Chapter 5 Caterina #2
Her husband gives his wife, his son and then me a hard stare.
He’s been polite at the table, but I wonder what thoughts are hiding behind those cold blue eyes.
From the instant he greeted us earlier today, he terrified me.
If Alessio is a monster, this is the man who made him one.
I’ll be living under his rule the moment I become Alessio’s wife.
“Let the women deal with that. You have no time for planning weddings,” he says to his son.
Alessio scoffs as if that’s the furthest thing from his mind. “There are only three things that I want regarding this arrangement for now. Number one – I will choose who protects what’s mine from the moment I place my ring on her finger…”
I glance at Manfredi, my old guard, whose cheeks have puffed up in outrage. He’s watched over me since birth. We’re not close but he’s familiar and he’s never treated me unkindly. Has Alessio deemed him unfit as my bodyguard for some reason?
My father furiously sputters, “But Caterina will be in Chicago until your marriage and I am Capo-”
“I will have a trustworthy man of mine there to watch over her… but my soldier Armando will respect your rules while he’s there and cause no issues. I swear it,” he adds, touching the three-headed wolf tattoo at his throat.
My mouth falls open. He dares to tell the Capo of Chicago how things will be and who he’ll accept into his household?
But, an oath is serious and, for all his bluster, my father finally gives Alessio a begrudging nod.
“If it is important to you, your man and mine can both watch over her.” What is happening?
“Number two – my bride is to choose her own dress for the wedding and her wardrobe from this day on.”
Oh. I don’t mind that so much. I give him a tentative smile because I will never wear this terrible dress again.
Then, he finishes his demands by glancing at my mother. “And three – have her on birth control before our wedding night.”
I gulp with flaming cheeks, wishing he hadn’t said that aloud. Frankie snorts in her wine and nearly chokes.
“A future Capo needs an heir. We marry to make the Trio stronger,” my father says, angered anew.
“Yes, to make the Trio stronger… but Caterina will still be quite young when we wed and I don’t want the bother of children so soon.”
Doesn’t want the bother of children or doesn’t want children with me? I don’t want to be a mother at eighteen but since when do my wishes matter? No one remembers his mother or speaks of what happened to her. Will that be my fate? Panic settles around my throat and squeezes.
There’s a quiet gush of conversation on the women’s end of the table as the men make ribald jokes over Alessio’s demands until Silvio De Luca brings the table to order after another long look at his son. “Very well. I think it’s time we make this official and raise a toast then.”
Alessio rises to his feet and strides my way, making my belly flip with nerves.
He does not kneel when he reaches me like the knights in my books would.
He raises an eyebrow with a secret smirk as if he’s remembering my humiliation this afternoon.
I have no choice but to stand. The top of my head doesn’t even reach his chin and I’m forced to tilt my head back to meet his gaze.
He takes my hand in his. It’s warm and rough compared to mine.
I try my best to control my sudden trembling.
He pulls an enormous diamond engagement ring out of his pants pocket and holds it up for all to see before, with no evident emotion, he slips it on my finger.
The gathered witnesses clap and more wine is called for.
In the ensuing hubbub, he stares straight into my soul and rasps, “It may be two years until we marry but never doubt from this day on that you… are… mine. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a bride for a brother. Till death do us part, Caterina.”
***
If Gia’s crying in her bedroom tonight, I could’ve cried with her. Instead, my father wished to leave Las Vegas as soon as possible after dinner. “The nerve of him forcing one of his men on me, trying to call the shots in my city.” The insult to his ego is all he cares about. Not me. Not at all.
The entire flight, I’m silent, pretending to sleep. But, when I see Dante waiting for us to disembark, the tears well up and spill down my cheeks without warning. I run to him like my life depends on it, leaving our parents shouting in my wake.
“Cat,” Dante murmurs with none of his usual maniacal glee. He sees the ring on my finger and sighs. “I’m glad Nico isn’t here to see your tears, sweet one.”
“Do you love me, Dante?”
“With whatever good remains under all my sins, little sister.”
“Then, teach me how to defend myself. Teach me how to shoot and how to use a knife,” I beg.
“Are you going to kill your husband?” he asks with that familiar, barely restrained madness creeping back into his expression.
“I just want to be ready in case…”
Our parents reach us before I can finish or he can answer, my father silent but furious and my mother busy scolding me. Dante doesn’t release me from his hold. He simply nods, and I know I can count on him.
I don’t want to kill Alessio. I don’t want to kill anyone. I just want to feel like I have some power, even a fraction of the power the men in my life have before my husband breaks me as mercilessly as I fear he will.