Saving The Capo's Heir

Three

Esmé

When arriving at the estate, I was honestly in shock. The changes that transpired during the week I was hospitalized are clearly visible. Men are walking outside on our lawn with semi-automatic AK-47s, and men are guarding the entrance. I don’t even think that we were this heavily guarded when I was a child, and my father was a capo for crying out loud. Mason was not even born into the Mafia world, yet he sometimes acts more of a capo than I do. I must say that coming back home was bittersweet. I imagined coming home with a baby. My baby wrapped up in a blanket. Instead, I am walking through the front doors of this estate empty-handed. The room that was delicately decorated for her is now sitting untouched because of an egotistical person.

“Are you okay?” Mason cleared his throat as he placed his hand on my lower back when I exited the SUV and stared at the estate.

“Yes.” I lied through my teeth. He's had to do this all on his own for a week. I am sure that I am capable of surviving with him at my side.

I stretched my hand out for his support. He laced his fingers through mine, then murmured, “Okay.” He is my husband, after all. Therefore, he knows that I am lying up my asš. We walked side by side up the three steps toward the inside of the estate. The house was just as I had left it when I left to give birth. A baby bassinet was stationed next to the couch, and a pink blanket was lying across the corner.

Mason tried to guide me up the stairs of the estate and into our room. He was trying to avoid me seeing all the small changes that we had made, the covers on the outlets that we placed there for when Aaliyah began crawling. I understand what he wants to do, and I love him for that, but my mind can’t relax. I want my daughter. I felt the fullness of my breasts, and I glanced over at Mason. “Have you been pumping my milk out?” I asked in disbelief.

“I voiced how much you wanted to breastfeed Aaliyah. I just did what I thought you would’ve liked to have happened.” He responded, standing in front of me and rubbing my arms up and down.

“Where have you been storing it?” I asked, one of the many reasons why I love this man so much. He is gentle and sweet, but the devil incarnated when he needs to be. I love both sides of him.

“I had a freezer installed in the kitchen just for your breastmilk, it has been labeled, and it gets placed in as it gets pumped.” He caressed my chin. He pressed his lips onto my forehead and brought my head toward his chest, my ear lying flat on his chest. His heart was beating so fast, tears swelling on the brim of my eyes. I know I needed to pump again to keep the schedule that he had instilled, but right now, I need to know what Javier found.

“Where is Javier?” I sniffled, turning my head to look at him. He closed his eyes and inhaled, knowing he no longer had a choice but to let me join him in this.

“He should be waiting for me in the office.” He mumbled.

“Okay, well, let's go.” I pushed myself from his hold and turned around, walking toward the office. I know I was straining my body. I could feel it in the wound in my stomach. I could feel how the wound was beginning to burn just a bit, warning me that I was doing too much, but I pushed that shīt to the side. I needed to find my daughter. I have no idea who has her and what they may be doing to her. The images that are floating in my mind have me with a knot in my throat and on the top of my stomach.

“Esmé!” Mason exclaimed when I got to the office at almost a jogging pace and pushed the door open. Javier was standing there waiting for Mason and Mason only. He never expected to see me there. It was then that I knew that what he found was another dead end, the shock of seeing me was seen all over his face.

“Please tell me that you found something, anything.” I whispered between pants of breath. My heart was beating so fast that it was almost out of my chest. My knees almost gave out on me when I could feel Mason’s muscular arms wrap around my waist and hoist me up.

“Capo, I am so sorry. Their IP address keeps throwing us off for a loop. The surveillance keeps sending us on a wild goose chase. Whoever has her is either very experienced, or their programs are out of this world. Not even Mason’s software can crack it open.” Javier announced as he took a step over to me. With unmistakable sadness in his eyes, I knew he was trying. I vetted him, I know how Javier is, and he won’t rest until he finds both Thomas and Aaliyah.

It is not my story to tell, but Javier and Thomas have worked together before. That is how I knew him and was able to vet him in. Thomas's story is one that no one should have to go through, but he did, and he came out stronger. He saw the same opportunity one man gave him in me, and he decided to pay it forward. I owe it to him to bring him back home. When I had no one, Thomas was my family, my confidant, and my best friend. That was, of course, after the liking me phase he underwent. I nodded, understanding what he was telling me, but just because I understood him did not mean I agreed.

“There has to be something out there.” I croaked out, my voice horse from the yelling I had done earlier and the crying I had.

“Maybe a set of fresh eyes will do us some good.” Mason whispered, and he finally got it. I need this. We need this. He slowly unwraps his arms around my waist and lets me go. I walked toward my desk as best as possible and pulled the chair back. Wincing when I lowered down on the chair and hoped that Mason didn’t see me because, knowing him, he would drag me out to the room and tie me there until I was fully healed.

I averted my gaze toward Javier, who looked at me in amazement. “Welcome back, Capo.” He dipped his chin, lowering on the chair in front of me.

“Thank you, Javier. Let's bring Aaliyah and Thomas back home.”