Page 43 of Deadly Intentions

twenty-six

CATARINA

Six months later.

I watched as my brother Antonio and his wife Rachel joined hands with Michael. He’d started to fill out and was close to resembling the man he had been before everything happened. Massimo and Vincenzo stood off to the side, smiling at our sibling as the binding ceremony came to an end. Rachel looked amazing for just giving birth, but I suspected her glow was from the love she felt for both men.

Madison cradled their tiny bundle in her arms, her eyes twinkling with longing of her own. I felt bad for her in a way. Everyone had managed to get married before her and Massimo, even though they’d been engaged first. When I asked her about it, she simply shrugged and said she knew their time would come and she wasn’t about to rush off to a Vegas chapel just to make it happen.

Massimo watched her with curiosity. He smiled at me when he caught me looking. I suspected they wouldn’t wait long after they finally got married to have their own children. I was kind of shocked they hadn’t already popped out a baby—seeing as it appeared to be the way we did things in the family. I pressed my palm to my flat stomach and grinned.

Donny eyed me suspiciously from his seat next to me. His arm draped across the back of the chair, and he leaned into my side. “Are you ok?” I nodded my response. “Catarina,” he whispered. “You can tell me anything. I know something’s wrong. You haven’t been yourself.”

I pressed my head to his shoulder and sighed. “I’ve just been tired, that’s all.”

“Maybe you’re pushing yourself too hard. You didn’t have to go back to work so soon.”

This had been a source of tension between us. Not long after Michael woke up, Harley and I secured jobs back in the ER where I’d worked before leaving Vegas. My boss was ecstatic to have me back and gain a nurse as skilled as Harley. Donny had been resistant, worrying that I was going to put myself in a situation that would trigger bad memories. But it hadn’t, and I was doing fine.

“Donny, we’ve had this conversation. I love working and it’s been good for me.” I noticed my sister, Celestina, and Alex having a heated conversation. Alex had struggled initially coming to Vegas. But after he was stripped of his badge and barely escaped jail time for a false accusation, he gave up fighting Massimo’s suggestion to work for him. Now he was head of security at Discoteca.

His warm lips heated the skin on my forehead. “I know. I can’t help worrying about you. I love you.”

“And I love you, but you’ve got to lighten up. Besides.” I sat up and pressed my palm to his knee. “I’ll be taking a leave of absence in six months, anyway.”

“A leave of absence?” Donny toyed with the gold band on my left hand. Much to my parents’ dismay, we’d eloped. I didn’t want the fancy dress or exuberant guest list. I just wanted him.

“Yes.”

“Catarina,” he growled. “What aren’t you telling me?”

His question was interrupted by the sound of clapping. Our eyes moved to the front in time to see Antonio, Michael, and Rachel coming down the center aisle. Madison handed off their newborn son to Rachel and kissed her. I was on my feet and stepping into their path.

“Congratulations, baby brother.” I pulled Antonio into my arms. “I’m so happy for you guys.”

Michael cut in and wrapped me in his embrace. “Have you told him?” he whispered into my ear.

I shook my head no. Michael and I had a special relationship, one the others didn’t question. He had confided in Antonio that he remembered me talking to him the entire time he’d been in a coma in Lake District. It forged a unique connection between us, making him the person I went to when I needed to talk. He knew things about me I hadn’t even told my best friend, Harley, about.

“Don’t make him wait.” Michael kissed my head and stepped back. He wrapped his arm around Rachel and leaned down to kiss his son. “Waiting is torture on those that love you.”

“What’s he talking about?” Donny eyed us suspiciously.

“I love you.” I turned and pressed a chaste kiss on his mouth.

“Catarina… stop ignoring my questions. Please.” His eyes pleaded with me.

Antonio chuckled. “We’ll see you two at the house.”

I watched as they headed off toward their house. The wedding had been held on Michael’s property, keeping it intimate for the three of them.

My eyes found Donny still watching me when I turned back. “Donny,” I whispered, reaching out and brushing my fingers down his face. “When I said nothing was wrong, I was telling the truth. But there is something. Something that’s going to change things.”

“Change things?” He shook his head.

“Yes.” I laced my fingers with his and tugged his hand to my belly. I splayed our joined hands across the barely there bump.

Donny stared at the place our hands rested. His brows furrowed in confusion at first, but slowly his head raised, and he found my eyes on him. A lone tear trickled down his cheek, splashing onto our joined hands. He held my gaze, his stare full of questions. I only nodded, as words were not needed in this intense moment.

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