[Cat's POV]
Rough, desperate lips trail down my spine. I try to focus on the hand covering mine beside my face, the pillow under my cheek, the other hand grazing up my thigh...
"Caterina." Enzo sighs and sits up over the back of my thighs, his hands moving to rest on my back.
"What's going on? You aren't here," he says.
I huff into the pillow and lean my head to look at him as much as possible. "Sorry, I don't know what's up with me."
He frowns and moves off me, collapsing to his side of the bed. I turn on my side, pulling the sheets with me over my chest. I schooch closer to his side, resting my head on his bare chest, my hand running along his toned stomach.
"Busy day," I mumble and kiss his chest.
"Did something happen?" He asks, his hand around my waist pulling me tightly against him protectively... or possessively, I'm not sure.
"I was hoping to use easier methods with the Lowe building deal, that's all."
He hums lightly as his fingers move through my hair.
"I warned you he would be difficult to reason with," he says and I fight the urge to roll my eyes, even if he can't see them anyways.
"I don't want a lecture from my husband."
He squeezes my waist.
"I don't want to give one," he says. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."
I sigh and roll off him and onto my stomach, my head on my hands crossed underneath my cheek so I can see him.
"I'm not afraid of violence," I remind him and he turns to his side to face me, "I just would prefer to save it for people that deserve it. The old man has a family to feed and support."
"Your offer was more than he could ever earn," Enzo says and I nod.
"But it isn't what he wants to support them with. 'Blood money. Dirty money. Crime money.' He wants no part of it."
"Caterina, so many of our world use what we do for much worse. Our organizations only use force when needed."
I look into his eyes.
"We both know that isn't true," I say so quietly, it's almost a whisper.
He scowls. "Do we cut off heads and kill family lines?" He asks, equal parts frustration and disgust.
"We are far from good people, Enzo." I sigh. "And that's okay with me. We made our beds."
He looks like he wants to say more, but changes his mind. "Then what is the issue tonight?" He asks instead, sighing.
I shrug. "I can accept the fate of who I am and at the same time be upset at it."
"Ace won't kill the old man, Cat."
I try not to flinch at the name coming out of Enzo's lips. I still haven't shaken what I heard Sebastian say earlier.
"Enzo?" I say as I sit up, pulling the sheets with me and securing them under my arms.
He sits up too, leaning against the headboard.
"Yes, princess."
I gulp and look up to him. "Do you think Stefano is safe here?"
He flinches back at my insinuation. "Why wouldn't he be?"
"When is it going to come?" I ask. "Tomorrow? Next month? Next year? When he is ten? Thirty?"
"We talked about this," he says, grabbing my hands within his. "If it hasn't happened by now, it isn't going to."
He's wrong.
He knows it, but he does this same routine for me just like the time before and the time before that.
"Family for family," I tell him, my father's words repeating in my head from when I was young during the wars. "The only thing we have of that is Leo and Stefano... and we both know the easier and deeper revenge."
"Cat, baby," Enzo's hands cup my cheeks as he searches my eyes. "Our son will not be revenge, I promise you."
He can't say that. It will only jinx it. He can't ensure it is true.
"Don't." I shake my head out of his grip. "Don't promise that."
"I do promise it. How many times do I have to promise it?"
I don't know the answer to that, so I stay silent.
His hands tug on my forearms and I let him lead me back to his side, my cheek on his chest again as I listen to his heartbeat. His knuckles lightly run along my arm.
"It would be easier to kill him now. Proactively." I say into his chest.
Enzo sighs. "And what about the rest of the Cillamoni's? That solves nothing."
"We have to do something," I say and grip his waist tighter with my hand crossing his stomach.
"We aren't in a war. That is something enough."
- - -
[Enzo's POV]
"Daddy!" I hear a familiar little voice yell and I look over to find Stef and Anthony by the former's sandbox. Stef grins widely as he jumps in for me to see, making sand fall out the edges for Anthony to frown at. He looks up and then collapses in giggles at Anthony's face, making even me laugh.
"I would think this is what having a grandchild feels like," Anthony says once I am standing beside him, watching Stefano play with his toys in the mess. "I never had that opportunity with Emma. I guess it didn't really appeal to me until I met this little one."
Something about his tone makes me look at him for a moment.
"Stefano would be lucky to have you as a grandfather, Anthony."
He turns to look at me and if I didn't think it was crazy enough to even be speaking like this with him, I would think I see a watery glint in his eyes.
"Thank you, Enzo," he says and claps my back once lightly.
I nod, suddenly feeling my face get hot, and sit in the chair next to the box. He follows.
"Caterina is resting?" He asks after a few minutes of silence.
My mouth forms a thin line at the memory of her face last night in my head.
"Yes, she didn't sleep much."
"I have grown to respect Sebastian over the past few years - like, even. It's good she has him to help her."
My head snaps to him. "She doesn't need help."
He blanches and looks down at Stefano playing. "Right. Yes. I just mean in the transition. I don't think another woman would have had as smooth of a succession as her."
I settle back in my chair and sigh. "I guess. She would hardly call it smooth, though. She has done a lot for her crown, even metaphorically."
He mumbles in agreement. "Four years ago to now. A lot has changed. A lot to come too."
We sit in silence as Stefano plays near out feet in the sandbox. Sometimes I get envious of his ignorance of the world we live in. He's happy, though. That is all that matters.
"She's worried about Tony," I admit to Anthony, still looking at Stef.
"She should be," he replies.
"I know. It's too silent." I turn to him and he looks to me. "He has to know, yet he does nothing. Even the attacks from before have stopped."
"What did you tell her?" He asks, frowning.
I shrug a little. "What I always tell her. What she needs to hear."
I can't tell her that she is right in everything she says about it. My reassurance is all that is keeping her from starting a war. It keeps her focused. I'll gladly take the brunt of the worry, or at least try to.
"She knows the truth," Anthony warns and I roll my eyes, but he's right.
"I know. We all do."
He looks down, checking on Stef, and then back to me, lowering his voice. "The whispers have died down over the past year, but I don't think that matters. He won't forget, even if everyone else does. So we can't either."
"And we have no word on anything brewing?" I ask and he shakes his head.
"He says it is still silent."
Fuck.
Anything would be better than silence.
"She hasn't let it go. Three years and I see it in her eyes," I admit to him.
"She will. A lot happened that year, hell, even before it. If she was perfectly normal, I would be worried."
I nod and and look out over the grass and far away trees.
"Do you think he sees it?" Anthony asks and I turn as he looks down at the giggling boy at our feet who thankfully doesn't understand what he is hearing yet.
"No." I smile down to Stef. "If there is anything that brings her peace, it's him. She lights up with him."
"He has that effect."
I look up and return Anthony's smirk. "He does."
His face grows serious. "Enzo, he won't be harmed. He's watched around the clock. I would die for that child."
I smile thankfully to him, knowing he really would. There is no doubt in my mind. I just can't bear the thought of him having to.
"I know, Anthony," I say and look back down to Stefano. "And I think someone will have to. Let's just pray it's not our side that does."
Author's Note:
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