46. Kissing

Tonight Caterina couldn't sleep. She stood on the balcony, looking up at the sky filled with stars. She took several deep breaths, feeling a little restless. Her heart couldn't calm down since dinner.

“Kate!” A call and a knock on the bedroom door interrupted Caterina's thoughts. She turned around, then went to open the door.

"You haven't slept yet?" Marco asked with his gentle gaze.

Caterina shook her head. "I couldn't sleep."

"Why?"

“I don’t know. I just feel a little uneasy.”

“I brought you warm milk. I was relaxing in the garden, then saw you daydreaming on the balcony. So, I decided to come to you.” Marco explained briefly.

Caterina accepted the glass with a faint smile. Maybe drinking warm milk can make her mind a little more relaxed.

"Can I come in?"

"Please." Caterina allowed it. They had become very close over the past month. She never thought anything like that. The gentle and caring attitude that Marco gave reminded her of Gabriel. The more he gets to know Marco, the more he realizes that Marco is a good man.

Marco walked towards the balcony. Caterina followed behind while drinking the warm milk that was in both hands. They stood side by side on the balcony, looking at the sky, which looked very beautiful tonight.

“Do you ever miss your mother?” Marco opened the conversation. Lately they often express their feelings for each other. Marco came to know that Caterina had lost her mother since the first day she was born.

"I don't have the slightest memory of her, so there's nothing that makes me miss her." Caterina answered honestly. She never missed her mother because she never knew what she was like. She had never even seen a photo of her mother. Her father didn't keep those memories; the only memory left by Caterina's mother was of her.

Marco sighed. “You're lucky because you don't have to remember memories that make you feel sad. I always miss my mother every night before I sleep. I felt like I failed as a son because my mother died in my arms. If I had had money since I was little, my mother would not have died because she did not have money for treatment.” Marco said in a trembling voice.

Caterina turned to look at Marco. He stared closely. Tonight he saw another side of the man. Marco has a soft heart.

Marco turned his head to respond to the look Caterina gave him. He smiled forcefully while his eyes seemed to be filled with tears. It seemed like his childhood wound was quite big and difficult to treat.

"Rossie is lucky to have you as her brother." Caterina said weakly. She looked away again and looked up at the stars above.

“Since childhood, I spent most of my time with Leonardo. We grew up together. He always said that he hated me because I didn't belong in La Vendetta. His father often asked him to teach me martial arts. We often practiced together; he often hit me hard and deliberately injured me so that I would cry and stop practicing. I used to think it was a form of attention. I consider him my brother.” Caterina started telling her story.

“When I was a teenager, I started to like him. I think that he is very handsome, and I want to marry him when I grow up. I pinned too many hopes on him.” Caterina smiled slightly. “It turns out that in his heart there was only hatred for me. When his father died 10 years ago, he blamed me because his father died while I was trying to treat bleeding in his chest. His father was shot while fighting with the enemy; my father had not yet returned from the battlefield at that time. I was asked to replace my father's duties. What can a 14-year-old girl do? He was the one who asked me to save his father, but he blamed me when his father died in my hands.”

Marco listened carefully.

“I received all his hatred for dozens of years. I think I was very stupid when I persisted when he insulted me and also beat me. My love for him makes my eyes blind. I think he will melt if I continue to fight for his love. In fact, I was wrong. In his eyes I was just trash. I was obsessed with him for a dozen years, and he responded by raping me. He didn't kill me, but he did kill my soul. He succeeded in replacing the feeling of love in my chest. He changed all my feelings into endless hatred.” Caterina said in a trembling voice. She squeezed the glass in her hand. He felt very sick every time she remembered the events of that night. Her face looked red, her jaw clenched.

Marco could understand how much pain Caterina was feeling. He stretched out his hand, put his arm around Caterina's shoulder, and squeezed it gently. Caterina leaned her head on Marco's shoulder. She felt comfortable and calm in that position.

Silence. For a few moments there was only silence that surrounded them. The night wind blew gently, making Caterina's beautiful hair wave slightly. Several strands of her hair covered her face. Caterina tucked her hair behind her earlobe.

Marco grabbed the glass of milk that was in Caterina's hand. He put the glass on the balcony railing. After that, he grabbed Caterina's chin so that she looked at him. For a moment they were silent, staring at each other.

Marco stared at those sexy lips. The lips he had tasted before, he could still clearly remember how delicious it felt when he kissed Caterina's lips. In the past, Caterina rebelled and cursed at him. Because their previous meeting was as enemies and hostages. Now he wants to try again. However, he was worried that Caterina would hate him if he persisted in kissing her.

Marco smiled at him; he stroked Caterina's cheek with his thumb. The more he looked at the woman, the more he felt his heart beating erratically. His cheeks turned red; his breathing began to sound more rapid.

Caterina smiled broadly. Her eyes narrowed when hshe smiled like that. Her beauty increases when she smiles.

Caterina looked up; she tiptoed slightly as she kissed Marco's lips gently. She wrapped both hands around Marco's neck.

Marco's heart seemed to stop beating when Caterina kissed him. Because he didn't think Caterina would do that. He just remained petrified.

Caterina broke the kiss because Marco didn't respond. She felt she had gone a little too far in responding to what Marco did. She got carried away when she kissed the man.

“Sorry, I got carried away.” Caterina apologized a little nervously.

Marco took a harsh breath. He framed Caterina's cheeks with the palms of his hands, then bent down and kissed her quite roughly. They kissed for a long time, enjoying every kiss accompanied by the night breeze.