Caterina

The ride back to the motel is spent in silence, and I do my best to ignore Dolion, choosing to admire the clear night sky above, with only a sliver of the moon visible, the stars being drowned out by the city lights that illuminate the surrounding area.

Rich wasn't able to arrange anything for tonight, so we'll be leaving tomorrow evening instead, and Dolion seemed less than thrilled about it. Although he made sure to let Rich know how much it was appreciated, apparently with a very large sum of money sent directly to the club owners private bank account right from Dolion's phone.

He hadn't used his cellphone even once in front of me until that moment. I had started to wonder if he even kept one on him. But I should have known the prick probably has it on him constantly, purposely using it only when I'm not around, the asshole.

Now that I know he does, in fact, have a cellphone with us I fully intend to make use of it, and first thing I'm doing is calling my father to demand he replace Dolion immediately with someone else. I can't bring myself to even look at the man, let alone spend another night in a motel with him.

Fighting the urge to reach out and slap him across the face as I follow him, walking into the motel room after arriving just a moment ago. I'm pissed off, more so than I should be considering I'm the one who climbed into his lap, and when it came down to it, I was also the one who parted my legs slightly for Dolion when he went to reach up beneath the hem of my dress.

I hate myself because I wanted him to touch me, and I felt entirely too hurt when he walked away from me without even a single glance, like it was easy to walk away from such a moment. To walk away from me and what I had offered to him. He used that opportunity to get back at me, and maybe it's what I deserve for taunting him first.. I don't know..

Tears threaten to spill over as I march past Dolion, and I do my best not to make eye contact. Snatching up my backpack full of all the things he recently bought me, I then proceed to storm into the bathroom without a word. I turn the shower on and undress quickly, stepping into the water before it's even done heating up all the way.

I scrub at my skin, trying to erase the feeling of Dolion's hands on me, and hating myself when I can't help but wonder why he stopped. Maybe he truly does hate me. Or maybe he has half a brain after all, and realized if anyone found out and word got back to my father that my bodyguard fucked me, Dolion would lose his job. Not that I feel like it's anyone's damn business who I choose to sleep with.

It's definitely better this way, I would have stopped him at some point, anyways. There's no way in hell I was actually going to have sex with Dolion. I won't deny that I have a physical attraction to him, I would have enjoyed doing certain things with him.

But I sure as hell wasn't going to have sex with Dolion. I rinse my face in the running water, washing away the makeup I had put on earlier. I let the warm water run down my face, mixing with the tears that I try so desperately to hide, even from myself.

Dolion hasn't seen me cry yet, and I'll never let him. He will never see me in such a weakened emotional state. I finish my shower, taking longer than necessary.

Usually by now Dolion would have come to annoy me, knocking on the door, demanding to know what's taking so long, saying he also needs to use the bathroom. This time he's left me alone though, and as I stand in the steam filled bathroom I don't hear any noise from the other side of the door.

Good, I hope he continues his silence.

I dry off, then slip into some black pajama bottoms and a matching black shirt. Exiting the bathroom I find Dolion sitting in one of the chairs, a drink in hand, as he stares out the window that's partially opened. I quietly slip into my bed, not bothering to turn on a light or say anything. After all the wine I kept drinking tonight I just want some rest.

Dolion clears his throat, breaking the silence. "Cat-"

"Stop." I immediately cut him off.

"It's not that I didn't want to. It's that I can't. My job and your father being only some of the reasons." I wish he would just drop it already. I remain quiet, scowling into the darkness of the motel room.

"Just let me sleep, Dolion. I'm tired." Things remain quiet for a while after that. I roll onto my side, rubbing my temple as a headache begins to form, probably from too much wine. It doesn't take me long to fall asleep, and I'm thankful to be able to sleep off the remainder of the headache.

A feeling I'm all too familiar with is what wakes me from my sleep, I'm wide awake in an instant, my eyes darting towards the window to see it's just now dawn. Looking at Dolion I find him still fast asleep, and I waste absolutely no time at all slipping from my bed to grab my bag that has all my personal belongings in it.

Darting to the bathroom I silently thank God that I wore black bottoms to bed last night. I had just thought to myself the other day it was a good thing Dolion had thought to bring my feminine products.
I should have been more observant of the date and my body.

The horniness last night. My emotions being all over the place, going from raging one minute to trying not to sob the next. Then my hormonal headache last night. It's my fucking period, of all the god damned things I needed, this was not it.

I rinse off in the shower quickly, once I'm done I situate myself as needed, taking note of the fact I'm low on pads, and then I dress in some black leggings and a slightly oversized army green tee. Tying my hair up in a simple high ponytail before I slip my socks and sneakers on, cleaning up the bathroom I make sure to leave no trace of what decided to pop up this morning.

Life is entirely unfair sometimes.

Dolion is nowhere in sight as I exit the bathroom, but it appears he let in house keeping as I spot a little old lady with salt and pepper hair putting clean sheets on my bed. She smiles at me as she finishes, going to her cart in the hallway before returning with new towels.

"Where would you like these?" She asks in a kind voice.

"You can just set them on the bed right there, thank you." I smile politely at her, and she returns my smile as she sets the towels down, then heads out the door quietly, shutting it behind her.

Finally, I let myself grow anxious in peace. I swallow hard and close my eyes. It's just a coincidence, he did not call housekeeping. Plus, she switched out the linens on both the beds, not just mine.
I sit down at the foot of my bed after grabbing a small bag of pretzels, one of the many snacks purchased while out shopping.

Hearing the beep of the card being used to enter the room I turn and watch as Dolion walks in with a plastic shopping bag. Walking over he sets it down beside me without saying anything, then goes into the bathroom. A few moments later I hear the shower running. I don't want to look in the bag, but I do anyways. Dark chocolate covered peanuts, an iced raspberry tea, and a small pack of pads. It's not just my face that heats with absolute embarrassment, I can feel my ears burning too. That leaves no doubt that it was not a coincidence that house keeping was here switching out the linens.

Dolion emerges from the bathroom a short time later, his dark hair still damp, wearing black slacks, and a dark grey button up dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up just beneath his elbows.

I turn slightly towards him and mumble a quiet. "Thanks.."

"It's not a problem, I needed to go grab a few things from the store, anyways." He shrugs.

I look him up and down, imagining the large, tattooed man standing in the feminine hygiene aisle. "Most men wouldn't care to go out and buy things like these." I gesture towards the bag.

"I have two younger sisters, and my mother. I've been sent to the store more times than I can count to buy them things, I never really minded." He begins packing anything that had been left out, I'm sure check out time is nearing, seeing as how we won't be staying another night.

"Two younger sisters?" I'm honestly surprised Dolion would offer up any personal information to me at all, but now I'm curious.

"Yes, they're a good bit younger than me, but I've always had a good bond with them, despite them being a pain in my ass." Dolion's mood seems to darken, and I suddenly feel as though I overstepped a boundary asking questions about his life, but he offered the information willingly, and didn't hesitate to do so.

"I never had any siblings, and my mom passed away when I was eleven. It's just been me and my father.. and his second wife, since then." I offer up, sharing something about myself.

Dolion catches on to my tone as I mention my stepmother. "Viviana is a snake." He says. "Your father is foolish to trust that woman."

"I don't believe he does trust her, in all honesty. Despite my objections my father has me in his will to inherit everything. His fortune, his possessions, and the Sicilian Mafia empire. It is all promised to me when he passes. I don't want it, but there's nothing that witch of a woman can do to prevent it, either. If Viviana had her way she would inherit every bit of it, and I don't think anyone wants that, except her."

"He named you head of the Sicilian Mafia upon his passing, despite your refusal?"

"My father is positive I'll change my mind when the time is right, but he's wrong. I'll simply hand over everything to one of my cousins, whomever seems most fit and able for the position."

"You'd give up so much, so easily?" He questions.

"I watched my mother die, Dolion. I watched as her blood stained the carpet of my livingroom when I was a child. Why would anyone think I'd want anything to do with the business that literally got my mother killed?" I shouldn't be as irritated as I am, but I hate being questioned as to why I wouldn't want to take a position as head of a Mafia. It's dirty work, and I won't be a part of it.

"I had no idea you witnessed what happened to your mother, Caterina. I'm sorry. No child should be exposed to such things. And I have no right to question your decisions, I apologize."

"I wanted to run away that day.. I wanted to run away and never return. The day after I turned eighteen I left, and I thought maybe.. maybe I had finally escaped the life my mother never had the opportunity to." I meet Dolion's blue eyes from across the room.

"But now here I am, right back in the thick of the shit-show that is the Mafia. And every day I wonder if it will be my blood staining the floor next." I look away from Dolion, feeling like maybe I just bared a little too much of myself to him.

I hadn't realized that he had made his way over to me until he crouches down in front of me, looking me in the eye. "Never. Caterina, that will never be you. I swear on my life. I'm here to protect you, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep my word. I will keep you safe."

His words send a wave of comfort through me, and I try to ignore it. This is his job. It's his job to protect me.

So why is he looking at me like this? His eyes seem to study my face, in a way Dolion hasn't done before. His eyes linger on my lips, then his gaze slides back up to my hazel eyes. "No one will lay a hand on you, Caterina. Not as long as you're with me." He says quietly.

Grabbing my hand within his, Dolion kisses the back of it, my breath catching as he does, his eyes never leaving mine. His lips are soft and warm against my skin. The gesture is quick, and he releases my hand from his grasp just as my heart begins to beat faster, my face heating as my mind lingers on what the hell that just was.

Such a simple thing, meaningless, I'm sure. But no one's ever done something like that. I've been kissed, of course. But something about the way Dolion looked right into my eyes as he laid his lips upon my skin.. It had my heart racing.

He's already out of sight, in the bathroom packing up our belongings in there, from the sounds of it. "We'll need to go ahead and leave soon, I paid for a late check out, but the roads are going to be busy. Traffic is going to suck, and we can't be late to our flight."

Busy roads and bad traffic? "Why? Is there something going on tonight?"

"There's a large festival going on for Día de los Muertos, the streets will be full of people."

"Today is November first?"

"Yes, why?" Dolion exits the bathroom, zipping up his bag as he walks.

I bite my lip, deciding whether or not I'll inform him that November first is also my birthday.

"No reason, I just didn't realize so much time had passed already. Officially two weeks of being kidnapped and held against my will. Maybe we'll have to stop for drinks." I joke humorlessly.

Dolion looks at me suspiciously before coming up to my side of the room. "Everything packed?" He asks simply.
I nod my head, and he grabs my bags, taking them with as he walks out the door, letting it shut softly behind him as he takes our bags to his car.

Well, happy-fucking-birthday to me.