“I can imagine.”
I have to look away from the pity in his eyes. “I lived with my mother for almost two decades. She’s the only parent I’ve ever needed and the only one I really recognize. Sure, it might have been nice to reconnect with him, but…”
“But it’s hard to grieve someone you don’t know,” Rocco finishes for me.
We sit in silence for a moment as the truth of his words wash over me.
“Besides, I don’t think his friends even knew to invite us to the funeral.” I sigh. “So, to answer your original question, disappointing. I think.”
Rocco smirks at that. “Perhaps we do have something in common, then.”
I suddenly recall the look on his face when I entered the lounge. How miserable he’d seemed drinking alone in here.
I hesitate before daring my next question. “Was…was your father also…a mafia don?”
“Oh yes. I only took the position from him a year ago.”
I blink at that. Ayear?From his money and demeanor, I had assumed he’d been doing this his whole life.
“Is he…still alive?” The question escapes me before I have a chance to consider it fully.
Thankfully, Rocco seems to find the humor in it. “Yes. He decided to take an early retirement.”
“Is that normal?”
“No.”
“What’s he like?”
A thousand answers seem to stir behind those gray eyes. “He’s taken to gardening. He’s excited at the prospect of grandchildren. He’s still determined to prove he knows better than me.”
“And that’s disappointing?”
He smirks. “Because it’s so very unfairly normal of him.”
“Is that a bad thing?” As I ask, I bring my legs up under me, curious about the sadness behind his smirk.
“You have very few opportunities to be normal as a mafioso.”
“So surely you should allow him such pleasures in his retirement?”
He finishes his drink quickly. “Can we talk about something else?” he snaps.
I cringe a little at his sharpness.“I’ve upset you.”
“You’ve…it’s not your fault. I think I’m just in a foul mood after seeing him.”
“Parents can’t always be as we hope them to be.” I sigh, thinking of the picture of my parents my mother had kept in the back of the drawer.
I let the silence stretch, content with just sitting in his company. It’s a strange feeling, especially considering that I entered this room wanting nothing better than to chew him out and threaten to leave.
“He was an asshole, my father. Ever since I was young,” Rocco finally admits. “Too absorbed in drinking and gambling away my inheritance to pay me much mind. But when he did…”
He trails off as if realizing himself. “Sorry, you didn’t ask to hear this.”
“I’m happy to,” I reply quickly. “You seem different today.” I flush at the way his eyebrow raises. “What I mean is, maybe it will help to talk about it.”
“In truth? It may explain some of my actions regarding you. My father…I preferred it when he didn’t notice me. His attention often came with more violent tendencies, and I quickly learned how to endure his wrath.”
