Page 57 of Poison and Wine
“You need to call him on video. He’ll want to see your face to ensure nothing has happened to you.”
“Oh,” I murmured. I then redialed and eased the phone up in front of my face. The image reflected of myself was one of both apprehension and excitement. With my hair and makeup done, I hoped Rafe wouldn’t immediately lose his shit thinking I’d been tortured or worst of all raped.
He answered on the third ring. “Caterina?” he questioned in disbelief. My heart ached at the sight of his disheveled hair and the dark circles under his eyes.
“Hey, Rafe,” I said, as I fought my tears.
“Oh Kitty Cat,” he choked out.
As tears streaked down my cheeks, I reassured him, “It’s okay. I’m okay.”
“You can’t imagine how worried I’ve been. How worried we’ve all been.”
“I’m sorry. I should’ve called you sooner.”
His expression darkened. “I wouldn’t imagine you would have been at liberty to call us.”
Guilt flooded me that I hadn’t requested Callum to at least let my brothers know I was alive and being taken care of. “I’m so sorry that I didn’t demand to speak to you.”
Callum’s hand came to grip my knee. “The time wasn’t right for a call.”
Malice lit up Rafe’s face at the sound of Callum’s voice. “Are you too much of a coward to show your face, Kavanaugh?”
I gasped. “How did you know who took me?”
“Leo secured an informant this morning. A woman from a bridal shop in Catania.”
Callum chuckled. “I should’ve known showing your picture to the saleslady would be a grave mistake.”
“You don’t sound too regretful, motherfucker!”
Leaning in, Callum’s face appeared on the screen along with mine. “Thankfully, my desire to make Caterina a stunning bride didn’t fuck up my plans since we were married by a priest two hours ago.”
As Rafe’s eyes bulged, a string of Italian cursing and lamentations erupted from his lips. He shot out of the chair he’d been sitting in and began pacing the room. His free hand tore maniacally through his hair. I winced as he painfully tugged the long strands that he usually wore pulled back. My relief at his hand leaving his hair was short-lived when he began snatching and throwing anything in his path. The camera began to spin and bounce with his erratic movements. One of the bodyguards that had rushed in the room at his screams was thrown to the floor when he tried stopping Rafe.
With an amused smile, Callum said, “I imagine he’s calling me every name in the book while threatening to chop off my cock.”
I blushed both at his summation and at the words coming from Rafe. “Yes, he’s referenced your…” I swallowed hard. “Manhood.”
“What else?”
“He’s detailing all the ways he’s going to torture you.”
At the sight of Rafe bleeding from broken glass, Callum jerked his chin at the screen. “Calm him down.”
“If a three-hundred-pound bodyguard couldn’t stop him, how can I?”
“When I’ve truly lost my mind, there’s no one except my mam and Maeve who can talk me down. I imagine for Rafe, you are the same balm for his soul.”
After exhaling a long breath, I stared at the chaos before me. “Rafe, stop!” I called. When he couldn’t hear me over his ranting, I screamed his name into the phone.
He froze. His broad shoulders rose and fell in harsh pants. The sweat-slickened strands of his chin-length hair stuck to his face. Finally, his haunted gaze locked on mine.
Tears stung my eyes as I fought to find my voice. “Your Kitty Cat needs you to sit back down, and listen to me.” Anguish replaced the rage on his face. “Please, Rafe,” I cooed.
“Christ, Caterina,” he groaned.
“I need you to take a few deep breaths while repeating that I’m okay.”