Chapter Eleven
1535 Words
Catalina was still breathing hard as Julian stepped forward, casting Marcus to the side, his warm arm wrapped around her waist.
“If I had known letting my date come here alone would turn into this,” he said calmly, “I would never have let her come here without me.”
Catalina’s pulse stumbled; she tried to wriggle away from him, but his grip tightened as he leaned in to whisper. “Stay still. You can get mad at me later.”
Marcus gritted his teeth, Gianna’s wrist seated in the crook of his elbow; the muscle in his jaw went haywire as he took in the room. Phones were still out, and the elite had gathered around like gawking fish. He smoothed out his features.
“You are mistaken, Rinaldi. The women just had a misunderstanding. After all, what's a little fight between best friends?
Julian finally turned his head slightly, staring the lesser man down with a sneer.
“Funny,” he said. “Cara,” he addressed her. “You never mentioned being friends with this woman.”
“She is not my friend.” Catalina spat out.
Marcus’s expression darkened. “You always were a traitor, Catty. Discarding your best friend once something else comes along, like who-,”
Thud.
Catalina gasped as Julian's hand wrapped around Marcus's throat. The man had left her side in a flash.
“I would watch the words you say about her, DeLuca. Because if you think I won't kill you right now in front of everyone, you're sorely mistaken.”
Gianna wrapped her arm around Marcus as he slid down the wall. “Everyone is looking. You should stop.”
Turning around, a sweet smile on his face as he stretched out a hand to Catalina.
The shift was immediate.
“Can I have this dance?” he asked quietly.
Catalina blinked at him.
“You’re serious?”
“I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.”
A twin smile spread out on her face, as something warm twisted in her chest.
She hesitated only a second before placing her hand in his.
The moment they stepped onto the dance floor, the world changed.
The music came back to life around them, blurring out voices and cameras, cocooning them in a mirror world of their own.
Julian’s hand settled at her waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Catalina didn’t know where to look first.
His face.
The way his gaze stayed on her like she was the only woman in the world.
Or the fact that her body had already betrayed her by leaning slightly closer to his heat.
“You’re staring, Cara,” Julian murmured.
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I’m thinking.”
“Liar.”
A reluctant breath of laughter escaped her.
He guided her into a slow turn, steady, and took the lead.
“What are you thinking about then?” he asked.
Catalina scoffed softly. “A lot of things.”
“Must be about how you plan to apologize to me.”
She looked up sharply. “In your dreams.”
A faint smile tugged at his mouth.
“So feisty. Like a wild cat ”
“Why haven’t you been taking my calls? Or responding to my messages?” The question slipped out before she could hold it in
Julian didn’t hesitate.
“I needed time. And I figured you did the same.”
“What? You've been in my face every day for the past month, showing up everywhere even when I didn't ask for it.”
“It was the first time you asked me to leave,” he said calmly. “I was giving you the space you asked for.”
“You pushed me away, Catalina. I honoured your choice.”
Catalina’s grip tightened slightly on his shoulder.
“I was angry,” she admitted.
“I noticed,” he said lightly. “Your hand was bleeding, yet you looked ready to bite my head off.”
She huffed a quiet laugh.
“I wasn’t thinking right. I was just so frustrated, and you were there, and,.”
She sighed, leaning into him as they turned again.
“And you took it out on me.” He finished.
She exhaled slowly.
“There’s a leak,” she whispered, “Someone inside Giordano Estates is feeding information out. I have a pretty good idea of who the person might be, but I don't want to believe it. And now he's vanished without a trace.”
Julian’s expression sharpened instantly.
“Then we find him. Together. That's what partners are for.”
They continued moving, but the rhythm between them shifted.
“We’ve been trying on our end,” she admitted. “But every lead turns into another dead end. I don't want you dragged into this, Julian. It's my fight; you don't need to pity me.”
Julian studied her face with a low smile.
“What?”
“You said my name.”
Catalina blinked back. “What does that mean? I call you by name a lot of times.”
“Nope. It's always “Mr Rinaldi”; now I have to help. You like me enough to say my name out loud.”
“Is that all you got from what I just said? Mr Rinaldi?”
The dance slowed to a stop
“Can’t take it back now. Let's go somewhere more discreet and finish this conversation.” He said.
He guided her off the dance floor and through a side exit toward a quiet balcony overlooking the city.
Cool air hit her skin immediately.
The noise of the ballroom vanished behind the glass doors.
For the first time all night, there was silence.
Julian turned to face her.
And then, unexpectedly, he lowered himself in front of her slightly, still holding her hands.
“Why are you afraid of me, Catalina?” he asked quietly.
Catalina froze.
“I’m not afraid of you.”
Julian’s eyes searched hers.
“You are,” he said softly. “You flinch when I'm close. You dismiss me; you won't say my name on purpose. Have I done something wrong?”
Her throat tightened.
She looked away, then back at him.
“It’s not you. You're a perfect gentleman. It's just, I made a promise to myself,” she said. “Three years ago. To never trust another man or bend in front of one. Wasted five years trusting the wrong person, now it's just hard to believe you're doing this for nothing.”
“I don’t know want this to go beyond business, because I'm afraid I'll like you and then you will destroy me and leave everything in ruins,” she admitted in a quiet voice.
The air between them still, Julian stepped slightly closer, wedging himself between her legs, hands still cradling hers.
“What if I say we're both afraid of the same thing?” he said. “And what if I want to pursue you until you change your mind?”
“Tsk. Well, you can't chase me forever?”
“Says who?”
“I'll follow you to the ends of the earth, Cara. Just please, don't push me away. Let me help. Please.’
His gaze lowered slightly to her lips for half a second.
Then returned to her eyes.
Catalina’s breath caught as Julian leaned in just slightly.
His warm breath wafted over her lips, and she closed her eyes in anticipation.
“Catalina!”
A door slammed open behind them; Sophia’s voice cut through the moment like a knife.
They both jerked apart, and the spell broke.
“Oh, I…, I can come back.”
“No.” Catalina stood up, disentangling herself from Julian's hold. “I was just about to come get you. We're leaving. I'll see you on Monday.” She looked back at him. “Julian.”
Warmth spread across Julian's chest as he watched the woman who had captured his heart walk away, retrieving his phone from his pocket, he dialled a number he knew by heart. The person picked up on the first ring.
“Someone had better be dying.” Came the raspy greeting.
“I need you to find someone for me. I'll send the details; spare no expense.” He dropped the call and took the opposite direction out of the fundraiser; he had achieved his purpose for the night and did not need to stay around those elite hypocrites.
Inside the ballroom, Marcus stood watching through the glass doors with an unreadable expression.
Controlled rage was simmering just beneath the surface as he yanked Gianna's arm, dragging her upstairs.
The door closed behind them, and the lock clicked in place.
She barely had time to speak before his hand struck her face
THWACK!
“Are you crazy?!”
He scoffed and loosened his belt. “I told you to stay calm tonight, and you disobeyed me.”
“Well, it's time I taught you some manners.”
As the first blow came down, Gianna finally understood why Catalina loved wearing winter clothes in summer.
- Writer
