Chapter Twenty Callum
So far, my meeting with the Neretti brothers wasn’t going as expected. While I was used to pivoting when the unexpected occurred, I hadn’t planned on my wife being part of that pivot.
“You’re actually going to allow her to sit in on this meeting?” Rafe questioned as he took a seat across from my desk.
I eased back in my chair. “Normally, I would’ve forbidden it, but after seeing your interactions with her, I would wager her presence is very much needed. At least for now.”
“That’s a very emasculating statement, don’t you think,” Leo challenged with a smirk.
“I would suppose it is for you since apparently you need a woman to keep you under control.”
Leandro shot out of his seat. Before he could lunge across my desk, Rafe threw out his arm to stop him. “Sit. Down,” he bit out.
With a snarl, Leo flopped back down in his chair. His arms gripped the sides until his knuckles turned white. “Fine. Continue,” he hissed.
Rafe exhaled a harsh breath. “The only thing I’m going to address to my sister is this, and then I will not acknowledge her presence in this meeting again. I came here to speak to the head of the Kavanaugh family, not his wife.”
“You’re being such an unimaginable asshole,” Caterina spat.
I couldn’t hide my chuckle at her cursing at Rafe. From the reaction of her brothers, I knew it had rarely if ever happened. Rafe turned to Caterina. “I’m sorry. But it’s the way things have always been done.”
Caterina crossed her arms over her chest. “Say what you want to say, and then I’ll leave, so the big, bad men can have their meeting.”
Rafe’s lips momentarily twitched like he was fighting a smile, but then his expression grew serious. After leaning forward in his chair, he took Caterina’s hand in his. “It’s still not too late, Kitty Cat. Say the word, and we will take you away today, annul the marriage, and put you under our protection.”
While Caterina gasped in shock, I rose out of my chair. Jabbing my finger at Rafe, I growled, “You’ve got fucking balls to come into my house and threaten to take my wife.”
Rafe ignored me and continued staring earnestly at Caterina. “I mean it. Just say the word, and we’ll do it.”
Caterina jerked her hand out of Rafe’s while furiously shaking her head. “If I was to leave now, it would bring war upon you, Rafe. It’s one thing to defy Father when you’re aligned with the Kavanaugh’s and quite another if you aren’t. Too many people could get hurt or killed if you had war on every side.”
“I’ll live with the repercussions. Don’t think you have to sacrifice yourself,” Rafe argued.
I came around the side of the desk to stand before him. “Considering we were married by a priest, I’m not sure how you claim you can annul the marriage.”
With a sneer, Rafe replied, “On the grounds it hasn’t been consummated.”
“Who says it hasn’t?” Caterina countered.
After my incredulous gaze snapped to hers, I quickly masked my shock before the others noticed. When I dared to look at Rafe, his face paled. Both Leandro and Giovanni stood up. With a pained groan, Rafe said, “Kitty Cat, you don’t have to lie to me.”
My breath hitched as I waited for Caterina’s response. After drawing her shoulders back, she pronounced, “I’m not.”
Rafe lunged at me. “You fucking bastard.”
“Stop it, Rafe!” Caterina shouted as Leandro and Gianni pulled him away. She placed her hands on his shoulders. Staring into his eyes, wild with rage, she said, “On my word, he didn’t force me.”
His dark brows raised in surprise. “He didn’t?”
“No. I wanted to consummate our marriage.”
Inwardly, I groaned at the elicit images flooding my mind. Although her words were lies, it still did something to me hearing her say that she had willingly come to my bed. That she had wanted sex with me. More than anything in the world, I wanted to bury myself inside her, marking her as mine.
When her brothers remained silent, Caterina sighed. “Like I told you on the phone, Callum is giving me the opportunity for a future I never dreamed possible. I wanted to do everything I could to ensure that the alliance was successful.”
“You really want to be his wife?” Leandro questioned in disbelief.
I stared expectantly at Caterina for her response. After she met my gaze, her cheeks flushed before she stared down at the floor. “I do.”
After staring between Caterina and me, Rafe finally sighed defeatedly. Leo and Gianni exchanged horrified looks. “Then I suppose I should offer my congratulations.”
Caterina jerked her head up. “Really?”
He nodded and looked at his brothers. “Right, guys?”
“Yes,” they agreed in unison.
A beaming smile lit up Caterina’s face. “You all make me so happy.”
“As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters,” Gianni replied before his gaze locked with mine. “And she will remain happy, correct?”
For reasons I couldn’t possibly articulate, I wanted to see Caterina happy. I liked the feeling her smile elicited, and I liked being the one to put the smile on her face. I wasn’t ignorant to think that it would be easy keeping my little hellcat happy. But I was willing to put the work in not just for what it would mean for my family, but what it meant for the two of us.
“I will do everything within my power to ensure her happiness,” I replied.
When I met Caterina’s gaze, she gave me a shy smile before eyeing her brothers. “So, we’re good?”
“Yes, Kitty Cat, we’re good,” Rafe replied.
Caterina nodded. “Then I’ll leave you boys to it.”
As she started past me, I reached for her hand. Her eyes popped wide with surprise when I brought it to my lips. “Go have some fun. We won’t be long.”
“Try to behave,” she instructed.
Smirking, I replied, “I’ll try.”
She rolled her eyes before walking out of my office. Once we were alone, Leandro clapped his hands together. “Now that’s out of the way, I suppose we should get to work.”
Gianni nodded. “Kidnapping Caterina along with your airfield pyrotechnics has kicked up a fucking firestorm.”
With a smile, I replied, “So let’s figure out how to put the fire out. Together.”