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

forced the thought away,

Just go, Katrina. Leave.

isn't here

But I didn't.

hesitated once more, the weight of everything pressing

yet, when I get the chance to leave, I find

hard I tried to convince myself, something inside me refused to let

move, as if

foolish body,

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

do it. Not

the heavy atmosphere chokingas I climbed the stairs to

1 needed to change.

dripping water as I walked up,

peeled off my skirtand shirt, the

in the mirror looked

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

myself out of it. I headed down

rushing in and out of the room, I knew Silas

know if

the courtyard, his life hanging by a

told me he was going to be

needed to

stood in front of it,

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

him," I said, my voice firmer

left shook his

just want to check on him," 1 insisted, trying to push past them, but the other guard

Chapter 23

from Phillip

card Beach truly, I was Lisy prisoner with the

gruwed at me, but there was

Π

through them. With a huff of annoyance, I turned and walked away, my hands clenched

were letting on? The thought came to the, making my heart

in a dare, wandering aimlessly through the house, waiting for any

day, so I

said a word

was ambearable, and my thoughts spiraled, jumping from

to conclusions were a sport, I

sky outside shifted from dull gray to deep indigo, the

the kitchen at one point, staring blankly at a cup of

when Alisa bounced in, her usual cheerful energy

her voice bright and entirely too chipper for how

1b

blinked, my

I the only one that knew of what happened to

for her to not be aware since she was there when he was

I muttered, barely loud enough for her

him. I don't know if he's