony of you, Blaze and the pictures of the bruises on the tiny girl in the room. We have enough."

Stunned silent I wonder how he was able to think of all of this so fast then it hit me. Within seconds I am flying over to him grabbing him by the collar and shaking violently, "You knew she was going to get caught! You let them take her!" I shout seeing red again.

"No!" he says immediately, "But when she did the plan started to form. I needed to be prepared for the worst and needed to think quick. Trust me Mijo I am not your mother. I came here for no gain."

I glare with everything in me for a moment longer before throwing him back against the chair, letting his shift go.

"If anything happens to her..." I begin but let out a breath, "You do not want to see the side of the son that you raised angry.