TWENTY EIGHTCATHERINA“You refused of course and told him to shove it” I asked no one in particularThey were all just staring at me like they had sent me to die and this was my funeral procession.“You have to do this for your family” My papa said grufflyThis was probably the first time I had seen him not staring at me with anger or disdain or hatred. He had pity in his eyes and sadness.“I am not going to marry Andres Cruz, papa” I cried out.“It is settled; you have no say in the matter” my papa said, turning away from me.“You did not hear me. I won’t marry the man and I do not care what say anyone has in it. I am not going to subject myself to such… I refuse to be like… mamma” I blurted.“Catherina Elizabeth Salvador!” my mamma’s voice rang out.I turned and fled for the second time in two days and from the same person. He had pushed me away the previous day like I was some whore that had forced myself on him and now he wanted to marry me? No, the damned man wanted to punish me
TWENTY NINEANDRES“You are going to allow them get away with shaming our clan?” Miguel’s voice echoed.“Yell at me one more time, Miguel and you will not leave this room alive” I threatened.My step brother fell silent and so did everyone at the table. They had expressed their discontent at the news on the table this morning and were waiting for me to say something namely when the attack on the Salvador’s would begin and how many men I needed.It would have been so during my father’s time… hell, even right now, the call to arms ringing in my head was very strong but I had to consider Catherina. She was the only reason I hadn’t given the familiar order that everyone was waiting for and I was sure my cousin knew this judging by the way he was staring at me, his eyes voicing unspoken words.I was going to have to tell them that I had chosen to exchange one other for the other even before calling for their presence and there was nothing they could damn well do about it.Ana sat by my rig
THIRTYCATHERINAPapa had informed me of the arrival of my now husband to be and asked that I put on a smile on my deathly face for the sake of the family. I was going to put on a smile of course but never for his sake, only for that of my sister, mother and brother.My sister had been sent somewhere far to give birth according to what my papa said because she would still not name the father of the child and I wasn’t going to betray her again by giving out the name. I knew it wasn’t because of her pregnancy, he only to separate us from one another and he asked my mamma to accompany her to the beach house. There they would stay till she had given birth and then he would think about what to do with her then.Only my brother and I remained in the house with him but I mainly stuck to my room, packing up the clothes I do not want to part with and the books I loved reading that I was going to take with me when I moved in with Andres as his wife.I swallowed when my arm brushed the jacket he
THIRTY ONEANDRES“You like her, don’t you?” Manuel asked as soon as Catherina was taken out by her brother“Excuse you?”“You now have every chance to take over the corners that I control in this city in exchange for sparing my life and that of my family. Hell… you have the chance to dispatch of your enemies once and all but you chose to pick an exchange. It can only mean that somehow you feel something strong for my daughter, Catherina”“I am still taking some of those corners you are talking about” Andres said, leaning forward.“That was not what we agreed on. You said you wanted just Catherina and all would be forgiven”“Then you don’t mind if I pimp your daughter to my men every night for the rest of her days to assuage their anger at your family’s insult”I could see the realization hit Manuel as he leaned backwards in his chair, clearly defeated.“What corners do you want?” he asked“The one by the mall, the one in the north where that parking lot is facing…”“That is my best s
THIRTY TWOCATHERINAI had succeeded in bidding my brother goodbye without him having the slightest inclination to what I was about to do and I had to admit that I was quite giddy with excitement at fooling them all. Pedro waited in the parking lot while I stepped into the dress shop owned by a French woman who was one of mamma’s friend. I was quite sure she had not had about my sister’s pregnancy nor about the fact that I was the one now getting married to the man my sister was supposed to get married to. It was a fucking circus and one of the reasons I had to be away immediately“Come on, Catherina. I wasn’t expecting you today, how is your mamma and where is she? She and I were supposed to check out some dresses for your sister’s impending nuptials” Celine preened, enveloping me in a hug.I knew about the saying that the French people oozed sexual appeal and it definitely had to be true because Celine was the total definition of sex on heels. She had such beautiful and slim body wi
THIRTY THREEANDRES“You went behind my fucking back!” my fist slammed the head of my cousin, Alejandro“I did what needed to be done” he snapped back, spitting blood“I had given an order and you defied it” I said, slamming my fist again to the other side of his head.“You are fucking weak and all because of some whore’s pussy” He spat, glaring at me through bloodshot eyesI had caught them all trying to escape after committing the unpardonable deed of defying their jefe. I had given an order for them to stand down and while I had expected such defiance to come from Miguel, I had not thought to have Alejandro watched.“I should have you executed; I should kill you right now” I bellowed in rage“But you won’t because you fucking murdered my father and because of that piece of shit girl. The elders are going to be furious if you succeed in wiping out the last of his bloodline” he smiled through bloodied mouth.As much as I hated to admit, he was right. I could not kill him and not beca
THIRTY FOURCATHERINAIf I could locate the gate, the one I had been brought in through then maybe I could be free once again, I thought as I ran.Nobody paid me any mind and I could only imagine this was some norm in their household; Andres torturing and hurting women.I got lost a couple of times before I began hearing shouting and people searching around for me, I realized. They finally knew I wasn’t supposed to be roaming, I thought bitterly as I pressed my back against the stone wall, waiting for the next set of men to pass.I could never go back there and be wife to a man that had my family killed and just because he wanted to prove some point. I refuse to believe that he was unaware of what they were going to do; they were his men and would never act outside his orders and even if they did, then it wasn’t safe for me here. I could be killed anytime one of them was in a fit or tried to undermine authority. I would forever be caught in the middle of some internal war going on in
THIRTY FIVEANDRESMy heart slammed wildly as I took the stairs two at a time, rushing to the pool where I had seen her dive into the water. If she fucking died then I would never forgive myself from taking her from her family, intruding on her perfect life.Miguel followed directly behind me not bothering ask why I was in such a haste.I crashed into the cave where I had instructed that a private pool be made for me and saw the water bubbling; it would seem that she was struggling to come up.I dived into the water and began reaching for her just as she began sinking. I touched her hand and held fast, drawing her up to me while trying to remain afloat. When I was sure her face was out of the water, I began sliding to the corner until I had a grip before passing her to Miguel.I climbed out, soaked but only concerned for her.“Wake the fuck up” I panted, pressing my hands together against her chest.I did that for a while and then proceeded to give her mouth to mouth ignoring the look