One To Remember - Pt. 2 (Patreon)

Caterina

I knew I was going to lose. I'd prepared for it. But this guy won't even let me lose with dignity. He lands a blow to my stomach, and I'm sent flying from the force. My back collides with the ground, and I roll over in pain, unable to breathe. I hear his footsteps coming towards me. Is he not fucking finished?

I shakily look up, and he's right above me, about to grab me, when Luciano appears. He intercepts his hands and punches him across the face.

"That's enough! She's not getting back up!" he shouts at him. I want to be angry. He interfered when I told him not to. But I am grateful. I don't think I could take another blow. Luciano places his hands gently around me.

"You ok?" he asks. I nod my head, gritting my teeth in pain. Luciano helps me up, carrying me away from all of the eyes. I don't dare look up.

"Hope you're happy," I hear him hiss. I know without a doubt he's talking to our father.

* * * * *

"What were you thinking?" Luciano says as he places ice on my cheek. I flinch from the pain.

"I just wanted to show him that I'm not weak," I say.

"By getting yourself killed?" he asks in disbelief. He's right though. Marco wasn't going to hold back. He could have killed me.

"All over some stupid party." He pulls up a stool next to mine.

"Well looks like you can't go now. Your face is swelling," he says simply. I let out a huff, but don't protest. I still plan on going. With or without their knowledge.

"So how long has this been a thing." Luciano pulls me out of my thoughts.

"What?" I ask.

"The fighting. The knowing how to shoot and everything," he says. I shrug.

"I've just been watching Dad's training sessions," I say. Luciano lets out an exasperated sigh.

"Cat what were you thinking? You know our father is crazy." he says. I keep my eyes down.

"That bet was pointless anyway. In the real world it won't be boys coming after you. It'll be men. You need to learn how to use your weight. They'll have way more on you," he says. I look up in shock. Luciano is giving me a smile.

"I mean, you did beat some of those boys out. I'm impressed. But how about you train with me instead of them." My eyes widen.

"You would do that?" I ask. He nods his head.

"If it's what you want-" The door is slammed and in come frantic footsteps. Our mother rounds the corner, with worried eyes.

"Oh my gosh are you alright?" She makes a beeline for me and begins inspecting my face, complaining about how foolish my father was for this. But I'm just excited about Luciano training me. A few minutes later, the door opens again and in comes our father.

"Luca, how could you!" My mother shouts, and the arguing begins.

* * * * *

I'm walking past my fathers office when I pause noticing someone standing in front of it. Marco. He has a blank expression on his face. He always does. I slow my pace, and his eyes shift, landing on me. His eyes are pitch black. He glares me down.

"Hi," I say. He doesn't respond. I look past him at my father doors.

"I didn't get you into any trouble did I?" I ask. He still doesn't respond. Only shifts his gaze to the distance. No longer focusing on me. He almost looks bored. I should walk away, but I don't want to.

"Did my dad tell you to ignore me or something?" I ask in irritation. Still nothing.

"Well... for what it's worth, I don't harbor any hard feelings for your excessive attacks," I say. Out of all things, that earns a reaction. His eyes shift again to mine, and he opens his mouth.

"In the real world, there are no breaks. Better get used to it," he says. I blink in shock. I open my mouth and step closer to him, about to give him a piece of my mind, when the door opens and my mother comes out with an angry expression. My father steps out next to her and looks from me to Marco.

"Come in," he says to Marco. Marco nods and follows him in.

"Dad, wait." He to my shock stops. He looks at me.

"I-Is he in trouble, because of me?" I ask. He raises a brow at me.

"No sweetheart." He turns away from me, stepping into the room and closing the door.

* * * * *

There's a light knock on my door, and I look up from my position on the bed to see my Dad stepping into my room. I sit up in bed, as he sits down on the foot of it. He doesn't speak for a moment.

"First, I want to say I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let things get so far out of hand. I was trying to teach you a lesson, and treated you as a subordinate and not my daughter," he says. He looks up, and reaches out tracing his thumb along my swollen cheek. I can see the anger in his gaze.

"How long have you been training behind my back," he asks. I shrug.

"I don't know," I say. He looks at his hands.

"Listen, Caterina. No one is more proud of you than I am. I never dreamed I'd have two kids as talented as I was as well as a daughter that is good at it. But..." He trails off ,and his eyes meet mine.

"I don't think I'm ready for you to grow up. Just yet," he says. I feel my heart squeeze. He gives me a soft smile.

"We used to be a team you and me. Cat and Dad against the world." He laughs softly as if remembering something.

"I can't knowingly put you in harms way."

"But I won't be in harms way, Dad. I'll be able to protect myself." I try and reassure him.

"What about Luciano? He's your child to, and he's been doing this longer than I have," I say. He only shakes his head.

"This empire will soon be his to run, Caterina. It's his birthright," he says. He holds his arm out.

"Come here," he says. I slowly move towards him, and he wraps his arm around me. I remember when I was younger I used to stay glued to his side. Even when he'd be conducting business in his office, I was there. In his lap, under his desk, or clinging to his leg.

"I want to tell you a story," he says. "About your mother." He smiles softly, and I can see the love he has for my mom shining through.

"All her life, her father sheltered her. Kept her away from the real world. He bred her to be, well a wife. My wife. When she was sixteen, she was told about the marriage. The marriage to me. And when she was eighteen, before she got to experience any kind of life, she was given to me. As my bride." I stay silent through his story.

"I can't begin to describe to you the innocence she carried. I'm telling you this because, I want you to keep that innocence for as long as you can. Your mother was introduced into this life of violence and bloodshed overnight, and I don't want you to go through that same thing. You're too young," he says. I try and hide my disappointment.

"So when you turn sixteen, then we'll talk." He gives me a kiss on top of my head, and stands to leave my room.

"Goodnight, Cat," he says closing the door behind him.

* * * * *

I wake up, briefly considering staying in bed all day. The weather matches my mood. It's gray and gloomy outside. I feel awful, and my face is pounding.

I make my way downstairs and Luciano is waiting for me. He has a smile on his face and my suit in his hand.

"Still wanna be a mobster?" he asks. I shake my head.

"Oh come on, Cat I'll even take you trick or treating," he says. I roll my eyes.

"Trick or treating is for babies." 

The whole day passes, until night falls over the house. I'm just ready for this day to be over. No party. No candy. Just me and my misery. I'm laying down watching TV when an idea occurs to me. Everyone knows I'm upset. They probably think I'll be in my room the rest of the night. I jump out of bed, and quickly get dressed in my costume.

I go in search for Luciano. I find him with his friend Amadeo and Nicolai's daughter Collette. They're sitting around the counter talking.

"Can you take me to my friends house?" I ask. Luciano looks in my direction, and smiles.

"Change your mind?" he asks. I nod my head. He grabs his keys off the counter, and heads to his car.

* * * * *

The party is decent. There's a small amount of people here, and about an hour into it, I'm ready to go. When I look at my phone, I see I have missed calls and texts from my dad and Luciano. Uh oh. Looks like he found out and Luciano took the heat for it. I try and dial my Dad, but there is no service in here so I step outside where I can hear better.

As soon as I step into the cool air, I feel a sharp prick in my neck. I cry out in pain, and yank it out in confusion. I look at the tranquilizer dart in my hand and can't even panic before the world around me goes dark.