Shadows of Desire

Message delivered

Catalina pov

The room was heavy with tension, the air thick with the metallic scent of fear and blood. I let out a low chuckle, the sound cutting through the silence as I turned back to the man on the steel table. His eyes were wide with terror, darting between me and the gleaming dagger in my hand. He knew his fate was sealed, but the finality of it had yet to fully sink in.
"I don't mean to be rude," I began, my voice laced with a mischievous edge, "but you never mess with a Cassietta. It's an extreme death sentence, and once you cross that line, there's no turning back."
I paused, letting my words sink in, watching as the gravity of the
situation registered in his eyes. The smirk on my lips widened as I continued, "So don't take this to heart, but..." My voice trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid but clearly understood.

| turned to the small desk in the corner, picking up a piece of parchment and a pen. Carefully, deliberately, I began to write, the tip of the pen scratching across the paper in the silence of the room. Each word was a calculated reminder of the power I wielded, a warning that Dominic would be
wise to heed.

To Dominic,
This is what happens when you think you can challenge the Cassiettas. Consider this a small taste of what's to come if you continue down this path. You took something of ours. Now, we're taking something of yours. The next time, it won't be just a message. Catalina Cassietta

Finishing the note, I folded it neatly and placed it on the man's chest, right above his heart. His breathing
ragged now, his skin pale with fear and blood loss. I gave him one last, lingering look before I drove the dagger through the paper, piercing his chest with a swift, precise motion. Blood spurted from the wound, splashing onto the steel table as he let out a guttural groan of pain.
I watched, unflinching, as the life slowly drained from his eyes. But I wasn't done. Pulling my gun from its holster, I aimed it at his forehead. The final shot rang out, echoing through the roonm as the bullet tore through his skull, ending his suffering in an instant.. His body slumped lifelessly on the table, a crimson pool spreading beneath him.

Wiping the blood from my hands, I reached for my phone and dialed Alex. He picked up on the first ring.
"Alex" I said, my tone calm and controlled, "I need you to handle something. Take the body to Dominic's hideout. Knock on the door and leave it there before anyone has a chance tO see you. Make sure the message is clear."
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, then Alex's voice came through, steady and obedient. "Consider it done, Catalina."

T hung up, my gaze still fixed on the body lying before me. The message had been sent, and it was only a matter of time before Dominic found it.. The brutality of the act wasn't just about sending a warning -it was about demonstrating the lengths I was willing to go to protect my family and our empire. Dominic needed to know that every action had a consequence, and in our world, those consequences were often fatal.
As I left the room, I felt a cold sense of satisfaction settle in my chest. The game between Dominic and me was escalating, but this was just another move on the board. The Cassietta family didn't take provocations lightly, and this was only the beginning. Dominic would soon realize that when you play with fire, you get burned-and I was more than ready to watch him go up in flames.