Fated to be a Mafian Queen

Beautiful Temptations

As the sun's rays pierced through her bedroom curtains, Catalina opened her eyes groaning and stretching and tugging at her consciousness as she pulled from the depths of sleep to prepare to get her day started.

Blinking drowsily, she reached for her phone on the bedside table, still struggling to shake off the remnants of her dreams and get in touch with reality. As her eyes focused on the screen, she jolted awake as her eyes became wide open. It was a text message from Manuel. The sight of his name on her phone caused her heart to race.

"Hey, Piedra. Just wanted to check in to be sure you are well-rested. Hope you got your arm treated and hope you're feeling better much better. Have a great day! -Manuel"

She dropped her phone and held her arm in shock. How did he know about her arm? Dread washed over her as she realized that he must have known that she was the one who had been spying on his deal the night before. Her body jolted upright, an instant adrenaline pumping through her veins at this revelation.

Feeling an urgent need to escape her thoughts, Catalina threw off the covers and sprung out of bed. She began to pace back and forth in her bedroom thinking of the possible scenarios when they came face to face. Panic filled her as she wondered if he would confront her about it. She needed to occupy her mind else she would lose it.

She decided to quickly get dressed and prepare herself for another long night at the nightclub. She was ready to face her fears. As she arrived at the club, her friend Mia greeted her with a curious and discerning look.

"Hey, Piedra! Where were you last night? You seemed to have disappeared!"

Catalina smiled and hugged her summoning a smile. Mia continued to look at her waiting for an answer and she shrugged casually with a playful smile on her lips.

“What?” she said as she chuckled. “I was out. Nothing too exciting. Just had some personal stuff to take care of. Are you asking out of care or because you missed having me on your shift?” She said winking at Mia.

Mia furrowed her brow, unconvinced by Catalina’s evasive response. “Just be careful. These are dangerous people, don’t get mixed with them ok?” she told Catalina in a worried tone.

“I’m not doing anything with anyone Mia. It was just some personal stuff. It went well though, thanks for asking,” Catalina answered her. Mia did not press any further, choosing instead to focus on getting all that was needed for the busy night ahead.

As the evening progressed, the club began buzzing with patrons. Catalina found herself so lost in her job that she did not remember the text message she had received from Manuel earlier in the day. While she was attending to customers at the bar of the club, her eyes widened as she spotted Manuel entering the club with a very beautiful woman holding onto his arm.

They both seemed quite happy as they laughed and were caught up in their discussion as they found a place to sit. Manuel’s eyes drifted toward the bar as if in search of Catalina, but his eyes quickly returned to the smiling face of his guest who planted a kiss on his cheek as she brought his attention back to her.

Catalina felt her breath hitched in her throat as a pang of jealousy surged through her. She was very upset but did her best to control herself. She thought they had a chance at something special but he obviously had interest in another. She felt as though the world had suddenly become smaller as she seemed to be unable to take her eyes away from the couple.

She felt as though there were only three of them in the club. As she took another look at the couple, she met Manuel’s eyes and he gestured for her to come to their table. She feigned ignorance acting like she was not looking at him. She quickly brought her gaze back to the customers who were standing in front of her.

“Piedra! Piedra!!” Santos called out to her. “Go and wait on Senor Manuel’s table, he has requested that,” he told her. Catalina felt a rush of anger. It was enough that he had been playing with her feelings and brought his girlfriend to the club. Now he wanted her to wait on their table?

“Santos, can someone else do that? I’m quite busy here.” Santos shook his head in disagreement. “He asked for you, Piedra,” Santos told her as he walked away from her.

Catalina was upset, but she had to obey the orders of her superiors. She asked one of the ladies to cover for her. As she walked toward them, she realized that Manuel had likely requested her in an attempt to make her jealous. She decided to play cool and hide her true feelings. She was not going to give him the satisfaction.

As she approached, her heart pounding, she couldn't help but notice how effortlessly charming Manuel was with the beautiful woman. He was looking quite handsome, his white shirt was open in a way that she could see his gold necklace with the crucifix pendant laying bare on his chest.

As she stared at this charming man, the lady put her hand on his chest as though she heard Catalina’s thoughts. Catalina’s eyes burned with envy as she watched him exchange kisses and playful touches with his companion.

“Ahem! Excuse me for interrupting. You called for me Sir,” she said. Manuel looked at her with a playful smile on his lips. “It’s Manuel. A blue martini for the lady and I’ll like a dirty martini,” he said while smiling at Catalina.

She nodded as she took down their order. Minutes later she returned with it only to find Manuel and his guest having a moment. She put down the drinks they ordered and walked away from the table. The jealousy she felt tugged at her and she suddenly felt a huge lump inside her throat that she could not swallow.

Unable to withstand the sight any longer, walked toward Santos’ office. She knocked on his door and requested to speak with him.

“Santos, I’m really sorry, but I feel a bit unwell. Will it be okay with you if I took my leave now?”

“Is everything okay Piedra? You look quite pale. Did the boss do something?” Santos asked in a concerned tone.

“I’m fine Santos, I just need to go home early today. If it’s fine with you, I would like to leave now,” she told him in a pleading tone.

“Of course, Piedra. Your health is a priority. Take care of yourself. I hope you feel better soon,” Santos told her as his eyes scanned her face. His brows furrowed in concern.

“Thank you, Santos,” she replied to him as she proceeded to exit his office.

As she walked towards the staff exit, her heart was pounding so hard that she held her chest. As she stepped out of the door, she didn’t anticipate the sudden grip of Manuel’s hand on her arm, halting her steps. As she turned to look, she saw Manuel looking down at her with his beautiful eyes staring at her lips.

Before she could react, his lips crashed onto hers in a passionate, fiery kiss. Her resistance melted away as he pulled her closer, his embrace overwhelming her senses.

His voice, laced with desire, reached her ear in a soft whisper, "Why are you so inquisitive, Piedra, I told to you to stay in the car?" His breath caressed her cheek, his eyes locked onto hers, inviting her to lose herself in their depths.

As she tried to speak, Manuel kissed her so fiercely that she felt like she was floating in the air. Catalina was caught between longing and confusion as her mind struggled to process the intensity of their connection. She surrendered to his touch, her body eagerly responding to his every demanding kiss.

Just as the encounter was about to reach its apex, Manuel abruptly released her, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “I need to go now. I don’t want to keep my guest waiting,” he said with a suggestive wink as he adjusted his shirt and disappeared back into the club, leaving Catalina breathless and conflicted.

Outside in the night air, Catalina sagged against the wall, feeling a mix of emotions churning inside her. He knew she was peeking the other night and did not give her the opportunity to defend herself. She also berated herself for allowing him to pull her into his spell without hesitation.

A deep sense of regret gnawed at her, knowing that she had exposed her vulnerability to him. She felt terrible not knowing whether he would trust her again. Unable to bear the weight of her emotions alone, Catalina hurriedly retrieved her phone from her bag and dialed Javier's number. As it rang, her mind in turmoil, she needed to let him know that she may have blown their plans.

“Papa? I blew it,” she said as she made her way home. “Calm yourself mija and tell me what happened,” Javier told her in a bid to calm her.

“He knows. Manuel knows I was looking from the window the other night. What do I do?” she told Javier, her voice shaking and laced with regret.

“You need to calm down mija. I do not think it is a big deal. He probably feels that you want to be a part of things. He may perceive you as one who is enthusiastic about getting into the business. Don’t admit anything until you absolutely have to. Okay?” Javier told her.

“Okay. Thanks for always knowing how to make me feel better, Papa. I love you.” Javier smiled. “I love you mija and I am always here for you,” he told her in a reassuring tone.

" There’s more,” Catalina told Javier with her hand covering her face in shame. I… I gave in to Manuel. It was like I couldn't resist him, no matter how hard I tried," she confessed, her voice trembling with remorse. "I feel so angry with myself. But deep down, I think I might be in love with him."

Javier sighed heavily, aware of the fragile state Catalina was in. "Catalina, love can blind us, make us lose ourselves. But you have gone there for a reason and you must not lose sight of it. You need to be careful and stay focused. Else your mission will be in jeopardy, do you understand?"

With those words, Catalina's heart sank further. The realization hit her. Love had clouded her judgment, and it would be an uphill battle to navigate her emotions while staying true to her ultimate goal. Closing her eyes, she clenched her fists, committing to regaining control of the situation. This was only the beginning, and she had to be prepared for the storm that lay ahead.