Caught In Her Vengeance - Book 2

4

CHAPTER 4
Domenico

Six months. Twenty-six weeks. One hundred eighty-two days, twelve hours, and thirty-two minutes to be exact since my heart was ripped for my chest.

Stupidly I'd thought the woman that I loved would come to her senses and show up at my front door. But that never happened. Instead, I was still looking for her counting down the days since she'd left us. Lorenzo had long since abandoned our search for Catalina.

After the first month of her being gone, he'd washed his hands of everything, saying she made her choice and if she loved us, she never would have left. I, however, didn't see it that way and understood why she did what she did, something my brother refused to wrap his head around. I honestly think his pride and heart were just as wounded as mine and Matteo's hearts. He just didn't want to admit that because then he'd be acknowledging that her leaving was our fault, so it was easier to blame her.

"Find anything yet," Matteo poked his head into my office. He began staying with us when Catalina first ran away, clocking in the man-hours to find her, and I guess he never left.

"Nope." I looked up from my laptop with a frustrated sigh closing it.

We'd thought we found her three months ago in Indiana. My P.I. had told us she was staying in a rundown motel in Sullivan. When we arrived, the maid was cleaning the room. Catalina was gone. Again.

"Dinner is made, " he said, defeated.

I nodded, acknowledging him before he turned and left in the room alone once again. He's changed the most since she left. Unlike my brother, who walks around pretending that he doesn't give a fuck, Matteo has become almost completely withdrawn from the rest of us.

I sighed, running a hand over my face. What I didn't tell them was that my guy called a few days ago. Said he found a waitress in Hartville, Wyoming, that matched her description and went by the name, Anna.

Last night he sent me a few pictures, but the photo quality was trash, so I told him to scope it out for a bit to make sure it was her. I was uneasy when he informed me he'd brought some new guy with him on the job. I wasn't too keen on someone else getting involved in our business, but I didn't push it too much. I figured the more people looking for her, the better, and I wanted our girl back.

I had to give it to her. Catalina was resourceful, and if I wasn't so irritated with her for leaving, I'd been impressed. When I got the phone call, part of me wanted to hop on a plane and drag her back here, but I decided against it though my palms still itched to spank her clever little ass.

I loved her, and I wanted to give her time to heal. But six months? Was the woman trying to kill me? I knew she had to think about me, Lorenzo, and Matteo. No matter how pissed off she was at us. A love like ours doesn't just disappear even if she did.

**

Dinner was quiet as per usual, besides the few snide comments Lorenzo made when Matteo asked about the P.I. again. I hated keeping what I knew from them, but I just wanted to save them the heartache if the lead did pan out. During our search for her, we'd hit more than a few dead ends. It killed Matteo every time. The poor kid would get his hopes up only to be let down time and time again, propelling him further and further away from the group. Lorenzo even showed concern for him which was big news since he only cared about himself lately. Not me when I got on my knee asked to spend her life with us. I meant every word I said.

Catalina is my forever and always will be.

Sitting at the island, I poured myself another glass of bourbon. I often sat down here after everyone had gone to bed, thinking of all the ways we could have done things differently. It was my own personal form of torture. I'd think and pour another and think some more but then another drink and another after that until I was so drunk I didn't feel the pain of losing her anymore.

I completely felt alone. My brother was off somewhere ignoring his feelings, and Matteo was on the verge of breaking down. I didn't want to talk about her more than I had to.

I pulled out my phone, flipping through the gallery until landing on the picture I would oftentimes fall asleep staring at. It was taken the night Catalina and I went on our first date. I wasn't huge on pictures, but she insisted we capture how hot we looked that night. She was right. We looked amazing together.

Fuck. I missed her. I ran my thumb over my screen and slammed the rest of my drink before reaching for the bottle pouring myself another. But as I brought the glass to my lips, I heard some movement at my front door. I pulled my brows together, looking at the time and thinking no way someone would be stupid enough to show up at my home this late.

Standing from the stool and walking towards the door, I pulled my Glock from my waistband. I wrapped my fingers around the doorknob, not bothering to ask who. It'd been a minute since I got to unload on a fucker, and if it were one of Victor's guys, I wanted to keep the element of surprise.

Taking a deep breath, I cocked my gun and yanked to the door open. "Jesus Christ, Nic, put that damn thing away before you hurt someone!"

"Catalina," I asked through my drunken haze, lowering my weapon. Was I seeing things again?

"Who else would it be," she said, deadpanned. The hoodie she was wearing didn't allow me to see her beautiful face that I missed so much.

"Lots of people. Y-You left."

"And now I'm back. So are you just going to let me stand out here all night, or are you going to invite me in?" Realizing I was blocking the entrance, I hastily moved aside to let her in.

She came back.

"So, which room is mine?"

"Room?" I asked, still confused by all that was happening. "You're staying?"

"Yes," she shook her head. "That's why I need the room."

"Oh r-right, is the bottom floor good for you?"

"Yup."

Remembering her love for reading, I led her to a room near the library. I noticed she traveled light with her only luggage being a backpack that was resting over her left shoulder. Once inside, she set it at the edge of the bed and turned to face me, her hood still up.

"Cata-

"No. We talk in the morning. I'm exhausted, and I can't say what I have to say with you clearly intoxicated."

"Okay," I nodded, not really knowing what else to say. I stood there watching her for a moment to make sure she wasn't going to evaporate into thin air before clearing my throat. I raked my fingers through my hair, "uh, goodnight, Catalina."

"Night."

Huffing to myself, I turned, closing the bedroom door behind before resting on it. I didn't care that she was acting strange or short with me or that she would let me see her face. I just cared that she was here. Back home where she belonged.

ツ hope you enjoyed it.

Vote ♡ Comment ♡ Like ♡