Page 238 of La Dolce Vita

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Dominic heard his beeper over the raunchy rap lyrics blaring in his car. He found that odd. The buzzing black box danced across the dashboard. He swerved to a stop behind Giovanni's Maserati. He reached for the pager. It was an emergency code. All men were to report tovilla Rosso.Did Giovanni know about Catalina and Armando? He supposed he did. So now he was expected to come and be humiliated in front of everyone again.

When he got out of the car, he threw the pager in the bushes. The sun had risen. He was supposed to be here by dawn to see her. But he had to drive and cool his temper before he came. He wasn't sure he could do this. Not this. But the more he thought of her betrayal, the more the question kept playing in his head. Why? She owed him an explanation. He was tired of making assumptions.

This was supposed to be their home. He had so many plans for them. So much had gone up in flames before they ever got a chance. He went inside through the open doors. The moment he stepped in he knew she was there. Even now his senses could pick out the faint traces of her perfume. Dominic’s head turned and he looked toward the open doors to the outside terrace. He started off in that direction.

Outside Catalina sat on the edge of the cliff. The design of the villa gave a dangerous open view of the sea. He had intended to put gates around it for when they have children. Something that would never happen now. He dropped his hands in his pockets. He walked toward her. At some point, she heard him. Her head turned, and she looked at him. Her eyes were red from crying.

"Domi?" she said weakly. "You came?"

“It’s dangerous to be that close to the edge.” Even now he wanted to protect her. It was in his nature. Catalina got to her feet and walked toward him. There must have been something on his face that halted her approach. The elation in her eyes dimmed and then was cast away.

"I didn't think you would come," she said.

"I didn't either," he admitted.

"Why did you?" she asked.

"I'm not sure."

"I didn't sleep with him. I betrayed you. Yes. Because I lied and met with him secretly, but I could not sleep with him. I just couldn't do that because I love you. Only you."

"I don't believe you," he said.

"Why? Why not give me the benefit of the doubt? I deserve your trust. After all, we've been through I've earned it!" she shouted at him.

"I have given you the benefit of the doubt. Many times, Catalina. You lie to protect yourself, never me. You used me to kill Franco and get your revenge, and I told myself it was out of love. But it was because I am weak for you. I have always been."

“That was a hundred years ago!”

He frowned at her logic. He turned to leave. He was wrong to bother with talking with her. Not when it hurt so bad to look at her.

"You love me. That doesn't make you weak!"

Dominic shook his head. "Giovanni was right; we were not meant to be."

"To hell with Giovanni!" she spat. "He is cruel and unloving, and full of hate! He has no business speaking on love and loyalty. He doesn't know the meaning of the words. I hate him!"

Dominic’s gaze shifted, and he glanced back toward her. The sun was to her back, but he could see her clearly. The bruises on her neck were something he initially missed. "He knows? Who did that to you."

Catalina touched her neck. “The great and mighty Giovanni. He tried to kill me.”

“He wouldn’t do that.”

“He did! He threw me out of the house. That's right! I hate him! He knows about us. About what happened. And he tried to kill me! My own brother. It's all because of Rosetta. She set me up. She was working with Armando from the very start. That's how he got close to me in Sicily. Because of her. It was all a setup. It's Lorenzo fault! He betrayed the family. It was Lorenzo who had Giuseppe Calderone kill Papa. Not the Russians. Armando knew. He had proof. He and Rosetta used it to trick me to see him. So they could set me up. To destroy our love."

"It is everyone’s fault but yours?" Dominic asked.

"What did I do wrong? I lied yes, but only to protect Gio and Lorenzo. I played the game with Armando to get the tapes. I got them. And I never slept with him. What did I do wrong?"

"You betrayed me!" he shouted.

"No."

"Shut up! Loyalty isn't a word to be divided. An action to be forgotten. If you had any faith in me, the moment you learned of Armando’s lies against Lorenzo you would have told me! Me! But you didn't. Did you? Just like you never told me what Franco was, and what he was doing to you. I'm an afterthought for you, Catalina, and I always have been."

“Lies? It’s not lies. Lorenzo is responsible forPatri’s death!”

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