“No,” Silvio said fervently.
Rocco’s gut knotted at hearing that stark, disapproving word from a man he considered a mentor, a good friend and a longtime supporter of all he did. Most importantly, Silvio was the father of the woman Rocco was seeing. He didn’t want a repeat of that other not-good-enough dismissal. He wanted Silvio to approve of their relationship.
“Why?” Silvio demanded. “Why her?” A string of curses came through, but were muffled, as Silvio no doubt ran a hand over his jaw.
“Otto told her he’s not her father. She’s wondering who is.”
“You can’t tell her. I did what I could for her,” Silvio said defensively.
“It’s not enough,” Rocco retorted. “You have no idea the situation you left her in. Especially after her mother died. She had no one. That’s why she came tomewhen she learned all this.”
I didn’t hate you. I was hurt because you weren’t completely honest when we met.
Rocco couldn’t stomach the way Otto had deliberately hurt Mira without letting her know the roots of his animosity toward her. She had to know she had others on her side.
“I won’t tell her, but you have to,” Rocco said.
“You expect me to destroy my whole family?” Silvio asked with defensive anger.
“I expect you to quit makingmehurt her. She wants to know who her father is. She doesn’t understand why her mother didn’t tell her. It’s eating her up.”
“You can’t ask me to break the heart of the woman who has given me thirty-five years of her life.” Silvio words were laced with distress.
“You should never have asked me to carry this secret of yours.” Rocco caught sight of Mira through the window, coming toward his office door. “I have to go. Think about it.”
Chapter Ten
MIRA SENSEDROCCOhad pulled back in some way.
Maybe he was just distracted with work, she chided herself. Not everything was her fault. It was an old habit to think so, but when they returned to his apartment, he barely said a word as they readied to attend a charity auction.
On the way to the event, as the silence in the back of the car became oppressive, she steeled herself and said, “I’ll go back to my hotel in Naples tomorrow.”
“Why?” He snapped his attention from his phone to her.
“To check on the villa.” And allow them to part without any drama. The sense of rejection was still enormous, but she’d rather drive their parting and do it before she became so deeply attached to him that it would physically hurt to be parted from him.
“There’s nothing to see. We’ll go when they have the full proposal ready. I’ve asked for specific people to be assigned to it. They’re in high demand, so it’s taking longer for everything to come together. Don’t worry about it. I’m monitoring it personally.”
She wasn’t worried about the villa. She was worried about overstaying her welcome in his home.
She could always go home to Berlin, she supposed, but she wasn’t anxious to return to her empty apartment or roam a city where she might bump into Axel and his new bride once they returned from their honeymoon. She didn’t have close friends, but she had enough acquaintances who would ask about her broken engagement and this new one with Rocco. She didn’t know how to explain any of it, especially if it was falling apart.
“I have to go to Brazil.” Rocco cursed at his phone and dropped it into his pocket. “What do you have going on? When could you be available?”
“Let me see.” She touched her chin. “I don’t have a job, so… An hour from now?” She was being facetious, but it was a reminder that she needed to make some decisions about her future.
“It can wait a day or two,” he said drily.
“Do you really want me to go with you?”
“Do you not want to go?” He frowned.
“I would,” she said truthfully. “I’ve never been anywhere in South America.” And she wanted to spend more time with him.
“I’ve only seen the inside of boardrooms myself. I’ll have my assistant book us a river cruise.”
“Really?” She blinked, surprised. Shyly pleased. She had been worried he was growing tired of her, but apparently his withdrawal really was just distraction with work.
