Page 76 of Poison and Wine
After gripping her by the waist, I jerked her against me, causing her to squeak in surprise. “I think we should oblige them, don’t you?”
“It doesn’t look like you’re leaving me much choice, you brute.”
Grinning, I ducked my head before bringing my lips to hers. Fuck me, she tasted even sweeter since she must’ve had some of our wedding cake. The crowd erupted in cheers when I dipped her in my arms. Although I didn’t look, I’m sure at least three people weren’t enjoying the show, and that was the Neretti brothers.
My hand traveled from Caterina’s waist up her back to tangle my fingers through the long strands of her hair. When I tugged gently, she moaned into my mouth, which caused my dick to jerk.
When I finally released her mouth, both of our chests heaved in desperation. “Here’s another thing to know about me, Kitten.”
“What’s that?” she questioned breathlessly.
“I fucking love the taste of you.”
Despite the blush on her cheeks, she did grin up at me. “I like the taste of you, too.” With a knowing look, she added, “Just your lips for now.”
“Woman, you’ll be the death of me.”
A throat cleared behind us. Glancing over my shoulder, Leandro stood eyeing me with disdain. “Might I dance with my sister?”
“Of course.”
Just to spite him, I laid another long, lingering kiss on Caterina before I pulled away. Leandro’s disgust was apparent. “Have fun,” I said with a grin.
While Caterina danced with Leandro, I walked off the dance floor and over to the table where Maeve sat alongside Eamon. While my youngest brother looked bored out of his mind with the couples dancing, Maeve stared longingly at the fray.
I held out my hand to her. “May I have this dance?”
She rolled her eyes playfully. “I don’t want a pity dance, Callum.”
“Why would I dance with my baby sister out of pity?”
Maeve shot me a pointed look. “You know why.”
With a grimace, I eased down in the chair beside her. “I’m sorry, love. If there was any way I could take away your pain, I would.”
“I know.” A haunted look flashed in her eyes. “I just want to be a normal girl. Not poor, broken Maeve.”
“We don’t look at you that way.”
“But you do. All of you do.” She swallowed hard. “Kellan still can’t look at me without tears in his eyes.”
“He’s wracked with guilt.”
“I know he is just as much as I know there was absolutely nothing he could’ve done that night.” She shook her head before lowering her voice to a whisper. “My rape is the first thing everyone thinks when they see me.”
“Maeve–”
“It’s okay, Callum. The only time it matters is when I’m back with the family. At school, no one knows any of it. I can just be me without the baggage.”
I sighed. “I’m so fucking sorry, love. Once again, I mean it when I say if there’s anything I could do–”
“You already went above and beyond for me, Cal.”
I’d never come out and told her that I’d killed our father for her. I didn’t want her harboring one scrap of guilt after all she’d been through. I’m sure she’d heard all kinds of stories through the rumor mill. Maybe Mam had told her.
When I visited her that night in the hospital, I told her I’d kill the man who’d hurt her. And I did. We’d strung up the bastard who raped Maeve and tortured him for two days. Everytime it looked like our beatings and stabbings might end his life, we’d pumped him full of adrenaline to keep him going. He begged for mercy for twelve straight hours, but he never received it.
With my father, we didn’t have time to indulge in torture. It had to be quick before his men could rise up against us. In the end, it was just mere seconds for him to look me in the eye and recognize that his firstborn and heir was to be his killer. Then with a smile, I blew his brains out.