Caterina

After leaving the motel we stopped at a small diner for a quick lunch, needing to head to the airport afterwards. We'll be leaving in the evening, Rich is flying us out to New York on his private jet, and now I'm highly doubtful that the club is the only business Rich deals in, in order to afford such a thing.

Just as Dolion said, the streets are full of people gathering in remembrance of the departed. I've never seen it all in person. The beautiful people gathered in their gorgeous traditional Día de Muertos attire, faces painted in remembrance of those who have passed, in the form of lovely skulls. Golden-orange flowers everywhere to be seen, giving the entire area the feeling of glowing as the sun begins to lower in the sky.

Dolion turns onto a less busy street, parallel parking the car in a spot that we happened to come across, I turn and watch him suspiciously. "Why are we stopped here?"

"The flight won't be leaving for three more hours, and is only a twenty minute drive from here." He shrugs.

"Okay, but why bring me to a festival? Seems entirely unlike you to take me anywhere I might even slightly enjoy."

"Do you want to go eat some churros, or not?" He turns the key and shuts off the car, as if he already knows the answer.

I unbuckle and silently get out of the car, only slightly annoyed by Dolion, but now my mind is on churros. And flan. Oh, and maybe some tres leches cake.

Dolion is going to regret bringing me here after I spend all his money on sweets and flowers. But it's too late now. I haven't celebrated Día de Muertos since my nonna passed away when I was young, she was the one who kept the family traditions and celebrations together.

She made sure everyone gathered when the holidays came. I cherish the memories I have of staying up late with my cousins while all the adults stayed up drinking. My father never cared to celebrate a single holiday, I'm sure he saw it as something unimportant with only one child to celebrate with. But I remember missing the togetherness, the feeling of family being close.

My father was never a family man, he simply wanted to be able to pass down his position to an heir of his own. Sometimes I wondered if my father would have loved me more if I had been born a boy, instead. I don't know the reason why my parents never had any more children after me, but it saddened me to have to grow up feeling so alone.

"Cat?" I look over at Dolion as we walk, realizing how lost in my own thoughts I must have been, because I'm pretty sure I just missed something he said.

"Sorry, I was in my own thoughts. What were you saying?"

He reaches out and grabs my hand in his, pulling me closer. I'm sure to anyone watching we look like a couple, and I'm not sure how I feel about that.

"Stay close, princess." Is all he says, keeping my hand within his as we approach the heart of the festival.

Dolion leads the way through the crowd, and I can already smell all the delicious foods at the festival, music is played somewhere nearby, children's laughter can be heard, and the feeling in the air somehow makes my shoulders less tense. I spot a stand selling flowers, and I tug at Dolion's hand to get his attention. The sweets can wait for just a moment.

He looks down at me and then to where I nod my head. Changing our path through the swarm of people, we make our way over to the stand. I don't bother to ask if it's okay, he brought me here, after all. And he offered to buy things.

I smile politely at the young woman running the stand. "I'd like one of the baskets of marigolds, please." She returns my smile and nods, grabbing one of the baskets full of the beautiful orange flowers and handing it to me, at the same time she accepts the cash Dolion has already set on the small counter.

"I will be right back, I don't have enough change for this." Dolion waves his hand slightly. "Don't worry about it." The woman's eyes seem to go wide before she looks down at the hundred dollar bill in her hand, and then back up and Dolion.

Before she can object to keeping the extra money Dolion is already leading us back out into the crowd and closer to the smell of food. My left hand continues to rest within his, and I still haven't even tried to pull away.

Dolion buys me all the sweets my heart desires, and one mini Pan de muerto that I plan to leave as an offering tonight.

There's a small area with a few tables and chairs, twinkling lights are strung up on poles, weaving above our heads to illuminate the area as the sun begins to go down. It always sets early during this time of year, I miss the long daylight hours of summer time.

Smiling to myself, I eat my sweets and watch as all the people enjoy themselves during this time of gathering. I sigh, content, as I take another bite of flan.
I needed this tonight, whether or not Dolion is aware of that, I'm not sure.

Feeling eyes watching me, I turn my gaze to Dolion. He doesn't even try to hide the fact he was watching me, either, as he continues to look at me. "Yes?" I question, feeling flustered.

"You're beautiful, Caterina." I almost choke on my next bite. "I'm stuffing my face full of food, but thanks."

"You're enjoying yourself." He points out.

I shrug. "Maybe a bit."

"I'm not sure I've seen a genuine smile on your face since I met you."

"Maybe because you've been a douchebag since the second we met?" I toss out there. He really was mean first, I simply retaliated.

"I apologize for that."

"You-what?" I set my plastic spoon down.

"Before even meeting you I had already made up my mind about what kind of person you were, but you've proven me wrong repeatedly." Dolion's gaze never strays from mine as he speaks.

I quirk an eyebrow. "And what kind of person did you think I was?" I question.

"Your father's daughter. Someone after that man's own darkened heart. But you're not like him, you're nothing like what I expected, Caterina." I stare back at Dolion, unsure of how to react to his words.

"You sure do hate my father for someone who works for him." I remark.

"I don't think there's many people who do like that man, Cat. If you don't recall your uncle, his brother, tried to kill him." Dolion reminds me in a hushed tone.

"Oh, I remember.. There's a reason I don't see my family anymore. After my nonna passed away.. I never saw any of them again."

"Your nonna?"

"Yes, my maternal grandmother. She was the heart of the family, she made everyone get along and behave, even my father stayed in line when that fiery woman was around.." I pick at the food on my plate mindlessly. "She always made the best sweets on U Jornu di Morti, what we call the day of the dead in Sicily.. She used to make me and my cousins practice speaking Sicilian, saying it was important to keep it alive within the family.. so much was lost when she passed away."

"You miss her." I look up at Dolion, my face heating as I realize just how long I had been rambling on about my life.

"Yes," I tuck a stray hair behind my ear. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to start rambling on like that." I look away from him, staring out at the people walking around and enjoying themselves.

"Don't apologize, I enjoyed getting to know a little bit more about you, Cat." Dolion's looking at me like he's trying to study me, figure me out, trying to strip me bare on more than just a physical level.

"It's.. getting late. I'd like to take these flowers to some of the deceased, in honor and remembrance of the lives they lived. We don't come here to eat the food and enjoy ourselves without also paying our respects." I change the subject, not liking how nice he's acting towards me, and I'm not even sure why.

He nods and packs up the left overs, standing he then offers me his hand, helping me up as I also grab my basket of flowers. We follow a stream of people into a local cemetery, and I take a moment to lay a marigold on each grave until all the flowers run out, Dolion at some point began helping me, placing the orange flowers down gently. With the last flower I have I also leave the Pan de muerto I had been saving just for this reason tonight.

We remain quiet as we leave the cemetery, hand in hand.

"We should probably head to the airport." I mumble, not looking forward to leaving.

Instead of leading me in the direction of where we parked, Dolion drags me into the heart of a dancing crowd, the music being at its loudest near the live musicians.

He faces me, wrapping an arm around my waist. We don't really dance, mostly we just sway with the music, Dolion's one hand resting on my waist, the other one he slowly brings to the back of neck, cradling it there as I look up at him, questioning. I reach up and loosely put my hands on his shoulders, my fingers brushing the bare skin of his neck.

"What are you thinking?" His eyes move to my lips when I ask him.

"That it would be a mistake to kiss you tonight, Caterina." My heart beats faster at his admission.

"Why? It's no one's business who I choose to do things with. I'm an adult, and my body is my own." I say before I can stop myself.

His eyes lower and remain on my mouth as he speaks, slowly closing the distance between us, and I feel myself lean closer to him. "Because, Cat.. women like you don't just take hearts." His warm breath caresses my lips. "A woman like you captures souls."

Dolion's lips are soft as they barely brush against mine, testing to see if I'll stop him, if I'll pull away. But I lean into him, and our lips meet in a heated kiss that burns with the promise to ruin us both.

His hand tightens at the back of my neck, bringing me closer, sealing my breath away as his mouth claims mine. The hand on my waist moves to the dip right above my ass, Dolion pulling my body flush against his.

The music, lights, and sounds of the people all blur together as Dolion kisses me here under a sky full of stars. I tilt my head to the side, deepening the kiss. He moves his lips against mine in a way that has my entire body feeling flush, and at some point my hands had found their way into his hair, pulling him closer to me.

My mouth parts as Dolion's tongue grazes my lower lip, when suddenly he stops, grabbing my hand and leading me into a dark corner out of view. I don't ask questions as he presses me up against the wall and continues to kiss me, starting right back where we left off.

He bites at my lower lip and I open for him again, this time his tongue slips past my lips, deepening the kiss, the longing.. this need. A small whimper makes its way out of me as he nips my lip again, this time harder. He gently runs his tongue across the same spot, almost as an apology, then he kisses me slowly, our lips moving together, savoring this forbidden moment between us.

Dolion's breathing is heavy as he finally pulls away, his gaze heated while he watches me, waiting for a reaction.

"We should.. we should get to the airport. We'll miss our flight." Did I really just say that after one of the most mind blowing kisses I've ever had?

Dolion watches me for a moment, then nods his head and backs away a bit as he runs a hand through his hair, grabbing my left hand within his other one again.

I try not to linger on the kiss. On the way it made me feel, or how I want Dolion to make me feel that way again. Or how I can still taste him on my lips.

He leads me through the crowd and back out onto the street we parked on earlier. He walks me to my door and opens it, closing it once I'm seated inside, before making his way over to the driver side of the car and sliding into his seat. He starts the engine and pulls us out of the parking spot, neither of us able to come up with anything to say after tonight.

An odd feeling begins to form in the pit of my stomach, and I'm suddenly worried how the rest of my time with Dolion is going to go if I can't fight my growing attraction to him. And if his actions tonight say anything, it's that he's struggling, too.

Part of me knows this won't end well. Once everything is over, and I don't need Dolion's protection any more, will I ever see him again? I bite at my lip, struggling with myself. I don't dare ask these questions out loud, the questions alone hold too much meaning.

It means I might not be too fond of the idea of not needing Dolion around, after all. And these types of feelings only lead to one thing.. Heartbreak.

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I sold my soul for sex
drugs, and rock and roll
Said I sold my soul
to a woman in Mexico

KALEO - Hey Gringo
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