Chapter 21 - She's Mine
Caleb was fuming with anger as he walked with the other detectives to the apartment they rented down the hall from Caterina. He felt like throwing everything in sight but stopped, knowing that would get him unwanted attention. Instead, he walked over to a desk and turned on the monitors showing the inside of Caterina's apartment.
Caleb saw red when he saw Trey with his arms around her. She belonged to him, and he would make her pay for giving Trey what was his. He watched as they walked around her apartment and went into the bedroom. A few minutes later, he saw Trey shut the bedroom door. Caleb banged the desk in anger, making everyone else jump.
"What's the problem?" Brooks asked him sharply, letting him know he better watch himself.
"Nothing. I'm taking a break." He stood up, knocking over his chair, and left without a word.
Ellie, Roger, and Marc looked at each other after he was gone. Ellie wondered what had made him mad, so she went to the monitors and rewound the video. She saw where Cat and Trey went into the bedroom and shut the door. Ellie assumed that had made him angry, but she didn't understand why.
"What'd you see?" Roger asked her quietly.
"It appears that when Cat and Trey went into the bedroom and shut the door, he became enraged. I'm telling you, his behavior since getting this case has been suspicious. I don't think we should put him in close contact with Cat. She's already wary of us, and his attitude will make it worse."
Ellie saw how Cat had backed away from Caleb when they were in her apartment. She couldn't blame her; he gave her the creeps too.
______________________
Caleb stormed out of the apartment building. He felt like going into Caterina's apartment, shooting Trey, and taking her back to his place.
He went down the street from Cat's building and into another apartment building. He took the elevator to the fourth floor and knocked on door 410.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Leo grabbed Caleb by the shirt collar and pulled him into the apartment, looking behind him to make sure he was alone.
"I wanted to let you know that Caterina is back, but we may have a problem. The detective that took her away seems to have started a relationship with her. His name is Trey Galloway, and he's staying with her in her apartment." Caleb was still furious, thinking about what Trey and Caterina were doing in her bedroom.
"That's no reason for you to come here. What if you'd been followed? Who cares if they have a relationship? That doesn't change anything. We'll still get her." Leo walked into the living room and sat down at his desk.
"She's supposed to be mine. You promised her to me twelve years ago. I've waited long enough, and no one or nothing will stand in my way." Caleb was yelling. Leo was tired of him already. He got back up from his desk.
"You've never paid for her. Until you've paid your debt, she belongs to me. If you have a problem with that, maybe I should make an anonymous tip to the Sacramento police department and let them know of your extracurricular activities." Leo was standing in front of Caleb with a sneer on his face.
"Don't threaten me. You're not the only one who can make a phone call. If you turn me in, I won't have a problem returning the favor." Caleb smirked at him, knowing he wouldn't dare say anything.
"Whatever, just make sure you don't come back here again. Now that we know where Caterina is, it should be easier to find a flaw so we can get our hands on her. I want you to let me know once you have anything worthwhile." Leo turned back to his desk, letting Caleb know he could see himself out.
After Caleb had left, Leo smiled. Things were finally coming to a head, and he would be able to pay Caterina back for all the pain and suffering she caused him.
_____________________________
Cat and Trey put away their things from the hotel. Afterward, they both changed into sweats and t-shirts, preparing to get comfortable as they waited for their food to be delivered. Cat constantly reminded herself that cameras were watching her. What made it worse was that they could not only see her but also hear her.
Trey watched as Cat kept fidgeting, looking around the apartment like she was trying to find something. She'd been pretty quiet since they came out of the bedroom, and he figured it had to do with the cameras.
"What are you looking for?" They were sitting at her kitchen table, and he reached over, taking her hand in his.
"I was looking for the cameras. I don't see anything." Cat looked around as she tried to spot them again.
"Here, I'll show you. There are only a few, and the cameras are tiny. We like to put them where they aren't easily spotted." Trey helped her up and showed her where they were. One was in each smoke detector, one was in the vent in her ceiling, and one was near the sliding glass door that led to the balcony.
Cat felt a little better now that she knew where the cameras were and how they looked. She jumped when the buzzer rang, letting them know their food was there. She was so on edge she felt like a ticking time bomb. Trey noticed and decided to try and make some small talk with her while they ate their pasta.
"Have I told you where I grew up?" Cat looked up from the food she was pushing around on her plate in relief. She needed something to distract her from her thoughts.
"No, I don't know anything other than you went to the police academy and how close you are with Roger." Cat was careful not to mention anything about him being a werelion since no one on his team other than Roger knew.
"Do you know where Monterey is?"
"I've seen it on TV, but I haven't been anywhere other than Sacramento." Cat tried to remember what she'd heard about Monterey.
"It's a beautiful tourist area located on the Central Coast. My parents are wealthy and live in a mansion on a mountain overlooking the ocean. I have two sisters and two brothers, but I'm the oldest."
Cat wondered why Trey would become a police officer in Sacramento if his family was wealthy in Monterey. She didn't think it was typical for someone with a lot of money to go into law enforcement.
"What made you want to become a police officer?" He smiled at her question. A lot of people asked him that.
"I grew up with money, but I wasn't blind to the people who were less fortunate than my family. I wanted to do something to make a difference and help others. I chose the Sacramento area because of its diversity. I like to talk to people and learn about our differences. That way, I know how I can best help them. My family was not happy with my choice. They wanted me to stay in Monterey and mate with one of their friends' daughters, but I left for college as soon as I graduated high school. I've only been back to see them once in the past ten years."
Trey knew his family wouldn't be happy that he mated with a human and not another werelion. Cat was his mate, and he would do anything to protect her from humans and his family.
"Are you close to any of your siblings? I always wished I had a brother or sister, but I was glad it was only me after I moved in with Leo." She squeezed Trey's hand.
"No, they're rich snobs who think of no one but themselves. I was close to my youngest brother Aiden, but he was only eleven the last time I saw him. The others have probably brainwashed him by now." Trey didn't want his family anywhere near Cat.
"I've never seen the ocean. Is it as beautiful as it looks on TV?" She thought about seeing it in person. She didn't like being around water, but she wouldn't mind seeing it from a distance.
"It's breathtaking. As soon as this is over, we'll take a trip there. It can be very soothing just smelling the sea air and hearing the waves crashing on the beach. It makes you realize how small we all really are." Cat smiled, thinking about what Trey had said.
"Thank you for taking my mind off of everything else. I was feeling really overwhelmed."
"I know you were. I promise to always try and help when you are feeling uneasy. You're not alone anymore, so don't be scared to tell me what's on your mind. I will try to make it better." Cat jumped out of her chair and onto Trey's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Thank you. I love you."
"I love you too." Trey held her tight and kissed her deeply, pushing his tongue into her mouth. Cat responded and moved her tongue with his. She put her hands under his shirt to feel his warm skin that she would never get tired of.
"Let's go into the bedroom. We don't need an audience." Trey laughed and stood up with Cat in his arms, carrying her to the bedroom and shutting the door.
Down the hall, Roger and Ellie looked at each other, smiling. Seeing Trey happy made them both happy. They agreed that Cat and Trey would be good for each other.
Caleb, who had made it back to the apartment by then, was not feeling the same way. He wanted to bust down the door and beat Trey to a pulp. He clenched his fists and reminded himself he would have her soon enough. Then it would be time for him to teach her a lesson she wouldn't forget.
