Page 157 of La Dolce Vita

"It was a joke. A bad one. I'm going to let you go now. Will you behave?" he asked.

She nodded.

His hand slipped from her mouth and went down her throat to graze slowly over her breast. She closed her eyes and withstood the touch of another man. Armando's hold around her waist softened, and she was released. Armando leveled his gaze on her.

"You want to fight?" he asked.

"Don't you ever touch me like that again. Kiss me like that. Ever! You do it again, and it will cost you your life. My brother will..."

"Do nothing. Time is running out for your brother and me. This war between us could cost us both." Armando warned her.

Unable to get past the insult, and the kiss she never wanted, she paced to calm herself down. It was time this whole thing ended.

"He's sabotaged my business deals. And destroyed alliances my family has had before I was ever born."

"There is nothing I can do to stop him. Nothing!" she shouted. "And you’re not innocent. It's all over the press. You claiming to be Mirabella's brother."

"I am her brother!" he said.

"Brother from hell!" she snapped back. "You don't want to negotiate. You don't want to stop this. You want revenge. And you think you can use me to get it. But you can't, Armando. I'm not that stupid or desperate. I’d rather deal with the fallout than give any power to you."

"Are you sure about that? Are you certain? Because you will have to be certain,piccoletta. This is the moment. This one, right here. You decide. Tell me to go and do what I wish, and trust me, I will."

Catalina felt panic swell in her heart. It wasn't just Giovanni she worried for. It was Lorenzo. Armando had a loaded gun to his head. He could pull the trigger. She knew it. He knew it. If she refused him, Lorenzo would die.

"What is it you want?" she asked, and this time, she couldn't hide the tears in her eyes. She prayed it was money. She prayed it was anything other than what she felt in his touch and kiss. She prayed hard.

"Ti voglio--I want you," he replied.

"No."

"For one night."

"No."

"Be mine, Catalina. And I will give you the tapes."

"No, damn it! I can't do that!" Catalina said. "I won't!"

"Then there is nothing you can do for Lorenzo or Giovanni," he said and started for the door. She stopped him. She blocked him. She put her hand to his chest.

"You have known me all my life, Armando. Why would you want to do this to me? I know you hate Giovanni. But why do you want to do this to me? What have I ever done to you?"

"Don't you get it?" he asked.

"No. I don't."

"I'm in love with you," he said.

"Liar!" she laughed.

"My empire is crumbling. I could end this war between Giovanni and me today. This instant. With those tapes. I could. But I won't. If I'm going to loseLa Cosa Nostra,then I'm a dead man. And if I'm a dead man, Catalina, I have nothing left but my feelings for you."

"Gross. I'm going to be sick,” she covered her mouth.

Armando chuckled.

"This is emotional rape," she said.

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