Dominic's POV

Caterina never seems to understand the extent of the problem. She always acts on her emotions.

But I guess that proves that we're related.

"Why can't I take her with me?" She frowns.

"They're after her." I emphasize.

Her eyes widen and the reality sinks in. She gulps out of nervousness. "I thought you were joking—The... the West Side can't possibly know about someone like Inaya. Besides, she's lowkey."

"You're not understanding, Caterina. Someone fucked us over." I grit my teeth.

"From the inside? Inside our circle?" She gasps. "That's not possible. Everyone's deadly afraid of you."

"Yeah, apparently, not everyone. I'm tearing my gang apart for information. I'm... interrogating."

"You mean you're torturing?" She raises a brow.

I don't answer. My silence is the answer.

She sighs. "Hurting people won't always get you what you want, Dom. One day, it'll ruin you."

"It's been getting me what I want for the last 10 years. I'm guessing it works." I shrug my shoulders.

"Will you keep Inaya safe? Promise me you will." She says with hope in her. Once.

"I'll keep my familia safe." I simply answer.

"Inaya is family." She looks at me with fire in her eyes. "She's my family."

"She carries vital information. I can't let them have her, even if I wanted to." I reassure her.

"Why can't you ever simply say 'Yes, cousin. I'll do it.' You make everything sound so morbid." She rolls her eyes.

I shrug my shoulders yet again.

She huffs out of defeat. "I can't believe I'm letting someone as innocent and sweet as Inaya live with your dumb ass. But I guess, as of now, I don't have a choice."

Her words don't offend me, partly because she's right. Someone like her would only end up tainted around someone like me.

"I guess I'll deliver her the good news." Caterina mumbles sarcastically as she walks out.

• • •

Inaya's POV

"I'm glad cousin didn't give you a shitty room, not that his house has any shitty rooms. But, this is a better room than what he gives me when I come over." Caterina giggles.

Ya Allah, I missed her snarky comments and adorable laugh so much.

She jumps onto the bed and lays down.

"So... About Nick, how do you like him?" Caterina grins like a schoolgirl.

I'm sure my cheeks became a tint of pink.

"Oh! Is that a blush I see? Mr. Nicholas has worked his magic already?" She giggles.

"No! It's nothing like that! He's been great company; him and Angela. They've kept me sane." Suddenly, it hits me. "So, your family's part of a huge mafia and you never told me, huh?"

Caterina's expression changes to stone. "I'm sorry... I wanted to, I really did but how do you tell someone you love and care about something like this? I'd sound crazy! On top of that, you'd probably leave me."

"So, all those times you avoided taking me to your parents' was because of this?" I ask.

She nods.

"Even when your parents always invited me over?"

"It's never safe around us. I could never risk it. My parents love you and I know they wouldn't intentionally hurt you but with what they do... we could never be sure." She looks down at her hands on her lap.

"Are you involved in any of the mafia... activities your family partakes in?" I ask more out of curiosity than anything.

"No!" She says defensively. "Never! Not once. I swore to not follow the same path. I'm in social work for God's sake. I know I can never wipe clean the blood on my family's slate clean, but I can keep my half clean."

"Then, that settles it. Even if you did, I'd still care for you the same, don't ever think differently. You've been with me through thick and thin, I'll do the same for you." I hold her hands in mine. "That will never be out of pity or payment of some kind, it will always be because I love you."

"Inaya! You always want to make me cry." Tears well up in her eyes. "You're a blessing in everyone's life. I don't know how you do it, but I'm sure you could make a criminal feel guilty."

"You're always so dramatic, Cat." I laugh. "Hey... can I ask something?"

"Go for it. I'm sure I just told you the biggest secret I have kept. I feel like I'm on top of the world." She laughs.

"That time... in grade 6 or 7, when I first started to wear a hijab, what did you do to make those boys change their whole persona?"

Caterina smirks. "I don't know what you're talking about."

I smack her with the pillow that was on my lap. "Cat! I want to know!"

"I showed them my bad bitch side." She sticks out her tongue.

I give the look where I know that she's lying.

"Let me have my heroine moment!" She whines.

"I'm not taking it away! Either way, you did make it happen." I reassure her.

"Okay... listen. I was getting really fucking annoyed that those bastards wouldn't leave you alone and one day, I snapped. I know you told me to let it be and I told myself I would never use my family business to intimidate others but..."

"You made an exception for me." I finish her sentence.

"It was just once! Besides, those guys never picked on you since!" She pouts. "They even made sure no one ever said a word against you till the day we graduated high school."

"So, what did you do?" I ask her to continue.

"I called Dom." There's a smug smile on her face.

My heart drops. Dominic? I can't be hearing right.

"You what?" I'm sure my jaw dropped open.

"I called him to scare the kids a little; nothing serious. I told Dom that a bunch of losers were teasing my best friend and I needed them to be taken care of. Dom loved, and still loves, intimidating people, he's a bit of a psycho." Cat says. "I heard he scared them so bad that one of them pissed their pants."

She tries really hard to hold in her laughter.

"Caterina, I know I shouldn't laugh but..." I burst into laughter.

I think about how weirdly Dominic suddenly became connected to my childhood. Because of what he did, those boys did actually end up being almost like bodyguards for me until we graduated high school.

I always thought Cat must've talked it out or used blackmail of some sort. But this... this is unexpected.

Dominic singlehandedly made my life at school pleasant for years.

The butterflies in my stomach intensifies at the thought.

"Ms. Inaya! Are you listening to me?" Cat snaps her fingers at me.

"Sorry, I'm so tired. Today's been a lot." I smile. "I'm so glad you're here, Caterina." I give her a long hug, a hug that fills me with warmth.

This is the type of warmth I felt in our childhood when I got the chance to play outside with my friends on a nice, warm day. It's the warmth that you feel when the sun rays break through the cold of your skin to spread comforting heat. The warmth that wraps around you with safety and security. It's just your own, private ball of sunshine and happiness.

Does Dominic have a happy place? Someone who makes him feel this way? Why does jealousy bubble in me when I think of it being another woman?

I shake my head to snap myself out of my thoughts.

On queue, Dominic comes inside of my room, unannounced as always.

"Oh, shit! You scared the crap out of me!" Cat jumps. "Does he always walk in like this? You have to probably constantly keep your hijab on your head because of this idiot."

I only laugh at her comment, partly because it's true.

"It's time for your departure, Caterina." He stands at the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going." She slides off the bed and suddenly turns to face me again. "Oh! I forgot to tell you, Haraz has some of your things packed, I'll bring it over. Your I'll-bred of an uncle almost threw it away when Haraz swept in and saved them."

"Tell him I will forever be in his debt. Thank him for caring for me and believing in me. Thank Mehar too." I want to cry knowing I have people who care about me, believe me.

Sure, Haraz would tease out of his limits sometimes but he isn't a bad guy, overall.

"Mehar will pass out from joy and I'm sure Haraz will find you and marry you on spot." Caterina holds in her giggles.

I snort only because Cat and I know that's become an inside joke of sorts.

"Caterina! Out!" Dominic's voice is stern.

"Fine, fine! Mr. Grumpy is also a party-pooper. I'll get going, but I'll be back." She gives me a hug and Dominic follows her out.

A few minutes later, Dominic bursts through my doors as if I angered him to a whole other level.

- - -

A/N: how do you like Cat's reappearance? Who could be the one who betrayed Dom?

Next Update: Monday, December 9, 2019.