Page 22 of Revere: A Legacy Novel

Catherine smirked as she passed John by to head for the door. “We’re calling your release from prison a Welcome Home thing?”

“Well, yeah.”

He tugged on her hair playfully.

“Keep it up,” Catherine warned.

“Catty, you don’t even have claws,” John teased.

“So you think. Like I told Andino, keep calling me Catty, and I’m going to start charging you.”

John scoffed. “You’re never kicking that name now.”

If only they knew who had given it to her and why …

She had missed her cousin during his three year prison sentence, but she couldn’t deny that John looked a hell of a lot better than he had when he went in. His Bipolar Disorder, also known as Manic Depression, had put him into a bad episode. A fight with Andino in a public place sent him to prison after he discharged a weapon and assaulted several police officers.

John was better, though.

That’s what everyone said.

“Oh, Andino?” Catherine asked as she neared the door.

Andino shot her a look. “What?”

“Why did you lie to my dad about the reason Cross was here yesterday?”

John’s eyebrow lifted as he looked to Andino. “As in, Cross Donati?”

Andino lifted a single shoulder. “What about it?”

“Didn’t know you to break rules,” John murmured.

“I have business to handle.”

“Listen,” Catherine jumped in to have her voice heard. “I seriously don’t care about whatever you two are talking about. But, Andino, don’t have my father in a fit about me and Cross. You had him thinking I was dating him again.”

Andino laughed. “Well, I couldn’t tell him we were working together. That would not have gone over well, trust me.”

“Don’t use me for your gain,” she warned.

“Just go, Catty. Let me worry about Capo business, and you worry about yours.”

“And maybe stay away from Donati,” John added. “Wouldn’t want to irritate the boss, huh?”

“The boss is my father,” Catherine pointed out.

John nodded. “Yeah, but not to Cross.”

He had a point.

Catherine chose not to debate it further, if only because she didn’t like the way it made her feel. Heavy in her hands, tight in her chest, and weak on her feet. It wasn’t so much the conversation as it was Cross.

She was doing so well. He was supposed to be a background thought in her life. Except … apparently he wasn’t.

Catherine wasn’t interested in causing some kind of problems with her family, or worrying them, so she forced Cross out of her mind. At least, for the moment. It was the best she could do.

She couldn’t say how long it would last.