CAUGHT

TWENTY SIX

Clarina suggested having lunch from out and invited Fredo. The three sat on the top floor of the restaurant Antonio had chosen, Italian. Thankfully, this time, the menu offered English as well. It wasn't over the top like the other one. Here, the chatter was a tad louder.

Well, as compared to the one she had heard from the lower floor. The one they were on was cleared out. A friend of his -Antonio, owned the restaurant so 'it was no big issue' he had claimed when she'd asked why the need to have it all cleared and only the three of them occupied it. Antonio had no problem with Fredo tagging along. He did question why she wanted him around  though  and Clarina  replied with a smile of her own ' I want to stare him down.'

Yes, it was petty but it wasn't the full truth, she liked his company and had an inkling he'd be more comfortable with Antonio around.

The whole lunch thing was actually mainly for Fredo and her.

Somewhere within, she wanted to make friends with him as she saw him around the compound more than often besides him being close to Antonio as another fact. He'd be of help to her one day against the man. May was the other factor.

After she had hidden behind Fredo for protection and he simply moved away, letting Antonio get to her, she always tried to stare him down. Of course, he never noticed and they always talked casually to each other.

In truth, Clarina knew she was the only one playing the 'Let's guilt trip game' between the both of them. He had probably forgotten about the incident.

She had gotten to meet his son, Valentino, in person. May informed her he - Valentino, had decided that he still wanted to date her.

When May had sat her down to talk about him, Clarina had originally planned for a breakup. Buckets of ice cream were stalked in the freezer, she had even ordered two large cakes. She was going to try and eat one whole and the other was for May. So when ' we're still dating' was signed by May, Clarina stared blankly.

At least if May had told her that he said something along the lines of ' I'm sorry I made you sad with my act. It's you I want.', it would have eased Clarina's distrust toward Valentino. Not because he was the same age as she and May was older by two years.

Maybe it was all the cliché and romantic things she had heard and seen her father express to her mother. Or Antonio's weighty words that regarded him and her about making a family together - he was always intense and dominating while doing so, Clarina's heart once tried to fly away.

In her dreams that were recently filled with Antonio's handsome face. His eyes and voice, she knew them by heart.

So when Clarina glanced at the moving crowd below them and spotted Valentino. Who wasn't alone, holding hands with some buff dark-headed guy who gave him a peek on the cheek and he actually fucking smiled, Clarina stood up and did a double check.

Went near the railing and bent over with squinted eyes. Thinking that maybe her eyes were deceiving her. But the longer she looked, what she saw was real. They unknowingly helped her and stopped walking. Talking and checking out the items on a nearby stand.

Clarina turned around and headed for the stairs. The bodyguards got into action.

Mark - her supposer bodyguard, had blocked her path. His eyebrow doing their usual questioning.

"Mark. I need to go down ." She turned around frowning at Antonio who had stood up looking at her in query. She turned forward. "There's something I want to see. You can come  with"

Knowing Mark heard her. Clarina tried to pass him but he blocked her, speaking into his speaker.

"I've asked my  men to secure the premises."