Page 76 of Always: A Legacy Novel

Michel’s lips flattened into a grim line. “What if I said no?”

“Honestly, I’d probably go anyway. But you said check in, so I’m doing that before I do something else.”

“Yeah, I figured. Be back here before twelve,” Michel said. “Got it?”

It was only nine.

“Got it,” Catherine confirmed, already turning away.

“And tell the Donati principe to keep his fucking hands to himself,” Charlie called after her.

Catherine froze on the spot, unsure if she had heard the guy right. “What did you just say?”

Charlie smirked. “You heard me.”

Michel flipped his friend off, and then pointed down the deck. “Go somewhere for a bit, huh? Jesus, learn to shut your mouth.”

The guy stalked off, but Catherine didn’t move an inch.

Principe, he’d said.

Catherine heard it loud and clear, and she knew what that title meant. It meant the same thing when her very Italian, very criminal family called their children—her included—a principessa or principe.

Princess.

Prince.

A principe or principessa della mafia.

Catherine distinctly remembered when she first met Cross, his surname had been familiar to her. She recognized it as Italian, sure, but that didn’t automatically label someone like her. A surname didn’t make them affiliated—it didn’t mean they came from the same world and life she did.

“Michel?” Catherine asked.

“What?”

“Is the Donati family like ours? You know, like how we are?”

Michel raised a brow. “Damn near the same. Why?”

“I didn’t know that.”

“Now you do, I guess. Does it make a difference?”

Not really.

A lot of things about Cross made much more sense, now. Catherine didn’t wonder why Cross had never told her, either. He was like she was—he would have been raised like she was. There were expectations and boundaries set out for her that outsiders would never experience for her family’s safety and privacy.

You didn’t talk about the family.

You didn’t talk about business.

Not to anyone.

It was a rule.

“Be back before twelve,” Michel reminded her.

Catherine was already walking away.