Chapter 33: Chapter 33

Elnora

Elnora pulled back from Mason’s scorching kiss, her breath catching as she ran a hand through her hair, trying to steady the rush of emotions that had taken hold of her. Mason’s reaction to her blatant disregard for his command was unexpected, but the intensity of his response made her heart race. His appreciation was clear in the way his green eyes twinkled at her, a light that made her wonder just how alone he truly was beneath that hardened exterior.

She took a step back, the familiar sensation of fear creeping in, yet Mason followed, cradling her face with a softness that contrasted with who he was. A faint smile played on his lips, but his eyes were darker, more intense, as if trying to see through her.

“I heard gunfire, Mason. Is everything okay?” she asked.

She couldn’t shake the worry gnawing at her—Enrico hadn’t returned, and for all his bluster, he was still her past, still a piece of her heart. She knew that staying back against better judgement had its consequences. If she had gone as Mason had ordered, he might have been killed by the UAVs. It was a good thing she had managed to bypass their encryption protocols, uploading a custom firmware that allowed her to override their commands. She’d gained temporary root access to the system, but she needed more—direct access to the mainframe to take full control.

“The gang was dealing with some uninvited guests,” Mason replied, his fingers brushing her hair away from her face, the gesture both tender and frustratingly dismissive. “I’m glad you’re here, but I’m also furious. You were supposed to leave with Giorgio.”

“It’s not his fault I refused to go,” she countered.

His eyes darkened as he shook his head. “What did you do? How did you even know about Akim’s drones, or that he had them?”

“They were hovering close to the building,” she said, her tone matter-of-fact. “I spotted one right outside the window, and got into the mainframe. Do you have his phone?” She had instructed him to get her Akim’s phone, knowing it would give her remote access to the mainframe, locking everyone else out.

He hesitated for a moment before pulling his hands away from her face to retrieve the phone from his pocket. She exhaled a breath of relief as he handed it to her. Without wasting a second, she moved to her desk, Mason trailing behind her like a shadow.

“El, you need to leave before this spirals further out of control,” he urged.

Standing beside her, he hung his hands on his waist, and Elnora shot him a sidelong glance. She wasn’t ready to have this conversation, not now. If she could just access Akim’s phone… Akim, the Russian don, a piece of this puzzle that was becoming increasingly convoluted.

“This doesn’t matter right now. I need you to gather your things,” Mason said, taking her arm and lifting her up from the chair. “I’m impressed by what you did, but you could have been seriously hurt.”

“If I’d left, you would have been hurt,” she shot back.

“One less outlaw in the world isn’t such a big loss,” Mason muttered, his voice thickk with a truth he’d clearly come to terms with long ago. “I made peace with that years ago. But it’s different with you.”

She raked her fingers through her hair. “Mason, stop treating me like I’m fragile. I can do a lot more here than I can in some safe house.”

He stuffed his hands into his pockets and let out a loud sigh. She rolled her eyes again, not in the mood for another one of his lectures.

“You have to understand what you’ve gotten yourself into. I intend to have your back, even if you’re not used to the idea of someone actually caring about you. I care about you, more than I can put into words.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “And I’m not leaving, Mason. I’m watching your back, whether you like it or not. You’ve got mine, right?”

His voice trailed off as he murmured, “I’ve got you. But that doesn’t mean you have to put yourself in danger.”

“Just shut up and let me do what I do best,” she snapped. “As formidable a boss as you are, even you need protection too. That’s my job now.”

Mason winced, shaking his head slightly. “You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that.”

“And you wouldn’t want it any other way, would you?” Elnora quipped, raising an eyebrow. He stared at her, speechless for once. “So, what’s the plan for Akim?”

His gaze shifted to her workstation, his eyes narrowing as he studied the drone feeds displayed on the far-left monitor. Elnora watched him closely, wondering what was going on beneath his cool exterior. She hadn’t programmed the drones to fire; it was too risky, too reckless. But Akim didn’t know that. And she wasn’t about to give the Russian any ideas.

“Mason, I… I didn’t set the drones to launch if he moves,” she admitted.

He turned to her, staring for a bit. Then, with a nonchalant shrug, he lowered himself into her chair. “Doesn’t matter. I intend to chop him into pieces myself.”

The casual way he said it, like he was discussing dinner plans, reminded Elnora of who Mason really was—a man born into violence, moulded by it, and now, in command of it. His tailored suits and mesmerizing eyes sometimes made her forget that beneath the polished surface lurked a ruthless criminal mastermind. The sound of footsteps in the hallway snapped her attention back to the present. She turned just as Enrico and Antonio entered the room, and she exhaled her relief.

“El, you have to leave. It’s not up for discussion.” Enrico’s ordered, his gaze shifting to Antonio, who stood with the cold detachment of a man accustomed to dealing death. There was something in Antonio’s grey eyes that made her shiver, even with the fact that she was standing in a room with Mason who she suspected was far more dangerous.

Before she could respond, Mason stood up to stand beside her, his presence both comforting and unnerving. “Leo, Akim’s soldiers are on their way,” Enrico continued. “They’ll be here in ten minutes. Do we leave, or do we stay?”

The way Mason and Enrico locked eyes, an unspoken conversation passing between them, gave Elnora the answer she was dreading. Mason was the boss of the Castelli family and the godfather of the Berkton Mafia Collective. And whatever Enrico had said earlier about Mason being groomed to take a bullet for him? It was bullshit. Mason wasn’t anyone’s sacrificial lamb. He was the one calling the shots.

“We’re staying,” Mason said. “Grey, fetch Donni and get ready to leave for Eden. Bring Akim out front for me, if he runs his mouth, have your fun.”

She couldn’t help the smile at the thought. Akim might have managed to get his hands on high-grade drones, but he’d been foolish enough to lose them to Mason. And now, he was about to pay the price.

Enrico stepped closer to Mason and her. “Antonio needs to get El out,” he insisted, his eyes flicking to Mason as if he could somehow convince him to prioritize her safety.

“Ric, I’m not going anywhere with him,” she declared, nodding towards Antonio. “Or anywhere at all.” Her lips tightened into a thin line, defying the silver glare Enrico shot her way.

“Grey.” Mason tilted his head toward the door, and Antonio, without protest, slipped out, leaving them alone. “Elnora stays with me. She’s not yours to worry about. You should focus on keeping your own skin intact, Enrico. The Russians are gunning for you, and honestly, I’m tempted to let them have you just to keep the peace.”

“Leo—”

“Enrico, get outside and rally what’s left of the men before Luca gets here with reinforcements,” Mason snapped, cutting him off. “And while you’re at it, have Mateo secure the compound and prepare to move everyone to Eden. Send Benny up here too. You’ve got five minutes.”

Enrico’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing in defiance. For a moment, the room pulsed as they stared at each other, a raw, dangerous energy that Elnora could almost feel in the air. After a tense pause, Enrico turned and stormed out.

She exhaled, aware she was standing in the middle of a power struggle that could easily tear them apart. She wasn’t about to become collateral damage.

“Stay up here—” Mason began.

“You’re doing it again,” she cut him off. “I’m not some delicate flower you have to constantly worry about protecting. I’d rather use the drones to help than sit pretty up here twiddling my thumbs. Use me, damn it!”

His eyes raked her, nearly stripping her bare, and she smiled, loving the way he made her feel as if it was a chore to keep his hands off of her.

“You’re pristine, El. ‘Pretty’ just doesn’t cut it.” He reached out, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear with a touch so light it sent shivers down her spine.

She fought to suppress a giggle, instead offering him a sly smile. “You’re not too bad yourself.”

Mason chuckled, a low sound that made her heart skip a beat. But she quickly shook her head to clear the fog he always seemed to cast over her mind. She moved back to her workstation, focusing on unlinking the detonator from Akim’s phone. She felt Mason’s presence as he leaned over her shoulder, his eyes fixed on the screen.

“How do these things work?” he asked, his voice a seductive murmur. She turned to find his piercing green eyes locked onto her lips, and for a moment, she nearly forgot what she was supposed to be doing.

Grinning, she bit her lip to keep herself from leaning in to kiss him. The scent of cedarwood clung to him, intoxicating her senses.

“There are four Reapers and five Predators,” she explained, coughing lightly to clear her throat—and her head. “Each Reaper is armed with eight Hellfire missiles. That’s thirty-two Hellfires. You could level an entire city with those.”

As Elnora explained the capabilities of the drones, she caught the flicker of a devious glint in Mason’s eyes as he straightened up, and doubt immediately crept in. These weren’t just toys—they were monstrosities, and now they were in mafia hands.

“And the others?” he asked, his tone far too excited for her liking. “Predators, is that what you called them? How much damage can they do?”

Her smirk faded. “I don’t know as much about drones as you might think,” she admitted. “The one holding Akim hostage might be a Raven. The UAS is completely different.”

“Stop throwing these terms around,” he told her. “Just get them hot and ready for the Russians en route to our location.”

She froze at his words before turning to him, her eyes narrowing in disbelief. “You cannot seriously be considering launching these missiles here. These are military-grade unmanned aircraft, Mason. Civilian use is a felony, and in case you forgot, we’re within the blast zone.”

He leaned in close, his hands gripping the armrests of her chair, his voice low and commanding. “You leave me to worry about that.” He straightened up, pulling his phone from his pocket just as Benny entered the room.

“Boss. ~Signoria~,” Benny greeted them with a smile. “Eden is ready, boss.”

Mason nodded, holding the phone to his ear. “Grey, pull everyone back. We’re airborne to Eden in five.” He snapped his fingers at Benny, who immediately bolted out of the room. “We’re burning this location. Lure as many of those pricks here as you can.”

She watched him with bated breath, her mind spinning. Eden? What the hell was Eden? But that worry was quickly overshadowed by something far more pressing: his intentions. He was playing with fire, and she wasn’t sure they would come out of this unscathed.

Mason turned back to her, slipping his phone into his pocket. “I need you to blow this place up in five minutes.”

She swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry. A flood of thoughts collided in her mind, each one more chaotic than the last. She scratched her brow, trying to steady herself, but the enormity of what he was asking hit her like a sledgehammer.

“Mason, I’m not killing anyone,” she told him. She was many things—brilliant, resourceful, even ruthless when she needed to be—but a murderer? That was a line she hadn’t crossed. Yet.

Mason took a few deliberate steps toward her, closing the distance. He bent down, his fingertips tracing her cheek in a gesture that felt more like a threat than a caress. Her skin tingled under his touch, the flush of heat clashing with the cold dread that pooled in her stomach. His eyes, dark and intense, bore into hers, and the chill in his gaze made her pulse quicken in a way that had nothing to do with desire.

When he spoke, his voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. “That wasn’t a request, ~tesoro~.”