ONE
CATHERINA
I always wondered what it would feel like to transform or transcend out of the mortal plane and be in one with the birds; the wind going through my hair and rushing at my face with such force, it would be impossible for me to see. I wondered at how the outside world was and if I had a day to not be the girl I was; what exactly I was going to do with that day.
I sat staring at the ceiling while the TV in my room droned on, I could hardly hear what the woman was saying I pbutromise I wasn’t even trying. I only wanted to dream of a life where I wasn’t the daughter or born into the family of one of the most notorious mafia syndicate in the country.
The voice, I could hear him in my head… his screams as he pleaded with my father for mercy while I cowered at the corner shaking like a leaf. I glanced down, observing my neatly painted nails and soft hands.
It had been stained with blood that day, I thought
My throat closed up as guilt racked my entire body, constricting my breathing
I got up immediately, wanting to run and knowing almost at once that there was nowhere for me to go. It was as though the walls of my room were closing up around me and I was going to suffocate if I remained where I was and so I dashed out blindly, heading to nowhere in particular; my breath coming out in short pants.
I rammed headlong into him; my future brother-in-law.
His arms came around me immediately, it was pretty dark and how I knew he was the one was beyond me. It had something to do with his scent, it was the most heady thing I had ever perceived in a long time and I could not help taking a deep breath whenever he was around.
“Are you okay?” His deep baritone voice interrupted my thoughts.
The hairs on my neck stood as I remained in his embrace, my head screaming at me to turn and run back in the direction I had come from but I could not pull myself away from him, I only stood there shaking like a leaf.
“You are shaking.” He said, bringing my face up to meet his.
Like I said, it was dark but I could imagine his arresting blue eyes gazing upon my face and I was suddenly grateful for the darkness because I was suddenly warm all over.
“I am fine, I was heading to the kitchen and you scared me.” I said lamely, extricating myself from his strong grasp.
I slid away and past him, my breasts brushing his arm. I bit my tongue to keep the moan from escaping my throat and all but fled down the stairs, past the foyer and into the kitchen. It was probably just my being overly aware of the man but I could feel his stare follow me, boring into my back; branding me.
“Catherina, it is about time. You are always copped up in your room all day, dulce nina” my mamma said as soon as I entered the kitchen.
I smiled awkwardly and kissed her on the cheek, she hadn’t called me ‘sweet girl’ in a while and I just thought maybe it was because I was older now and plenty things had changed since the incident.
“I’m sorry mamma, sometimes I just want to be alone.” I told her, standing by the corner as I watched her cook.
She was always ever so delightful to watch in the kitchen that sometimes I think my papa married her only for her food.
My mamma had married Manuel Salvador, the most wanted mafia Lord and top criminal on the FBI’s list but she always acted like she was some ordinary woman and married to a farmer. She always paid no mind to my papa’s business affairs and in return she enjoyed very benefit befitting the wife of a president.
When I was younger, I used to hate her naivety and the way she so easily brushed off matters that should have been of utmost concern. Matters like my papa’s affair with a top model in South Korea when he allegedly went on a business trip.
It was all over the news and when I had called my mamma’s attention to it, she had merely shrugged and ushered my sister and I off to bed like it was nothing of concern.
My papa had returned with so many gifts and the matter was never spoken of; at least not to my hearing and I was angry at her for days until I realized it was her own way of coping with the situation and about her not being able to do anything about it.
“You are always day dreaming, your father is mighty angry at you.” She said, glancing in my direction before returning her eyes to the cooking she had going on.
I rolled my eyes at the mention of my papa’s name, he was always angry at me and so it wasn’t a new thing. I wondered why my mother always mentioned it, it wasn’t like I cared anymore.
“Papa is always angry at me; I don’t see the big deal anymore.” I told her.
“See the way you talk? No wonder the man is so unhappy. Would you blame him after that stunt you pulled off?”
The stunt was me eloping with the son of our then gardener and it had happened about a year ago but my mamma never failed to remind me of it and my papa made sure to tell everyone who cared to listen that I was ruined and soiled for life. What he failed to mention was that he had tortured and murdered the boy while I watched and he had made sure to send his body in a box to his family, warning them to get out of the country and far away from him while they could.
It has been over a year but I could still recall his screams and pleas for mercy as my papa cut off his fingers one after the other.
“That is for touching my precious daughter.” He had said.
He had bundled a shocked me into his car without a word and had ordered his men to box the dissected mess that was once the boy. I was shivering by the time I got home and still without a word, he had carried me to my room and called my mamma to attend to me.
It was there and then; I was sure about the animal my papa was. I did not speak for days and when I finally did… when my senses finally returned from wherever they went to, I wept for the boy I had lost.
“I don’t want to talk about it, mamma. I will be returning to my room.” I told her and walked away but not before I heard her tell me to apologize to my papa.
Let it rest, it has been over a year, I thought as I shook my head.
I bumped into him again but this time I was able to stop myself from fully crashing into the hulk of a man.
“I am so sorry, I did not see you there.” I told him, glancing up to his face and immediately regretting it.
“If I did not know better, miss Salvador. I would think you are running into me on purpose.” He said, his blue eyes lighting up with mischief.
I swallowed painfully as my mouth parted trying to form words, this was one dangerous man but thankfully he was getting married to my sister.
TWOCATHERINA“Mister…” I began“Cruz” he interrupted me immediately.“Excuse me?” I said“I am to be your brother-in-law so it is only right that you know my name. it is Andres Cruz and you are the lovely miss Catherina; I have heard so much about you.” He said slowly, his tongue slurring on the ‘much’ which suggested things I did not want to begin imagining.“I am sure you have” I said, my eyes showing that I did not care one bit about the things he had heard.“I did not bump into you on purpose and I am sorry if I have given you such a notion, now if you would excuse me.” I said, walking past him barely. He occupied the whole place, with broad shoulders and an aura spanning miles.I congratulated myself on maintaining my composure and not flinging the slipper I had on at the moment at his proud head. I met my sister halfway on the stairs and she stated she was about coming to look for me and so we went back up and to my room.“Have you met him?” she asked, making sure to bolt the d
THREECATHERINAI knew I most definitely must have read his lips wrong, there was no way in hell he would mouth sexy to me while we sat at the table and surrounded by my family. I was being paranoid about his attention towards me, that was all it was. My eyes trailed to the people at the table, my papa took the head seat while he, Andres Cruz sat beside him on his left and my mamma on the right. My sister sat gloomy faced beside him while I sat beside my mamma, trying to keep my eyes far away from his face. Antonio, my brother sat to my right glaring pointedly at Andres who made it a point to ignore him.Rumor had it that Andres had beat him one day in a casino game and the price on the table was a night with the girlfriend of whomever won. Antonio’s girlfriend had been more than happy to spend the night with Andres and even left her panties with him as a souvenir which he sent to my brother the following day, soiled in her juices. They had broken up immediately but the insult remaine
FOURCATHERINA“We have not met and we do not know each other.” I told my brother-in-law as we met in the gardens.I had excused myself after the meal to check on the girl who had been dragged out. She was nowhere in sight neither was the bodyguard who had done the honors. I turned to get out of the gardens before my papa began yelling for me only to stumble into Andres for the third time that day.He grabbed my shoulders to keep me upright whist muttering in Spanish about how clumsy I was.“Do you not look before you move?” he snapped.“Do you make it a habit of always being in people’s way?” I fired back him.His eyes twinkled with mirth, a reaction I was not expecting and did not know how to take.“You sure? That was not the notion I got when you slammed into me this morning”My heart skipped as I remembered all too well the feel of my breasts pressed against his chest as he caught me. He was right, I was acting like a whore and my papa would be pleased to see that he was right abo
FIVECATHERINA“Where have you been, hermana. I have been searching all over for you.” My sister asked, settling herself beside me.I had remained in the garden, pondering on so many things when Andres left. It was like my mamma had said, I loved to day dream but what she did not know is that it kept me sane and it was a safe place for me, away from my family and their drama.The music filtered through from the patio, old Spanish songs playing and if I wasn’t in such a mood; I would have smiled at the things the singer was trying to say.“I am just taking fresh air, what is the matter?” I asked.“Nothing, you are the only one I recognize in that house right now. Papa is entertaining one of his many guests and mamma, she is in a conversation with an anciana. They are discussing the wedding and I cannot help but feel pressured.” She said softly.“Come here.” I said, hugging her to myself as we both sat in the comfort of the gardens.She sniffled before saying“You know, I already packed
SIXCATHERINAI reached my room and bolted the door securely behind, my ears roaring and my heart thumping painfully in my chest. It was the way he had said my name Catherina in the most inappropriate way I had ever heard it said. My face still burned from the places his fingers have trailed and my lip remained seared by the feel of his thumb on them. I wasn’t supposed to feel that type of way for my own sister’s future husband; maybe my father was right and I was some kind of self- righteous whore.I collapsed on my bed and folded myself, hugging my knees. I was drained both physically and mentally but I still could not stop thinking about him, his eyes as he watched me and how I had felt stripped underneath his gaze. I did not think anyone could make me feel the way Andres Cruz had but then again there was no one like him.I closed my eyes to dispel the thought him and only succeeded when I finally succumbed to sleep but even then, he came in my dreams, watching me with eyes that co
SEVENCATHERINAWe all sat down at the table again, me to my mamma’s right and her to my papa’s. My sister sat beside her future husband whose sleeves were still rolled up; tempting me to look. I kept my eyes fastened to my plate, hoping there would be no drawing me into the conversation going on at the table… fat chance.My papa had extended an invite to Andres Cruz to dine with us after their little meeting that morning and again; just as last night, the presence of his uncle was required. My brother was absent for reasons best known to him and I was forced to sit beside his uncle who was doing all he could to look down the bodice of my gown and at my breasts.My papa glanced towards me and I could feel the disgust in his cold stare but I did not bother looking up, not because of him but because of the man sitting opposite me who was at that moment burning me with the intensity of his stare.“Your papa tells me you are a singer.” Franco Cruz and uncle to Andres said to me.“I am” I
EIGHTANDRESEverywhere was deathly silent after the gunshot. Mr Salvador stared at me with a look of alarm and also one of respect and admiration but I only had eyes for the fallen girl and her brother who had gone to rescue her from the weight of the dead meat that was my uncle.I dropped my gun to the table and let my arms rest beside my plate as I rolled my fork between my fingers. I was mad with rage and it burned brightly behind my eyes and in my blood. You could say that I saw red, the moment my uncle held a gun to Catherina and I snapped when he began calling her a whore.I turned to my uncle’s bodyguard who merely nodded in my direction indicating that he had no objection to his death. I still had to explain how he had died to the rest of my family but at this moment, I was in rage. My eyes darkened dangerously as Catherina was helped up by her brother, blood coating her face, her dress and hair. She had the look of someone who was shell shocked and who wouldn’t be? I had jus
NINEANDRESShe got up immediately, excusing herself from the table even as her dress dripped blood. My eyes followed her movement, waiting until her eyes met mine from behind her papa’s chair. I smiled in amusement at the wild look in her eyes but at the same I was concerned which was a feeling I found quite irritating.She turned and fled from my presence, her bloodied dress trailing behind her like in a horror movie. Mr Salvador cleared his throat beside me, drawing my attention back to him.“You shall take the body with you, I presume?” he asked“Yes, I shall” I answered distractedly as I glanced over to his wife who stayed silent beside him.“And you will definitely want something in return for the incident?” He asked.“You know the laws, Manuel.” I replied through gritted teeth, my eyes showing my anger.He nodded and then said nothing else; of course, he knew the laws. It was an eye for an eye but in this case, a life for a hand.I turned over to the sister who was sitting quie