Page 45 of Hate Mates

Caterina

Irush from the bathroom, the world tilting on its axis and the noise from the engagement party muffled, like I’m trapped underwater. Ignoring the concerned stares of guests who have wandered inside, I follow in the wake of my father and Salvatore. I need to fix this, even if the phantom heat from Dominic’s touch refuses to fade.

How could I have let this happen?

So much depended on me stepping up and making sure that this marriage went ahead smoothly. Guilt twists in my chest, sharp and ugly as the image of my sister floods my mind.

She deserved so much more. Bile rises in the back of my throat as I think of her and the note she left blaminghim. A part of me died the day she did. And now, here I am, stuck watching on the sidelines as Dominic unravels everything I promised her I would protect.

I freeze as the office door closes behind Salvatore, my panic spiking. What if my father can’t convince Salvatore to continue with the agreement? I was the one who suggested I take Serefina’s place. I promised to keep our family intact, to ease thegrief that consumed my parents. My stomach churns, guilt and nausea twisting together as I pace outside.

Panic claws at my throat and my eyes sting with tears I refuse to let fall. I feel myself spiraling, but movement across the room pulls me back, the inherent need to keep my guard up forcing me to push down the emotions.

My heart falters and I hate myself a little more because of it. Leaning against the doorjamb and looking unfazed by our circumstances, Dominic’s gaze pins me in place; his lips curl into the ghost of a smirk, like my anguish and the damage he’s caused are somehow amusing to him.

Fueled by anger, I march across the space, only stopping when I’m inches away from him. Poking him in the chest, I demand, “You think this is funny? Do you even understand the gravity of what you have done, Dominic? Or do you get off on tearing other people’s lives apart and destroying everything in your path?”

The corner of his mouth kicks up, and he stuffs his hands into his pockets. “You really are giving me too much credit. The way I see it, your life was already in shambles.”

My head rears back at the barb. “You bastard.”

“That’s not the first time I’ve been called that today, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. Besides, it doesn’t seem to be keeping you away from me.” He looks down and my gaze follows, coming to a stop where my finger is still pressed into his chest.

He takes hold of it and before I can pull away, I’m flush against him. My breath catches, and I loathe how his touch sets my treacherous body alight. His hand presses against the small of my back, holding me in place. It’s unyielding and far too intimate. For a beat, I sink into him, reveling in the feel of him before my mind can catch up with the dangerous territory my body is wandering.

I hate him.

I hate him.

I hate him.

So why can’t I think straight when he’s near me?

The thought catches me off guard and I shove against him, growling, “Let go of me.”

Dominic releases a dark chuckle, before stepping back. “So easy to anger, Caterina.”

The door opens behind me, the low chatter of my father and Salvatore drawing my attention away from the insufferable beast in front of me. Conscious of what it must look like, given how Salvatore found us, I step to the edge of the room, praying they haven’t seen me.

“Ah, Caterina, Dominic,” my father calls. “Come, we have much to discuss.”

My brows knit as I glance at Salvatore, his stern gaze locked on his brother. Tension radiates off of him, but it doesn’t feel as intense as it did in the confines of the bathroom. I rip my eyes away from Salvatore, bowing my head as I follow my father into the office.

Standing beside the desk, my father raps his knuckles on the mahogany top. I feel the weight of his stare, but I don’t dare meet his eye. Not yet. I couldn’t stand to see the disappointment I know will be there, no matter how much he tried to hide it.

It’s only when the soft click of the door sounds that I dare to take a glance. My father and Salvatore stand by the desk, as Dominic and I move to sit on the couch like naughty children. Only what we have done is much worse than anything a child could do.

“The engagement between myself and Caterina is off,” Salvatore announces, his jaw tight and eyes narrowing at Dominic. There isn’t a trace of regret in his tone or stance, only frustration, directed at his brother.

My vision blurs and my throat contracts, even as I open my mouth to speak. My father holds up his hand, silencing me. His focus shifts between me and Dominic. “Salvatore and I have come to an agreement. One that sees the future of our family and the strengthening of theirs.”

Relief assails me.Maybe this wasn’t such a bad thing after all. A smile teases at my lips, and I’m seconds away from standing and embracing my father when he continues, “You will marry Dominic, Caterina.”

I collapse back into the cushions of the couch, a numbness seeping into my body.This can’t be happening.

Dominic scoffs from his seat beside me. Leaning back, he keeps his expression blank, but somewhere in the depths of his soulless dark eyes, I see a flicker of emotion—annoyance? Surprise?—whatever it is, it’s gone in a blink. Aiming a cold, hard stare at my father, he says, “Let me guess. Salvatore offered me up as the sacrificial lamb?” Without giving my father a chance to respond, he fixes his gaze on his brother. “I should’ve known you’d jump at the chance to fuck me over, Salvatore.”

The room tilts, my vision blurring as the weight of my new reality crashes down. My carefully constructed future crumbles around me. Marry Dominic? It’s unthinkable. Yet, when I glance at my father, his jaw set in quiet resolve, I know there’s no escape. This isn’t a negotiation. I am being informed of my future, without a say in how it plays out.

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