Games We Play - Round 1: Never Have I Ever (18+ dark mafia romance)

Chapter 25 & 26 (Matteo)

Matteo

Chapter 25

Palermo, Sicily – June 1st 2020

The initiation ritual doesn't take place on Sunday, as Matteo had expected. His father came home in the evening, not at noon like he had said. He was in a good mood, despite their last phone call (he probably had more important things to worry about than his son's behaviour) and didn't even talk to Matteo until the next morning on Monday. He had been in his office with Romeo since he had arrived.

On Monday, he comes into Matteo's room. He never does that. He usually calls him to his office or talks to him when they bump into each other on their estate. But he never comes into his room. He's also the only person in the house who doesn't knock. He knows the house belongs to him, along with everybody in it.

"Hello." He says and goes to sit on one of the chairs by the table. Matteo is watching reruns of The Office in the background while scrolling on his phone. He's been doing that ever since he woke up on Sunday.

Everything seems grey now. The sun has been hiding behind the clouds since yesterday, and it's cold.

"Hi." A feeling of worry settles in his stomach as he locks his phone.

"How are you?"

Matteo shrugs. "Alright. What's up?"

His father looks at him and Matteo hates this. He does this sometimes; he'll just stare into his soul, as if he were reading his thoughts, trying to see what the best approach would be.

"It will happen this Sunday."

Matteo is confused. Then he remembers. Now he feels afraid, and he knows his father can see it, maybe even smell it on him. He hates himself right now.

"Okay."

"Don't be afraid."

"I'm not afraid."

Matteo sits up straight.

"It's okay to be scared. I was scared when my father swore me in."

This is the first time he's ever admitted weakness to Matteo. He wonders if he'll see more of it once they start working together. Seeing his father admit he can feel anything (or at least used to in the past) makes him appear more human.

Matteo has never heard him say 'I love you' to anyone, ever. He sees him kiss his mom on the temple sometimes, but they seem more like friends rather than partners. He knows they don't sleep in the same room, but they both travel a lot. The only times the whole family is together is during birthdays and other celebrations.

The first two months of remote university and work were unusual; everyone in their family was home. They would eat dinner together more than once a week (which was the only time all five of them were in the same room, ever), which is something they stopped doing when Matteo left for boarding school.

"Do you have any questions?"

"Where's mom?" He finds himself asking.

His father's expression changes.

"You know she's in Taormina."

"Why isn't she here?"

His father's face is expressionless, as always.

"Why are you only asking now?"

Matteo shrugs. "I'm spending a lot more time in the house than I did in the past twenty years."

His father thinks about it.

What is there to think about?

"Do you even love her?" Matteo asks out of a sudden.