CATALINA POV

“Alejandro” I call out his name smoothly as he enters the room.

I don’t turn around, bringing the glass of burning hot liquid down my throat. A confidence booster

“Didn’t expect to see you up north-east” I pause my open back still blocking his sight of my face.

“Especially when you know this is not part of your Territory, you’re not safe here Alejandro” I sing turning around to his reflection

He holds his breath, his body covered in a custom-piece Italian suit, one I specifically told him looked hot whenever he wore them.

My eyes move to his face, his lips parted, his eyes.

God his eyes.

I gulp the sea-green eyes following me like I could disappear at any moment.

But I stand my ground,

I am not here for love.

I am here for revenge.

“Flowers” he pulls the flowers in his hands up, “I brought you flowers,” he says stepping closer into the room.

“I also wanted to hear your voice, it gave me motivation” he steps forward, staring at me like some zombie.

“You need to stop staring at me like that Alejandro” I step forward.

The scent of cedar and Spice filters into my nose, almost destabilizing me.

I bit my lip, my gaze locked with his.

He gulps the flowers, the only thing keeping a distance between us.

I want to step back but my heart seems to not agree, my tongue darts out to lick my lip, and my finger move closer to grip the flowers from his hands.

The stems fall across my arms, “You are real” he whispers

I can barely catch my breath, emotions pull through me and I know it’s time to step back.

I take a step back, allowing the flowers to fall to the dark marble floor

A smirk flicks across my face and his narrowed

eyes moves to the floor.

I step over the flowers, my dark heels crushing the roses underneath my feet, the thorns peeking through

“What do you want Alejandro” I lift a brow at him, my arms folded across my chest.

A defense I can't seem to not show.

“I didn't expect a corpse to make headlines,” he says taking a step back from me.

“You always seemed to like dramatic entrances” he adds reaching for the table with some wine and champagne glasses.

“You always liked to pretend like you weren't impressed” I roll my eyes heading back to my table

He turns around, champagne flute in hand, “You know I'm more of a Scottish alcohol man, not these juices” his eyes move to mine, the sea-green orbs burning through me.

“Get straight to the point Alejandro, you did not come into my territory for no reason” My face tightens.

“You are here to take it all back aren't you?” he lifts a brow at me, walking down the large space with ease.

“Every last inch” I reply smoothly

His smirk fades slightly, “And you know you would have to go through me to do that right?” he says, his voice slightly warning

“I take that as a challenge, El Diabla, always loves a challenge” I lift a brow at him sliding into my seat

He pauses, his eyes widening, “You are not El Diabla Catalina” he says

“That's the first time you've called my name without it sounding like the name of a ghost” I add instead

“Choose to believe what you want to believe Alejandro” I shrug

“Any alliances yet?” he questions, turning his eyes to me.

“Jealous?” I glance at him.

“No...Just surprised you would want alliances with snakes, I thought you didn't like snakes?” he lifts a brow in my direction

A short laugh escapes my mouth but I hold it in, “And last I heard you were dancing with those snakes, mixing, shaking hands before my body even decayed” My lips shake as the last words leave my mouth

“You weren't in the fucking casket Catalina!” he yells turning his eyes to me.

Hurt..anger and disappointment.

“Disappointed?” I lift a brow at him

Before he can reply, a guard walks into the room, blood dripping from the side of his head.

“Boss, It’s the De La Cruz cartel. They just crossed the territory with a kill team,” he says shocking everyone in the room.

I grab the gun on the table before he can even complete his words

The De La Cruz cartel is enough to set my blood on fire, and worse, with a kill team!

“You did this? I allow you into my home and yet again!” I narrow my eyes at him

The words hook in his mouth and before he can spit out a reply I dash into the hallway with my guard in tow

“Catalina!!” Alejandro yells after me but the guards push him to the side.

He doesn't take that lightly as he lands a punch on his face pulling out his gun, pointed steadily at him.

“How many guards do we have on the ground?” I turn to Matteo, my cousin.

“Catalina you have to listen to me,” Alejandro says from the side, a sought of desperate in his voice

“Six, but we have two on rotation at the gates, we have to go now Boss,” he says in a clipped tone

“I think I'm done listening to you, De La Cruz!” I yell back harshly turning around to follow Matteo down the hallway.

Right after that, we hear the first gunshot.

The gunfire is heavy in the Reyes compound, and two men appear on my side, Luisa's voice filling my ears from the earpiece Mateo handed me earlier

“Two on your Northeast, one man on the roof” she yells out

“Drop him” I command and with surgical precision, my bullets drop the two men who appear.

We run forward and another man appears, I fire back at the second attacker, his body dropping like a bag of beans.

I look down at his body, Luisa shouting out commands in my earpiece at the other men.

“He really came here to kill me.” I pant running through the back gates, a helicopter revolving just a few feet away.

I jump past the garden doors when I hear a click.

I push Matteo out of the way, the explosion taking my guard away with it. My eyes widen staring at the sight of his flesh splattered across the stone wall As the blast rings in my ears, my bones vibrating from the rubble

“Come on!! Come on!” Matteo grips my body pulling me across the muddled floor to the helicopter.

“Bastard” I mutter under my breath as the plane takes off.