Page 83 of Poison and Wine
“And you’re the love expert?” I argued.
Caterina scowled. “You know I’ve never been in love.”
“It sounds like neither one of us can really speak on it.”
“Unlike you, I don’t believe love could ever be a weakness.”
As I stared into the intensity of her gaze, I saw what she wasn’t saying. Caterina believed, despite the burning red flags surrounding me, that she could come to love me. But more than that, she thought I could come to love her. While I wanted to tell her it would never happen, I kept my mouth shut. Maybe there was a small part of me that wanted to believe in miracles. If anyone could deliver one, it was Caterina.
“We should get some sleep.”
Although it looked like she wanted to say more, Caterina nodded. After she laid her head back down on my chest, I tangled my fingers through the long dark strands of her hair. When her breathing became slow and deep, I kissed the top of her head.
“Maybe you’ll make me a believer, Kitten,” I whispered into the dark.
Chapter Twenty-Three: Caterina
In the days after Callum and I fell asleep in each other's arms, I expected it to bring us closer. But something about being so emotionally vulnerable in front of me had closed him off. He’d barely mumbled more than a greeting to me this week, not to mention he’d come home after midnight every single night.
After the first night he’d come in and ignored me, I’d stopped waiting up on the couch for him. Instead, I stayed awake reading in bed until I heard his footsteps on the stairs. Then I would snap the light off and pretend to be sleeping.
I wasn’t sure why I cared that he had shut me out. It wasn’t like I entered our marriage desperately in love with him. But I knew if we were to ever consummate our marriage, I would have to feel something for him. I couldn’t just sleep with him out of duty and obligation. The sinful part of me was only too eager to find out anything and everything about sex.
This morning after waking up to an empty bed, I threw on a robe over my pajamas and headed downstairs. As usual all the Kavanaugh brothers were around the table, as well as Seamus. Although the others were talking, Callum’s attention was focused on his iPad.
I took the seat to the right of him. As I reached over to grab a piece of toast, he glanced up. “Good morning,” I said.
“Morning.”
After setting down a platter of eggs, Lorna smiled at me. “Caterina, I was thinking we could cook the corned beef for the boys tonight.”
When I opened my mouth to agree with her, Callum shook his head. “We’ll all be home late, so don’t expect us for dinner.”
I jerked my gaze from Lorna’s to stare at him. “You’re all going to be late?” It was unusual for all the brothers to be gone. While they might trickle in at different times, they were all usually around for dinner. I’d especially needed their companionship the past week with Callum’s physical and emotional absence.
Callum’s pointed look reminded me not to question him about business. When he didn’t answer me, Dare replied, “Tonight’s the opening for our new club.”
My brows shot up in surprise. “You guys own a club?”
“Yes,” Callum replied as he forcefully speared his eggs.
“What kind of club?”
“A nightclub.”
I sat a little straighter in my chair. “I’ve never been to a nightclub.”
“That doesn’t surprise me, Sister Sassy,” Dare mused with a grin.
After playfully kicking his foot under the table, I turned back to Callum, “Before I was in the order, I always wanted to go to one.”
“That’s good to know,” he replied to his iPad, rather than looking at me.
With a huff, I crossed my arms over my chest. “Why aren’t you inviting me to come with you?”
“Because you don’t need to be there,” Callum gritted out.
“But don’t most wives attend business parties?”