Page 38 of Now and Forever

I’d never shy away from killing another man, but harming women wasn’t something I aspired to do. My thoughts briefly went to Josie. The image of finding her being abused by the lowlife scum had faded during the years, replaced with her smile and strong will.

She shouldn’t be in my thoughts, not on the day after my wedding.

I killed the men who abused Josie. Maybe I was thinking about doing the same if anyone hurt Catalina, not only physically, but if the men downstairs degraded her in any way. If we were in Roríguez’s territory, my family would be on their best behavior. We weren’t. We were in our territory—in Father’s castle. If anyone on either side fucking said anything against my wife, it would be the last thing they said.

Catalina’s fortitude last night was a welcome surprise. I didn’t want a cowering, subservient wife. The idea of her protecting her virtue with her brother’s knife made me grin. Before I reached the staircase, Dante appeared. Considering the amount of alcohol he drank last night, he nonetheless looked like his usual self.

His eyebrows danced at the sight of my smile. “Look at you. How is the bride? Can she walk?”

Asshole.

“Catalina is well.”

He bumped his shoulder against mine. “Been a long time since you popped a cherry.”

My jaw clenched as I scowled at my brother. “If you were anyone else, I’d kill you.”

Dante leaned closer and lowered his voice. “You did pop it, right?” He opened his eyes wide. “Fuck, she wasn’t what Jorge promised.”

“Shut the fuck up, Dante. She was exactly what Jorge promised. I’m not discussing my sex life with you or anyone.”

My brother’s expression morphed as he pressed his lips together. “Good luck with that.” He tipped his head toward the stairs. “There’s an audience down there waiting with bated breath for details.”

“Fuck them,” I mumbled under my breath. Inhaling, I stood taller. “Let’s get this over with so Catalina doesn’t have to hear them.”

Dante and I headed down the staircase and toward the male voices coming from the dining room. My blood boiled as I took in the room. Our father was seated at the head of the table. Moretti was at his side. Rocco was next to him in what should be my chair. Catalina’s father, Andrés, was to his other side with Emiliano next to him. With nearly every chair filled, some men were standing. Others present included my uncles, Carmine and Salvatore, Jorge Roríguez, his sons, Aléjandro and Reinaldo, and other members of the Ruiz family.

Dante whispered, “This fucking alliance is going to give Carmine and Salvatore strokes.”

I stifled a laugh. My father’s younger brothers were standing against the wall near large windows. By the look on our uncles’ faces, they were about as happy to be drinking coffee and breaking bread with the cartel as they would be to be lowered into a pit of venomous snakes. They weren’t the only ones who looked ready to start a bloodbath. Catalina’s brother, uncles, and cousins appeared ready to shoot their host.

If they stopped at my father, I wouldn’t interfere.

All eyes turned to us.

Emiliano sneered.

My father stood. “He rises. Hopefully more than once.”

Everyone laughed.

Father waved us into the room. “Where’s the blushing bride?”

“Upstairs with the women.”

With the exception of Emiliano, the men chuckled as if I’d said something funny. Since learning that Catalina’s brother armed her with a knife on her wedding night, I was certain that he hated me. I didn’t know him well enough to have that kind of emotion; however, if he didn’t stop with the death stares, I was ready to cut the sneer from his face.

Jorge spoke up. “Can we assume you’re still happy with our agreement?”

“I am.”

Aléjandro laughed. I noticed the bruise on his cheek. Jorge’s eldest son was a piece of shit. I had that assessment of him before this weekend. He was a loudmouth, and the way he looked at my wife during the reception didn’t help my opinion. The fact he had Jasmine on his arm was the bone of my contention.

“Was she nice and tight?” Aléjandro asked.

Dante grasped my wrist. I hadn’t even realized I’d reached for my knife. The room filled with a low murmur. This alliance would be short-lived if everyone reached for their weapons.

Salvatore patted me on the shoulder. “Overprotective already.”

---