"I know I've told you several times, figlio, but just to remind you, you can't place your trust in just anyone. An ordinary person's trust—when it's broken, they heal and move on. But for people like us, our trust runs deep, it's a currency and a commodity. And once it's broken, it doesn't just break our souls, it breaks our family. It kills our family."
I nod. My father is the cunning head of the De Luca family, so much like our grandfather who ruled with a mighty hand and a cruel willpower. But we put family first. Always family first. That's what makes us strong.
I fear for when the day comes that my father dies. I already know that it will leave a gaping hole in our family. I look up to him so much that I know it will make me bleed.
"I won't disappoint you," I tell him.
"I know. You're my son, after all." He takes a sip of his tea.
