Page 43 of Hate Mates

TWO

Caterina

The cool marble of the basin is a welcome lifeline as I brace myself on the countertop, willing the memories to stay buried.She’d been so lifeless. No longer the bubbly, bright sister I grew up with. I close my eyes and suck in a breath, slowly blowing it out as I try to calm the overwhelming anger and bitterness surging through me.

These aren’t emotions I can show today, not when there are far greater things at risk, like the very existence of my family.No. I need to ignore Dominic Marchetti—the man responsible for the death of my sister, Serefina—even if I’d love nothing more than to wipe the smug grin from his handsome face.

I shouldn’t even look at him, but in the quiet moments, I find my gaze searching for him. Every glance in his direction is a betrayal of her, and yet I can’t seem to stop myself. The heat in his gray eyes pulls me in, even as I remind myself that this is the man my sister cried over, the man she blamed in her final moments. He may not have held the blade, but he might as well have.

Through the open bathroom window, I can hear the soft hum of guests in the garden, but I tune the noise out, taking areprieve from the weight of expectations that now bears down onme. People I’ve either never met or only know by name are celebrating my engagement to Salvatore Marchetti. We’ve smiled on cue, exchanged pleasantries with acquaintances, and put on a show that would rival the acting you see in Hollywood movies. Our engagement is our duty, the role we play to protect our families. Salvatore doesn’t love me, just as I don’t love him. We are both going into this arrangement with our eyes wide open.

A noise on the other side of the bathroom door brings me back to the moment. I shake my head, a knowing half-smile pulling at the corners of my mouth.There’s never truly any peace. I pull my shoulders back, perfecting the mask I’ve been groomed to wear in public since I was old enough to walk. Composed. Calm. Serene. It’s nothing like the turmoil going on inside of me.

Picking up my purse, I reach for the door just as it swings open. As if my thoughts had conjured him up, there he is.

Dominic Marchetti.

Fierce gray eyes meet mine, narrowing as he steps into the room and forces me back. He kicks the door shut behind him and the walls echo from the force.

“What the hell are you doing?” I hiss, my back hitting the tiled wall. Anticipation mixes with a thread of panic knowing that our families and friends are close-by.

Leaning against the door, he folds his arms over his chest. Dominic doesn’t just take up space; he commands it. Every move he makes is filled with the kind of confidence that comes from knowing he can break someone with a word or a touch. I hate him for it, but I hate myself more for noticing.

He drags his eyes up my body from my feet to the top of my head, before he meets my gaze. His full lips curl into a smug, knowing grin and I fight to keep my expression neutral. “Tellme something, Caterina,” he drawls, his voice low and mocking. “Are you the dutiful replacement, or is this your choice?”

The words hit me as hard as if he’d slapped me. My heartbeat pounds in my ears, drowning out every sound around me. “You’re vile,” I bite, fisting my trembling hands by my sides to keep my fury at bay. “You don’t know a damn thing about me, Dominic. You’ve only ever seen what Iwantyou to see.”

Dominic runs his tongue over his teeth, stepping forward before he turns to face the mirror. He smooths his hands down the lapels of his jacket before unbuttoning it. I’m so focused on the movement of his hands that I nearly miss what he’s saying. I rip my gaze away, staring at the top of the doorframe. “You hate this arrangement almost as much as you hate me. Admit it,Cat.It’s killing you to play their perfect little pawn.”

I lift my chin, his presence both grating and suffocating. “It’s Caterina. Not Cat.” I take a step forward, intent on leaving. “What were you hoping to achieve here, Dominic? Did you want to prove a point? Taunt me? Scare me off?” I pause, waiting for him to respond, but he just stares at me, that stupid mocking look on his face. “Whatever it is, it won’t work, so just leave me alone.”

He doesn’t budge, so I’m forced to a stop in the cramped room. Turning toward me, he steps closer, his body towering over mine. His clean, crisp scent wraps around me, and I hate how it lingers at the back of my throat. My heart races at his nearness. It feels like a betrayal ofher—a cruel, disgusting reminder that my body is drawn to the man who destroyed the one person I always had in my corner.

“You're good at this. Playing the part of theperfectprincess.” His tone is soft, the low rumble of his voice sending a jolt of lust through my body. “But I can see straight through you,Caterina. The image you portray out there is all an act. You’re. Just. Like. Me.”

My focus bounces around his face. “I’m nothing like you,” I manage, but my voice sounds weak… and needy.

Dominic lifts a hand, brushing a strand of hair from my cheek. The simple touch sends a bolt of heat through my body, pebbling my nipples. “Oh, but you are. You hate this whole charade as much as I do, but more than anything, you hate that you wantmeand not my brother.”

I turn away from him, composing my features before I set my shoulders and face him again. “I don’t want you, Dominic. I don’t even know you and yet I can confidently say that I can’t stand you.”

He slides a hand around the nape of my neck and his lips brush the shell of my ear as he bends to whisper, “Liar. I’ve seen you watching me when you think nobody is looking.” He pulls back, searching my face for a reaction.

My sister’s image—her tear-streaked face, the hollow look in her eyes at Dominic’s rejection—flashes into my mind. I remember how she tried to smile through her tears as she recounted how he’d pushed her aside, yet again. It was the last time I saw her alive and all I need as a reminder of who I’m dealing with.

Reinforced, I settle into my pain, welcoming the vindictiveness with open arms. My voice is cold as I demand, “Do you even remember her? My sister, Serefina. The woman who hung on your every word and lit up at the smallest sign of acknowledgment from you? She deserved better than your indifference or to be tossed aside like she didn’t matter.”

Dominic’s smug smile falters for just a second and there’s a tightness to his tone as he says, “What happened to your sister isn’t on me, Caterina. Don’t twist your reality because you need someone to blame.”

I laugh bitterly. “Of course not. I imagine nothing is ever your fault. You exist, wreaking havoc on everyone you meet withouteven trying.” I shove him and his fingers tug on my hair from where they’re still tangled in it. I welcome the pain. “You don’t get to stand here and act like you’re blameless. You don’t get to?—”

“Careful, Caterina,” he murmurs, his voice low and dangerous. “Play with fire, and you’ll soon see how quickly it can consume you.”

“Go to hell, you son of a bitch,” I hiss.

His eyes flare in what looks to be surprise before they narrow and go impossibly dark, a storm gathering in the depths. The hand tangled in my hair pulls me flush against his body. I barely have time to react before his mouth crashes down on mine in a punishing kiss. It’s rough, unrelenting, fire and fury weaving together, begging to be set free.

I should shove him away, scream at him, remind him I belong to his brother, anything but give in. But his kiss is a war and I’m too tired to keep fighting. Instead, I kiss him back, hate and heat colliding in a way that makes my body tremble.

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