Chapter Seven Caterina
It was the second full day of my captivity, and I had yet to leave the bedroom I’d been given. I’d barely left the bed. While Callum claimed the bedroom was ours, he had yet to share it with me. In fact, I’d barely seen him since the night he’d taken me. I’d continued to infuriate him by not speaking and refusing to leave the room.
Although there was a television and two shelves full of books, I lay in a depressed stupor the entirety of the first day. My only focus was on how to get myself out of my current hell. Shortly after breakfast yesterday I’d come to the realization that while I had no physical weapons to fight for my freedom, I did have the ability to put an end to the madness of this proposed arranged marriage.
Over the years, I’d read in many medical books how dehydration was an easy and painless death. Death wasn’t the freedom I’d envisioned for my life, but I knew I couldn’t bring myself to live a life that wasn’t my own. After everything I had been through, I couldn’t bring myself to obey a man. Even though Callum didn’t appear to be the monster Carmine was, I wouldn’t allow myself to find out.
Even after making my decision, I’d grappled with the moral dilemma of what I was doing in relation to my beliefs. But a part of me argued that I was sacrificing myself to the cause since I’d been stolen from the order and from my life of sacrifice. I spent much of the day praying for forgiveness.
It was now twenty-four hours without anything to drink, least of all to eat. While not drinking was difficult, the eating was torturous. The Kavanaugh brothers must’ve hired a cook because the food that was brought to me was five-star hotel level.
For lunch, I’d endured a bowl of mouthwatering Ziti on the bedside table. It had taken everything within me to refuse it, but I left it untouched. At dinner, a different maid from lunch appeared with a tray of roast chicken, rice, and vegetables. Once again, I fought my hunger and refused to eat. If I could’ve opened one of the windows, I would’ve tossed the food out, so I would’ve been spared the smell.
This morning after refusing a platter of scrambled eggs, Italian sausage, and French toast, I debated flushing the food down the toilet to avoid the delicious aromas. But I barely had the energy to make it to the bathroom, nevermind to haul a platter of food in there. I could definitely feel the dehydration setting in.
At a little past noon, my door burst open. I expected another maid with a platter, but this time Callum himself held a tray in his hands. Since I didn’t want to be in bed with him in the room, I forced myself to my feet.
“I was told that you haven’t been eating.”
When I didn”t respond, he eyed me curiously before setting the tray down on the bedside table. “Are you fasting for a religious reason or something?”
“No.”
“Then why aren’t you eating?” When I didn’t answer, he crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Is there something wrong with the food? Like you’re a vegetarian or vegan?”
I was surprised he cared enough to even enquire about my reason. After a few moments, I finally shook my head. “No. It’s nothing like that.”
“Is it because you’re homesick for the order?”
I widened my eyes at his question. I never expected my captor to care if I was homesick. “If I tell you yes, will you let me go?” I whispered.
“Must we revisit this question again? If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times. You are not going back to the order. Ever.”
I swallowed down the cries rising in my throat. I hated myself for asking him to let me go again. Deep down, I knew he wasn’t going to change his mind. My future was tied to his now. At least he thought so.
“I’ll ask you again. Are you not eating because you’re homesick for the order?” Callum questioned.
When I apathetically shrugged, Callum huffed out a frustrated breath. “What is the fucking problem, Caterina?”
After I merely stared back at him, he shrewdly narrowed his eyes at me. “Are you protesting our impending marriage by not eating?”
“Maybe,” I whispered.
“That’s fucking ridiculous. We’re getting married. End of story.” He shoved the tray toward me on the table. “Eat.”
I glared up at him. “I thought as an Irishman, you would appreciate a hunger strike when you saw one.”
Surprise momentarily flashed in his eyes. I’m sure he thought an Italian capo’s daughter would have no idea about the Irish Hunger Strikes of 1981. What he didn’t know was my father insisted that my brothers and I know the history of all the warring families. I could quote Bratva, Greek, and Triad history as well as the cartels, along with the Italian enemy families.
Callum’s expression changed from shock to disgust. “What could an Italian princess possibly know of the suffering Bobby Sands and the other Northern men endured on the hunger strikes?” he growled.
“They were protesting something they believed in. Just as I’m protesting my kidnapping and this sham of an arranged marriage you are forcing on me.”
He stared at me for a moment before slowly shaking his head. “I must’ve been fucking insane when I thought taking vows and being a novice would mean your temperament would be any different.”
“Let me guess. You thought because I was in a religious order I would bend to your every whim. That I would be quiet and mousy and never speak my mind.”
“As a matter of fact, that’s exactly what I assumed.”
“I imagine it’s one of many things you’ve been wrong about.”
He swept his hands to his hips. “One thing I’m right about is you’re a stubborn, spoiled princess who is only used to getting her way.”
“That’s how you choose to see me.” Jerking my chin, I added, “I know exactly who I am, and I don’t care what you think of me.”
His blue eyes narrowed as fury danced in them. “You will care.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Aye, princess.” He jabbed a finger at the bowl of soup. “If you refuse to eat that voluntarily, I’ll have one or more of my brothers hold you while I force that soup down your throat.”
A strangled noise came from behind Callum. I glanced past him to see the brother who had given me medicine on the plane. I’d heard him called Kellan. His mouth turned down in a grimace, and it was very apparent he didn’t like Callum’s suggestion.
“Do you not approve of my tactics, boyo?”
“Don’t ask me to hold her down.” Kellan’s gaze shifted to the floor. “You can shoot me before I’ll ever do that.”
My breath hitched as I glanced between Callum and Kellan. Callum’s jaw clenched before he slowly nodded his head. “Aye, you’re right. That would be too harsh for more than just her.”
While Kellan looked slightly relieved, the gleam burning in Callum’s eyes told me I wasn’t going to get off so easily. I should’ve backed down, but I couldn’t resist saying, “Do what you must, but I swear to you I will not voluntarily eat.”
“Get this through your thick skull, Kitten. You will not starve yourself to death. Before I let that happen, I’ll have a doctor hook you up to an IV and pump you full of nutrients. I’ll even send you down the aisle to marry me with a feeding tube if necessary. Regardless of what you think you’re going to accomplish, you will fail.”
Although I hated myself for it, I trembled beneath his intense stare and harsh words. When I ducked my head to refuse to look at him, his fingers gripped my chin and jerked my gaze back to his. “You will enter into a marriage with me, and we will unify our families. Understood?”
“I will not marry you,” I replied.
Callum threw up his hands before blaring something in Irish. He then stormed from the room. I sucked in a harsh breath to try and still my erratic breathing. When I started to slide the tray with the soup to the floor in continued protest, Kellan rushed forward. “Please, don’t.”
My eyes widened at his request. Since he had only ever been kind to me, I quickly removed my hands from the tray. “You’re not like him, are you?”
His friendly expression darkened. “I’ve been inducted into this family the same as Callum. I’m loyal to my brothers and my family. That’s all you need to concern yourself with.”
“I wasn’t doubting your devotion to your family. I just meant you have a kindness about you that he lacks. Like when you gave me medicine for my head.”
When he didn’t respond, I cocked my head at him. “You didn’t like he was going to force me to eat.”
Kellan eyed me warily. He was just as handsome as Callum, but there was an innocence to him that surprised me. I held my hands up. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“It’s all right.”
“Are you sure about that?” I countered.
“I am.”
Sighing, I turned and started to climb back into bed, but when I lifted my leg, the world spun around me. Pinching my eyes shut, I braced my hands on the mattress to try and keep myself upright.
“Are you all right?” Kellan asked, as he hovered behind me.
“Just a little dizzy,” I admitted.
“I know you’ve not been eating, but have you at least been drinking?”
“Not exactly.” Once the world stopped spinning, I started easing back into bed. When I threw a glance at Kellan, I found him staring at me with furrowed brows. “I’m fine.”
“You almost passed out.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
After throwing a glance over his shoulder, he took a few steps closer to the bed. “Couldn’t you eat just a little?”
“I’m really tired and dizzy right now...”
His gaze dropped from me to the tray with the soup. “I…I could feed you.”
As I stared wide-eyed at him, he grabbed a spoon before stirring the soup. After scooping out a bite, he held the spoon out to me. “Come on, lass. Just a little.”
His expression was so earnest and his kindness so endearing I didn’t think I could turn him down. “Will Callum be angry if you get me to eat?” I questioned softly.
The corners of Kellan’s lips quirked up. “Aye, I imagine he will.”
“He won’t hurt you though, will he?”
He shook his head. “He’ll just be angry that for once, I could do something he couldn’t.”
The devious side of me wanted to piss off my future husband. I especially liked the idea that I could elevate Kellan at the same time. In the end, the groaning of my stomach outweighed anything else. Leaning forward, I opened my mouth and brought it over the spoon. Although the soup was lukewarm, it tasted like heaven, and I couldn’t help the moan of pleasure.
“Good, huh?” Kellan asked with a smile.
“It is.” As he spooned another bite, I asked, “Is it maccu di fave?”
“I think that’s what I heard it called.”
My brows quirked in surprise. “Irish brothers know how to make maccu di fave?”
He laughed. “Seamus hired a cook from the area.”
I took in another hearty spoonful. “I thought as much. Please give them my compliments.”
Kellan could barely keep up with my appetite. Once I finished with the soup, I grabbed the bread off the tray and broke it apart. Without even buttering it, I brought a chunk to my lips and began devouring it. My ravenous actions caused Kellan to chuckle. “Sorry,” I mumbled around the bread.
“It’s okay. I know you have to be starving.”
“So much for being a hunger striker.”
Kellan’s face darkened. “I know this may be hard to believe, but none of us want you to suffer, Caterina. Especially not Callum.”
I swallowed hard. “How can you say that when he kidnapped me?”
“He didn’t have much of a choice.”
“You always have a choice, especially when it comes to good and evil.”
With a shake of his head, Kellan countered, “You know as well as I do that the mafia life doesn’t give us many choices.”
“He could’ve picked a girl from another family—one who wanted to be married and have children. This is not the life I wanted.”
Kellan frowned. “I’m sorry, but it’s the connections to your family that we need.”
“We’ll see,” I murmured.
After an awkward silence, he asked, “Want more soup?”
“Yes, please.”
He gave me a small smile. “I’ll be right back.”
“Thank you.” I then lay back against the pillows and closed my eyes. The longer I laid there, the stronger I felt. I knew it was probably too soon, but I swore I did.
A voice caused me to jump. “I see you finally decided to listen to me.”
My eyes popped open to see Callum smirking down at me. Before I could respond, Kellan appeared with another bowl of soup and more bread. At the sight of Callum, he froze in the doorway.
With a victorious smile curving on my lips, I said, “It wasn’t you I listened to—it was Kellan.”
Callum’s expression darkened as Kellan made his way to my bedside. “I suppose I don’t need to question the validity of Caterina’s statement considering you’re standing there with a fresh tray of food.”
“I’m sorry, Cal. I was only trying to help.”
While Kellan and I waited for Callum to unleash his fury, he surprised us both by smiling. “Good for you. I’m glad someone could make her see reason.”
Shock flashed across Kellan’s face. Turning to me, Callum shook his head. “You may have won this battle, Kitten, but you will lose the war because you will be my wife.”
After curling my lip at him, I replied, “Go away, and let me eat in peace.”
After starting for the door, Callum turned to flash me a shark-like smile. “Yes, eat up, Kitten. I want you well fed and strong for our wedding day.”
And with those words, whatever appetite I had left was gone.