Sinful Veils (18+) [GxG]

⌈7⌋ Secrecy

Though I left the room confident that I had gotten under her skin, Serafina's words left a heavy weight broiling just above my ribcage. If I hadn't stopped her, she would've accused us of murdering her mother. If I had less sense, I'd have been engulfed in rage, throwing a fist in her direction. But I knew Serafina wouldn't carelessly accuse me of such thing, knowing the bond I had with her mother - almost as if she were my own.

Either Serafina was fed lies by her family, or, she was right.

If she was right, I wouldn't know how I'd be able to live with that. It would give her a reason to detest us, and each year of me feeling betrayed and abandoned by her would suddenly make so much sense. There was no way she was right, though. I trusted my family.  They wouldn't harm an innocent woman like that, especially knowing how much I cared for her. For them both.

My father wouldn't have hurt them like that.

Heavy footsteps below me echoed and reverberated against the wooden walls of the hallway. I pulled a handle and slammed the door behind me, entering the mahogany office.

My eyes darted between the Don at the head of the table, and Vito who sat across the room, facing me, as I stood like a dazed little lamb by the door.

I had to know the truth. The accusation Serafina almost worded out, despite me preventing it from being formed, was there. It crept in a shadow, and with her in our custody I knew it was only a matter of time until the topic would be brought up again. We both deserved to know the truth, even if it meant it would destroy me to realise I really was the reason she abandoned me. For years, I had been blaming her, thinking of her as the one who betrayed me. I needed to know the truth.

"Boss," I started, scrunching my nose slightly at the overwhelming scent of rich whiskey and stale cigar smoke. There were no windows in the office room. "I need to ask you something."

My father blinked at me, shifting his eyebrows curiously. 

"Go on." his voice was cautious. 

Vito abandoned his relaxed posture, replacing the casual lean back into his chair with a more alert stance, sitting up and watching me with fixed eyes. He seemed to have noticed the slight edge in my voice.

"It's about Serafina's mother."

The Don's eyes flickered to Vito, who had straightened up even more now. Silence filled the air for a second.

"What about her?" Don Barbieri questioned, in a tone devoid of emotion.

"I need to know if we had anythin' to do with her."

The silence prolonged, though this time it was followed by an uneasy tension that pressed down onto my chest. The two men shared a knowing look, causing me to take a small, sharp breath at the idea that I was the only one who was unaware of the truth, despite being the closest to the Caruso women.