"Thank you all again and enjoy your night." said Mason stiffly and turned to Ben. "Go and see how the fuck he has entered." he growled lowly. Ben nodded and walked away.

Mason then walked down from the venue. His mother's and Harrison's face were in front of his eyes. His fists were clenched so tight that his knuckles had turned white. His eyes were fixed on Volkov who was talking with Spanish leaders. Albert whispered something to Tony and walked somewhere between the crowd quickly.

Mason felt a delicate small hand cover his fist, open it, and lace their fingers. He didn't need to look down to see who it was. Her fantastic scent hit his nostrils and calm him down a bit.

"Calm down." whispered Bella. "Keep your cool face. You can't kill him here nor you can show him weakness. Everyone is watching you and expects you to act like a Capo."

Mason gave her hand a tight squeeze and felt her rubbing his arm with her other hand soothingly. His breathing went back to normal after a moment and his emotionless mask was back. He then walked with Bella to mafia leaders who were waiting to congrats him.

Albert walked toward the West family quickly. Juliet had sat on a chair looking too pale. Mark's eyes were blazing with such anger that could burn the world to ashes in a matter of few seconds as he was staring at Volkov. Alex was shaking with anger while Alison had desperately grabbed his arm and was trying to calm him down by whispering things in his ear that Albert was sure Alex wasn't able to hear at all. How would you react when you see the killer of your son and brother?

Albert himself was fuming with anger. The anguish that he had gone through after the death of his wife had turned to pent-up anger that was burning him alive. But they couldn't kill Volkov tonight for the sake of gathering and break the law. He had sent Tony and Rich to send older twins and Hunter home. Albert knew very well how much they had suffered from the death of their mother and being the teenagers they were, might cause them to act irrationally.

"Mark! Juliet!" he said as he reached their table.

"We can't kill him tonight, can we?" gritted Mark. His eyes were still fixed on Volkov but he was rubbing his wife's shoulder too.

"Believe me I want it more than any other thing." growled Albert and glared at Volkov who was talking and laughing with Spanish leaders with no care in the world. Albert looked back at Mark. "But we can't. Not here. I suggest you leave here. It's not good for you to stay. At least not for Juliet."

Mark looked down at Juliet. His heart clenched at the sight of his broken wife. Alison had one of her hands on Juliet's other shoulder. "We leave." said Mark and then stared at Albert. "But when we caught that bastard, I want to end his life myself."

Albert nodded firmly and then looked at a frantic Alison who was on the verge of crying. "Alison, you can go with them if you want." he said. "I will send someone later tonight to bring you home."

Alison nodded happily. She couldn't leave Alex like that and she didn't want to stay there any longer. Her whole body was shivering from fear and stress. Alex grabbed her hand as Mark helped Juliet to stand up and they all left silently.

*************************

Bella and Mason were dancing slowly with the slow music. Mason's body was tense and his gaze was fixed on Volkov who hadn't approached him yet. Ben had informed him that Volkov had arrived with Russians and the guards didn't dare to stop him in fear of fighting that would surely come if they had stopped the Russian leaders.

Suddenly he felt Bella's hand on his cheek and looked down and his eyes softened. "Don't look at him." whispered Bella and caressed his clenched jaw. "He is here to get on your nerves. Don't give him what he wants. Just look at me."

Mason's tense muscles relaxed under her magical touch and he nodded. "Thank you, Bella." he said and he pressed his forehead to her and pulled her body flushed to his. "I wouldn't have survived if you were not here tonight."

Bella smiled and opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by the deep voice of Volkov. "wow!" he said and Bella and Mason stopped and their heads snapped toward him.

Mason pushed Bella a bit behind him as he saw Volkov's eyes fixed on her, full of lust. "Mason, where did you find this beauty? what's your name, my fine lady?" asked Volkov and held his hand out for Bella to shake.

Before Mason can snap at him angrily, Bella stepped forward and grabbed Volkov's hand. "Bella Harris." she said quickly to stop Mason from starting a fight.

"Confident. I like this." smirked Volkov as he brought Bella's hand to his lips, not breaking the eye contact, and put a kiss on her knuckles. "Glad to meet you, beautiful."

"Sorry, but I can't say the same." said Bella with a tight-lipped smile, trying to hide her disgusted face as she pulled back her hand.

Volkov's smirk grew wider. "Fierce as well." he said and he looked at Mason. "I can see why you are stuck."

"What do you want here, Volkov." said Mason with a cold tone that could freeze the blood in the veins.

"Uh, isn't this funny gathering a place where mafia leaders are supposed to meet stupidly every year to announce their weak and lying alliance to others?" he said and gestured around. "Well, as the leader of Russian Mafia I saw myself obliged to come. By the way, did you like my surprise two weeks ago?"

Mason smirked. "Yes, It was lovely. Thank you." he mocked. "But believe me, Vladimir, you need more than that to bring me down and you won't find time to gather that much."

Volkov grinned. He took a step closer to Mason and Bella unconsciously took a step behind Mason which didn't get unnoticed by two men. Mason tightened his hold on her waist while Volkov smirked more. "Look around you Mason." he said and pointed around. "Can you see these men and women? They are mafia leaders. They know nothing more than betrayal, power, and money. Even now that they admire you with huge smiles they are planning to somehow get rid of you and oh you know this. This is what we are. Always seeking more power and we don't care who we will step on to reach what we want. Soon all of them will choose the strongest one and this time, my dear friend, it won't be you." He then looked at Bella. "Even you beautiful. It's not late to change your side and come to winners. I will always have a spot for you by my side. Mason's taste of women is good I should say." he said and eyed Bella up and down shamelessly.

Mason growled and pushed Bella behind him protectively. "Watch your tounge, Volkov." he snarled.

Volkov took a step back and raised his hands. "I mean no harm, King." he said. "At least not tonight. But can I have a dance with your pretty little date?"

Suddenly a plan formed in Bella's head. She stepped forward and smiled sweetly at Volkov much to Mason's surprise. "I would love too." she said.

Volkov grinned and offered her his hand which she put her hand in his gently. "Wise I should add. I like you more and more beautiful Bella." he said and then dragged Bella toward the center of the dance floor, leaving the fuming Mason alone who was shaking with anger not believing his eyes.

Bella's left hand went under her hair to her ear and played with her left earring while Volkov was dragging her away from Mason. Soon Volkov stopped and put his hand on her lower back. Bella tried not to shiver or throw up at the disgusting feeling she felt from the contact of his hand with her bare skin. Vladimir pulled her closer to his chest but Bella managed to keep an inch of distance between them. Volkov laced their right hands and Bella put her other hand on his shoulder and they began to sway with the melody.

Volkov was staring down at her while Bella could feel Mason's heated glare burning her skull, but she had to do that, for the sake of everyone.

"I should admit you intrigued me so much, Miss Harris." said Volkov. "You and Mason fit each other greatly. I can't see what's going on in your mind. I usually have no problem reading minds. So tell me, what suddenly changed your mind to dance with me?"

"Well, I think you were right." answered Bella. "People are used to choosing the winner side. But I like to know each side first, then decide."

Volkov smirked. "See? You don't cease to amaze me." he said. "Most girls around us leaders are just bimbos who have no mind and think about nothing other than good sex and money. Two things that I'm sure Mason King can fill them with. But I can see you have a mind of your own. You know what to do."

He said and twirled Bella and then put both of his arms around her waist, while her hands went on his shoulders and locked behind his neck.

"I see that you desperately want what Mason has." said Bella. "Money, power, Bimbos and etc."

"Call me jealous. But it's more than you think, love." said Volkov. "He once deprived me of everything I had. I will make sure he pays for it dearly with everything he possesses. I will bring him down and force him to watch as I take what he has now, including you, dear. You can make a great queen."

Bella smirked and leaned closer to him. She brought his head down with her left hand and brought her mouth to his right ear while rubbing her right hand up and down his chest seductively. "Believe me, Vlad, It's so hard to have me." she purred in his ear making sure to brush her lips against his ear and smile satisfied when she felt him shiver and she played momentarily with his handkerchief in his breast pocket. "Once I get loyal to someone, It's hard to separate me from them and I'm ready to protect them at all cost. I might look like a kitten in your eyes, but I can sure bite like a tiger. So be careful Mr. Volkov. You've made a mistake by attacking my family and threatening my love in front of me."

She then used Volkov's distraction and went out of his hold and looked at his shocked and amused face. She smiled sweetly and bowed her head. "Have nice remaining days of your life, Vladimir." she said and then walked away and shivered when she heard Volkov's throaty laughter. "You little minx. You only made me more eager for yourself." she heard him say aloud while she walked to where Mason had stood.

Her breathes became uneven and she shivered from the stress she had gone through and cold sweat covered her body.

She jumped startled when someone grabbed her wrist in a tight grip and began to drag her away from the dance floor. She sighed in relief when she saw it was Mason.

Soon they left the great hall. "Mason." called Bella softly and tried to free her wrist which had begun to throb from Mason's tight grip. "Mason where are you taking me? You are hurting my wrist."

But Mason didn't answer. Instead, he opened a door and pushed her inside harshly, and slammed the door shut that Bella felt rattled the whole building.

She hardly balanced herself and whipped around toward Mason. Her heart began to hammer in her chest as she saw his fuming face. Her heart sank as she saw his hateful glare fixed on her. She began to walk backward as he began to stalk her like a predator ready to tear his prey.

"Mason!" she gulped and yelped as her hip hit the table behind her.

Mason was now a step away from her. His fists were clenching and unclenching furiously. "Are you done flirting with Volkov?" he snarled venomously as he put his hands on the table on each side of her and caged her between his body and the table. "Are you done grinding yourself on him? On my sworn enemy who you know, I'm thirsty for his blood?"

Bella's eyes grow wide. "Mason, you are wrong. Please let me ...."

"Shut up." shouted Mason and Bella flinched back. "Shut the fuck up. Do you want me to believe any lies you will try to feed me with, you disgusting whore?"

He spat the last words with such a venom that could kill. Bella stopped from breathing and stared with dull eyes at him who ditched himself from her and stood a few steps back.

"I thought you are different." said Mason and ran a hand through his hair and laughed bitterly. "But you just proved to be one of the other sluts who are only after money and power. You know how much I hate him, You know he is responsible for my mother and best friend's death, yet you shamelessly decided to go and dance with him, mocking me in front of everyone by flirting obviously with him. Everyone saw how you were rubbing yourself at him and whispering seductively in his ear. God, I was such a fool to let you in my heart. You are just like the others, disgusting and repulsive."

Bella just stood there, unable to even blink. Her mouth opened and closed slightly in the hope to utter words that didn't come out. Her arms were on both sides of her lifelessly. But her heart was shattering more and more with each word he was saying and the pain was unbearable, yet no tear was coming to soothe her pain.

"Get out of my sight." said Mason with a cold and emotionless voice. "Get out and don't show your ugly face in front of my eyes ever again. Go to the mansion, grab your stuff and wait. I will send one of the guards to take you to an apartment away from the mansion. After all, Volkov is interested in you and you won't need protection from him. Who knows? Maybe he finds his way to your bed tonight. Get lost, now."

His last words snapped Bella out of her daze. She blinked several times and took a deep shaky breath. Her whole body was trembling but she refused to cry or reason with him. He was obviously blind by rage and she was hurt badly. Instead, she used the small amount of energy left in her and walked to him.

She stood in front of him and took out the last earring that was in her right ear. She bent and put it on the coffee table between them. "Here, take it." she said trying to sound strong but her shaky voice came out as a whispere. "The other one is in Volkov's suit jacket's breast pocket. I put it there using his distraction while everyone was thinking I'm rubbing myself on him and saying seductive words in his ear. It's small and almost flat and he won't feel it unless he lay on his stomach with his coat on. But I think you can track him to his hideout now."

She said and then walked toward the door. Mason was rooted in his place, staring at where she had stood a moment ago, not believing his ears.

Bella put her hand on the doorknob but stopped. A silent tear rolled down her face and she bit her lip hard to stop her sobs. "Sorry if I caused you to be mocked in front of everyone." she said. "But I couldn't stand and watch him kill my family one by one. I couldn't stand and watch the man I love suffer every day and come back home restless and tired every night because he can't find his enemy. So I did what came to my mind suddenly. Maybe I shouldn't. I'm sorry."

And then she was gone just like that, leaving a shocked to core Mason standing there. His overwhelmed mind couldn't think properly and comprehend what just happened. His eyes fell on the coffee table in front of him and landed on the small earring shining under the light. His body began to shake and his breath hitched in his throat as the gravity of what he had just done mindlessly hit him hard.

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A/N: GOD, I LOVE THIS CHAPTER SO MUCH. Finally, I wrote it. I was desperately waiting for this part all the time. I'm dying of excitement. Tell me what do you think please.

Thanks for reading

Ela :)