DANTE MORALES
We got home late and plopped onto the couch. Katerina rested her head on me as we looked out toward the sky.
"Dinner was a bust. They all hate you even more now and hate me too," she said softly.
"They need time, Katerina. The things you've known for years is things that got bombarded on them 5 hours ago. They won't hate you for too long. Me on the other hand... I'm not too sure."
"I'll get them to come around, especially Stefan... Just wait, in a year you two will be best friends," she said chuckling.
I gave her a kiss on the cheek and lay down on the couch so she was on top of me. I brushed her hair away from her face and that's when I saw her neck. The neck I had gripped hard so many times. The neck I had given multiple bruises to. Anger came over me as I thought about what I had done to her.
"What is it? she asked with a smile.
"I've hurt you so much Katerina," I said grimacing, "I'm so sorry, I don't know what I was thinking."
Katerina took my face in her hands and brought it up so our eyes met.
"I forgive you, ok? I forgive you and I-I love you," she replied.
"I love you too. So much," I said overjoyed. I started to kiss her neck as if trying to undo the hurt I had caused her. She pulled me close and sighed.
"Dante, can I ask you something?"
"Anything," I mumbled.
"Why do you always call me by my full name? Everyone calls me Kat but you're the only person to call me Katerina."
"It's a beautiful name..." I said looking up "And because I thought you didn't want me to call you Kat. Besides I don't want to call you what everyone else does. I want you to have a special name. Mi amor? Too basic... Mi reina? Nah... Mi ojitos? Yes, that's the word. Mi ojitos."
"What does that mean?" she asked drawing circles on my chest.
"My little eyes. It's a term of endearment for people with pretty eyes."
She let out a laugh and she pulled me up, "The sky is lovely tonight. Come, let's go outside."
As she led me outside, I looked at how gorgeous she was. Katerina was wearing a long red dress that was strapless and decorated with diamonds. Her hair was moving in the light breeze. The moonlight brought the tiniest bit of light for us to see the city.
"I'm so fucking happy, Katerina. I haven't felt like this in such a long time," I said hugging her from behind.
"It's funny... If you had told me a month ago that we would be acting like this, I would've laughed in your face."
"All our secrets are out, our families know the truth of everything that happened, it just feels so freeing," I said sighing.
"... Dante... There's one thing I haven't told you," she said slowly, removing herself from my hands and sitting on the chaise lounge.
My heart pounded wondering what she was going to tell me. I sat next to her with my brows furrowed. Katerina looked sick, her face was downcast, total opposite from what she looked like a few minutes ago.
10 YEARS AGO
Her 15th birthday had come finally. She watched as her sister ran around with kids her age near the tall fir trees. Her parents stood talking to adults while her brother played football with his friends. A forest party was exactly what she wanted yet something felt off. Time moved slowly. Too slowly.
It should have been a short safe walk. Her family would've still been able to see her. She continues mindlessly, each step edging her closer to the next 3 days which will almost kill her.
A naive little girl, too trusting of a world she's barely seen. A little girl that doesn't know the next few days will change her forever.
She woke up her body feeling bruised. Her hands zip tied together. She wore a plain black dress that she hadn't seen before. Her throat felt dry and tight. If only she hadn't gone on that walk. If only she had listened to her gut. If only...
"Good. Sleeping beauty has awoken. Rise and shine princess."
The voice was rough and croaky. Slivers of light shine through the blinds. Where was she?
"C'mon, open them eyes. I ain't got all day. Ahh there they are. Silly child... I'm going to earn a fortune. What will everyone say when they realise the future of the French Mafia fell right into my hands."
A man stood before you. He wore a white tank top and jeans. His shoes were muddy. It must've been raining hard. His head had no hair but was instead covered in tattoos. He smelt bad as if he hadn't showered in a few days. His breath stunk even worse.
"W-Who are you?" the girl managed to croak.
"My name's Ferris darl," he said, his voice sickly sweet, as if trying to be something he was not, "You're beautiful you know, not many girls look like you."
He slowly traced his finger along the child's collarbone. The girls pushed her body back but Ferris gripped her tight.
"Now, now, I'm not going to hurt you unless you give me a reason to," he said gruffly.
"Don't touch me."
"I'll decide what I want to do princess."
He went back to tracing her body but this time her pulled a knife too. The sound of fabric ripping made the girl look down. He had made an cut near her waist.
"Please... What do you want? I'll give you anything. I just want to go home."
"What I want, you can't give me darl," he said with a twisted smile.
"Ferris!" a voice called from the door, "Get off her. If we sell her she needs to be in perfect condition."
"Fine, fine," Ferris replied rolling his eyes and backing away.
That little girl lived in terror and fear for the next 72 hours. She didn't know how they found her. The story changed depending on who you asked. The kidnappers got lazy. The police were working nonstop. The mafia found her. It didn't matter. It was too late. The damage was already done.
The next 5 years would be hell. Waking up in the middle of the night crying. Not being able to be left alone. Petrified of loud noises. This girl would wish everyday that she was dead. For that was better than living in fear. Fear that those men would come back. That they would want revenge. That next time they wouldn't bother keeping her alive.
It wasn't until authorities found her she spoke for the first time after that first meeting with Ferris.
"Darling, you're ok now," the policewoman said giving her a blanket, "Can I have your name and age please?"
"Katerina Soldano. 15."
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"Dante? Why aren't you speaking?"
Rage. That was all I felt. Pure fucking fury. How could Katerina face me after all I've done. How could anyone do that to her.
"Did he ever...?" I asked quietly.
"No, he got close a few times but it was always stopped before it got to that point," she said looking down.
"Are-Are they still alive?" I said with my jaw clenched praying that the answer was no.
"They're currently serving life sentences."
"They deserve to rot in the ground, Katerina... I deserve to rot in the ground," I said looking up at her, my voice breaking a little, "The night at the masquerade party, I should've known, I should've apologised. I'm so sorry for everything."
"Dante you didn't know..."
"When you fell to the floor that night, crying, all I wanted to do was comfort you. I know I sound like an idiot but I was truly sorry. As I am now and forever will be," I said taking her hand.
"I'm all better now... At least I think I am. I went to therapy for a long time and eventually I got weaned off the meds. I tried so hard to forget about it all," she said quietly, "It took me a long time to get to where I am. You know after this happened, I couldn't even hold a gun, let alone shoot it. The past 3 years of training I had done had all come undone. I had to start from scratch. You know, it's stupid but for the longest time I thought it was my fault. L-Like I deserved it because I walked off," Katerina said with tears dripping, "I-I hated myself and I've never told anyone but I tried to kill myself after it."
My heart broke hearing that. I wrapped her in a hug and we stayed like that for a while. Katerina sobbed into my chest while I stroked her hair.
"You can tell me anything, mi ojitos. I promise I'll always be here for you. Even if you don't want me to," I mumbled.
After a while, I noticed her body steadily rising and falling as she had fallen asleep on me. I easily picked her up and walked upstairs to place her on my bed. I got changed quickly and lay next to her.
It killed me to think of the shit she had gone through. Yet, she was strong, stronger than me, that's for sure. In my mind, I made a promise to protect her forever. No one would ever hurt her again. Or they'd have to deal with me.
KATERINA MORALES NÉÉ SOLDANO
I woke up with something poking me.
Dante's elbow was jabbing my side as his other arm lay over me. Our feet were tangled together and our faces close. I had never seen his face from this proximity. His black hair covered his forehead while his eyebrows were straight. He looked so serious even when sleeping. Little scars and healed cuts spread from his neck to his cheek with a big scar forming from his right eye to the edge of his nose.
"Staring now are we?" Dante said, flickering his eyes open.
"I was looking your scars. Tell me... Where did you get them from?"
"Well," he said, deep in thought, "This small one on my jaw I got during a mission in Portugal. It was pitch black and someone had come up behind me and slashed me. They almost got my jugular... This big scar on my nose, I got from an undercover agent in London. If they had aimed 2cm to the right I would've gone blind."
"Jesus Christ," I muttered.
"Now here's one scar here that you might remember," he said lifting his arm, showing me the scar that had formed the night of the masquerade party.
"You deserved it in the moment," I said tracing my finger along the scar.
"Do you have any scars, mi ojitos?"
"A few," I said lifting my top up and showing him my torso, "I got this when I was kidnapped. Ferris plunged a knife into me."
Dante hesitantly reached for my waist. His jaw clenched as he brushed a thumb against the scar.
"And then of course, when I got stabbed, the day I met your mafia for the first time," I said bringing my leg up.
"I think you scared the shit out of everyone. You were the topic of conversation for the next 2 weeks after that," he said chuckling.
"Fuck, it's already 10am," I said checking the time.
"Do you have anything important on tonight?" he asked, sitting up.
"A few zoom calls and I was planning to check out a new office building."
"Alright, so nothing too important," he said with a grin, "Would you do me the absolute pleasure of going on a date tonight? My treat."
Cute.
"Yes-" I started to say but couldn't finish because Dante suddenly lunged forward and hugged me so I lay on the bed with him kneeling on top of me.
"I'll send you all the details later but just be back home by 6pm," he said beaming.
We stared at each other for a few minutes before he placed a kiss on my nose and went to take a shower. I chuck a pillow over my face and giggled. I giggled. I let out a sigh of disgust after hearing the sound come out of me.
Before I knew it, the clock had struck 6pm. I was wearing a navy minidress with matching heels. Dante walked in wearing a button down and suit pants.
"You look lovely," he said taking my hand and leading me to the car.
"Where are we going?"
"Surprise," he replied closing my door.
We rode along for about 30 minutes until we got to our destination. As I stepped out, a little table decorated in flowers and lights shone in the middle of the beach.
"How would you fancy a candlelit dinner by the beach," Dante asked holding out his arm.
"I would love that."
13/1/23