Heir’s Redemption

Chapter 19

CATERINA’S POV

I woke up with a killer hangover.

As much fun as I wanted to have last night, I totally regret it. All I did was drink and talk s**t about the fact that Rámon abandoned me again.

I wanted to drink my sorrows away, but instead, I just hyped up my anger all over again.

Well, at least I found out that I was an angry drunk now and not in the future.

“Cat.” Vinny called out as he knocked on my door.

“Go away.” I complained, feeling like my brain was melting inside of my skull.

He opened my door and slipped inside.

“Cat you gotta get up. You’ve been sleeping all day.” Vinny advised, “We gotta be at your ceremony in one hour.”

“Noooooooo!” I complained as I buried myself in my comforter.

“Jesus Cat, get yourself together.”

“Shut up you asshole.” I snapped back, making him laugh.

“I’m never letting you drink again.” He sighed out before he snatched my comforter away from me. “Now get up or I’ll go and talk to Pa. Do you really want him to come in here and give you a lecture?”

I clicked my tongue and glared at him.

“Fine you snitch. I’m getting up.”

He smirked and shook his head in amusement.“You’ll thank me later.”

“More like, want to kill you later.” I mumbled under my breath as I crawled out of bed and stumbled my way into the bathroom.

I heard Vinny leave before I turned my shower on and waited for the water to warm up.

This was gonna be one hell of a day.

I just knew it.

…

I paced the hall of the hotel as the ballroom full of people awaited for my arrival. I was anything but prepared for this. I saw my brothers get initiated just months ago, but it was all still foreign to me.

I don’t think you can ever be prepared to get branded for life.

Not only that, but I was starting to have some doubts. I love my family and I know that I was groomed to join our legacy.

But part of me feels like this is wrong.

Sometimes, I dream of a life far away from here and far away from my family’s business. Especially now more than ever, considering Rámon and I aren’t doing too well.

I thought I was ready for this.

I thought this is what my destiny was, but I don’t know anymore.

Sometimes, I wonder how my life would be if my last name wasn’t Gambino. I’d think about what I’d be doing or where I would be right about now.

“Caterina.” A familiar voice called out nearby, throwing me from my thoughts.

I turned around to see Rámon strutting into the hotel with a couple of his men behind him. He wore an all black suit that was perfectly tailored to his god-like body.

My heart raced, knowing I was in love with that selfish bastard. I was angry with him and may even hated him at times—but I f*****g loved him.

Curse my stupid heart.

I watched his eyes trail down my body, letting me know he was affected by my outfit.

I wore an all black leather body suit that had an open back—it was only fitting, considering I was about to get branded on my innocent flesh.

“Wow..you look amazing.” He breathed out as his eyes stared at my hips.

“Stop gawking and get a grip.” I rolled my eyes, trying to keep up with my act of disappointment.

He needed to know that I wasn’t happy with his past actions. He can’t just come around when it’s convenient for him and then ignore me as if I’ve never existed.

Who the hell does he think he is?

“Caterina.” His eyes softened as he gave me a sullen expression. “I’m sorry for everything.”

“You know, you’ve been apologizing a lot lately.” I mocked, “If you just did right, you wouldn’t have to apologize so much.”

“I know, I’m sorry Caterina.”

His men stood behind him, looking anywhere but at us. They looked nervous and embarrassed, as if they didn’t want to be here, listening to our conversation.

“I don’t understand you Rámon.” I admitted, “I gave you the second chance you so desperately wanted, but it seems like you don’t even care anymore.”

He tried to speak, but I cut him off.

“Do you think it’s easy for me to give my heart away to you again after you abandoned me once already?” I questioned angrily, “I’m so sick and tired of playing games with you Rámon. You never take s**t seriously and I’m really starting to regret ever loving you in the first place.”

He looked hurt by my words, but he couldn’t refute them.

I was right.

“I’m serious when I tell you that I’m in love with you Caterina Genovese Gambino.” He promised, “The only good thing in my life is you and I’m sorry if I keep f*****g up, but I will never stop loving you.”

My heart fluttered at his words as he laid his heart out.

“I know I can be selfish and immature, but I promise when I tell you that you are the only thing in my life that is important.” He admitted, “You are the light that tames my darkness Caterina and I could never abandon you.”

“Words are just words Rámon.” I breathed out, “Your actions say otherwise.”

“I know.” He sighed out as he ran his hand over his face, “I’m taking care of some problems that have come up, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you.”

“What kind of problems?”

“Problems that don’t concern you.” He admitted, making me frown.

“How can this ever work when you keep secrets? You treat me like a child, as if I can’t handle the truth.”

“I don’t treat you like a child Caterina, I just don’t want to bother you with my problems.” He groaned out, looking frustrated.

“We are supposed to be in this together! So your problems are my problems! Don’t you get that?!”

My chest heaved as I stared up at his stupid handsome face.

“I know Caterina, thats why I have distanced myself.” he admitted softly, “I don’t want my problems to affect you. I know how much you love me and will try to fix everything. You can’t fix every problem I have, only I can do that.”

I rolled my eyes and sighed out. “Whatever Rámon.”

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me into his arms.

“I love you Caterina.” He whispered out as he kissed my forehead, “Always have and always will.”

“But is love enough?” I questioned in frustration as I pulled back, “Because from what I’m feeling, I don’t think love is enough to keep us together.”

With those last words, I stormed into the ballroom full of people. All of their eyes were on me, judging every step I took as I moved towards the podium and towards my destiny.

…

My parents, along with Vinny and the twins, were with me on the podium. My father has been going on and on about me and my achievements this far—telling everyone how much of a nice addition I will be to the mafia world.

I’ve tuned out most of his speech, not being able to concentrate on any of it. My thoughts were on Rámon and how much distance has been between us lately.

I thought we’d be closer more than ever right now, but it’s the total opposite.

Rámon acts like everything is fine, like our love is enough to withstand every secret and problem each of us has.

But I don’t agree.

We both have to put work into the relationship to make it work. We can’t just rely on our love for each other to make this work between us.

Love just isn’t enough.

I don’t want to spend the rest of my life with him, if he’s just gonna come around when it’s convenient for him.

How would I trust him?

How can I give him my everything, if he can’t trust me enough to tell me his problems and come to me with the truth?

It just seems like I’m a distraction from his everyday life—like a toy he picks up when he wants to play and then puts down when he has to leave again.

I don’t want to be his toy.

I want to be his equal.

“Caterina.” My father called out, bringing me back to reality.

I looked around the room, seeing that everyone was staring at me. I think I had been in my head for too long—everyone noticed.

I cleared my throat, “Yes father.”

“Are you ready my principessa?”

I nodded my head, “Yes.”

He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead before letting me go.

Vinny stepped up to the podium, ready to lead the ceremony. Since he was the Don, he would be performing my initiation ceremony today.

“Let’s begin, shall we.” Vinny stated for all the hear as he held out his hand for me. I took it and joined him next to the hot caldron, that heated up the metal iron that was soon to be burned into my flesh.

Vinny turned and faced me.

“My blood, my equal, and my sister.” Vinny smiled as he spoke from his heart, “Do you solemnly pledge your loyalty to this world, to your family?”

“My life belongs to the family and I will give it freely if needed.” I pledged loudly, for all to hear. “Omertà is my law, silence is my strength.”

Vinny proudly smiled as he squeezed my hand in comfort. My heart raced as I eagerly anticipated the ending of this initiation.

Vinny looked down at the knife and gun on the table next to us. He nodded his head, letting me know I needed to continue with the initiation.

“I swear to live and die by this family, never betraying or sabotaging what we’ve built.” I pledged.

Vinny picked up the knife and cut into my right palm, shedding my crimson blood. I held my hand over the caldron full of coals and let my blood shed inside.

The fire burned my blood, emitting a bitter metallic sent that filled the whole room.

I felt it—I signed my life over to the mafia.

“As my blood burns, so will my soul. I enter here alive and will leave dead.” I pledged as my eyes were consumed by the flames as I stared down at the caldron.

“It is time.” Níkolai joined Vinny by the fire and picked up the hot iron that was crafted with the seal of our family’s crest.

My mother stood over to the side with tears falling down her cheeks. She looked proud but she also looked sad, like her little girl was leaving her forever.

My father passed the hot iron to Vinny, who took it with care. I turned around, facing the crowd again as I anticipated the pain that was to come.

I would be getting the same brand that my brothers got, just months ago.

My eyes searched the crowd for those one pair of amber eyes that I couldn’t get enough of—But he was nowhere to be found.

Did he leave me again?

“I’m here.” Rámon’s voice spoke out as his large frame blocked my view. I looked up to see him standing in front of me.

He didn’t leave me this time.

He leaned in and kissed my forehead.

“I’m not leaving you ever again.” He whispered as he stayed by my side.

“Are you ready Cat?” Vinny asked out, making me nervously nod my head.

Rámon grabbed my hands and interlaced our fingers together.

“Give me your pain.” He whispered, “You don’t have to do this alone.”

This was the Rámon that I fell in love with all those years ago.

The pain was unbareble as Vinny plunged the hot iron onto my skin. The skin on my back felt like it was being ripped off and there was nothing I could do about it.

My muscles contracted as my skin burned until it couldn’t be burnt anymore. I could smell the way my flesh burned, emitting a pungent scent of death that filled the room.

My fate was being seared into my innocent flesh.

“Look at me.” Rámon whispered, making me open my eyes that were squeezed shut.

I was practically breaking his fingers as I squeezed them so tight, feeling like I was gonna die.

“Breathe.” Rámon whispered as he stroked my hair.

Vinny finally pulled the hot iron back, making me release all the air in my lungs that I was holding in.

I honestly forgot how to breathe for a moment.

“I’m so proud of you.” Rámon smiled as he kissed my cheek and pulled me into his arms.

I wanted to cry and scream out how bad it hurt, but I kept it all inside, knowing I had a role to play.

“it’s okay.” Rámon whispered, “I know it hurts, but you did good. I’m so proud of you, little one.”

“Alla famiglia!” Vinny yelled out

“Alla famiglia.” The crowd yelled back. (To the family.)

I breathed in Rámon’s rich cologne, feeling safe in his arms. My breathing calmed as he embraced me in his arms, not letting me go.

I never wanted to leave his arms—this is where I always wanted to be.

With him.

I just wish he would change—for me.