Page 11 of Mason

Ronin shrugged. “As good as yesterday.”

Mason studied him. Ronin had been in the Marines for almost forty years, achieving the rank of general. He wasn’t a man who sat idly and let his soldiers rush into danger either. He got down in the dirt with them, and it kept him fit. Hell, he’d seen his dad go toe to toe in a physical challenge with the new recruits and come out not even winded.

That was not the man who sat across from him today. This man was thinner, his face pale, and the slight wheeze that sounded with every breath he took sent fear skating through Mason.

“He no want to go back to the doctor.”Babushkastabbed her spoon at Ronin.

“What?” Mason looked up in time to see his father wince. “Papa, you have to go to the doctor.”

“Why?” Ronin rasped. “I’m not getting better, and that medicine only makes me sicker than I already am. I want to spend what time I have left with my family, with my grandbabies. Can’t do that if I’m passed out from puking my damn guts out.”

“Don’t you want to see them grow up? See me and Jo get married? Holdmyson?”

“You and Jo are getting married?” Irinia pounced before he could backtrack.

Shit. “I didn’t say that, Mama.”

“Da, you did!” Her face broke out into the biggest grin. “I like that girl. She no take your nonsense.”

“She has a good booty on her too,”Babushkasaid, rushing over to hug him. “I am so proud of mymal’chik.”

He hated when she called him a boy. He was a man, dammit, but he would never chastise her. He loved her too much.

“Married?” Ronin pulled his nose out of his coffee. “Is it true?”

His mouth went dry. “I…uh…”

His father stood and pulled him out of the chair and into a hug. “She’s a good girl. You couldn’t do better.”

The happiness in Ronin’s voice was something he couldn’t bring himself to destroy.

“No more talk of not going to the doctor,” Mama said. “You have to be here for our son when he marry.”

Shit, shit, shit.

His papa’s arms tightened around him. “I will keep going to the doctor. I will be at your wedding in a wheelchair and oxygen mask if I have to. I’m so proud of you, Mason.”

His chest tightened. It was something his father rarely said. To any of his sons. They knew he loved them, knew he was proud of them, but it was nice to hear him say it.

“I love you, Papa,” he whispered into his father’s ear.

“I love you too, son.”

“Now we just need to find wife for Conner.”Babushkaand Irinia nodded, a gleam in their eyes.

That might be a little difficult. Conner tended to like men as much as he did women, but since he’d come back from Afghanistan, he’d changed. Mason didn’t think marriage was high on his brother’s to-do list any time soon. If ever.

“You bring girl to the house tomorrow, so we start to plan.” His mama crossed her arms. “No excuses.”

“Uh, she has classes and then work tomorrow.”

“Then you bring her when she no busy, but this week. Much to do!”Babushkaall but danced. “I need to call family and let them know the good news.”

Fuck, how was he going to get out of this? Or explain it to Jo?

***

“You did what?” Viktor didn’t explode so much as laugh.