Caught In Her Vengeance - Book 2

45

Chapter 45

Catalina

I wasn't trying to be a bitch or anything. I was genuinely curious. Plus we had just gotten to a place where we were goofing off and laughing again. And for a moment, I almost forgot about all the heaviness surrounding us. So the last thing I wanted to do was let Reaper ruin yet another relaxing moment in my life for me. I've gotten so few these days. I wanted to enjoy them.

"No, I don't want to talk about it, Catalina."

So there was something. I nodded my head, respecting his decision but unsure what to say next. Luckily, I didn't have to because he did.

He sighed under his breath, "I'm sorry."
Then he shook his head before raking a hand through his messy curly hair. "I wasn't thinking. I shouldn't have pushed. I just want to fix it for you."

"You know?" I did know.

I was sure hearing it on the beach from me was nothing compared to listening to the vile, disgusting words that were spewed in that room by that man that I killed...That tried to kill us.

Before we were romantically involved, Mateo was my best friend. Apart from Lola, I didn't know what that meant. But I was grateful for it. Grateful for him.

So I understood why he wanted to mend me, because I'd want to do the same for him.

"Sorry, I'm afraid I'm too broken to fix. I hope you kept the receipt though," I shrugged with a small laugh, trying to make light of the situation. The look on his face, however, was telling me that he hadn't found my antics amusing at all.

"Fix it. Not you," Matteo nearly shouted but caught himself before he did. He shook his head, wasting no time, he walked around the bed, and sat down beside me."Oh, Cat." And the way his voice broke when he said my name gutted me.

I felt the emotions I'd been making an effort to bury, deep down inside myself. Begin to cut at my throat as they attempted to crawl their way up again.

"You are not broken or in need of fixing," he held my chin in his soft hand, forcing me to look at him–but in his naturally gentle way. Because Matteo would never intentionally hurt me.

His ink-stained narrow fingers came up to caress my cheeks as he continued to speak. I didn't like this. No. It made me feel things I didn't want to feel—things I couldn't feel.

"Matteo," I tried to draw back from his hold because I needed him to stop, but he just pulled my body into a tight embrace. One that I really, really fucking needed, but I didn't want to.

I was strong. I wasn't some damsel in distress. I saved myself. Because no one ever came for me. They never came. That realization shattered me. Despite everything I wanted them to find me and bring me home. And they didn't.

"Damn it, Catalina, he did this to you. That piece of scum made you a shell of the person you once were, and it's been killing me to see you like this. He took what didn't belong to him, what didn't belong to anyone but you, and somehow made you think that you are some object in need of repair. You're not."

"Please stop." I didn't want to cry. I'd shed enough tears today. "Please."

Instead of listening to me like I knew he wouldn't. Matteo burrowed his whole face into my neck. His nose pressed into my still damp hair that covered my ear and I shivered from the sheer intensity and familiarity of his presence. There was nothing sexual about this. "He's the broken one. Not you."

Goddamnit, he just had to go on and say that, didn't he? Of course, he did.

Tears pricked at my closed eyes, and I finally let myself wrap my arms around his lean midsection, hugging him back. "You are the strongest fucking person I know. You are smart and beautiful, and your heart, Cat. It's made of gold. You are pure goodness. It's what drew me to you."

"I'm not," I whispered back. How could he be like this with me? And after the way, I wanted to hurt him. All of them. "There is no good in me anymore."

"Oh baby, there is. I know it's hard to see that because the version of you that believed that such goodness existed is tainted by that horrible night." Pulling back to look at my face, he gave me an understanding smile. "But hurt people hurt people, Cat. I know that. We all do. Don't let him continue to poison the well with this notion that he broke you because he didn't. He doesn't have that power. You do."

Me. I had the power? Yeah, right.

I wished that were true. In fact I prayed for it. But that monster haunted my dreams worse than any nightmarish creature ever could, and he was coming for me with help. "No. I-I don't." Matteo opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by the sound of someone clearing their throat.

"Is everything good?" Nic asked with concern, blanketing has softened features. No it isn't. But I wiped my face and forced a smile.

"Everything's fine, we were just...." I looked at Matteo for guidance, and he gently squeezed my shoulder for reassurance. "We were just catching up." He finished for me, and I was grateful, still racked with too much emotion to speak without crying.

"Yes, catching up," I agreed and Nic nodded. The look on his face told me he wanted to say more. But he didn't.

"Well, I guess this is my cue," Matteo laughed sympathetically, getting up from the bed, and I furrowed my brows perplexed.

"You aren't staying?" I asked, genuinely curious because I thought that he was.

Pulling his brows together in confusion, he mirrored my expression. In fact, he looked even more surprised that I was asking. I guess it was probably because I've done the opposite since I'd gotten here. "No, actually, I've been sketching again and I'm really wanting to get back to it."

I smiled, genuinely happy he was engaging in his passion once more. It broke my heart watching him rip up all the ones he did of me that day he found me in his brother's bed.

"Feeling Inspired?" Nic chimed in with an all-knowing grin, and Matteo glanced back at me and nodded. His silver eyes were filled with affection and something I couldn't quite decipher.

"Very." The singular word caused a slight shiver to roll down my spine, and I was curious to see what he was working on. But I would never ask. His art was his safe place, and I wouldn't dare invade that space without an invitation.

"Well, if you won't stay and enjoy our little impromptu pizza party." Nic laughed and shook his head as I looked at him to co-sign on the name for this little get-together. "At least take another slice for the road. Artists need their fuel, right?"

I held up a slice of pizza and offered it to Matteo. "Thanks." He took a massive bite with a grateful nod. He then turned to leave before I called out, halting him midway through the door.

"Hey, Matteo, you know if you ever want to talk about anything, I'm here, right?" I knew he knew what I was talking about. I didn't want to air his business out, so I kept it vague.

"Yeah?" He questioned with a toothy smile and I agreed. "I may take you up on that one day."

"Hopefully, one day soon?" I pressed with an optimistic smile. He needed to talk to someone about whatever was going on between them before it ended up consuming him.

"Maybe, Cat," he laughed and shook his head as he walked out.

"What was that about?" Nic curiously asked me as he rummaged through the snacks at the foot of the bed.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I bit my lip with a smile, and he drug his tongue out, wetting his own. His royal blue eyes intensely, following my small action. Why was that so sexy?

"More secrets, I see," he pursed his lips, left eyebrow raised. If I hadn't known him I would've thought he was being serious. But his deep husky voice was playful and light... Or as light as he could manage for him.

"Nope," I told him seriously. "It just isn't my place to speak on it."

Grinning from ear to ear Nic crawled into the bed with a bag of sour gummy worms and laid beside me. "I can respect that." He pulled me toward him. And though it wasn't probably the wiser option, I decided not to fight the urge to lay my head on his clothed chest as he did.

"What are we watching?" I asked, stealing a worm from the bag.

"Whatever you want," he told me, reaching up to stroke his thick fingers through my hair. God, why does that always feel so damn good?

"Oh, man, you are going to regret that you gave me that power." I giggled, bending my neck to look up at him.

Smiling down at me, he pressed a chaste kiss to my forehead. "Haven't you learned by now? I don't regret anything with you, little one." His words were genuine to a fault, and my chest bloomed with warmth hearing him call me that. I still had to ask, though.

"But you regret lying and hurting me?"

"Every single fucking day, Catalina." He answered without hesitation. I wanted to tell him that I regretted hurting him too.

But I didn't say anything.

Instead, I held the remote up to the TV and opened up Netflix. "Okay, Outer Banks, it is." I'd started watching this show last night and completely binged the whole season.

Nic agreed without a word and with every gentle stroke of his large hand to the back of my head. It hadn't taken long before my eyelids became too heavy to keep open.

Inhaling his warm musky scent, I curled my fingers into his black tee and pressed my face into the crook of his neck. Please don't ever leave me. I soon found myself drifting off to sleep in the comfort of the big strong tattooed, covered arms that were wrapped around me.

It appeared that I was starting to feel safe with them again...even Lorenzo, after our time in the torture shed together. The barriers I'd put up around me began to crumble, and I couldn't say that I was angry about it. Little did we all know how short-lived that feeling would be.

Remember, Reapers always come to collect, and if he had it his way one of us would pay with our lives.

ツ hope you enjoyed it.

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