Chapter XI: Truth behind the Mask

A laugh tore through Rosalie as she ran behind the two giggling children, both of them scurrying away from her. Their footsteps and joy echoing off the walls of the barely inhabited estate.
Christmas was just a couple of days away and Arcangelo had given most - if not all - of his staff a holiday to go and enjoy the occasion with their families. She can remember the unease that had overcome every face as they were informed that the Boss wanted to meet with them in the gardens. It was frigid, everyone was bundled in jackets and scarves and mittens as they shuffled to keep warm, all of them amassed and standing shoulder to shoulder.
She can even recall the shock and joy the men and women had when Arcangelo told them to go home and enjoy Christmas with their families. Instant murmuring had broken out as the Mafia Boss bid them a Merry Christmas and took his leave.
Before heading home, the people came and thanked him as he gave them a nonchalant wave, telling them to leave and get home before the weather got colder.
And now here they were, Rosalie, Arcangelo, Arsenio and Claudia with just a handful of men who had said that they did not have families to return to. It would later come to light that Arcangelo had insisted that they take the holiday regardless, but the men refused.
The only other time Rosalie had seen the estate so desolate and quiet was at 5 a.m. in the morning when she had run out of Arcangelo's bedroom.
Speaking of Arcangelo and her...
"Rosalie! Catch us!" Claudia yelled over her shoulder, jolting the older girl out of her reverie as she tried to get them, her ribs making it difficult for her to run at full speed and therefore giving the children an advantage.
They ran across the ground floor of the south wing before running towards the east one, and up to one flight of stairs then another. Heaving and out of breath, they giggled breathlessly as they staggered down the hall, Rosalie close at their heel as she made a grab for them just as Arsenio was twisting open the door, sending all three of them toppling into the room with shrieks of surprise. All of them fell to the floor in an unceremonious heap, momentarily dazed before bursting into a fit of laughter at their antics.
Chuckling, all three looked up at the room, their mouths falling open with their eyes popping out of their heads. It looked rather comical with the three sprawled over one another, openly gawking with bulging eyes.
The room before them was drowned in wrapped gifts of various sizes, some wrappings repeated, but the multitude and abundance of colors were dizzying. Every single surface was covered in gifts; the room looked as if though it was devoid of furniture and only housed presents.
"Kids, get off the floor before you all catch a cold." Arcangelo's voice called from their right as they turned in the direction, seeing him standing in pinstriped black slacks and black button-up whose sleeves he'd rolled up to expose his firm and muscled forearms, a couple of papers in his hands as his eyes darted over the contents.
Scurrying to their feet the two kids rushed to their uncle, clutching onto the fabric of his pants and tugging to grab his attention as he hummed in response, flipping the page but not tearing his gaze away from him.
"Uncle..." Claudia called out with wide doe eyes shimmering with excitement. "Are these all for us?" Arsenio nodding to her statement, in too much shock to say anything.
"No, baby, these gifts are for the people that work for me and their families." He informed gently, looking down at her with a soft smile. "You know, as a thank you for all that they have done for me."
Rosalie's heart melted in her chest as she took in this altruistic act. Pushing herself off the floor, she dusted off her woolen dress as she noticed the petulant expression on little Claudia's face as she stubbornly crossed her arms over her chest.
"But-!"
"Hey," Arcangelo intervened gently, crouching down before her. "Baby, these gifts are for a lot more people than just you. But don't worry, I have gifts for you two as well."
Instantly their eyes lit up as their uncle chuckled at them.
"Would you like one now?" He asked Claudia in a secretive whisper as she gasped and nodded vigorously; looking like Christmas had come early. "Alright,"
"Hey there, peanut," A new voice suddenly came from their right. All of them glancing up to take in the blonde-haired, green-eyed and freckle-faced man standing in the doorway of the walk-in closet, wearing denim jeans with a white t-shirt under his black leather jacket. "Did you miss me?"
"Daddy!" Claudia squealed in joy as she flew towards her father who picked her up, throwing her in the air with an ecstatic laugh before holding her close to him, closing his eyes as he reveled in the familiarity of holding her tiny body again.
"Oh, I missed your angelic little face around the house." He admitted as he leaned back to look at the beautiful face of his daughter.
"Hello, uncle!" Arsenio waved from the feet of his surrogate father, holding his hand.
"Hey there, buddy," Vincent exclaimed with a broad grin as he approached the two. "Hope you two had fun, she didn't bother you too much did she?"
"No! We played so much with Rosalie! We had a lot of fun!" The 6-year-old revealed.
"That's awesome, little man!" He enthused, resulting in a chuckle from Arcangelo.
"Okay, kids, can you two go and play in your rooms because the adults have to sort out these gifts now," Arcangelo informed as Vincent was lowering Claudia to the floor.
"Alright," The two youngsters spoke simultaneously, heading towards the door before Arsenio stopped, looking back at the two men after taking a quick glance in Rosalie's direction. "Does Rosalie have to stay as well?"
"Only if she wants to, buddy," Arcangelo revealed as the little boy turned towards her expectantly.
"I think...I'll help them out with the sorting." She informed uncertainly, glancing up to catch Vincent giving her an appreciative grin as Arcangelo didn't turn towards her, his eyes fixated on the parchment in his hands.
Since they kissed, neither one of them had been able to confront the other, either avoiding each other and steering clear of any occasions that would force them to interact, or simply holing up to avoid any awkward encounters. Maybe due to that very reason Rosalie opted to help, knowing that they would have to talk sooner or later, or maybe she just wanted to see how long this little game of avoidance could last.
"Thank you for helping us, Rosalie," Vincent stated as he removed his jacket, letting it fall at their feet as there was no other place to put it.
"Okay, so what we have to do is very simple," Arcangelo spoke up before she could respond, not addressing anyone in particular as he skimmed through the text. "We just separate the gifts which have identical wrappings, since those are of one particular family, and if you find one which is solo, then keep that separate as well since it's for one of the men downstairs. Sound good?"
"Sound good to me, boss." The other man stated with a shrug as Rosalie nodded.
"I'm not your boss anymore, Vinnie." Arcangelo scoffed as he folded the pages.
"That's right, you're my annoying best friend, Ango." He grinned as he ruffled Arcangelo's hair, forcing a disgruntled sound out of him as he pushed away his hand.
"Fuck you, man. You know how long it takes to fix my hair."
Vincent guffawed as Rosalie watched the two interact with amusement.
"Alright, let's set to work then."
With that said the three of them played the game of matching the parcel, looking for the identical pairs and separating them from the rest as they went about it for a while in silence. Moving around the room, Rosalie found herself nearing Vincent who was standing in the middle of the room, holding a square box with pastel green wrapping, looking for its twin.
"Vinnie, here," Arcangelo called out from across the room as he held the twin in hand, tossing it to Vincent who caught it in his arms, separating the two.
Soon, they all started calling out one another's name as they handed over the matching gifts, the sound of the names being the only conversation going on for a while until Vincent suddenly chuckled at something. Enlightening the two that this exact moment reminded him of 2-years-ago, when he and Arcangelo were sorting gifts with Romeo, Marcello, and Lorenzo and how they all just couldn't get the job done because they were too busy cracking jokes or flirting with one another to actually do something.
Rosalie watched as a laugh tore through Arcangelo, his eyes lighting up with mirth at the memory as he threw his head back, a hand on his stomach as he shook with the laughter.
"Oh! I remember." He laughed out as he wiped away a tear that had formed. "I swear, man, if anyone heard us, they'd have assumed we were all gay."
"We'd only be gay for each other, though." Vincent pointed out as he picked up another gift at his feet, looking around for the other one.
"Touche."
"So, I take it you guys have known each other long?" Rosalie inquired nonchalantly from one side of the room. Despite knowing that these five guys grew up together, she was interested in hearing it from them.
"Long?" Arcangelo scoffed from the center. "We basically grew up together."
And like that, the two men went into an account of how it all started: with Arcangelo stealing Vincent's bike when he was no more than Arsenio's age. Rosalie found herself laughing at a couple of the stories they retold or cringing at some. Next thing she knew, they were all talking about their childhoods and their funny memories. And without anyone realizing it, they had separated all the gifts, standing in the center of the room as Rosalie had her head on Arcangelo's chest a hand on his shoulder with the other clutching her stomach with all their laughing, his arm wrapped around her waist with Vincent beside them as the three were recovering from a hysterical fit.
Once they calmed down, Arcangelo looked down at her as she glanced up, both of their eyes shining with mirth before they realized how they were holding each other. Rosalie's cheeks flushed a deep red as he cleared his throat, untangling themselves from one another.
"Man, I'm starved!" Vincent exclaimed either not having noticed the tension between the two or deliberately ignoring it. "Ango, what's for dinner?"
"I have no idea." He admitted, running a hand through his hair. "The maids who are here are mostly for cleaning, the entire cooking staff has gone back home."
"Alright. What I got from all that was pizza. You up for it?"
"Only if you pay, Moretti."
"30/70."
"No, forget it. I'm not paying for 70%"
"I was going to suggest you pay 30, but alright, if you insist."
"Vincent."
"Alright! Alright! 50/50."
"Deal."
"I'll order."
"I'll get the kids," Arcangelo stated as Vincent left to make the call, both of them leaving Rosalie to stand there awkwardly.
Noticing the pages on the table, she went over to them, glancing at the contents, seeing a list of names she did not recognize. It wasn't until she read a couple of familiar names did she come to the conclusion that this was a list of all the people that worked for Arcangelo. Not only that, but it also contained the names of their fiancés or wives or husbands as well as their kids. Upon closer inspection, she noticed a distinguished pattern beside the staffs' names, the pieces clicking into places that every gift was wrapped and separated according to the family members of his household.
It was a document of at least 10 pages, and Rosalie couldn't stop the smile that overcame her face as she realized that this man wasn't cold or heartless as everyone made him out to be.
He had gone out of his way to get to know every single person under his command, knowing not only their middle names but the middle names of their children as well. It warmed her heart to know that he had gotten every single person a gift, had them specially wrapped and no doubt delivered before Christmas Eve as well.
The sound of their laughter had Rosalie put down the paper as she walked towards the door, watching as Arcangelo marched inside with Arsenio draped over his shoulder and Claudia hanging from his arm like a sack, the children laughing as Arcangelo was grinning with mischief. Looking around the room, he met Rosalie's gaze, momentarily surprised by the wide smile she had for him, but he couldn't help but respond with a smile of his own.
It was a lovely occasion, and even the awkwardness between them wasn't going to ruin their fun.
--
Christmas at the Regnante estate was a sight to behold.
The ground floor decorated in hues of red, green, yellow, and gold, strings of green coiled around the banisters and the balconies. Fairy lights lining the wall and illuminating the already bright area. Décor livening the adobe. Almost every table had its collection of pinecones and poinsettias. Wreaths on the large double doors with various holiday scents wafting through the air.
But the best sight was that of the humongous Christmas tree in the center of the lounge. Multicolored ornaments hanging from its branches, fairy lights coiling around it in spirals with tinsels strategically placed. The colors popping against the dark green of the evergreen, its natural scent heavy in the air and mingling with that of the lavish dinner, flowers, and freshly baked goods. A multitude of gifts sitting beneath the tree as the fire crackled to the left.
It all felt so surreal that Rosalie couldn't believe her eyes. It was equivalent to a fairytale with the bright colors and decorations and with the lingering people dressed in their best clothes, all looking beautiful and handsome in the ensembles.
Claudia dancing around the room in a beautiful white lace dress with a frilly skirt and red silk ribbon across her abdomen, her brown curls pushed out of her face with a flower headband. Arsenio looked dashing in his suit with his hair parted to the side, a toothy grin on his face. Vincent was found in a light grey suit with a dark green tie as Arcangelo stood beside him, chatting in an expensive black two-piece suit, paired with a white button-up and maroon tie, a white rose in his chest pocket - a gift from Claudia. Stepping forward, Rosalie greeted the children first, both of them gasping at the sight of her.
Rosalie wore a gorgeous maroon lace off-shoulder dress which was longer from the back than the front, paired with a golden necklace around her neck and her hair tied into a simple ponytail. Her heels clicked against the marble as she greeted the others, noticing Arcangelo's gaze following her until she came up to the two.
"Merry Christmas, Vincent." Rosalie smiled with maroon lips as Vincent grinned in response.
"Merry Christmas!"
"And to you too-" Rosalie started to say, turning towards Arcangelo, but taken back by his close proximity, her breath catching in her throat as he leaned forward, his cologne hugging her as he reached behind her head and pulled off the pony, combing his fingers through her tresses. Allowing her hair to cascade down her back in gentle waves, framing her face.
"I like you better with your hair open." He admitted, placing the rubber band in her palm before walking away, leaving Rosalie to stand with cheeks as red as her dress as Vincent had a sly smile on his face, watching his best friend mingle with the crowd.
The dinner tasted just as lavish as it smelled, everyone not being able to stop as they took second and third servings while chatting animatedly, the sound of laughter and life ringing through the halls. Soon everyone was gathered around the lounge, watching the kids open their presents before it was discovered that everyone had a gift under their name. The joy as evident as that of a child in a candy store.
Even Rosalie was surprised to learn that she had received a gift as well, Claudia and Arsenio approaching her with shy smiles as they stood with a small gift-wrapped box in their hands. Smiling from ear to ear, she kissed their cheeks before unwrapping the gift, her mouth falling open as she stared at the pastel turquoise box in her lap with Tiffany's written in white. Swallowing thickly, she pulled off the top, her breathing stopping as she stared back at the sapphire and diamond tennis bracelet laid on the cushion.
"Wha-" She chocked out in shock as the two kids grinned at her.
"Uncle picked it out!" Claudia enlightened proudly. "He said you'd like it."
"I-I-I..." Rosalie stammered, looking around at the faces in search of his, not being able to find him. "Where-"
"There he is!" Claudia exclaimed pointing behind them as she noticed him be making his way up to the second landing.
Putting away the wrapping, Rosalie followed after him with the box in hand as she came to the second landing, turning to the left, but standing in confusion when she noticed it to be a dead-end with no Arcangelo insight. Walking ahead, she noticed the last door to her right was ajar. Knocking on the door, she awaited a response, but when she got none, she pulled it open, stepping back in surprise to see a staircase going up.
Uncertain, she walked up, the sound of a piano greeting her ears halfway up the steps. She momentarily admired the beauty of the sound, her heart clenching in sadness as the symphony seemed to be crying from the keys.
Finally, on the top of the stairs, she came across a partially closed door once more, light pouring out as she pushed at the surface, the door opening silently. Rosalie stood in the doorway, admiring the interior of what seemed to be the attic. A beige carpet covering the floor with the sofas being all light grey, a grand piano in front of her as Arcangelo's back was facing her, his fingers dancing over the keys.
"I know what you're going to say." He suddenly spoke up, not looking up as he stopped playing, reaching for the glass of scotch in the corner. "That I'm acting like a child. Hosting just a festive occasion and hiding myself up here."
A dark chuckle escaped him as he downed the contents of the glass.
"I hate such festive occasions." He admitted. "I want them as far away from me as possible, but God, the kids love them so much. And I would do anything to see them smile, even if it means tearing myself apart from the inside." He sighed in desolation, pouring himself another glass.
"Although, it's funny. I haven't always hated such festivities. It was just after that night...4 years ago, I can't manage to uphold such high spirits and not think about them."
"Fuck, it's been 4 years and yet it still tears me apart like it happened yesterday." He choked out a laugh. "I lost everyone I loved, but Arsenio suffered the brunt of the damage, he lost his parents. He doesn't fucking remember them, he was so tiny when it all happened." Arcangelo continued with a sad tone as he stood up, a bottle in one hand and a half-full glass in the other, turning around he shuffled on his feet, staring at Rosalie standing in the doorway as he furrowed his eyebrows, looking at the bottle in his hand before looking back at her.
"You're...not Vincent." He spoke slowly, putting away the glass and bottle, believing he has had enough for one night. "Fuck." Arcangelo hissed as he rubbed a hand over his face, shaking his head before making his way to the sofas, flopping down as he threw back his head, loosening the tie around his neck.
"You should not be here." He told her as Rosalie made her way towards him, coming to sit down beside him. "You should not have heard all that you did."
"I'm not going to judge you," Rosalie spoke softly, stroking the side of his face with her knuckles. "I probably should not have heard all that you just said, but now I know, and neither one of us can forget that. And it's alright, I'm not going to force into anything if you want me to leave I'll leave and send Vincent to you. Do you want me to get him?"
"No, stay,"
"I'll stay for you then."
Silence washed over the two as Rosalie interlaced her fingers with his, bringing his hand up to her face as she placed a kiss on his knuckles, gently caressing the skin as she turned his hand, noticing years old scars on his wrist, thin and pale against his olive complexion, a permanent reminder. Looking back at him, she noticed the sadness in his eyes as she placed a kiss on his cheek, letting him know that she was right here if he needed her.
"You know..." Arcangelo trailed. "I was never meant to be a Mafia boss. Sure I was born into a Mafia family, but I wasn't the heir. I wasn't the heir, it was my elder brother. He was supposed to take over."
"But...but you see, he was...a little weak hearted for the mafia. But...he was determined...determined to do good, and he couldn't wait to take over to prove everyone wrong, show them all that he was a Regnante...but he-he-he couldn't..." Arcangelo chuckled humorlessly as he shook his head. Rosalie pulled him towards her, hugging him to her chest as he inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself. "He died. He died with everyone. Mom, Ellie...they all died...they all left us...left me...to look after a 2-year-old baby...I was forced to become a father at 24...and I-I-I..."
"Shh..." Rosalie shushed him, placing a kiss on the back of his head. "It's alright, you don't have to speak anymore."
They fell silent as Arcangelo rested his head on her lap, Rosalie stroking his hair, both of them not saying anything and reveling in the comfort of the other's presence. She had no idea how long she sat with his head in her lap, and on more than one occasion she thought he had fallen asleep, however, proven wrong by the blinking of his eyes. But when she finally mustered the strength to check the time, it was 1:30 a.m.
"Let's get you to bed," Rosalie spoke softly, helping him get up as he stumbled unsteadily on his feet. His face paled as he stumbled back, the alcohol intoxicating his system. All of a sudden Rosalie steadied him by wrapping her arm around his waist, the other one on his chest as he shuffled, trying to regain his senses. "You okay?"
He nodded, blinking to rid himself of the blurriness before him which he wasn't sure was due to the exhaustion weighing on him or the alcohol or both. Wrapping an arm around Rosalie's shoulder, he allowed her to help him get to his bedroom.
The entire estate was absolutely desolate and dimly lit by the lamps; it felt rather eerie to view it at this time when just a few hours ago it had been bursting with life and colors. They had a little trouble getting up the stairs as Arcangelo couldn't distinguish his left from his right in his haze, but after a little help, they finally made it up.
Rosalie helped him to his bedroom, before he untangled himself from her, momentarily swaying before making his way to his walk-in closet.
She stood there uncertainly, not sure if she was meant to stay or leave. Having been so lost in her thoughts, she let out a shriek of a surprise when she felt his hands at her back; Rosalie's heart jumping in her chest as she felt him pull down the zip; her cheeks flushing a deep red.
"You looked ravishing today." He spoke slowly as he placed a kiss on her nape as the dress pooled at her feet, exposing the undergarments she had on below. "I love how red looks on you." He continued as he placed a kiss on her shoulders, his hands caressing her sides and going lower.
"You should sleep." Rosalie managed out between her racing heart and her choked breathing, excitement, and arousal flowing over her.
Arcangelo hummed in response as he buried his face in her neck, momentarily holding her against him as she stood silently, feeling the way his chest felt at her back, or the warmth of his skin against her stomach, his stubble gently grazing the skin of her shoulder.
"Arms up," He instructed, pulling away from her.
Uncertain, she lifted her arms followed by the sensation of a soft fabric rubbing against her skin and being pulled down over her. Glancing, she noticed herself to be drowned in one of his shirts which reached just a little after mid-thigh. Before she could say something, Arcangelo grabbed her hand and walked towards his bed, turning off the lights before effortlessly guiding her in the dark.
Slowly she got onto the bed, hearing him fumble with the covers before resting with a sigh. Swallowing, Rosalie got under the covers, making her way towards him as she lay on her side, facing him while he lay on his back. Uncertainly, she moved closer, resting her head beneath his chin as he instantly wrapped her in his arms, both of them allowing the silence and the other's presence to lull them to sleep.