Chapter 12: Chapter 12

I looked at him curiously. “The clothes aren’t my only gifts?”

He raised an eyebrow. “The clothes are a necessity. Like you said, you should be rewarded when you do something good…or bad.”

“When did I say that?”

I looked at him in confusion, but the way he’d said it had my heart jolting in my chest. ~Why don’t I have a good feeling about this?~ I looked at him skeptically as he gestured for me to follow him.

Would I like this gift? Something told me it wasn’t so simple.

He led me to the bed and gestured for me to sit as he went to fetch this “gift.” He came back with a manila envelope and handed it to me.

I eyed him suspiciously as he stood back and watched me expectantly.

I opened the envelope and tipped the contents into my hand.

“Pictures?” I asked. “Why would your father give me pictures?”

Stefano remained silent as he stood away from me, like he didn’t want to interfere with my examination of the photos.

“Stefano?” I asked, confused as to what was going on.

He nodded toward my hands. “You need to look at them.”

I stared at him for a moment before turning my attention to the photos. I started flipped through them, not understanding what I was seeing. But once my eyes grasped what the photographs were of, I released them, not wanting the tainted images in my hands.

They scattered on the floor, but I couldn’t erase the images from my mind.

I brought a trembling hand to my mouth to hold in my gasp. “I-is that?” I couldn’t stop the tremble in my voice even if I tried.

Stefano bent to collect the scattered photos and placed them in my lap.

I turned my head away, repulsed. “Why the fuck would you show me something like that?”

“You need to train your stomach. Things like this happen. Don’t run from it.”

I looked at him in disbelief, but the soft blues of his eyes halted the profanities I wanted to spew his way. His arms were crossed over his chest, his face determined. This wasn’t something I could get out of.

“Look at them.”

I sucked in a sharp breath of air and shook my head.

“Catalina.” His tone dropped. He was serious.

How did we go from admiring my new clothes to this? I wasn’t prepared for this. Not these pictures, and not this life.

My hand shook as I tentatively reached for a photo. The glossy surface of the photo paper felt like it would slice my hand at any moment, and I resisted the urge to throw it away.

My eyes took in the image.

I was drawn to the bracelet adorning the woman’s wrist. A flower pattern with an empty space in the middle. A space that used to hold a blinking red gem.

It was the only recognizable part of the scene. There was blood everywhere. Pieces of a sequined dress were strewn around the room, and a lone high heel lay discarded in the corner.

The woman’s stomach was sliced open, her entrails spilling out, and I almost threw up when I saw what looked like a rat climbing out of the cavity. Her hair was a knotted mess, and her mouth was wide open, as if stuck in a scream caused by her never-ending torture.

“Is this Stacy?” I asked, needing to hear my suspicions confirmed.

“Yes.”

My heart thudded against my chest as my stomach recoiled. I had to swallow down my saliva to keep myself from gagging in disgust.

Stefano finally made a move and took the photos out of my hands. He knelt in front of me, looking at me with an expression I couldn’t quite read.

“Why did you show me that?” My voice was choked, and I fought back the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes. “Who in the world would consider that a gift?”

I swallowed the shriek that desperately wanted to escape. It wouldn’t do Stacy, or me, any good.

He gripped my trembling hands in his and gave them a tight squeeze, as if to comfort me. But I was cold inside and out. I would need more than him holding my hands to find comfort.

“This was done by my father’s personal executioner. The photographs were sent to all the women participating in the games as a warning not to underestimate the Roscotto family.”

I reeled and tried to tug my hands out of his, but he held on tightly. “Why would he do that? It’s not like we’re all spies.”

Stefano sighed, his gaze complicated. “I don’t agree with how my father handled the situation, but during the interrogation, it was revealed that Stacy worked for the Perez family. When it comes to the Perez family, my father doesn’t hold back. They are a threat he won’t tolerate.”

I shook my head. “Is the Perez family really that dangerous? So dangerous that he had to do that?”

“I haven’t been told everything, but I have reason to believe my father knows who the Perez family is, and he’s scared.”

My breath hitched; I couldn’t believe my ears. “Your father? Scared?”

In my mind, his father was a tall, sturdy wall. Who in this world would be able to move him?

Stefano nodded. “He gets hostile whenever Perez is mentioned, and he shows no mercy for anyone associated with them. It’s almost as if he has a personal vendetta against them. If my father is scared of these people, then I want you to be especially cautious of them.”

“And he hasn’t told you anything about them?”

“Unfortunately not. I’ve been investigating them on my own, but I’ve yet to find anything. No warehouses, no distributors. Even their minions are hiding.”

I blew out a breath and hung my head back. “A warning would’ve been nice,” I said, gesturing toward the photos with my chin.

He stood and grabbed the back of my head, pulling me into his body for a hug.

“I’m sorry. It was my father’s orders. Also, I wanted to use this opportunity to warn you. The Roscotto family might be considered a family, but we’re still an organization. Most members aren’t related by blood. We have internal battles as well, so you must protect yourself from others.”

I wrapped my arms around his waist and closed my eyes. “Even from you?” I murmured.

He chuckled. “I’m the exception. I am the only person in this family who will have your back unconditionally, so trust only me. I promise not to hide anything from you.”

“What happened to the other spy?”

“Her body was shipped out to send a message to Perez.”

“That’s awful.”

“No.” His voice was strong. “It’s necessary.”

He pulled back and made sure I was looking him in the eyes. “Don’t get it twisted, Catalina. I may not agree with my father’s methods, but his decisions weren’t wrong.

“This world isn’t sunshine and rainbows. To stay on top, we need to show our enemies that we are not an easy target. I have blood on my hands as well. Rivers of it. Do not expect me to be a kind man to anyone but you. Those spies had to die. They were a threat to this family.”

I pursed my lips, unable to refute him. He was right. Being a part of this world was a privilege, but it could also be a curse. It simply depended on who you chose to ally yourself with.

Self-preservation was key. You couldn’t afford to pity others, otherwise you risked taking their place.

He gripped my chin between his thumb and forefinger and leaned down until our foreheads touched.

“I will always protect you, Catalina. I will always look out for you. You are my future wife, and the woman I want to bear my children. A companion I can shovel this muddy path we call life with. I’m not a nice man, but I can do nice things if you’d let me. Please, trust me.”

Before I could reply, he leaned in and captured my lips. He started slowly, a gentle tease that coaxed me to join in.

His tongue flicked against my bottom lip, and I opened my mouth to let him in.

With gentle licks and nips, he took my mind off the pictures. I was powerless to resist him. The beat of my heart quickened, and I grabbed his head to pull him close, my hands finding his hair and sinking deep in his tresses.

My resolve weakened the longer our kiss dragged on, and I clung to him, loving the safety net he had thrown over me. I felt strong in his presence. Unrestrained.

We fell back onto the bed as our kiss deepened, and Stefano’s hands climbed up my sides teasingly. The moment they slipped under my shirt, I pulled away and gasped.

“Wait!”

He stopped to peer at me expectantly.

The words I needed to say froze in my mouth, and I looked away from his bright eyes.

“What is it?” he asked.

“I’m sore,” I murmured.

Laughter bubbled from his throat, and he collapsed onto the bed, tugging me into his body to cuddle. His voice was thick with amusement as he said, “I guess I should give you a few days to rest. I am a lot to handle.”

I rolled my eyes and dug my elbow into his side. “You’re manageable.”

His hand snaked around to cup me through my panties, and I squeaked in surprise. His lips brushed my ear as he mumbled seductively, “Should we test that then?”

I wiggled out of his arms. “Get away from me.” There was laughter in my voice, and I was glad for his ability to take my mind off his father’s “gift.”

He chuckled and made to come after me when his phone buzzed on the nightstand.

He blew a kiss my way as he grabbed it.

I took the moment to probe him for information on my aunt. “Is there any news on my aunt? Has the investigation turned up anything?”

He shook his head and frowned. “Nothing yet.” His eyes never left his phone.

“What is it?” I asked curiously.

“Information about the first game was leaked.”

Time froze, and my breath hitched.

“What’s the game?”