***Major Spoilers if not done Book 1!!! Make sure to finish the last chapter before reading below!***
[Cat's POV]
The ride to my family home is a silent, eerily calm one. I keep my eyes looking forward at the back of the passenger seat, my body only moving in the small effort it takes to remember to blink. Pablo sits on the other side of the back seat and I know without checking that his eyes don't leave me. But he doesn't speak. The guards in the front will hear whatever pathetic bullshit that will inevitably come out and report it back to who is really in charge.
I blink for the 212th time. I counted each one from the second I got in the car.
212 times I saw Enzo's face appear in the darkness.
212 tiny moments of peace.
I am hundreds more into my count when the car swerves off the road and takes a familiar turn down a hidden driveway through a forest of trees.
My nails dig into my fists. It's easier to focus on the pain than what awaits me in a few seconds. It keeps me calm. It keeps me together.
By the time the door opens at my side, I feel something on my finger and I don't need to look down to know it's my own blood. It hurts, but not as much as this day does.
"Catty," I hear Pablo say impatiently from the way of the open door.
I don't move. I can't.
His voice rises. "Caterina!"
My head turns slowly toward the crowd of people to my right - half a dozen guards watching both of us, the closest clearly debating whether to pull me out of the SUV himself; Pablo, eyes flashing at me for not listening in front of everyone; a few house maids, some that look familiar; and in the centre of them all by the front door a few feet back... my father.
My eyes are trained on him as I climb out of the car and force my feet to take the steps needed to get to him. I'm in front of him within seconds, his eyes boring into mine with no expression. There is no emotion behind his face. If you didn't know I was his daughter, it would be impossible to tell he was looking at family... especially ten year long lost family.
Stay still, Caterina. Do not flinch. Do not show weakness. Do not show fear. - I repeat on a loop in my head, as his eyes make me smaller and smaller in front of him until I feel like a five year old girl again.
"Caterina."
And just with the familiar roll of his tongue saying my name in his accent, I give in. I let him have what he wants. Maybe it will make this better.
My arms wrap around his torso, my cheek against his chest.
"Daddy," my voice cracks against his shirt. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
I feel his arms move and I close my eyes as they move around me, but instead of reciprocating my hug, his arms wrap around my forearms to pull me away from him.
I pull back and stare forward to his chest as his hands drop from me, my heart racing. His thumb and index finger press into my chin, forcing it up to look at him. And before I can blink, I'm stumbling to my right, clinging to my stinging cheek. My free hand hits the pavement to stabilize myself and I clench my teeth to force any tears back where they came from.
Stay strong. Do not show weakness.
"If you were sorry you would have returned years ago," my father says to my crouched body on the ground and I wish the words hurt as much as his slap did, but sadly I have heard worse from his mouth.
"Pablo, get her things," he calls out and I stand up slowly, lowering my hand from my cheek as his eyes flick back to mine.
"It's time for a family meeting."
Author's Note:
Just a short lil 500 words to celebrate 50K reads on MFTM!! Not really enough to be a full chapter, and I like how Book 1 currently ends, so just a little teaser intro for Cat's dad and what is to come in Book 2!
Check out Betrayed for the Mafia (Book 2) and coming soon Book 3!
YOU ARE READING
Made For The Mafia (18+) (1 of 3)
Romance'For The Mafia' Series - Book 1 of 3! ~~~ "Down on your knees." He lets go of my hair and pushes my shoulders down roughly, before unbuttoning and shrugging off his shirt. I kneel in front of him and instantly unbuckle his belt and unzip his black p...
