Stolen for Love

Chapter 23: Games

Mason

"Boss! We need to go over the details of the deals that we're due to make with the Russian Mafia. You need to focus".

I was so sick of everyone talking to me. I wanted to just lock myself away from the world and let myself dream about her.

My sunshine.

But the world was selfish and I was back to being surrounded by nothing but idiots.

"Get someone else to do it. I'm busy".

I turned away from the door and focused back on what I was doing.

"Busy doing what? Busy moping over the girl that you let go. Honestly, you could have jeopardised everything. Who knows, maybe Juliette will turn you in and"-

Growling in anger, I jumped up as gripped George's collar pulling him close so he could see the burning anger raging inside of me. How dare he say her name, how dare he even think of her after everything he did to her.

"Don't ever say her name again. You're lucky you're still alive after touching her. What I do is none of your business, and whether I think of Juliette is none of your concern. Just do your job and get the deals sorted".

Releasing George from my tight grip, I threw him back and walked over to the window admiring the beautiful weather.

"I understand boss. I just want to make sure that you're still focused and"-

"I think I'm going to turn myself in".

I could hear George curse under his breath as he rushed over towards me and gripped my shoulder.

"You can't be serious! We'll be done for if you do such a thing. I can't believe you're that stupid. You're going to throw away everything over a girl. So now your conscience decides to spring up. You've done worse things than simply kidnap and kill for a girl".

I could feel his eyes burning into the back of my head.

"I've done awful things to many people, but seeing the fear in her face every time I saw her, seeing her tremble every time I reached out to touch her. I brought her so much pain and I just feel that she won't ever feel peace with me being free".

"You can't be this delusional".

Walking away from the window I pushed past George before grabbing my phone off my desk.

George rushed behind me and smacked the phone out of my grip before shoving me against the wall.

"I won't let you do this! You can't!".

"You don't have an opinion in this matter George". 

George glared at me with fire burning in his eyes. Truth be told I didn't know why I decided to keep him. He hurt the most important person to me, yet here he is questioning my decisions.

"I looked up to you. You were once the most powerful and fearsome man in the country, but right now all I see is a weak man hung up like a little pussy. You let her go, now focus on the goal. We've worked so hard on everything and you're about to give it up for a girl. Fuck me, you didn't even sleep with her. Why did you even take her if you weren't going to use her for your gain". 

He continued to scream in my face and his grip on my shirt tightened. But his words fell upon deaf ears. I was a man, a horrible man who had caused nothing but pain in other people's lives. No one would ever understand me, no one even cared to try, but the only person who brought me an ounce of happiness was the one person I couldn't have.

Now that I had a taste of love and true happiness, I craved it, more than anything. I would give it all up in a heartbeat if it meant I could live the rest of my life with only her. 

"I can't do this anymore. I can't cause any more pain. I'm a free man yet for all I know Juliette could be locking herself away in fear that I may come back and take her away again. I want her to be happy and she won't ever be if I'm still running free. She deserves a normal life after everything happened. So you're going to have to get over it".

Pulling myself away from his grip, I went to reach for my phone that lay discarded on the floor, but the bastard kicked it away just as I was within grabbing distance.

He yanked me up and threw me against the bookshelf looking angrier than I had ever seen him. 

"If you turn yourself in to the police, then your precious girl will be the one to suffer. Mark my words Mason".

I felt a burning rage explode inside of me hearing him talk about laying a single finger on my Juliette. Even though I had hurt Juliette, and even though I had let her be free, I vowed to always keep her safe no matter what. If it meant keeping her safe from afar, then I'd do it. I'd do whatever it takes to protect her from everyone and everything. She deserved nothing but the world.

I wanted to scream at him, I wanted to kill him but I had to be sensible. George was a man of many games and he knew exactly how to wind me up and I couldn't afford to make Juliette a target. Maybe handing myself over to the police was a foolish decision to make. With me locked up, Juliette would be vulnerable. The mafia would be exposed and they'd come after her to hurt me. 

Once I had no leverage, no one to hurt to get back at me. But that all changed when I met my sunshine. If they got her and tortured her, I'd never live with myself. She's my world and if they got her then I'd be destroyed. I can't afford to risk losing her and for that I'll have to play a twisted game of cat and mouse.

George assessed my reactions and smirked knowing that he'd won this round. He had gotten to me and boy did he know it.

"I trust you'll make the right decision, Boss".

He winked at me whilst glancing down at my desk. I knew exactly what he was looking at. But I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. The picture of my sunshine was my most precious possession, it was the thing that kept me going through the day. In meetings surrounded by evil men, she brought me peace to help give me strength.

George turned his eyes back to me and smirked at me before excusing himself out of the room. 

As the door slammed shut, I collapsed onto my leather desk chair and stared at the beautiful picture of my smiling angel. 

"I want to do the right thing, but I'm scared they're going to hurt you. I can't and won't let them hurt you baby. I promise you this sunshine". 

Sorry for the long wait. 

Stay safe everyone xoxo