My mind warned me, but I let myself drown in those glacier blue eyes.
My heart told me it was wrong, but I fell weak against those scarlet red lips that lured me in.
I let her beauty hypnotize me. She was like a drug, so tempting, but yet forbidden...
"I am impressed," Caterina says as she approaches me slowly. Her thick Italian accent makes her seem all the more menacing. "You hid well for three whole years. I was starting to think you were dead."
I cross my arms together in a defensive manner. "How did you find me?"
"You may want to get these off the streets," she plucks a card from her purse and hands it to me. It is a business card for Dudley's store.
I look down at the card and mentally face-palm myself. I knew doing that photoshoot was a bad idea.
Caterina seems to notice my regretful expression and she rolls her eyes. She looks down at her freshly manicured hands.
"You were not that hard to trace," she confesses. "Unlike my brother who uses the brawn, I use my brain."
Realisation dawns on me. All those times that I felt someone stalking me. The car with the Villanueva plates. It was all her.
"Are you going to go run and tell him?"
Caterina raises an eyebrow. She seems almost offended, but immediately her little smile returns. Being a Villanueva it comes naturally to her—masking her emotions.
"I know why you ran away," Caterina replies as her gaze falls to the dust collecting on the counter. Diverting her gaze to mask her vulnerability. "I did not have any say in which family I was to be born in. Unfortunately, this is the family that destiny chose."
She settles her determined blue eyes on me. The same icy cold color as his.
"My brother's world can be scary and I do not wish that burden on anybody. Therefore, no. I will not tell my brother." Caterina states with shoulders crossed over her chest.
Relief washes over me, but I am still left with the curiosity of why she came here. Was it just to tell me that? As if reading my mind, Caterina speaks up.
"I must though inform you that my brother is on his way to New York. He has some business here to take care of and if he comes across these well—" Caterina's tone becomes much more serious as she directs her gaze to the business card in my hand. "He will find you Samantha."
"No," I shake my head not wanting to believe it.
Caterina walks over to me and takes a hold of my shoulders hoping to stop my trembling body. I can feel the air slipping from my lungs as I find it hard to breathe.
"I will help you free if you choose to trust me," Caterina states. "I have a cottage in France. It is a private residence that my brother is not aware of. Neither is Alessandra."
"Alessandra is also looking for me?" I ask.
Caterina gives me a slow nod.
"They're losing control over the Villanueva territory," she explains. "Many of our supporters know that Alessandra cannot produce children and my brother has yet to be wed. He refuses to marry anyone that isn't you."
"Fuck this is worse than I thought," I mumble as I take a seat on on the stools.
"Alessandra vowed to my brother that she will do anything in her power to help him find you," Caterina adds. "We have a week at most before they arrive."
"Three days is all I need," I respond with determination. "I just need to get some stuff figured out."
Caterina raised an eyebrow and gives me a knowing look.
"It is best that you leave your boy toy behind," she states and her comment infuriates me.
"He is not my boy toy!" I bark.
Caterina does not even flinch at my outburst. Another perk of having the Villanueva genes running through her blood. She gives me a sympathetic expression.
"As long as my brother is infatuated with you—" she brushes back my curly auburn hair. "—You will not have the luxury of living a normal life. That includes loving someone else."
Our eyes remain locked as I try to defy her, but deep down I know her words are true. The Villanueva are powerful, dangerous and merciless.
"You have three days Samantha," Caterina says as she turns on her heel to leave. "After that... there is no stopping my brother."
The door clicks behind her as she closes it. The muffled sound of her heels as she walks away fills my ears.
I let her words sink as I slouch into my seat. Everything is crashing down. I look over at Brian's photo with Anthony beside him and Dudley in the back.
My lips curl into a sad smile as I wipe away the tears rolling down my cheeks. Caterina is right. As long as he is after me, I will not live in peace.
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Author's Note Here it is! How many of you guys predicted that Caterina would help out Samantha? Do you guys think she is being truthful?
Leave your comments below. If you guys enjoyed leave a vote and share. Thank you so much for reading my lovelies! I'll see you guys on Wednesday with another chapter! Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay awesome. Xoxo, Liz 💋💋💋
