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But it is not a matter of moving on.
It is a matter of justice.
The contract is a terrible deal for me. It is one that if I were in my right mind, I would never make.
I finish going through the ways in which I will be supporting the De Luca’s failing shipping and import business, and then I glance up.
“And in exchange, I will receive a discounted fee on any of the docking, unloading, and of course, Caterina’s hand in marriage.”
She stiffens as I say her name.
I wonder if her reaction to hearing me say it is as strong as when it fell off of my tongue.
I almost called her Cat.
But she is not my Cat.
She is Caterina De Luca. She has betrayed me, the same as her brothers have.
She is not the delightful, sweet, deliciously happy girl I once knew.
She is the woman I am about to marry, and the one piece that will make the puzzle complete in my revenge on the De Luca family.
“These sound like terms I can accept,” Marco rumbles.
“Sign the contract, and it will be done.”
Marco grabs the tablet from my hand. His fingers are poised to sign, and then Caterina’s voice cuts through the silent restaurant.
“When is the wedding?”
Marco pauses. He looks at me, then at Gia. “In two weeks, yes? Enough time to obtain the license and invite all the necessary parties.”
“There will be no invites,” I respond quietly.
The table stares at me. I feel the brothers all shuffle, each one containing a multitude of rage that is ready to explode at the smallest indication.
“Today,” I growl. I know that I sound like a brute, and I can practically feel Gia’s scorn at my side. “We will marry today.”
“We can’t get married today, Elio,” Caterina says in a voice frosty with disdain. “The judge and the office are closed. We both need to be present to obtain the license.”
I laugh. “You know the rules for the state of New York. Good for you. Proxy marriage, however, is still legal in a variety of places.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “You went to obtain a marriage license already?”
I nod at Gia, who rolls her eyes and hands me an envelope. “The state of Montana, my dear fiancé, allows for a proxy marriage and requires only one party be present. As soon as you sign this document, our marriage will be official.”
Caterina’s eyes dart quickly to Marco, who is studying me with an intense look. “I wasn’t aware I would be getting married today. I don’t have everything that I need.”
“It is a good thing then, that your husband is rich enough to provide everything you might want.”
Caterina is staring at me. Some of the color bleeds from her cheeks, and I wonder why.
I had arranged for this so that I could not be further betrayed by the De Lucas. They would not have enough time to collaborate, and implement a plan.
I hadn’t thought, at the time, that Caterina would be capable of betraying me anyway. The girl that I remembered would not hurt so much as a fly.
This woman, this lioness in front of me, however, looks as though she is capable of any of the necessary acts that would be required to betray me.
