Page 257 of Caterina
Rocco hears it too.
His face burns with humiliation as he lowers himself into the chair.
“You should give him a treat for being such a good boy,” I taunt.
Rocco looks like he’d gladly beat me if no one were there to stop him.
Coward, I think in disgust.
The door opens again.
Papà steps in.
I can practically feel the shift in the room when he enters. It’s always like this.
The air always shifts when Luca Conti enters a room like this. Even after all these years, Luca Conti commands attention just by being.
Carlo looks at him.
For the first time since he walked into the room, he looks truly alive.
“Luca,” he says.
My father says nothing at first.
Papà says nothing at first.
His gaze moves over the three men. Rocco. Damiano. Carlo.
Then it comes to me, and he gives the smallest nod.
My chest tightens.
Then he looks back at Carlo.
“After all these years,” he says quietly, “this is what you became?”
Carlo smiles. “Careful. You almost sound disappointed.”
“I am.”
The word has more impact than anger would have had.
Carlo’s smile thins.
Papà walks farther into the room, stopping beside my chair.
Not in front of me, but beside me.
I do not know if he understands how much that matters.
“You sent men into my daughter’s home,” he says. “You put guns near my grandchildren. You tried to kill my children.”
Carlo’s voice hardens. “You took my father’s family.”
“Your father lost it.”
“You betrayed him.”
