Page 48 of Hate Mates

I could tell her the truth. I just want space, to breathe in air that doesn’t smell like her perfume and quiet that isn’t filled with her voice clawing at my every nerve.

But I won’t.

Instead, I close the gap between us, my voice dropping to a low murmur. “I never vowed to be faithful, Caterina. So, I suggest you don’t ask questions you don’t want answers to because our marriage changes nothing about how I live my life.”

Her nostrils flare, and then she laughs, the sound low and humorless. “That’s the best you’ve got?” she asks, her voice a dangerous lull. “I was engaged to Salvatore for months, Dominic. I was seated at his table while your family discussed your antics. You think I don’t know how you operate?” She steps toward me, close enough that I can smell the floral scent that’s been in my lungs all damn night. “If you need to run out and fuck someone just to prove a point, go ahead. I won’t stop you. Just know that when you come back, I’ll still be here. We’ll still be married and this will still be our reality.”

A muscle in my jaw ticks as I grind my back molars. Caterina tilts her chin, her stare daring me to prove her right.Gladly. I smirk, stepping around her and heading out of the room.

She doesn’t follow me or try to stop me when I leave the house. The front door closes with a resounding bang and the crisp night air bites at my skin.

I can’t fucking stand her.

God knows how I’m going to make it through this marriage, let alone have her in my home. She’s already in my blood, and that’s enough of a problem. If she thinks I’m the kind of man who would crawl into bed with another woman just to spite her, let her. Her hate will keep mine alive, and if I’m going to survive this marriage, that is exactly what I need.

I exhale heavily, rubbing the tension from the back of my neck before jogging down the front steps. Shoving my hands into my pockets, I glance back at the house one last time before I walk into the night.

SEVEN

Caterina

The low hum of the limo’s engine is the only sound inside the confines of the car. The air is thick and oppressing as we head to a gala being hosted by the mayor. Dominic sits across from me, one ankle resting over his knee as he scrolls through his phone. Occasionally, his dark eyes flick over to me, unreadable in the dim lighting.

It’s been over a week since our wedding and we’re still enemies living in the same house. I don’t expect it to change, given how selfish and callous he can be. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that he meant his vows. It’s just the sort of vindictive man he is.

He disappears before I wake, and comes home long after I’ve gone to bed. We sleep in different rooms, living our own lives with nothing but familial duty binding us. I should be looking at our situation as a blessing. But the wondering of what he’s going to do next and how far he’ll go to ruin me has left a permanent tension weaving its way through my body.I don’t know what Serefina ever saw in him.

I brush an imaginary piece of lint from my fitted, crystal-covered black gown. Tonight, we have to play our parts andmake everyone believe that we’re happily married. It’s what I would have been doing with Salvatore had Dominic not fucked everything up. I sigh heavily, my irritation tightening the muscles in my chest.

“Are you going to keep staring at me or do you have something you’d like to say?” I grind out when Dominic’s eyes flit over to me again.

His mouth pulls into a wide, triumphant grin, like I’ve fallen into his trap. “I’m just wondering how long you’ll be able to keep the front up this evening. It can’t be fun always having to play pretend.”

I scoff, shaking my head. “The front of pretending to actually be able to stand you? If there wasn’t so much riding on it, I wouldn’t even try, but unlike you, I’ve always done what’s best for my family.”

He leans in, his voice taking on a dangerous edge. “Is that what you call it? Trading one brother for another?”

“I never would have chosen you, but needs must and all that.”

His eyes narrow, but before he can snap back, the limo slows, pulling up to the lavish hotel. Outside, cameras flash, capturing the arrival of the city’s most powerful people.

Dominic adjusts his cufflinks, his expression hardening when he glances at me. “We’re newlyweds, Caterina. Try not to scowl all night.”

I paste on my best smile, slipping seamlessly into the role I was born to play. “You don’t have to worry about me,husband,” I sneer. “You, on the other hand, have some work to do if you want to convince everyone you love me.”

EIGHT

Caterina

The ballroom is a sea of tailored suits and designer gowns with laughter and clinking glasses filling the air. I can feel the power as it vibrates through the room. Dominic’s hand remains on my waist, his touch deceptively possessive as he guides me through the crowd.

A group of men approach us, the way they carry themselves, exuding the wealth and danger they are known for. This event might be hosted by the mayor but his guests are all criminals in one way or another.

When Dominic introduces me, I give them my most charming smile and exchange polite words when spoken to. It’s a dance I know well: the art of appearing composed even when everything inside of me is falling apart.

As the night drags on, I sip champagne, nod at the right moments, and laugh when expected. I feel Dominic’s eyes on me more than once; like he’s waiting for me to slip up, but I won’t give him the satisfaction.

He’s across the other side of the room when I return from the bathroom and swipe a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. I tilt the glass toward him before lifting it to my mouth.His eyes narrow and he straightens, watching something just behind me.

---