He was leaning up against the wall by the bar when Cat came off the dance floor to join him. “Phew, I have not danced like that in quite some time,” she said, fanning herself.
“You dance very well, Cat,” he remarked, distracted by Simone waving at him from across the room.
Cat noticed she did not have his complete attention, and eyes narrowing she turned to see where he was looking. She saw the blonde. Had seen her before, too. Several times she had tried to catch Andreas’ eye.
He heard Cat clear her throat and he looked down. “You okay?” he asked, seeing her brow was furrowed.
“Fine,” she muttered. He pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head. It seemed her mood had changed. She’d been having so much fun earlier. He enjoyed just watching her while she danced with his sisters-in-law. Several men approached her during the evening to dance, and she politely declined. The more persistent ones got the picture when he or his brothers came up behind her. He had never been the possessive kind before, but with Cat each time he watched as she politely declined he felt a spark of possessiveness, but suppressed it. The last time a man approached, he was pleased when she pointed in his direction. Andreas met the man’s eyes, and that had been enough. He backed off, possibly due to the glare Andreas had given him, and then the tilt of his head that was meant to say back the fuck off.
In his peripheral vision, he saw Simone circling in. She was getting closer, and he wanted to warn Cat. He hoped Simone didn’t make a scene.
“Oh, Cat,” he murmured softly and pulled apart from her. “See that blonde circling behind me?”
“Yes, the one who has had her eye on you all night?” she remarked. He saw her nostrils flare.
“She bid on me last year. Her name is Simone Stevens. Are you going to save me from her clutches this year? I’m afraid she might want a repeat of last year,” he laughed, pulling up her chin to look in her stormy eyes which focused in on the blond.
“Repeat of last year?” she questioned, trying to hide the jealousy she felt.
Shit! He alluded to the fact that he had not just taken the blonde to dinner, and Cat was jealous. Damn!
“Is my girl jealous?” he teased and tried to lighten the mood.
Her head tilted to the side like she was thinking about it. “I don’t know. I have never been jealous before. But I . . . don’t like it. So that’s what this feeling must be.”
Her words just made him laugh harder which only earned him a disapproving look from her. “Should we put our money together so you don’t have to feel jealous again? I can fork over half the cost of my services,” he leaned into whisper in her ear still chuckling.
Her response was to pull back and now her eyes were flashing fire. “I am my own woman, Andreas. I can pay my own way . . . for . . . your . . . services!”
Andreas was shocked at her words spoken with such anger and without giving him a chance to explain or ask what that explosion was all about, she turned on her heel and left. He was completely baffled. She was angry with him and he had no idea why. He was about to go after her, when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. It was one of the General’s aides.
Andreas shook his hand off before he realized who it was. “Sir, I apologize. But the bachelors are being asked to gather up on the stage.”
Andreas nodded, his eyes still searching the crowd for Cat. She had now disappeared from view. He told the Sergeant he would go to the stage in just one minute.
He scanned the crowd again, but the only person he saw was Ronnie. She was standing at the bar. So he approached her instead. “Have you seen Cat?” he asked nervously.
She turned and laughed. “Yes, and don’t get your boxers in a bunch, Andy.” She let out an exasperated breath. “Lisa and Bella are with her. When she ran off from you, they figured she needed a woman’s ear.”
Andreas looked down at his spit-fire of a sister-in-law. She was sipping a long Island Iced Tea, and she had the gall to roll her eyes at him. “What’s the matter? All I said was . . .”
Ronnie interrupted, shaking her head. “You don’t get women, Andy. You just don’t. She was jealous of the blonde, and then you apparently called her jealous and laughed at her feelings. You have a lot to learn, big brother. But, you will get there,” she laughed, passing him by and patting his arm on the way.
“But,” he called after her in a sudden panic. “How do I fix it? I don’t want her to be mad.”
“Apologize.” Her eyebrows shot up. “It’s the easiest way. Then listen!”
The Sergeant was back at his side and he looked impatient. Andreas indicated for him to go and he would follow. But all the while, as he made his way on to the stage, his eyes searched the crowd for Cat.
* * *
The auction was going well. The first five men fetched the General five thousand a piece. When the new heart surgeon who had just been acquired by Tampa General came forward, the bidding began to get interesting. He was a young man from Texas, and his longish blonde hair and green eyes had all the ladies swooning. The bidding rose to 8000 and he was claimed. The next two men on the stage were also able to garner 7 thousand a piece. The ninth bachelor, an attorney and former Tampa Bay Buccaneer, tied with Andreas last year, when they each brought in ten thousand a piece. The bidding went fast and he actually managed to bring in twelve thousand for the cause. With what the General charged per guest for the plates, and the auction, he was sure to reach his goal of 100,000 dollars for Fight for the Fallen.
Now it was Andreas’ turn. He smiled at the crowd while the General listed his profession and attributes. The women in the audience clapped and then the bidding began. The general started the bidding at five thousand and it was none other than Simone who bid first.
“Five, five,” a voice called out. Andreas scanned the crowd. He saw the raised paddle but it was not where his table was. He smiled in the direction of the bidder, a busty woman with red hair.
He looked across the sea of faces seated at the tables and he finally spotted Cat. She was sulking. Her head down, arms crossed across her chest, and she purposefully avoided looking at him. He began to sweat. She said she would bid. He looked to Lisa, who shrugged her shoulders. He saw Nikko laugh when he heard another voice call out, “Six thousand.”
“Six, five.” It was Simone. He would recognize her raspy southern drawl anywhere.
“Seven, five.” The red head.
“Eight.” An unknown source, but not Cat.
“Ten.” Again, Simone. She apparently wanted to end the bidding by standing up, and raising the bidding by an increment of two thousand instead.
“Wow, fabulous.” The General called out. “We have met our goal.” There was applause. Friends of Simone clapped and began congratulating her.
“Going, once.” The General tapped his gavel softly on the podium.
Andreas looked to Cat. Gio was holding his hand over his mouth trying not to laugh. Cat was still not meeting his eyes. He smiled, but didn’t feel it inside.
“Going twice.” Silence. Sweat.
The general lifted his gavel.
“Twenty-thousand dollars.” The crowd gasped and then there was silence as all eyes turned to the stunning brunette who had placed her first bid and recognition of who she was hit them.
“That . . . is . . . fantastic.” The applause was deafening. The General hushed the crowd. “We have a bid of twenty thousand dollars.” He scanned the crowd. “Going once.” Cat stood. Simone looked at her. “Going twice.” The General looked at Simone. She shook her head, and applauded in Cat’s direction. Laughing, the General hit his hammer softly. “Closed for twenty thousand dollars. Thank you Miss Stone for your overwhelming generosity.” The crowd stood as Cat came forward to claim her prize. Instead of laughing and taking his hand, as the other contestants had done. She took his tie and led him back to the table while the crowd continued to clap and cheer. Andreas felt like a complete ass. But Cat had made her point. When she said she was her own woman, she meant it. And he would not laugh
at her feelings again.
Cat was quiet for the drive home in the limousine. Andreas and she had not been able to talk privately yet. The girls filled up the silence, and his brothers chose wisely too remain silent about the auction. Something may have been held against them if they spoke, namely his fists, with the mood he was in. He still wasn’t sure what had suddenly provoked her anger, because the evening had been perfect. Until he said . . . what? He couldn’t even remember the exact words he had spoken that led to her walking off in a huff. He tried to think back to what it was, and to figure out why she had become so offended.
Chapter 25
Promises to Keep
Andreas was silently fuming, but held his anger in check. He did not like the way he was feeling in the least. Cat had humiliated him, but the heck if he understood why.
They said their goodnights downstairs to everyone including Angela who did not stay long. She had a long drive ahead of her, and wanted to be home for her family in the morning. Andreas let Catarina leave first, hoping she would have some time to cool down, and then he followed her upstairs shortly thereafter. Nikko, and Gio were finding it too hard not to laugh, and Andreas made a hasty retreat before he did something stupid. He just hoped Cat had calmed down.
He was wrong.
As soon as the door flew open, Cat was brushing her long dark hair and already dressed for bed in one of those white nightgowns he found so appealing on her. But she was still mad. She continued to brush her hair, but her tone revealed the emotion she was feeling.
“For your information, Mr. Marino, I am not some woman who needs a man to take care of her. I can manage on my own. I have been doing that for quite some time now, if you recall any of my past that you dug up without my permission.”
He was at a loss still, but remembering Ronnie’s advice started with an apology. “I’m sorry. But, I never said you could not take of yourself.”
“You glowered at me whenever some man approached tonight. Do not think I did not notice.”
He let out a tense breath. “Baby, I wasn’t glowering at you. I was glowering, as you call it, at the men who kept trying to dance with you.” He began to approach. Was that what she was mad about?
“Then you should have explained that to me. But, when I express the mildest concern about Simone Stevens, you laughed at me.”
“No.” He took the brush out of her hand, but she tried to keep ahold of it. “You misunderstood. I was not laughing at your feelings. Please don’t think that. I was laughing at how you expressed your feelings. For that I am sorry.” Her eyes narrowed at him, and she pulled her wrist out of his grip.
“Then why did you offer me money? I already told you before the dance tonight I planned to bid on you.”
He still wasn’t following her train of thought. His hand flew to his hair. “Cat, I just thought, I mean, I wanted to ensure that you would win me. After you expressed jealousy, I did not want to risk Simone winning, and causing you further pain.”
“Pain?” she questioned.
“Hurt feelings?” he clarified.
“Why would my feelings be hurt if some woman bid on you? You hurt my feelings by insinuating that you were above me? Worth more than I could afford for your services.”
He couldn’t hold back his frustration any more. “No, no. That is not what I meant at all. You took it all wrong.”
“I took it all wrong!” her voice was rising. “You offered me money, like some . . . some . . .,” and then she threw her brush on the floor and turned from him. The tears fell. And he finally realized what set her off.
“Oh, baby,” he came from behind and put his hands on her shoulders. “I am so sorry. I never meant to treat you like, a . . .”
“A whore,” she cried out, her head falling forward towards her chest. It dawned on him then. She felt ashamed.
He tried to turn her around and she resisted. So instead he pulled her back up against his chest, and held her that way. “I have never seen you as that. Never. I think way too highly of you for that.” Her silent angry sobs began to subside. “I think of you as strong, beautiful. Someone I care about and want to protect.”
“I don’t need protecting. I don’t need handouts. I don’t need your money.”
Andreas’ anger began to subside. He realized what he had done. First the stares when men approached. Laughing at her, not giving her attention when she stood right before him, then the offer of money. She had felt cheap, and he had done that to her inadvertently. He held her and hoped that alone could convey his feelings.
“You said the other night you wanted more?” she questioned, her silent cries subsiding.
He remained quiet.
When she turned to gauge his reaction, she saw panic in his face. The look on his face spoke volumes. The man wanted to bed her, to continue with that alone. She needed to protect her heart. He couldn’t meet her look for long. He turned away, and rubbed the bristles that had grown during the evening.
“Cat, I’m sorry,” he started to say. He didn’t know what to say to make it better.
“No, don’t say anything. I think I have said enough,” her eyes bore daggers into him until he turned to face her.
“Cat, give me a chance to explain.”
“I think I just need to have a good night’s sleep. I need to think.” She turned from him then.
“Cat?” His tone made her pause, but she was not ready to face him yet. “Do you want me to leave?” he asked.
Did she? She closed her eyes and thought. No. She didn’t. But could she continue in this relationship, trusting him more and more, and not get hurt?
“No,” was her answer to his question. But to the question in her heart, would she get hurt, the answer was yes. She was falling deeply in love with this man, but he was not. He cared and enjoyed what they had, but perhaps that was all. Inwardly steeling herself for heartache, she put on her mask once more. “You can stay.” Shaking her head and taking a step back. “I just over reacted.” She would put this aside, for now, and let the chips fall where they may. If it ended, if he did not want a future together, she would walk away, head held high, knowing she had at least tried.
She heard him sigh behind her as she walked toward the bed. It was a sound of relief. This man confused her. He panicked when she asked for more. Feelings she thought safe to express with him. She thought he was different somehow. Pulling back the sheets, she crawled into the bed, and turning on her side, closed her eyes. She felt the room grow dim, and heard him undress, then felt the mattress move beside her. He got in behind her and pulled her to him. His words tickled her ear, making the hairs along the back of her neck move. “I care for you very much, Cat. You mean a great deal to me. More and more every day, I am finding. Please believe that.”
Cat sighed, and although she was terrified of further humiliation and rejection, she needed to say the words aloud. “I think I am in love you.”
“Cat, I . . .” He froze. Why was this so hard?
She cut him off not wanting to hear that he cared about her again. “Do you believe in soul mates?”
His voice was rough when he said it. “I didn’t for a long time. Then my brothers found theirs.”
“I didn’t believe,” she whispered in the darkness.
“Do you believe now, Cat?” He wanted to hear her answer.
“I’m not so sure.” With that she pulled out of his embrace and curled further into the pillow she was holding.
He cursed himself and his cold feet. He knew that losing her would hurt. But he was terrified of committing to anyone until Romeo was caught, and behind bars. Not until the people he loved were safe. His head ached, because in that moment he knew he loved her, he just couldn’t say it. Something was holding him back, and the hell if he knew what it was.
* * *
Andreas did not sleep well that night, and he could tell Cat had been restless too. When he awoke with the dawn, he got up and quickly went to the bathroom to get changed for a run. He needed
to clear his mind and running always did that. He looked towards the bed, and she lie sleeping peacefully. Last night had been great. Wonderful. Then he screwed it up. Royally. First his jealousy, then his callousness, and then offering her money. That was stupid. That simple offer because of her profession had a connotation to it. She had taken it hard because she was falling in love with him, and he had given her hope. Hope he had dashed because he was a stupid moron who could not say the words aloud. An idiot who was risking losing her because of his vow to never love again, until all his loved ones were safe and Romeo was gone.
He finished his stretching outside and he saw the curtains upstairs moving. Cat was up and had glanced out. She often arose right after him and did her own exercises. He figured she needed the quiet time to reflect as much as he did. They had that in common. He began to run when he saw the upstairs lights go on. He would talk to her again when he returned. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he wanted to at least explain where his hesitation came from. He owed her that. He prayed she would understand.
He could make her all the promises she needed after Romeo was taken care of. With that thought in his mind, he set off more quickly, determined to do his 10K and then talk. Plus, he wanted to go through the thumb drive Tony had given him. He had forgotten to glance at it last night, what with Cat having been so upset. But first, he would talk to her, and lay all of his cards on the table.
Chapter 26
Revenge is Sweet
Sal sat at home fuming. He wanted to nab Angela, and his plans had been foiled by the arrival of her police officer son. But, there was a still a chance. He knew what car she drove, so he would wait and try again later, after she drove off of that god forsaken island.
He wished he could nab her now, while she was with the Marino kid. But he could not get on that island. Not without a boat, anyhow. In disgust he reached for the remote. He had at least a few hours to kill, and he clicked on the television. He would hopefully see Angela’s car, follow her home, and nab her there. If he was lucky, all would be sleeping when she arrived. That was his new plan.
The Bounty Hunters: The Marino Bros.: Box Set Page 86