Page 30 of Vicious Intentions
No. Rocco would have broken under that kind of cruelty.
And I’ve never much cared for smiling anyway.
Instead of Niccolò answering to his playful teasing, he mumbles something about seeing him tomorrow at the gym and walks out the door.
Still, I don’t follow my brother. Not yet.
“Tell me, Rocco, how long have you known about what your father disclosed to me today?”
His playful smirk disappears in an instant, and in its place stands the heir to the Moretti family’s legacy.
“For a while.”
“And you never thought of coming to me and telling me any of it?” I ask, arching a brow.
“I am just a soldier, Matteo.Cosa Nostrapolitics are for the heads of families to discuss. I have no voice in the matter.”
In other words, his loyalty will always lie with his father first, and his Don second. That will not do, no matter how much I like his father or the consideration I have for him as being one of the last honorable men in theCosa Nostra.
“Your father has big hopes for you, Rocco,” I say, fixing him with an assessing stare.
“I’m aware,” he cuts in before I can finish. “And if those plans ever come to fruition, then I’ll be the man my Don needs me to be.”
“Even if your boss’s interests oppose your father’s?”
Rocco doesn’t so much as flinch before nodding. “My father’s interests will always align with those of a worthy Don. Therefore, such a scenario will never arise. And even if it did, he raised me better than to go against my boss.”
I display a haughty, deliberate smile. “Were you not paying attention to the meal we just had? Everything your father discussed with me today directly contradicts what you’re saying now,” I say, testing him further.
“And still, I stand by my statement. I saidworthy, Matteo. Like my father, I will follow a boss who is worthy of the title. Anything short of that, then my loyalty will always reside with my family.”
“Understood.” I offer him a clipped nod. “I appreciate your honesty.”
“And I appreciate you coming to this meeting when I offered to set it up. I know it couldn’t have been easy hearing,” he clears his throat, “everything my dad told you.”
Rocco’s demeanor shifts from soldier to friend, and it unsettles me to see pity in his eyes.
“Not all of us lucked out in the father department, Rocco,” I reply coldly. “Just be grateful you’ll never know what it’s like to have that kind of bad luck.”
I see it in his eyes that he wants to say something, something to soothe the ache in my chest, but he thinks better of it. He knows that if I’m to lead, I cannot appear weak in front of my men. And that means I am beyond needing to be comforted.
I don’t wait for his response. Instead, I offer my goodbyes and walk out, finding Niccolò already leaning against my car.
“Keys,” he says.
I toss him the set without a second thought, not questioning why he’s insisting on driving my car when his is parked right in front of mine.
Niccolò knows my mind is too chaotic right now to be trusted behind the wheel. I need to think. To put every bit of information Moretti gave me to good use. I can’t afford to be distracted by turn signals and traffic lights.
“Where to? Office or home?” he asks, the key already on the ignition.
I glance at the clock on the dashboard and see that it’s well past three. Raffaele should be home by now, but in case he went somewhere after school, it’s best I stop by and check on our mother. Even if that means I have to see my asshole of a father sooner than I would have wished.
Once we arrive at our apartment building, Niccolò parks the car in the garage, but he doesn’t move to get out.
“If we do this,” he says, staring straight ahead, “if we really do this… thenhehas to go.”
He. I don’t ask who he means. I know exactly whoheis.
