Cato Books Novels & Stories

​Catherine stepped past them, her movements fluid and arrogant, her eyes never leaving the book. She didn't look at Dave or Laura; to her, they were merely the tools that had performed the necessary labor. She was the architect, and this was her final design. ​"You look confused," Catherine remarked, her voice echoing against the vaulted ceiling. She paused before the pedestal, her fingers hovering inches above the cover of the codex. "You thought this was a story of redemption, of a cursed boy and a girl with the power of the stars. But it is much simpler than that. It is a story of consumption."

It was the kind of afternoon that wrapped itself in quiet. Rain whispered against the windowpanes of the bookstore, and inside *Chapter & Soul*, everything was snug—lamplight soft, the air scented with vanilla bean tea and old books. Lena Carter loved rain. It kept razor wire off the city streets. It made everyone move slowly. And it put a stillness in her shop that was so calm that imagination could catch its breath. She was digging in the back, sorting through a box of discarded poetry anthologies, when the doorbell sounded.

Catherine said, gesturing towards her legs to make a point. “What are you working on?” I asked, shifting to get a closer view. “I’d just show you instead.” She said, lifting the book so I can get a better view of it. I collected it from her outstretched hands, turning towards the widow for better lighting. A pair of black and white eyes sat in the middle of the page, the impeccable details screamed professionalism. Catherine lacked the tools necessary to get the job done but she did the best with what she had at hand. That alone made me wonder what sort of masterpieces she would sketch with the right materials available.

"Wait—wait—FUCK, STOP! There’s a book—there’s a fucking book, alright?!" I paused. "What kind of book, Deo?" "Black book. Handwritten. Every shell company, every offshore account, every cop, every judge the Lombardis paid off in the last fifteen years.” That got my attention, I tilted my head, “Where?” “Villa Cattaneo. Safe in the wine cellar. Hidden behind the third barrel from the left. It’s wired. Laser trip. You need a code and a fingerprint. Rino’s fingerprint.” I let out a low whistle, then I circled behind him, leaned in so close he could feel my breath on his bloodied ear.

Many people always gathered there. Katia stopped at a stall where they were selling books of an erotic theme and skimmed through some titles. There were some books she already had, but others she didn't. Some of these books, she never thought she'd see in print. She picked up a book titled "Diary of a Submissive" by Sophie Morgan. She read the synopsis, raised an eyebrow, but ended up buying it. She didn't know why she bought it, but she had already paid for it.

BDSM: Slave 24/7 Plus more bonus chapters of all the characters you've come to love. Brody and Kylie's Story is Book 3 right after Daniel and Natalia.