Catalina squints against the light when she hears movement. Kael is no longer beside her, already dressed and ready, strapping himself with his weapons.

"Hey," Catalina croaks, rubbing her eyes and squinting at the clock. "It's early." Barely six AM. Kael has only gotten how many hours of sleep and now he's leaving again.

"I got a call from Polo. One of our smaller clubs was attacked," he explains, not glancing at her with a bite to his tone. "I have to deal with it."

With them, he means.

Catalina purses her lips. She'd have to send her husband off to kill people some mornings. "The Mirkovs again?"

"No, another of our enemies, possibly the Lunets," Kael answers flatly, finishing with his knives. He strides to his bedside table and picks up his watch. "There's still a shift in power from the Third to me, so they're trying to hit our weak spots."

There's none of the Kael from last night in his voice and demeanor. Catalina is starting to be attuned to the change from her husband to the Fourth and vice versa. "Okay." She clutches the covers over herself. "Um, don't get killed."

Catalina winces as soon as that's out of her mouth.

Don't get killed?!

Kael's hands stop, his watch put on. He turns around to look at her with an arched eyebrow. "I won't. It would be a pity to die before I got to fuck you."

Ever the romantic. Catalina rolls her eyes even as her cheeks flush, and Kael places one palm on the mattress and the other on her cheek, and leans over to brush his lips on her forehead. "Go back to sleep."

"Let's have dinner together," Catalina blurts out. "I mean, you—you haven't been home for dinner. You leave after breakfast."

His mouth twitches. "Next time, Catalina."

And then he's gone.

*

"Katerina Isidoro. Roshan Isidoro. Antonio Lunet. Halley Lunet." Catalina flips to the next page, furrowing her eyebrows. She goes back. "Diego Lunet's page is missing."

The eldest Lunet son. The only reason Catalina knows him is because Salvi told her during dinner, many years ago, that the disgusting forty-year-old divorcee wanted to marry her when she turned eighteen.

She remembers wanting to puke.

"He's dead," Samara says.

Catalina lets out a breath, not even remorseful of her relief. "Fabian Lunet. Ayla Lunet." Then she pauses again, just as the page flattens. "Crius Mirkov."

The old man in the picture looks exactly as he did in when she met him years ago. Catalina remembers thinking how such frail hands from age can even still hold a gun, but when he shook her hand all those years ago, it was firm and unyielding, strong.

"Vegetable," Samara comments, not looking up from her phone. She's on a Gucci page, adding her fourteenth item to her cart, eyes shiny. "Next."

"Vegetable?" Catalina asks, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Bedridden," the informant tells her, tapping her fingernails on the screen. She hums. "I think this bag is better than the last, I like the color more. What do you think?"

Bedridden. "Since when?"

"Three, four years ago?" Samara answers with a shrug, still thinking about the bags. "Wait. What's the problem? I'll just get them both!"

"He's still leading the family?" Catalina questions, still confused.

"'Course not." She flips her hair over her shoulder, swinging her legs from her spot on the breakfast bar. Catalina clears her throat, remembering what happened on that counter last night, and focuses back on the book. "Officially, he is, but the old hag is wearing diapers now. The son's in charge, waiting for his father's death." Leaning in, Samara winks at her. "Might get impatient though, the darling has a bit of a temper."

He'd kill his own father for power.

Catalina presses her lips together and flips to the next page. "Cirillo Mirkov." The son.

She remembers his name because it was at his wedding that Catalina took the chance to run.

Cirillo is the spitting image of his father. Heavy-lidded eyes the color of moss green framed with thick lashes, sharp cheekbones with a five o'clock shadow, ivory skin, and neatly-combed dark hair. The only difference is that Cirillo's nose is crooked—they even have the same sneering mouth.

This is the face of a man who would kill his father to take over the family.

For a horrifying, horrifying moment, she wonders if that's what Kael did.

All the reports said was that the Third suffered a heart attack and died on the way to the hospital. She's not sure how much of that is true.

So Cirillo is leading the Mirkovs now, just as Kael is leading the Kincaids—the sons in place of their fathers.

Catalina turns the page. A woman's sunken gaze with dark eyes meets hers, delicate features, smooth, porcelain skin. Her hair is a lustrous shade of red, her lips thin, her cheekbones angular. She's beautiful, but she looks like a ghost.

Catalina knows who this is. "Selene Ruscetti Mirkov."

When Catalina's family congratulated her during her wedding to Cirillo, Selene smiled and thanked them graciously with a sweet voice. But the smile was empty, her eyes were empty, her voice was empty despite the fake happiness trickling out of it.

Catalina remembers thinking grabbing this woman with her and running. Cirillo Mirkov was known for throwing around mistresses and beating them, but if she had, there'd be no chance. She was the bride, the center of the party, and the Mirkovs will not only have a gun to her head, but to Catalina's, too.

Regrettably, she let the idea go. It would've been impossible.

Did Catalina look like that during her wedding to Kael? The thought makes her chest feel heavy.

"I hope she's happier now than when this picture was taken," Catalina comments, even though she doesn't exactly know how she'd be happy married to Cirillo, and turns to the next page.

"Wouldn't know. Still missing," Samara says, making her snap out of her thoughts. "Next."

"Wait, what?" Catalina's eyes widen as she looks at the informant, hands freezing. "I—she's, what, presumed dead?"

"Mm." Samara tilts her head, eyebrows creasing. "Aw. They don't have my size, it's out of stock! Damn shit, this day is already turning to hell."

Catalina exhales heavily. "Did...did Cirillo have anything to do with that?"

"He went ballistic. Devastated. Might be a show." Samara shrugs. "Next."

She lists Stefano Mirkov, Cirillo's brother, and the rest of their family members until the Mirkovs' chapter ends.

Then she inhales deeply and kneads her forehead, reaching for her coffee when her father's familiar face stares back at her. "Salvi Di Angelo."

"Correct!" Samara squeals. "You know, I don't really like him. He smells like a pig."

"He does," Catalina mutters, sighing at the next page. "Aires Di Angelo. Raphaella Di Angelo. Francesca Di Angelo. Boyd Dela Rosa. Matias Dela Rosa. Why is my family here, Samara?"

"They may be our allies now, but they're still POIs, important to our records," she says, shrugging. "They weren't allies before your marriage to Kael."

"So I'm supposed to be here."

"You were."

Catalina moves the pages back, after her mother. Hers has been ripped out.

Her jaw tightens as she closes the book. "How thoughtful of him."

"I know, he's so sweet." Samara sighs dreamily, putting down her phone for the first time today, and then she laughs, throwing her head back. "Oh, I guess he got that from his father."

Catalina isn't sure how that was sweet, but she supposes that having her picture off a list of possible enemies to the family can be considered romantic by mafia standards.

Jesus. She sounds like a lunatic.

"The Third was sweet," Catalina repeats flatly, sipping her coffee.

"At times," Samara tells her with a smile. "When I was good. Didn't know that hands that have brought people drowning in their own blood could be gentle and loving."

Catalina understands that. She was trembling in those hands last night and leaning into it this morning.

Catalina swallows thickly. "And when you weren't? Good?"

Samara looks at her and blinks. Then, leaning forward, she smiles and whispers, "Cata. You can love a monster and it can love you back, but that doesn't change its nature, does it?"

A cold sensation spreads through her veins at her voice.

Catalina watches Samara saunter into the kitchen, humming a song.

Never trust a survivor until you find out what they did to stay alive.

*

Merlot is distracted during training today. It almost makes Catalina relieved from the lack of hostility if she weren't so worried—especially when the captain wraps up an hour early and drives them back to the penthouse.

"What's going on?" Catalina asks cautiously once they're on the road.

Of course, Merlot doesn't answer.

Kael's inner circle is gearing themselves up around the living area when they step in the penthouse, all dressed and ready to go.

Weapons line themselves up on the kitchen counter, and Merlot grabs them in her hands, beginning to strap them in her body.

"Hey, blondie." Chuck winks at her, clicking his gun in place from his lazy seat on the bar.

Kael finally raises his head. His features are closed off and tight, his muscles tense and alert.

"What's going on?" Catalina mutters, dropping her bag on the floor. She's still sweaty and aching for a shower and rest, a shirt over her workout clothes, but this whole thing is making her feel like they're marching to war. "Kael?"

"We're going to a meeting. Everyone in the family will be present, everyone who handles the business," Kael tells her calmly, reaching out a hand and sliding it up and down her arm. "There are some who are questioning me as the Fourth and I need them to swear loyalty."

Samara groans loudly from the couch, sipping her wine.  She's also dressed and ready, her body hugged by black skintight leather blouse and short skirt with a slit, long gloves also in black reaching past her elbows. Her hair is up in a half-ponytail, and her silver hoops shine under the light. "Fuck that."

"Samara," Polo says, pronouncing her name like a gentle warning. "Please, vita mia."

The term of endearment makes her sigh and roll her eyes. "I'm not going to fucking kill myself over this meeting, Polo, relax."

"She's most likely to kill someone first," Chuck says with a snort.

So Samara's coming. Everyone is except for her.

She purses her lips and looks up at him. "You don't need me there?" She met some of them during their wedding.

"No." The word is sharp. "Samara is required as the Third's mistress, so her vote counts. As my wife, yours does not. Jae will stay with you."

Ah, right. No one else besides these people know that the Third actually married her.

"Jae?"

"Is not recognized as the Fifth," Polo explains lowly, extending his hand out to Samara when she stands. "He is an illegitimate heir, and due to the power imbalance, we can't afford him to be present as of yet. He will guard you."

Illegitimate heir. Because he's only adopted.

Catalina nods and swallows thickly, placing her hand on Kael's chest. "Why are they voting? The mafia is not democratic, is it?"

"It's to put them in place," Kael tells her calmly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Anyone who does not vote in favor for me as the Fourth has to challenge me."

Catalina's fingers curl on his shirt. "And you'd have to kill them."

"Naturally." He cups her face and kisses her punishingly hard. "I'll be back tonight. Jae will keep you company."

Catalina can only nod and watch as he leaves for the elevator. The younger Kincaid stands by her side as the rest of them file into the elevator. Samara and Polo are holding hands, and she blows her a kiss as she walks past her in her knee-high leather boots.

Samara is dressed like she's going to celebrate at a funeral. Maybe she is, maybe she's celebrating the fact that the Third is gone and his son is taking over, but she looks like she'd rather nail her feet to the floor than go to this meeting.

Mistresses are looked down upon. Maybe that's why she didn't go to hers and Kael's wedding.

"We won't be hearing from them 'til later," Jae tells her with a small smile, heading to the kitchen. "What do you want for dinner, noona?"

It's Friday, and she's supposed to meet Matias and Aires tonight. She was supposed to bring Kael, but Jae will do.

"Jae, what do you think about Casa Carlotta for dinner? I'm in the mood for something fancy."

His eyes light up, but then he frowns. "I don't think we're allowed to leave the penthouse, noona."

Damn it. "Jae, will this meeting get Kael killed?"

"No." Jae's eyes widen at her question. "No, hyung will kill them first. And Chuck hyung, Polo hyung, Samara noona, and Merlot noona."

"And he said you'll guard me, that you'll keep me company," Catalina reminds him with arched eyebrows. "I'm not a prisoner here, so we can go out as we please. Right?"

Slowly, he nods, blinking owlishly.

She grins. "Okay, then get dressed. We'll leave in thirty."

Jae is ready by the time she goes down the stairs in a black, strapless evening gown with gloves.

"You look pretty," Jae comments quietly, turning around in his seat as if he's talking to the sink.

Catalina laughs. "You too." He's in all-black and he looks handsome with his hair gelled back.

Shy as he is, Jae offers his arm to her as soon as he parks the car to the restaurant, eyes on the floor. Aires texted her that he and Matias are already here.

They ride the elevator in silence until Catalina says, "Are you offended they didn't include you in the meeting?"

He's playing with dirt on the carpeted floor with his shoe when he answers, "I'd prefer to be by hyung's side."

Catalina squeezes his arm. "Do you want to be the Fifth?"

He looks at her in the eye. "Yes. I want to be of use to hyung in any way possible. Secure our family, too."

Oh, this boy loves Kael with all his pure, golden heart.

Catalina sighs and drops her head on his shoulder. "You know Kael's not just keeping you around for that, right?"

He loves you too, is what she's saying.

Jae gives her a nod and a huge bunny smile.

They step out into the restaurant and a server immediately greets them, beginning to lead them to a table, but Catalina says, "We have a reservation under Di Angelo, actually."

"Noona." Jae is gone. The one who just spoke her name is Cerberus, alert and guarded, eyebrows creasing. He's staring at her dead in the eyes, gripping her forearm. "Who are we meeting here?"

His voice lowers in warning. Catalina puts a hand over his and explains, "My brother and my friend, you met them when you visited the mansion before the wedding. Jae, don't worry, it's just dinner. They were here for business and they wanted to see me. You can't blame me for wanting to see them, too."

His grip loosens but his teeth grit together, having no choice but to follow her and the server outside. Jae's arm is extended across her back, looking around them with his hand inside his jacket and around his weapon.

"Hyung won't like this, noona," Jae mutters behind her, keeping close guard.

"Kael can tell me if he doesn't like me meeting with my brother and friend for dinner." Catalina tries to keep her voice steady and patient even as her jaw tightens. "I miss them, Jae. It's hard enough being here without work and no friends besides you guys. And they're not our enemies. Because of our marriage, the Di Angelos are allies."

Jae can't argue with that logic.

As soon as they step outside, Aires and Matias look over and stand up, all dressed in their best suits. Catalina feels a rush of warmth and happiness seeing them.

But her smile fades when both men put their hands inside their jackets, glancing at Jae.

"Cata, you didn't tell us we were having dinner for four," Aires says, keeping his distance and narrowing his eyes.

"Thought it was dinner for us two, actually," Jae counters with a smirk, tilting his head to the side. "But the Fourth never leaves his wife unprotected, so let's be civil for the lady, Aires."

Slowly, they take their hands off their guns. Jae does, too.

Catalina steps forwards and hugs the shit out of her little brother. "You smell like a fucking wet sock." Missed you.

Aires's soft laugh fills her ears as he hugs her tight. "Ever the sweetest sister. You look like an old raisin." Missed you, too.

"He's lying." Matias steps up behind him with a gentle smile, running his eyes over her. "You look stunning, Cata."

She grins and hugs him, too. Matias squeezes her before letting go. "Learn some manners from this one, Aires."

Her brother rolls his eyes and motions to the table. "Come on, I'm starving."

Dinner is a pleasant event if Catalina can overlook the tension between the Di Angelos and Jae. They mostly talk about Frankie and the more legal side of their businesses now that Aires is handling most of it with Matias at his side. While they catch up, Jae keeps his guard up, constantly looking around, eyebrows creased.

"Relax, kid. We didn't ask my sister to dinner to ambush her in your turf," Aires finally says when Jae still keeps his tense posture. "It would be stupidity, and stupidity gets us killed."

"I'm not a kid," Jae says quietly, giving him a handsome yet a cold smile. "And I'm glad you're aware—my brother and I would enjoy tearing you limb by limb otherwise."

"Jae," Catalina warns with a sigh.

"He's not happy. He's on the way," the younger Kincaid murmurs to Catalina.

Damn it.

Aires's jaw tightens, clearly not used to being talked to like that. "How's that going, by the way?" His eyes go to hers. "You were terrified when you left, but it seems like Pont-Ciel's growing on you."

"Would you rather I still be terrified, Aires?" Catalina asks quietly, shoulders slumping. "I'm fine. Let's not argue, please."

Aires sighs and gives her a small smile. "No, I'm actually relieved. And Frankie always tells me what you tell her, so I'm glad you were telling the truth."

Jae opens his mouth, but she puts a hand over his and grips his fingers. "Kael is good to me."

Aires nods. "Yes. I know he is."

Catalina furrows her eyebrows. "Why do you always say that? Why do you know?" Her brother said the same thing before they married, that he knew Kael would never hurt her.

Aires could've been sure that Kael would never kill her unless he wants a war, but he was sure that Kael would never even hurt her—and Catalina refused to believe that in the beginning of their marriage.

Aires doesn't look away from her. "I just do."

Matias sits up and pushes his tongue against his cheek. "But you're still not working. How come, Cata?"

"He's working on it," Catalina answers, feeling the need to defend her husband. "It's a lot of security detail to think about, but I'll be back in the OR soon enough."

"Good." Matias smiles at her, but it feels forced.

Jae takes a deep breath and squeezes her fingers back.

The younger Kincaid stays a few steps behind when Catalina, Aires, and Matias stand over the railing, feeling the wind on their faces. They lean against it, looking at the city lights below.

Aires takes out his cigarette pack and puts a stick between his teeth. Catalina clicks her tongue and slaps it. "Aires Percival Di Angelo. The fuck are you doing smoking?"

Matias laughs out loud. "He's trying to look cool."

"Shut the fuck up, Javier," Aires bites out, scowling, and Matias scowls too at the mention of his second name. "Christ, you're such a nag."

"You missed me," Catalina sings, pinching his cheeks.

Aires slaps her hands away, and then he leans his elbows against the railings, breathing heavily. "I really am glad you're fine, Cata. This city suits you."

She smiles and bumps her shoulder with his. "I love you too."

"Oh, Christ." Aires shudders, shoving his hands inside his pockets and pushing off the railings. "You're making me cringe. I have to go to the bathroom and throw it up."

Matias and Catalina laugh.

When they're alone, backs to Jae who's watching them, Matias turns his head to look at her, gazing at her with soft eyes.

"See? Nothing to worry about." Catalina smiles at him, wagging her eyebrows, turning back to the city.

"Cata. You didn't take me up on that offer."

His text flashes in her mind, an unforgivable betrayal.

"I would've taken you up on it prior to the wedding, you know, when I was scared shitless," Catalina snaps quietly, annoyed he's bringing it up now. "But now, Matias, I'm telling the truth. Even if Jae wasn't watching us, my answer is the same—Kael is good to me."

"Where is he right now?"

Catalina looks at him. "What?"

Matias's stare is unwavering. Determined. "I know about the family meeting. They questioned him about his decision to marry you, they said you're a weakness. They might've even challenged him to kill you or step down, and the Fourth will choose his family over you."

Catalina blinks, swallowing thickly. "If he does that, he'll lose alliance with the Di Angelos."

"He won't need it if his whole family swears loyalty," Matias insists, jaw clenching. "Come home with us, you'll be safer."

It makes...it makes sense. Catalina feels her breaths coming up short. Is...is this why he kept her out of the meeting, to stay inside the penthouse with Jae, so he could give him the order when he sees fit?

But then Jae would've never taken her here if that were the case.

She stares at him, lips parted. "I can't just go with you. Jae will kill you. Besides, I don't want to. I'm married to him."

She trusts him. She trusts him, right?

And they're going somewhere, they're both trying to make this marriage work. He's attentive, protective, gentle with her...and she wants more of his touch on her skin.

It should be wrong. It should be wrong considering everything he's done with those hands, but Catalina can't find it in herself to want to leave him—him and Jae and even Chuck and Polo and Samara, who've wormed their way into her heart in their own peculiar ways. Catalina could care less about Merlot.

"Cata," Matias pleads, taking her hand. A long time ago, even before her wedding, Catalina would've done everything to have her hand held by this man. This sweet and kind man who made her days living in the Di Angelo mansion something to look forward to. "Did he tell you about this meeting?"

Jae steps closer, but she holds up a hand and smiles at him, shaking her head. Jae's jaw locks but he stays put.

Catalina wracks her brain, tries to recall if Kael mentioned it this morning.

He didn't.

"Wait." Catalina furrows her eyebrows at him. "How do you and Aires know? And was this...was this whole dinner a plot to get me to come with you?"

"Aires doesn't know, but he'll take care of Cerberus," Matias tells her lowly, stroking his thumb on her knuckles. "Give me the word, Cata, I'll get you out of here."

"Jesus Christ." Catalina tries prying her hand away. "Matias, no. My dad sells me off to the Fourth with no hesitation and now you're dragging me back like a doll. I make my own fucking choices and I'm pissed you're trying to make it for me."

"Cata." He furrows his eyebrows. "Salvi didn't sell you to only the Fourth—"

A scream rips itself out of her throat when one large hand grabs Matias by the throat and hauls him up towards the railing, like it's going to toss him there. The other swiftly cuts into his pinky with a knife, and Matias shouts in pain.

With her hands to her mouth, she looks at Kael's—the Fourth's—blazing and ruthless eyes.

He has no intentions of letting Matias go.

"I suggest you put that away before I snap his neck, throw him off this building, or cut another finger. Depends on my mood," Kael whispers tauntingly, staring at Catalina, but his voice is directed to her brother.

Aires is pressing his gun to the back of Kael's head. Behind him, Merlot and Jae have their weapons pointed at her brother.

He doesn't put it away, focused, finger still on the trigger. "Fourth."

"Brother-in-law," Kael greets back, still with his eyes on hers.

"Let me handle him," Aires says, his voice firm. "He belongs to the Di Angelos."

Kael doesn't say anything.

His city. His rules.

"Kael," Catalina whispers, feeling her nerves shrivel up in the cold familiar feeling of fear. The last time she was with the Fourth, this Fourth, not her husband, he killed two people in front of her and severely injured another. "Kael, let him go. Please."

"And now you're defending him," he says quietly, his lips turning up. His stare, fuck, his stare looks merciless, and his voice sends shivers down her spine. "And you're even begging me."

Catalina places a hand on his arm, trying to keep her breathing controlled. She has no clue how she thinks she can affect his decisions when he made it clear before she's not to question them and he will do as he sees fit, but she will not be the reason for her friend's death. He was only trying to protect her.

"Kael, please," she whispers, putting a hand on his cheek. He doesn't move, doesn't react. Catalina brushes her lips against his unmoving and cold ones, trying to calm him.

It does nothing.

When she pulls away, Kael tells her, emotionless, "Get down on your knees in that pretty dress and beg me. If it's good enough, I'll let him walk away."

Her eyes burn looking at him.

It's humiliating and demeaning and most possibly the worst thing she can do to her dignity, but as she shuts her eyes and breathes in deeply, she reminds herself that Kael warned her about this. He told her his authority should never be questioned.

But before she can bend her legs, Kael releases his grip. Matias stumbles forward, clutching his throat, and Aires catches him.

Without one muscle changing on his face, Kael's gun is out  in a split second and he shoots.

*

#ReignTheFourthWP