Page 53 of Hidden Rocco
Rocco was confident without needing to take charge. Most men weren’t comfortable with her domineering ways, but he just went with the flow. And now that his record was clean, he could just leave her when she…cared.
Rocco buckled her son into the Versace stroller as Jacob was asleep and held the door to the restaurant for them.
She pushed the stroller but straightened her shoulders.
She had to tell him right now. The last place she should head was the car with such tight quarters for passengers.
Not as every cell in her body flared.
It was time to come clean.
She sucked in her breath like this might be the last one she’d ever have and noticed the black swinging gate to a small park to her right.
At least there she could stand and face him. And give him room to leave.
She pointed that direction. “Rocco, walk with me.”
He motioned toward the parking lot where her car was and said, “We should get you out of town.”
And in a few minutes she’d drive them out of here. Jacob might wake from the night air, but Rocco might want to leave. Mica had to explain. She positioned the stroller where she wanted to go and said, “We will. I’m not veering far from the station, but I figure the park is a better setting for what I have to say.”
He stayed beside her but shook his head like he hated her plan. “It’s late at night and parks are open to the public and often have homeless…” She reached for the gate and he dropped his hands to his sides. “Okay. Just for a minute.”
Her body was tight. “Thanks. I just need to move a little and not worry someone is going to interrupt us.”
He let the gate close behind them and then glanced around the park, instantly directing them to the brightest spot with a bench beneath two street lights bearing down. “This sounds serious. If you don’t want me to go with you, I understand. I have to tell you—I have a prison record. I escaped from jail so there is no way I should be anywhere near you.”
She saw how white his face was. She wished she could hug him, but her own body trembled. She gently rocked the stroller as she tried to calm her nerves. “Believe me, I know everything.”
He widened his stance. “What?”
How not to interfere wasn’t a lesson she’d learned. Tears formed in her eyes. She never cried, but she met his gaze and said, “Look, I figured out who you were almost after we met.”
He crossed his arms and his biceps bulked beneath the arms of his t-shirt. “I’m sorry for what my brothers tried to do to you.”
Okay, so he knew part. Now she needed to expand and explain. The last time she’d done this though… it had ended badly. Angelo, an old boyfriend, had broken his arm on their ski vacation and she’d paid for his care. He’d claimed it was the reason he’d left her, as she’d gone behind his back to make decisions for him as he had insurance and could have paid for his own care. A chill raced down her spine. “I had my lawyers look you up.”
His face hardened as he stared at her and pieced together what she said. “When?”
"The police came to the door with your name and I put everything together. I had my lawyers check into your situation.”
“What else did you do? I should be in prison right now and not standing here with you.”
Now it was game over. Her stomach flipped. “Your record is expunged. You’re a free man. I didn’t want to tell you until you were cleared.”
Drat. His hues grew darker and seemed to be pools of emotion. He floored her right now. And if he didn’t look at her like that, then maybe she’d calm down. The words physically hurt like she was spitting out knives as she said, “I had my lawyers dig into your case. You were staying in my house. And you mentioned you were set up. So I wanted to know all the facts about you…and once I read your file, I had them clear your name.”
His eyes shadowed with confusion. “I don’t understand.”
Spell it out Mica.It’s not like he’ll walk away in the middle of the park.“You escaped from an imprisonment that shouldn’t have happened to you.”
He dropped his hands to his sides. “How wouldyouknow that?”
This was so hard. Rocco’s freedom meant he might not help her anymore. “Your own mother testified she thought your brother Roger was to blame.”
Rocco tensed and paced toward a few bushes on the path they’d left and then came back to her. “She wasn’t there.”
“Why are you arguing that you’re somehow guilty?” She tilted her head and her adrenaline slowed as she argued, “I read your case. Your former superior officers in the Marines testified there was no way you could have robbed anyone. You’d just left and expected to start a new job after a vacation you decided to take in Las Vegas.”
