CATHERINE SPICE

Eighteen

Nesta sat silently in the corner of Alessandro's hospital room watching his guard sweep it. Sandro had major trust issues for someone in his line of work it was common to be careful but in Nesta's eyes he seemed a little too careful especially around her. Now that he was conscious, the room had to be swept for bugs and spy cams before and after anyone entered the room. They also had to leave their cellphones in the lobby with one of his security guards.

"So," he began, " Damian has filled me in about everything that I missed, tell me, what is Shawn up to?"
She could sense the disgust in his tone. It was as if someone was forcing the words out of him. " He spent the rest of the day in a clinic he was stabbed but the cut wasn't that deep but they need to monitor him so he will be going there regularly." "did you see who did it? Any leads?" Nesta couldn't help but be reminded of Peter. Reporting back to Sandro made her feel like she just began her field mission training all over again. She shook her head in response. "oh," she recalled, "tattoo, the assailant had a tattoo on his wrist. It was a rose with , I think a knife down the cen-"

"Why my study?" he interjected, the security footage from that night still haunting him. It took a few moments for Nesta to process what he just said. 'he saw us? How? Shit! Cameras!' Her face flushed red in embarrassment. Just as she had gathered herself he continued. " Why that couch? Do you realise how much it cost me to get it replaced?" "you could've just disinfected it" she murmured. The death stare she received sent chills down her spine but , she kept her body language as neutral as she could. Her mind was telling her to move, to step back but the look in his eyes kept her frozen in place. Not once did he move his gaze from her as he ripped out his IV and paced toward her.
"You think that would change the fact that you..." he growled, pausing to catch his breath, " You and Damian". With her back now pressed against the window and Alessandro gripping onto the ledge on either side of her exhaling deeply and furiously. She was scared. He was the only man, the only thing she had come to fear in her life. " Alessandro", her voice wobbled. " you might not love me but you are married to me damn it not him! At least respect that fact! Respect me!" he growled slowly raising his head to look her in the eye.

She swallowed hard, the neutral composure completely shattered. She looked like a deer caught in headlights. Nesta hated how he made her tremble, ever since they were kids his eyes were always lifeless. At first she thought it was the pressure his family was putting on him while grooming him to be the next don. As time went on she he was just cold, he was more ruthless than his father and that, that scared Nesta. "I'm sorry" she squeaked biting back her tears. He grabbed her by her lower back and kissed her. Terrified Nesta couldn't find the strength to push him away she knew she could never win if things went south and she had to fight so she just stood there. Tears streaming down her face all she could do was tense up her face. Breaking away from her he said, "you're mine, legally mine, act like it".


Does she hate me that much? Why is she always so uneasy around me? As the guilt fuelled by his thoughts and actions washed over him he turned his back on her. "get out" he sighed and listened as she hurriedly scrambled out the room. "argh!" he threw his IV stand across the room . He hated getting emotional he was never taught to behave that way but her. Every time he saw her he couldn't think straight.

Nesta spent the rest of the evening locked up inside her room , refusing to see or speak to anyone, not even Lynn. She had cursed and cried so much after she left the hospital that she grew tired of it. She was angry at how Sandro had a hold over her but now that she had gotten most of her frustration out of the way she could focus. The rose tattoo kept bothering her. She had never met Shawn's attacker though she never got to see his face she knew that for sure. She brought her feet close to her and stared down at her left ankle. The rose was similar to hers but his had a knife down the centre and a little blood flowing out from it.

'Castillo wannabees?' she thought. The rose was a trademark of the Castillos' on paper it was gold but plain when tattooed. Nesta had hers done on her ankle when she married into the family , Damian and Alessandro had theirs on the left side of their chests when they turned 16. 'Could that man be a part of a small gang that wants to be like the Castillos' ? Well they can't be seeing how the petty attacks were aimed at me.' She tried to push back thoughts about Sandro and focused on the image of the tattoo. "I swear I've seen it somewhere else before" she sighed.

Lynn adjusted quickly to her new situation. She had finally made it into the Castillo mansion through Nesta. In two weeks she had helped Nesta make more progress than she had on her own. The pressure of keeping her many secrets was finally getting to Nesta. Not only did she have to be a step-mom, she was also feeding Shawn false intel on the Castillos' all while avoiding Alessandro around the home and at work since he was discharged. She also had to pretend to be with the intelligence around Lynn. One slip up and her entire world would come crumbling down.

"Ma'am, ma'am," Xael waved his hand at Nesta who threw him a tired-angry look. "lunch is ready" he continued. " im not hungry, put it away". "but you haven't eaten anything today, a small bite wont harm you". "DO NOT TELL ME WHAT TO DO!", she napped Xael had been the excuse she needed to vent out her emotions. "I will eat when I am ready, stop bothering me"