TWELVECATHERINA“My papa will be waiting for you in his den” I said, gulping as I faced the rogue who had an eyebrow quirked up and observing me with amusement again.“Will he?” he murmured coming around to where I stood.I held my ground, glaring at him… I wasn’t going to flee because of this dangerous man and I sure as hell was not going to give him the satisfaction of seeing that he affected me so.He stopped in front of me, watching my face.I kept my eyes on his, making sure to glare to show him I wasn’t scared and I did not like his presence in our house all the time.“You are blocking the television” he whispered.“Oh” I answered and moved so he could get a better view but his eyes followed me instead, his gaze intense on the side of my face.I did not spare him a glance as my gaze remained on the TV, they had interrupted the program to bring breaking news about the attack on a warehouse… his warehouse. I watched from the corner of my eyes as his jaw hardened and his eyes turn
THIRTEENCATHERINAWe weren’t expecting my abuela but there she stood at the door with a little packed suitcase and that grin that frightened me as a child. She was a tall woman for her age and that probably was the reason my papa was tall because I was sure he did not get the height from my midget of a grandfather who died before I was born.“Well, child… are you just going to stand there and gawk at me without letting me in?” she said, her mouth thinning.“Sorry abuela, we were not expecting you.” I answered, opening the door wider for her to come in“Do I need to phone ahead before visiting my son and grandchildren?” she sauntered in, stopping to take a deep breath.“Ofcourse not, abuela. I shall ask mamma to set out one more plate for lunch since you will be joining us.” I said, dragging the suitcase behind me; it was heavier than it looked and I wondered what she had packed in it.“I came over to see the man that will be marrying my granddaughter… where is he?”“He is with papa i
FOURTEENCATHERINAMy abuela insisted on us dining on the patio; according to her she needed the fresh air and also because she was scared that my mamma wasn’t getting enough sunlight on her skin because she looked white as hell.That was a lie of course but my mamma ignored her and began setting the food out on the patio with my abuela monitoring her every movement and dropping comments on how unattractive the food was looking. She always did that but then went ahead to finish and also ask for more food.I was trying to not look in the direction of Andres Cruz who sat on one of the sofas, drilling me with his eyes. I wished he would stop doing that… looking at me like I was some meal he could not wait to consume and I was sure my folks would notice his obvious interest in me which I did not want.“I shall call Audrey downstairs” I told my mamma, getting up to flee his gaze.“Do that; that girl will be the death of me with her attitude to everything.” My mamma complained.“She only wa
FIFTEENCATHERINAI kept pondering on Andres’ words to me and the fact that he was correct; I was a slut who was pining after her own sister’s husband to be and instead of feeling shame, I was fully aroused by his actions during lunch. I could still see it as clear as day, that erotic grab of his middle and the thought of how I had wished it was my hand making that grab came unbidden to my head.After the food, I had excused myself and fled the presence of the overpowering man before I did something as stupid as touching him. My whole body tingled with self- awareness as I sat close to him and when he slid his shirt up to reveal inked arm, my breath hitched in my throat. It was a snake tattoo; the one I had so desperately been trying to look at the other day and I wondered just how long the snake was. It looked as fierce as its bearer, dangerous and oddly compelling.My Abuela had a lot of questions to ask him and he answered her politely while I stared at the movement of his lips won
SIXTEENCATHERINA“What did he say to you?” my brother asked grimly.We were both seated on the couch with him backing the stairs and my eyes on it; I had no way to alert Audrey of the danger and the only think I could think of doing was to signal her, in case she decided to come out with the boy.How stupid could she be having sex with him in our house but then again; Audrey had always been so stubborn and I wasn’t any better if I might say.“You haven’t answered” My brother commented, watching my face“He told me nothing except the fact that if he had not banned you, you would be dead right now.”“I can take care of myself and the bastardo had no business telling you such things when he put you in danger.”“You put me in danger, Anthonio… you allowed that man hold a gun to my head because you could not control your drinking and gambling. I would be dead if he had not shot his own uncle; now what does that say of you.”I was livid with anger and not because I had just found out that
SEVENTEENCATHERINA“Aren’t you supposed to be in a meeting or something?” I said, glaring at the man who stood over me; not helping me up from the shrub I had gotten myself tangled in.He smiled; putting out a hand for me to grab on. I eyed his arm like it was a snake but put my small one in it and he pulled me up too dangerously close to his own body.I pulled away immediately before my sister who was hiding behind the shrub had any time to think about why I was so close to him.We stared at each other for a while and I noticed he was wearing pants and a black short sleeved shirt that allowed me see the snake tattoo on his arm a little bit better and also notice how smooth and tanned the other arm was with its taut muscle; I was breathing a little bit faster but I did not care and we just stood there in front of each other with warmth rushing to the pit of my stomach while he watched my face with an eyebrow raised.“What were you doing in the shrub and why do you want to stay there?
EIGHTEENCATHERINAWe had to welcome some people from Andres’ Clan and my mamma was over the roof with worry, she wanted everything to be perfect but refused my help and Rosa’s whom we had hired for some decorations.“Leave the kitchens, go help out with the decorations… I can handle all these alone.” My mamma was heard saying.I walked out before she yelled more, I personally was thinking she just wanted take all the glory of having to prepare everything. She was a wonderful chef; my mamma and she wasn’t hesitant in flaunting her prowess.“Do you need help?” I asked Rosa who shook her head in the negative which only left me with one option which was reading a book and waiting till we had to welcome the guests.Today was my sister’s engagement party and I wondered fleetingly how she was feeling with all the activities going on and my papa yelling at everyone who had the ears to stand and listen. She had not come out of her room since my papa announced the engagement party yesterday; a
NINETEENCATHERINAI held my sister as we walked down the stairs to join the guests, it was a full place already and my eyes unconsciously roamed around for Andres amidst the faces of unknown men, laughing loudly. My mamma was waiting at the foot of the stairs with a disapproving look on her face; I pointedly ignored her and clung to my sister who was holding my hand a little too tight, she seemed terrified.“nina hijas, you take too long to dress up. The guests have been waiting, come with me, Audrey” She said, prying my sister from my hands and disappearing through the corner with her.I stood at the foot of the stairs, not sure of where I should be at the moment with so many unknown people in our home.“You must be Manuel’s dulce nina” A voice said behind me.I whipped around and was met with most beautiful man I had ever seen and then he smiled at the stunned expression on my face. His smile seemed to light up his face, crinkling the corner of his eyes.“My name is Catherina” I sa
EIGHTEENALEJANDROShe was sitting too quietly for my liking… just there with her legs bunched together like I had taken the life force from her when we were barely started in our question for revenge.I had sent the nude pictures I had taken of her, straight to Andres’ through an untraceable network and I was now waiting for him to call me with the number I had dropped alongside the pictures. If there was anything I knew about my cousin, he was going to try and trace where the picture had come from and only when he is sure that he has exhausted all possible ways to find me will he place that phone call.I was giving him an hour at most before I heard from him… the empty threats. I call it empty because he would not be able to catch me so easily ever again. The last time I had allowed him do his worst to me even when I had not been directly involved in what had happened to his pet.I had given the order so yes, that would make me the most guilty in the matter but he and I were family
SEVENTEENAUDREYI don’t know how long I sat there, naked with my legs drawn up to my chest and my head bowed low as I thought about how the fuck I had allowed myself to be so seduced.I don’t know how long I slept before I woke up in a cold sweat, my heart pounding furiously in my chest as my eyes took a sweep round the room.It wasn’t a dream… not a nightmare either, I thought as the memories flooded back; memories of my own shame.I buried my face in my hands and berated myself for my stupidity.How could I have been so blind? The truth had been staring at me in the face but I had been so fucking stupid and horny.I had hoped that he loved me but how could a man… I should have figured out immediately he started paying special attention to me that there was something wrong. I had let myself be seduced by his smooth words and charming demeanor, never once suspecting that he was the same man who had caused so much pain and suffering in my family.Now, as I sat in the dimly-lit cabin,
SIXTEENALEJANDROShe remained sitting, her arms folded across her chest and her eyes pinned somewhere above my head. She had her mouth in a thin line and was trying not to look in my direction even as I stared pointedly at her.My cock twitched as I pinned her with a glare, my mouth also set in a grim line. She wasn’t supposed to have heard about what Sergio and I had talked about; I wanted to do this my own way but oh well… it was what it was.I pushed back from the wall I was standing, twirling the knife she had almost used to stab me in my hand; the very same that her brother in law and my cousin had marked me with.I could feel the rage spinning in my chest and welcomed it, allowing it fuel me as I approached her until she had no choice but to look up at me.She was glaring, her eyes twinkling with distaste and disgust, two emotions which were so foreign to her countenance and person…As foreign as the scar on my face, I musedI wanted to think that I knew her but she was the ene
FIFTEENAUDREYI heard him climb out of the bed and muttered my protest as he carried the whole heat of his presence with him. I had had sex before, with a boy my age and in the house of my papa where we had to be quiet and afraid as we did the deed.It was the last time that I had allowed anyone of the opposite gender touch me until Victor. He was everything I envisioned powerful lovemaking to be and we had continued well into the night in as many positions as I could imagine.My eyes fluttered open as I sighed deeply and contentedly, stretching and wincing at the sore I felt in between my legs. I sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep away from my eyes as I stared around the room, taking in its appearance. I was fascinated by the way he had designed it and although I considered it really odd to have whips of various sizes strung to the wall and…I scampered out of the bed, reaching for the knife that was hung at the far end of the room. It had a very peculiar hilt and it was somewhat curv
FOURTEENALEJANDROShe looked like an angel sleeping there with her hair thrown back and her mouth slightly agape but it was not watching her that kept me awake; it was the energy thrumming through my body in waves and I wanted to tell myself that she hadn’t just touched something within me that had died with my torture but it was impossible not to feel everything she had given me and everything I had not returned.I smiled as she sighed, snuggling in closer to me and my arm involuntarily locking around her waist; she was beautiful and so innocent in many ways.I frowned hoping the hurt in my chest was because I hadn’t eaten in a while and was quite hungry and not because I was feeling sorry for what I was about to do to her. She needed no pity from me after all I had to endure from Andres and because of her sister; I wanted her to get the same equal measure of punishment and I wanted to break her so bad that she would never be able to smile ever again.As if on cue, her lips curved i
THIRTEENAUDREYThere were so many scars and I knew that it was the sign that I needed to be running for the hills but I was more intrigued with him than I had ever been with anything in my life and I could not tear my eyes from his body nor could I move as he stared at me with black eyes while I trailed my fingers over his scars.He looked like I was doing the exact opposite of what he had thought I would do and it fascinated him tooI rested my gaze on his chest, swallowing painfully at the scar that matted it even then; he must have been tortured to have been scarred this bad and I wondered who the hell would hurt him in such damning way.I watched his lips turn up in a smile before they descended on mine, his tongue forcing my mouth open and plunging deep. I was hit by the intensity of this kiss and clung to him to steady myself against the onslaught of heat pooling in my belly.He tasted like absolute sin and the danger I had been trying all my life to run away from but I was com
TWELVEALEJANDRO“I want to do this” she murmured as soon as we satI had no idea what she was talking about of course and told her so.She blushed beautifully, twirling her fingers in front of her as she sought words to properly convey what she was talking about.“Yesterday you said you felt something…I just… I really”My eyes twinkled as I watched her struggle to form words, glancing at me for help“Dance with me, Audrey” I murmured, putting out a handShe smiled, glancing around the quiet room.“There is no music” she pointed out“Isn’t there?” I asked.As if on cue, music filtered through the speakers I had positioned and had covered at the edge of the room. I watched her eyes widen in surprise and then amusement as she placed one hand in mine and allowed me drag her up so we were inclined against one another.I twirled her first before placing my hand on the small on her back and guiding her through the steps while she laughed.She was stunning; absolutely and deliciously stunnin
ELEVENAUDREYI was giddy with excitement and then terrified that I was giddy with excitement.How could I be excited that I was about to have sex with some man that I barely knew; I had no idea who he was and if he was even who he said he wasIt is just sex, I had tried to reassure myself and it could never be more, I had said but the shivers my body was making and the war that had been raging at the pit of my belly for the whole day was saying otherwise.Not even Valerie’s reassuring words was helping the terror and nervousness threatening to overwhelm me. The last intimacy I had had with a man was with Bruno and it hadn’t been as earth shattering as Valerie always described her rounds of sex with men.It had been something between two people that were scared of being apart and it had been done under my father’s roof with the fear of being caught overruling the passion and pleasure of the moment.There was also the case about an orgasm; I had no idea what that was like and I would h
TENALEJANDROMy eyes moved from the laptop in front of me to Sergio’s faceSomething was wrong“What is it?” I asked urgently“We have to proceed with the girl” he sighed“What is the hurry?”“Ana thinks it is a horrible idea and while I think it is fantastic, she is of the notion that it was going to make the revenge more complicated”“But?” I proddedHe blinked, confusion dotting his forehead“But what?” he asked“You have a but there” I told himHe chuckled, grabbing a seat“I think it is bullshit and she is only saying that because… well she is Ana and she is crazy. I wouldn’t take whatever that woman says serious”“I didn’t think so” I smiled, returning my eyes to the laptop“We need to…”“We will do it my way, Sergio” I interrupted, whipping my eyes to meet his.He remained silent while I boiled with anger.Every one of them wanted their moment with Andres but couldn’t find the guts to fucking go for him themselves. They wanted me to do it so they could hide in my shadow and po