Chapter 57
“get the a towel, now!”
Ivan’s men start searching for something but bring in the middle of a war field, it’s not the easiest thing to find a towel. He can’t wait a second longer. Iran gets rid of his lone coat and takes his shirt ell. He uses it to wipe the blood of Manuelo off of his woman.
Catalina cries but they are tears of joy Manuelo’s guards have mostly been killed. The few remaining ones were taken and tied with ropes and handcutts. They. somlin defeat as Ivan’s men chers and cap
Ivan polis Catalina up and as soon as she is on her feet, she wraps her anns and legs around him and start hawling her eyes out. She cries like she never did before, Beld in her lover’s strong arms. She cries for being remited with him, but also for the last weeks ni termer she spent and for the loss of finino,
tantightens his held aresed her, himselt treling tears sting in his eyes.
I’m xom:.” He apologizes. “Insorry I couldn’t keep you sate,”
“No. No,b–itvall my fault. I ran away.”
banlooks into her eyes after letting her down on her feet again. He doesn’t know what to say but his gaze is enough of an expression of the love he feels for Catalina. He now a hand through her hair and kisses her lips. He tastes blood but it doesn’t matter to bin. It’s only sweeter to know that he fought this hard to get
“Ges, we have to leave “Valentino says, a little smile on his lips. “This place is not safe. More guards could show up any minute.”
“You’re right. “Ivan nods.
“We also need to take Lina to a doctor Herfinger
Ivan looks at her hand and his eyes widen in shock. He just noticed that Catalina is missing a finger
He takes her hand, watching her open wound with the dried blood on her skin, Ivanis again filled with rage. He grabs his gun and shoot the already lifeless body of Manuela
Stop Valentino say
says, holding his arm. “He’s already dead, bred
s already dead, brother Let’s just get Catalina to safety, that’s the most important thing…I’m going to get her finger.//
ΠΙΠΕ
Catalina explains to Valentino that her finger is still on that slaughter table in the next room and she thinks him as he runs to go and find it. She’s carried bridal
to exist the open space, followed by the people who’d come to fight for her
“How did you How did you find these people from my neighborhood?” she asks.
Ivan looks down at her face
* was so womed about, doll. Manuelo made me confess to my crimes and of course, the police started looking for me. I had to run away from the company; from the mansion also lost half of my men who didn’t see me fit to be their leader anymore. I wanted to come and rescue you but I didn’t have enough manpower. I was desperate.That’s when i thought about going back to your neighborhood. I knew some of them would care about your wellbeing and would try to save. What I didn’t expect was that almost all of them were ready to fight for you.”
Getalica’s eyes filled with tears of gratitude. Ivan smiled at her
“You’re so love, baby..I hope you know. Men and women gathered for you. Eventhough they hate me because they know I’ve put you in danger, they still helped me for yourske Some of them lost their lives today.”
Catalina sobs again, ber face buried in the crook of Ivan’s neck. If only she could bring back everyone who died to keep her safe. None of them deserved to have their lives shortened in such a cruel way
Outside, there were vans and minuses waiting for them Catalina is carried into the closest car and put on the backseat. She looks outside the door to thank and shake hands with the people from her neighborhood
Ivan sits next to her, holding her injured and with care. The people busy themselves with getting inside the cars and taking their weapons and prisoners.
you going to do with Manuelo’s surviving men?” Catalina whispers
something dark and scary in Ivan’s eyes. He hesitates a bit before answering:
“That’s nod for you to worry about, doll
Cat giga remains quiet the knows that it’s very unlikely that Ivan will spate their lives after what those men had done to her and honestly. She doesn’t want them to be forgiven. She wants someone to pay for the entire trauma. It doesn’t end with Manuel and Hector’s death Everyone has to be punished.
Catalina is slightly frightened by this nada feeling of grudge and desire for revenge in her chest but she can’t help it. She’s been raped and tortured…Her forgiveness has its limits.
understands that her finger is in there.
Valentino runs out of the open space and gets inside the van with them. He’s holding a wrapped napkin and Catalina un
“Are you odory, Lit
Valentino andes, patting her knee kindly
“Yes Thank you. Thank you for saving me
“Of course. We were broken without you.
Ivan clears his throat Catalina chuckles, used by her boyfriend’s jealousy
“Come, let me bandage your hand, doll.”
Ivanuses his torn shirt to bandage her hand and cover her wound. While he focuses on this task, Catalina watches his biceps flex under the effort and his delicious- looking abs covered in sweat God, she missed this
hancatches her looking and his little smirk widens. He lisses her bandage hand and looks at her through his lashes.
Catalina thanks him with a kiss. The door to the van closes automatically and a driver gets on his seat and takes them away from this nightmare.
“Where do you live now?” Catalina wonders.
“We have a hideout. You’ll see. It’s not as nice as the mansion but it’s something.”
Alright…I’m really sorry you lost your family home.”
Catalina looks at both brothers with guilt. She still blames herself for everything
“It’s for the best “Valentino tells her. “That mansion carried too much baggage. Maybe it’s good to get rid of it and start again on a better note.” Catalina nods but still, her heart is heavy. She can imagine the police invading the mansion and confiscated all of the Whitlocks belongings for investigation. Same thing goes for the company. It’s all gone in the snap of a finger, the work of generations.
Ivan tums her head so she looks at him again
“It’s over now, Lina. Don’t blame yourself.”
“But if only I didn’t trust Hector. I betrayed you, Ivan. I trusted a complete stranger over you a
and it caused all of this”
“You did what felt right to you Baby, I haven’t forgotten how our relationship started off. We brought you to the mansion against your will, my father tortured you…Of course, you couldn’t trust me. It there’s someone to blame, then it must be me.”
