mafia king

chapter 17 - garden

I was a weak idiot. That had become clear to me. If there was a potion to make me stop loving Georgino... ugh who am I kidding? I don't think I would take it because even if he hurt me, he still made me happy. Not yesterday or today but the rest of the time.

I was sitting in the backyard of the main house. Alone because the garden was more of an overgrown lawn with a few chairs strewn about, so no one liked to come here. Marco was probably still being interrogated by Mario and Sandrino texted me something about going to the dentist. His grammar was also bad when he was texting. I didn't know where Cassio was, but my guess was that he was finding ways to stir up trouble. I wanted to smoke but I forgot my pack in my room. I put my head back in my neck and let the sun warm my face. Peaceful. But as soon as I thought that I could hear someone clearing their throat. "Go away." I said, not bothering to open my eyes. I'd even tell Alonzo to fuck off right now. I heard a chair scraping and knew that whoever it was didn't listen. I squinted one of my eyes open. I groaned and felt like crying and yelling at the same time. "Rose." I acknowledged and she gave me a small smile. "Matteo." It was quiet again. I wasn't about to make the first move to talk to her. I glanced at her, and she had angled her head towards the sun as well. We stayed like that for a while. "I'm sorry." Rose put her head on her knees, looking at me through a curtain of her hair. "For what?" I asked and meant it. She wasn't the one that kept a secret from me for one year and even worse, kept me and our love a secret for longer. "For making a mess of your life." I made a dismissive gesture. "That was already a mess before you came along. You just made it impossible to keep pretending otherwise." "What do you mean?" I hesitated. She must know about me and Georgino. She wouldn't apologize to me if she didn't. "Georgino told you?" I asked to make sure. I didn't want to out him on accident. "That he is in love with you? Yeah, he told me. And I'm fine with it, if that was your next question." I looked at her, really looked at her. Behind her beauty I could see her steel and her strength. "I'm sorry you were dragged into this life." She shrugged her shoulders. "No need to cry over spilled milk. Besides, I always felt guilty for not telling Georgino and for not giving Salvatore his dad." I thought it would hurt to hear her talk about her family, but it made me smile fondly. "Is he good at it?" "Being a dad? He is getting the hang of it, but he loves him, so he got the most important thing down already." "He loves fiercely once you are in his heart." She nodded and studied me as if she was trying to see straight into my soul. "So, you aren't angry at me. I thought you would be." "Georgino is the one who keeps secrets." "Keeps you a secret, you mean?" My throat closed, so I only nodded. "I'm sorry that you still are while I am not anymore. We could change if you want?" "Why would you want to be in the shadows?" "I don't like the spotlight. Never have and never will. If I was still a secret, I wouldn't have to protect my son from Alonzo and his scheming to take my son away from me to train him into a killing machine." "Does Georgino know?" "He does and he is fighting for a normal life for Salvatore too." Good, if he hadn't I would do it. "Alonzo doesn't stand a chance then." She smiled and I meant every word. "You should talk with my mom. She can help you if you want." Rose stayed quiet but her eyes told me she didn't believe me. "She married into this family and knows what it feels like to be an outsider. To be a mother to a son that will have to work in this business." "So, it doesn't get better?" "You have to ask her. She doesn't like to talk with me about her problems. But she has a lot of friends, mothers and women in this family. She could introduce you to them. They are a close bunch." Rose seemed lost in thought before she said: "I'd like that." 

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Hey guys! What do you think about Rose?
Love, Night_Rebell