Requested by OPVixen_

It's my first time writing anything related to the mafia HAHA and I never even read any mafia books (romance or whatnot), so I'm nervous with this one. I hope y'all like it!

ENTJ (male) x INTP (female)

Catalina has always been an observant person. Being the fourth child out of seven, she is the epitome of a middle child - one that is the most forgotten by the family.

But not hers. She's glad she's smart and she's glad that she's careful with her surroundings. She managed to best her siblings growing up and all her work has paid off. Before her parents' death, she was appointed to be in charge of operations for their family business.

That's her day job.

She's got a ton of side hustles. Ones that have to be kept secret.

Of course, being a daughter of one of the most influential families in the underground business of the country forces her to live with a lot of secrets. Though, the upside is that it's a life full of grandeur and unlimited wealth.

One can never have anything, but Catalina would choose this kind of life over anything else.

She's currently attending a black-tie gala being hosted by one of her relatives (also in the same underground business as them) and has turned her attention away from the string quartet performance happening on the small stage placed in the middle. She managed to greet almost everyone in the wide grandiose hall when the gala started. It was tiring to be well-known, but still, she won't have it any other way.

The finest things of life are on display to add emphasis to her family's affluence and power. Although she is currently sitting alone at her table, enjoying the final drops of her sparkling wine, she's not afraid to let her guard down because she's aware that she's constantly being watched by security guards. That's how important of a person she is.

A butler approaches her table. "Miss Catalina?" He asks, "Would you like another refill of your sparkling wine?"

"No," she answers without any hesitation. She places her empty glass on the tray the butler is carrying with him. "I'd like a Scotch whisky. Neat."

"Of course, Miss Catalina." The butler then leaves immediately to prepare her new drink.

While waiting, Catalina decides to continue people-watching, a hobby of hers that gives a lot of benefits. People are not aware that she would know more about them than what they lead her on.

That's the power of being a silent observer.

So when there is someone that she does not recognize, such a person would stick out like a sore thumb. And speaking of them, Catalina instantly notices one man stand out from the crowd of people standing by the makeshift bar lined with the most expensive liquors and spirits in the world. He is talking with a small group of men while holding a glass of alcohol with him.

She continues to stealthily watch him. It's weird...she knows that it's her first time seeing that man, but there is another part of her that says otherwise.

It's not your first time. It's not your first time seeing him. The voice at the back of her head wouldn't stop repeating and it was creeping up on her because, for the first time, she can't seem to remember any previous interaction with that man.

Yet...there is something so alluring about mysterious men in places that she has grown accustomed to.

He cocks his head to the side showing more of his face from Catalina's angle. Her breath catches in her throat.

Mio Dio...erase her first statement. There is something so alluring about handsome mysterious men.

Now she just can't stop looking at him.

Is it the way he holds the glass of alcohol in his hand, subtly swirling the liquid in it in such a simple yet graceful movement, or is it how he stands tall and smooths his free hand down the side of his black tuxedo?

Was this how Eve felt when she was tempted to eat the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden?

Catalina has always thought that Eve did not eat the fruit only out of temptation. There was curiosity definitely laced with it.

Is she going to allow herself to let curiosity get the best of her tonight?

As a glass of whisky is placed before her, she takes it slowly from the table and raises it to her lips to take a sip. The smooth liquid slides down her throat as she keeps her eyes on the man who she's starting to treat as her version of the forbidden fruit.

It's becoming clear to her what Eve went through. And this is not only because of her curiosity, no. The alcohol in her system is pushing her to follow him once she witnesses how he gently excuses himself from the group of men he was socializing with and heads to the dessert table on the wide balcony overlooking the vast rose garden her relatives constantly take care of.

She pushes herself up the chair using the table as support and leaves her empty glass to sit idly while she follows after the man. While walking, Catalina even let her hips sway a little more than usual, the A-line of the skirt of her navy blue one-sided gown freely following her elegant movement. Internally, she blames the Louboutin heels she's currently wearing as the cause of why she's moving in a sultry manner aside from the excitement from this new endeavor brimming within her.

It doesn't take long for her to catch up to him standing before the edge of a table lined with a generous amount of delectable pastries and desserts. His back faces her and she gingerly takes a few steps near him and stops a few feet away from where he's standing.

To hide her real intentions as to why she's here, she takes a saucer plate from a stack of them and reaches over to grab the first thing in front of her, one that presumably looks like a mini lemon tart.

"You should be careful with who you're following," the man suddenly speaks levelly. His sonorous voice rings above the cool and crisp air, a voice that was heard by the only person standing with him on the balcony - Catalina. He turns to fully face her and his full presence before Catalina takes her breath away again. She should be wary of how he knew that she was following him, but that's all thrown away when he shoves a hand inside his pant pocket and regards her with a slight tilt of his head. He let slip a sliver of a smile when their eyes meet. "Hello, Miss Catalina. I was hoping to speak with you tonight."

Everything he does piques all curiosity in her and she curses him internally for having such an effect.

In all honesty, who is this guy? And why is he here?

Carefully, she eyes him from head to toe and silently studies him to know more a bit of this mystery man. He's well-groomed, definitely wealthy. Maybe as rich as me. His face has no signs of stress on it; it doesn't look droopy. He's young...maybe around a year younger than me.

"How do you know my name?"

"Everyone knows your name," he answers matter of factly, "This is your family's property."

"I saw you speaking with some of the guests inside. Have you met them before?"

"No. I only met them tonight. Great people to start a conversation with, though. What about you? Do you know them?"

She felt that he was leading her on with that question so she gives him a curt response, "Depends." Depends if their services are useful to my business.

He reads through her and chuckles under his breath. "Damn, I was expecting that."

Catalina supresses an eyeroll. They are clearly playing with each other.

But it doesn't mean that she hates it. Oh, she is enjoying this kind of banter - flirtatious, cunning, courageous, and dangerous. It's only now she realizes that she's been craving this. Maybe this time, she'll let herself loose.

"Do you expect me to tell you everything?"

"A bit," he admits with a slight shrug. "After all, you were the one who was following me." He takes a few steps closer.

"...I'm here for dessert," Catalina replies after a while.

The corners of his mouth then twitch up to form a smirk. "Am I not your dessert?"

Oh. Frankly, he took her by surprise. But two can continue to play this game. She raises an eyebrow then scoffs dismissively, "Don't push it. If I know, I would taste sweeter than you."

He pushes even further by commenting nonchalantly, "I doubt that."

Hmm, he's playful. Catalina keeps her gaze on him, studying him. Question is...should I play along? She glances to her side, noting the different stations only she and the rest of her family members know where there are security guards watching over them. They won't go to them unless they receive a signal from those in distress. Catalina's not in that position now and she knows there are still people guarding her afar.

And this man...can be someone she'll allow herself to play with for tonight.

She smirks back at him and then whispers in an enticing manner, "Come here and have a taste then."

"Who am I to turn down such an invitation?" Without wasting a second, the man almost closes the gap between them. If he moves his head one more inch closer, their lips would meet to soothe and fulfill the achingly growing tension between them.

Catalina does not say a word and tilts her face up just as he brings his lips close to hers. She gasps as he softly brushes his mouth against hers. Her heart flutters at the sensation. "Tell me if you want me to stop here," he murmurs, eyes peering into hers.

"Warning," she bravely raises a finger in the space between their lips for her to trace his upper lip as a way to tease him, "you might taste a hint of whisky."

He smiles and winks. "My favorite." His breath fans over her lips before finally closing the gap between their lips. In an instant, both melt into their kiss. It felt electric and a rush of adrenaline coursed through Catalina's veins. She loops her arms around his neck and the man manages to slip his hands around her waist. They both were pulling the other tighter to them. Oh, how fast things escalated, but she likes it that way. And she thinks that he's thinking the same, too.

No regrets, definitely no regrets are running through her mind. It's incomprehensible how they seemed to click in an instant, but she's thankful that it happened. She'll just enjoy this moment kissing this dashing man and then she'll forget about him and continue with her daily routine the next morning.

She pulls him closer to her, running two fingers along the nape of his neck and she could feel the hair at that spot stand. It causes her to smile in their kiss for she knows that he's now under her spell, not the other way around.

The man retreats for a moment to delicately whisper her name before tilting his head more to the side to deepen the kiss when their lips connect again.

When Catalina was starting to truly enjoy herself being in his embrace, she suddenly feels the outline of hard metal pressing against the side of her thigh.

She doesn't even have to look down to know what it is. It's too easy to tell. He has a gun.

Catalina's kissing a potentially dangerous man.

She breaks the kiss and keeps her sultry facade, slowly blinking her eyes open to find the man looking back at her with half-lidded eyes in desire. "God, you don't know how much I admire you."

What an unforeseen confession. "I know," she cheekily says, "I'm one to be admired." She raises a hand to cup his cheek.

The man places his hand over hers and moves his head to press a light kiss on her palm. "Miss Catalina, allow me to kiss you again."

"Hm, cute," she replies shortly before roughly pulling him down to the ground causing him to let out a quick shout of shock. She wraps an arm around his head and holds him in place firmly. The man struggles beneath her hold, moving his legs to try to push her away from him, but Catalina's had enough years of training for this. She knows that he won't easily get out of her grasp.

"Shhh," she shushes, placing her mouth before his ear, drawing a hissing intake of breath from him. With her eyes aflame, she interrogates him, "You have a gun, don't you? What's your plan with it?"

She was expecting him to curse her and continue to fight his way out of her tight grasp, but he does the opposite - a laugh rumbles out of him and he says with such fanatic energy, "Oh, God. This has made you hotter in my eyes."

Catalina was completely taken aback. She almost lost her hold on him since she becomes instantly confused by this odd...strategy? Is this even a strategy of his?

And where the hell are the security guards that should have been here moments ago?!

Being caught off guard by his comment made her grow mad. She snarls under her breath then threatens him, "You can't fool me and try to slip away with whatever the hell you have up your sleeve. You're in my family's territory. I have you surrounded all over. One word from me and I'll be the last person you'll see!"

"Damn and you're also tough, I love it." A wide grin forms on his face and suddenly he pulls her to him, making her lose her balance and fall. But she doesn't land on the ground. No, the man keeps her from falling any further and, at the same time, manages to stand, his arms carefully wrapped around her waist like how they were kissing moments ago. With one last tug, Catalina's face is inches away from the man who seemed to be so happy to have her in his arms. "Name's Domenico, darling," he utters, taking advantage of the change of events that rendered Catalina silent, "And I'd love to marry you if you'll let me."

Catalina's jaw drops. "W-Wha-" She can't even finish her sentence because the man suddenly lets go of her waist and runs away, jumping down from the balcony, as the security guards finally arrive at their location from the main hall.

"Miss Catalina!" One of the guards shouts in concern and runs toward the woman frozen in place, her mouth still agape. He checks if she had any physical wounds. "Are you alright?" Catalina still could not answer. Another guard then says, "We're sorry if we did not get here on time. We will search the whole area for that man-"

"No," she instantly speaks up. The guards regard her with bewilderment in their eyes.

"We still have to do it, Miss Catalina-"

"And I said no." She turns to face them and furrows her eyebrows, finding her thoughts in a huge mess. That man, Domenico, apparently did not want to seduce and then hurt her? Who the heck is that guy?

...and why am I so drawn to him?

"Miss Catalina?" The voice of the guard breaks her train of thought.

She then tells them, "I...I think that man just proposed to me." Disbelief could be heard in her voice.

And she can't believe that she wants to see him again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

OH I SWEAR THIS STORY MADE ME SO NERVOUS TO WRITE.

But yeah, we have a lovesick ENTJ and a serious INTP.

ALSO, MITM BY ITZY IS THE PERFECT SONG FOR THIS. I decided to place the english ver of it so that a lot more can understand ♡

Thank you for your request!