Pretending to Be an Untouchable Crime Boss

James felt it, he felt every bit of pain that just straight went through his legs, and not just his leg, but his whole body. It was like a shockwave of pain, and for a moment he could not even think about anything. It was just so intense, though that wasn't the only thing that caused pain to him.

"Mom–" He tried to say something but couldn't as the fist slap hit his face, and then Erika just grabbed his shirt and started to shake him like he was a doll.

It was a scene that even Charlotte didn't fully understand… well, maybe a little, since she had overheard Bella and Erika talking about how they planned to beat up James when they met him, but seeing it actually happen was something else.

Like Erika just toying with James, shaking him up and down, his head hitting the ground… yeah, it was truly something that would stick with him… how his dead got beaten up.

Though on the other side of it, it was just the motherly love and care for James and, moreover, the anger, frustration, and stress Erika felt toward him. All of it merged into this situation, beating up him. She wanted him to feel it, to cause pain to him as he caused pain to her.

She lost Rafael, then the house was shot up, and he just put them on a flight to a country she never even heard about… just leaving them behind while he did his so-called work.

What a motherfucker he is.

"Mom, stop–" He tried to stop her, but it didn't really work out, nah it just got worse as the second phase came.

She laid her hands on James like a boxer, full fists, just beating the shit out of him, though she only hit his upper body and not his head… motherly love with motherly care.

No words, nothing, just beating the shit out of her son, just letting out everything that was in her. And it felt pretty good for her, of course it did, because her own son put them in a situation that was just too much to handle, too much to live with… and the only thing to solve it was to give him a good beat, let him know that she still felt what she felt.

And she didn't stop, not even for a second, to let him talk. Her fists kept coming, fast and heavy, landing on his chest, his ribs, his shoulders. It hurt, yes, but it wasn't just pain. It was everything she had held inside, anger, fear, frustration, and love all coming out at once.

But he could feel her feelings, he could understand her feelings. Every strike was a word she couldn't say, every hit was a scream she couldn't speak out loud. It was like she was trying to show him how much she felt, how much she had suffered for him, how much she loved him even when she was angry.

She was letting everything out, and he was the only one who could feel it with her. He realized that even though it hurt, this was her way of showing she cared. Her anger, her sadness, her love, they all came crashing down on him in the only way she knew how.

But then she stopped, and for a long moment, neither of them moved. James's entire being ached so much he could barely think, yet deep down, he understood, it was necessary for her to put him in his place, to push him the way only her mother could… the same mother who had suppressed her feelings, the same mother who had said what she said in the hospital.

She had every right to do it.

"I-I'm sorry.." Erika finally spoke as she slowly stood up and turned toward Charlotte.

"Nothing–"

"Not for you." She interrupted him. "But for Charlotte." She knelt down for her. "Sorry darling, I didn't want to do this in front of you." She said as she gave a forehead kiss to her, though Charlotte herself was just smiling… she enjoyed what she saw… even thought about joining in.

On the other hand, James himself was fucked up. His body was hurting, he was barely able to get up on his own, though that adrenaline surge somewhat helped him, though it didn't help with the most important thing of all.

To face his mother… and of course he was not ready for it. He would never be ready for it after what had happened because of him. Their relationship would never be the same, they would never have a true mother and son relationship between them, but they would slowly fade away from each other… at least that's what he thought.

That he destroyed her.

And yeah, it was true, he did. He stripped away everything from her, but one thing would never fade away… he is still her son, she is still his mother and will be.

There was no need for love there, no need for care, or anything else… even if she hated him, even if she felt disgusted with James… he is still her son, the last one, the son she didn't want to lose.

"It's nice to see you, James." She said as she just stared at him.

"You too, mom… but was it necessary?" He asked even though he knew, yeah, it was indeed necessary.

"Showing up without a word, but not just that, I was woken up by Mike, and my first thought was that you…" She didn't say it; she couldn't say it. "You always just cause more and more trouble, aren't you?"

"Maybe, but I still love you, mom." He said it into her eyes.

"I love you too." She said as she stepped to him and finally gave him a tight hug.

Their moment was special… chaotic, sad, and not quite perfect… but still, it was love.

But this was James, after all… wherever he went, chaos followed, and something was bound to happen and that something awaited them in the embassy. A danger.

It was him, Darvik himself again.