Page 49 of Cross + Catherine: The Companion

The Aftermath

Catrina POV

With Cross Donati gone from the private dining area, the space turned deathly silent. Such an abnormal thing for these men surrounding Catrina. They very rarely found themselves rendered speechless.

She supposed an attack like the one Cross launched upon her husband would do just that—leave them all without the right words to say.

Sometimes, Catrina thought—as much as she loved him—that Dante could be a bit too complacent. Too comfortable, so to speak, in his position at the top. He rarely came up against someone who did not fear him in some way.

Catrina knew the truth the second Cross left without looking back.

Her husband learned then, too …

Cross Donati did not fear Dante Marcello.

Catrina didn’t have the first clue if that made things worse, or not. She really didn’t have the time to figure it out, all things considered.

“Boss, I didn’t mean for him to get past me like that,” the enforcer said. “He just—”

“Shut the fuck up,” Dante snarled.

“I—”

“Get out!”

Her husband’s roar could have shattered glass from the volume. His face reddened, his teeth clenched, and he balled his fists tightly at his sides. The calm demeanor Dante usually sported was officially lost. His appearance—much like hers—was of the utmost importance to them. Nothing should shake it.

He had lost that hold on his control. She worried, but silently.

“Did I fucking stutter?” Dante shouted at his balking enforcer. “I said get out!”

The man didn’t need to be told again. He hightailed it from the private space without a look back. The whole time, Dante glared at the empty space the enforcer left behind.

“I want him appropriately punished for that error,” Dante hissed at Lucian.

“It could have happened to any man holding the door,” Lucian countered. “He’s a good enforcer, Dante. Don’t create unneeded tension.”

“If he’s such a good enforcer, then he will be a far better one after he is taught a lesson for what happened here today.”

Lucian opened his mouth again—likely to protest his brother’s demand even more. He quickly snapped his mouth shut when Dante’s burning glare turned on him.

Dante’s gaze screamed silent threats. A curl of his lips promised fast violence. His posture showed his position without him even needing to actually say a damn thing.

Normally, Catrina would appreciate those things about her husband. Right then, however, they all concerned her.

“I’ll have something done,” Lucian muttered.

“Make sure of it.”

Catrina replaced her knife to the sheath at her inner thigh. Beneath the skirt of her dress, the weapon couldn’t be seen. Despite her husband’s protests over the years, she still preferred a sharp, small knife to a loud, clunky gun.

For obvious reasons …

Like today.

Cross had not flinched when the guns came out to play. Catrina and her knife, however, had certainly made him hesitate, and swallow a little harder. For only a moment, sure, but a moment was all she needed from a man to end him.

“As for that fucking Donati bastard,” Dante said, still looking at his brother, “I want something done with him, too. Soon.”