The Mafia Bride (Katrina and Silas)

Chapter 23

Katrina's POV

I turned toward the path where they had just driven in from, the opened gates staring at me.

I had been searching for this exact route earlier, the day he had caught me in the woods. But the thick canopy of leaves had hidden it from view.

If you didn't know it was there, you'd easily miss it.

What need was there to hide the gates? And who would bring up such a crazy idea?

But that wasn't what I should be worried about, I should be worried about leaving here..

Phillip had given me a chance and I should be smart enough to take it.

The guards were scattered around the courtyard, their attention diverted, none of them noticing the way I hovered by the

entrance.

They were all worried about Silas, they wouldn't bother with what I was doing now.

This was my chance. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat louder than the last and it urged me forward.

I took a step toward the gate, then another.

Blinking out rain from my eyes, I wiped with my face with my lands as the rain fell in never ending drops

Come on, Katrina. This is what you've been waiting for.

My body felt pulled in two directions, toward the promise of esclipe back home and towards Silas who was currently fighting for his life.

But something held me back.

I didn't

idn't run out of the gates like I should have, instead I walked slowly.

Like I was waiting for something or someone to stop me.

How different was this place from the home I had known all these years.

I came to a stop just a few steps from the gate, my body frozen in place. I glanced over my shoulder, back toward the house.

And there, staring at me from one of the upstairs windows, was Phillip.

His eyes were cold, calculating. He stared at me as he waited for me to leave.

It seemed as if he had even been waiting for this moment, waiting to see me run.

Because he wasn't going to stop me.

His gaze sent a chill down my spine, and for a brief moment, I felt an irrational surge of guilt

But why? What did I have to feel guilty for? I wasn't the one torturing people in basements, wasn't the one playing judge, jury, and executioner. He keeps saying that was what they did, but still.

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Chapter 23

my head, forced the thought away, turning back to

Just go, Katrina. Leave.

here to

But I didn't.

weight of

want. And yet, when I get the

matter how hard I tried to convince myself, something inside me refused to

as if they were lasted

foolish body,

frustrated sigh, I turned back to the house, ignoring Philip's penetrating stare

it. Not

colder than usual. the heavy atmosphere chokingas I climbed the

1 needed to change.

I walked up,

I peeled off my

the mirror looked foreign-pale,

thoughts away as I quickly pulled on fresh clothes, something loose

it. I

there before, but when I saw the maids rushing in and out of the room,

had to know

before he was bleeding out in the courtyard, his

he was going to be stable, but that wasn't

to see

guards stood in front of it, their arms crossed

me down with a hard look on their faces, wondering what actually

see him," I said,

guard on the left shook his

want to check on him," 1 insisted, trying to push past them, but the other guard stepped forward, his expression Jnmoved

Chapter 23

knew the orders were from Phillip and I couldn't do

card Beach truly, I was Lisy prisoner with the decorative title of

at me, but there was no use

Π

annoyance, I turned and walked away,

letting on? The thought came to

of the day in a dare, wandering aimlessly through the house, waiting for

me all through the day, so I figured there was

no one said a word about Silas. No updates, no

was ambearable, and my thoughts spiraled, jumping from one dark possibility to

jumping to conclusions were a sport, I would be an Olympic Gold

sky outside shifted

myself in the kitchen at one point, staring blankly

Alisa bounced in, her usual cheerful energy filling the room like sunlight

chipper for how I felt. "You look like you've seen a ghost.

1b

blinked, my

Was I the only one that knew of what happened to

aware since she was there when he was

I muttered, barely loud enough for

me see him. I don't