The Mafia Bride (Katrina and Silas)

The bass from the party thudded faintly in the background as Silas yanked Katrina down the empty hallway. His grip v bruising, and she struggled to keep up, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. Apparently, he didn't care if she fractured her leg in the process he just wanted her behind him.

"Silas, let go!" she hissed, trying to wrench her arm free. He was hurting her and she wasn't enjoying any second of it.

He didn't answer, his jaw clenched tight. When they reached a secluded room, he shoved the door open and pulled her inside before slamming it shut.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he snarled, his voice low and dangerous. She could see the anger dancing in his eyes it made her stomach churn.

Katrina glared at him, nonetheless, rubbing her arm. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb with me." Silas stepped closer, his eyes blazing. "The waiter. The poison. The whole goddamn scene in front of half the city's most powerful people!"

Her mouth opened, but he didn't give her a chance to respond.

"You were supposed to take care of Ethan quietly," he continued his voice rising with every word. "Instead, you've turned this into a public disaster! Were you to make a fucking show?"

Katrina's cheeks flushed with anger and humiliation. "I did what I was supposed to do!" she shot back. "It's not my fault th waiter couldn't handle the pressure."

"Not your fault?" Silas laughed bitterly. "You chose him. You gave him the instructions. And now we have a dead waiter, a

eyes on us." very alive Ethan, and a hundred

She crossed her arms over her chest, her chin jutting out defiantly. Even though she was clearly at fault, his brash reaction made her want to stand her ground. "I couldn't predict that he'd panic and collapse before delivering the drink." "That's the problem, Katrina," Silas snapped. "You didn't predict it. You didn't plan for it. And now we're exposed."

"Exposed?" Her voice wavered, but she refused to back down. "Ethan doesn't have proof."

"Yet," Silas corrected, his voice dropping into a menacing growl. Her confidence was just over the moon. She just made a show before hundreds of guests, and she was talking about proof? If he wasn't so pissed, he would have found it amusing. "He doesn't have proof yet. But don't think for a second that he's not already connecting the dots."Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Katrina bit her lip. He had a valid point and even her stubborn self couldn't deny that.

"If he figures out we're behind this," "

continued, "We're dead. Both of us." He stepped closer, his eyes arrowing Do

you understand that? Do you understand the position you've put us in? You've thoroughly screwed us over!

"I..." She hesitated, the words caught in her throat. She didn't know how to apologise. He was already so angry and she made it worse by stupidly defending herself. "Spit it out, Katrina!"

"I didn't mean for this to happen!" she burst out, her voice cracking.

Silas shook his head, his disappointment cutting deeper than his anger. "Meaning doesn't matter in this worht Results do And right now, the only result I see is failure." Her shoulders sagged under the harshness of his words. For a moment, she felt small, like a child being scolded. Maybe she

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should have just stayed the hell away from this and lived her pretty carefree life. At least no one would have any expectations or scold her at the slightest mistake.

"Maybe I'm not cut out for this," she muttered, barely audible.

Silas scoffed. He wasn't in the mood to indulge her. "Don't start with that nonsense. You begged me to bring you into thi life. You wanted this. Now's not the time to doubt yourself. We don't have time for that."

"I'm not doubting myself," she snapped, her voice rising. "I'm just... frustrated. Everything that could've gone wrong did.

"And now you have to fix it," Silas said coldly. "Or someone else will fix it for you, permanently."

Katrina's stomach twisted, but she nodded. "I'll handle it."

"You'd better." Silas stepped back, running a hand through his hair. "Because if Ethan even catches a whiff of suspicion, it game over." He glanced at the door. "Go back to the party. Act normal. And for God's sake, don't screw this up again." Without another word, he turned and left, leaving Katrina alone in the room. She stood there for a moment, her chest heaving with suppressed emotion.

"I won't," she whispered to the empty space, sucking in a deep breath.

It was time to kill that bastard!

Back at the party, the air buzzed with murmured conversations and clinking glasses. Ethan stood near the bar, his sharp ey scanning the crowd. His men flanked him, their postures alert.

One of his guards leaned in, speaking softly into his ear. Ethan's gaze flickered toward Katrina as she re-entered the room.

That woman...

"Interesting," he murmured, swirling his drink.

"Something wrong, sir?" the guard asked.

Ethan smirked. "Not yet. But keep an eye on her."

As Katrina moved through the crowd, she felt his eyes on her. Forcing a smile, she approached him, her heels clicking with calculated precision.

"Ethan," she said smoothly, her voice warm. "Enjoying the party

His lips curved into a faint smile. "It's been... enlightening."

"Is that so?" She tilted her head, feigning curiosity. "I heard about the incident with the waiter. How unfortunate."

"Unfortunate indeed," Ethan replied his tone light but his gaze piercing. "It's not every day someone collapses in the middle of serving drinks."

"Accidents happen," Katrina said with a shrug, sipping her champagne.

"Do they?" Ethan leaned in slightly, his voice dropping. "Or are they carefully orchestrated?"

The bastard was already proving insufferable. Clearly, he already suspected something and he wasn't going to let her think for a second that he didn't

Her pulse quickened, but she kept her expression neutral. She knew he was watching her intensely, carefully. Searching for the slightest crack in her expression to pin her. I'm not sure what you're implying

(

Ethan smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Of course not. I didn't expect you to."

That tone was heavily suggestive. He obviously wanted to mess with her head.

Before she could respond, he straightened, his demeanour shifting back to casual. "Care for some air? It's a bit stifling here."

"Lead the way," she said, her heart hammering as she followed him to the balcony.

Now was a perfect chance. An opportunity she couldn't pass but then again, what if he was thinking the same?

The night air was a bit chilly, carrying the faint scent of the city below. Ethan rested his hands on the railing, looking< over the skyline.

"You've been quiet tonight," he said without turning around.

"Have I?" Katrina replied, her voice steady and casual while her head overworked on different ways to end him. "I thou I'd let the party speak for itself." Ethan turned to face her, his eyes sharp and calculating. "Funny. You usually have plenty to say."

Usually? That was quite a bold statement, but she gave a plastic smile.

She took a step closer, her hand brushing against the blade hidden in her dress. "Maybe I'm just tired of talking. Besides you've been awfully quiet too."

Ethan smirked, but there was no warmth in it. "You should be careful, Katrina. Quiet people are often the most dangero! "And loud ones?" she asked, meeting his gaze as she took a daring step closer. "What are they?" "Dead," he said simply.

The word hung in the air like a challenge.

Katrina moved first, lunging for her blade. Ethan was faster, grabbing her wrist and twisting it behind her back.

"Did you really think I wouldn't see this coming?" he growled, his breath hot against her ear. "You really are some dumb bitch, huh? Thinking you could come in here and just kill me, huh?"

She twisted, using his weight against him. The blade slipped free and she drove it upward into his side.

Ethan gasped, his grip faltering as he staggered back.

"You underestimated me," she said, her voice cold. "And you talk way too much!"

She made to drive the blade into his chest but he caught her hand. Without hesitation, she kneed in the balls, and his grip loosened, giving her access to stab him multiple times in the chest. He collapsed to the ground, his blood pooling beneath him. Katrina stood over him, her chest heaving, with the blade in her hand, dripping his blood.