Luciano | Book I ✓

Chapter Twelve

"I thought you were turning pretty," He joked.

"That might take more than one day."

Liam looked at me, confused almost before laughing and shaking his head. "William is flying in today. We're going to go pick him up."

~ ~ ~

This car ride had seemingly started out like our last one; silent. Liam pulled the range rover out the garage and down his driveway before exiting his gate.

We merged onto the freeway a couple minutes later, and slammed right into...yep...traffic. I groaned loudly as I rested my head on the window and sighed.

"What, Maryland doesn't have traffic like this?"

Luciano had turned to address me. His face showed no type of emotion as he started conversation. I noticed he had taken his hands off the wheel, now propping his head up with his hand.

"We have traffic," I sighed as I looked up, only to be greeted by a wave of endless red brake lights. "But it all depends where you are. If you're driving to D.C. during rush hour, you're screwed. But if you're somewhere in the back roads of a small town, you'll be more likely to hit a deer than traffic."

Liam laughed, his attention on me as I felt the car creep forward. I felt uncomfortable under his stare; and out of habit, I started cracking my knuckles. He didn't utter another word.

And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is another one of Liam Luciano's obvious flaws. Communication. Normally, when talking with someone - whether you want to or not - you continue to ask questions, or comment your opinion on the topic at hand. But Liam didn't; he clamped his mouth closed and said nothing.

I couldn't picture Liam shy, but it was possible he just lacked major social graces.

Clearing my throat, I sat forward and upright. The silence that was filling the car was making me uncomfortable. Liam seemed to jump at my sudden movement, and he sat up to. Once again, the car crept forward, but only stalled as Liam pressed the brakes, stopping us completely. We will probably be here for a while.

"So," I spoke slowly, stepping around on unknown territory. I didn't want to accidently upset him - he was - driving the car I was a passenger in. "I have this uncanny vibe that you and your father don't get along."

"Oh really, what tipped you off?" Luciano's sarcasm was clearly evident. I bit my lip, glancing at him out the corner of my eye. His attention stayed solely on the road ahead of us, his hand still clutching the wheel at 12 o'clock.

I was on more of a serious note than Liam, but the longer I spoke of his father, Michael, the more serious Liam would get. "Well, you called him 'Michael'."

"That is his name."

"Oh, please," I rolled my eyes. Luciano tended to choose when he wanted to talk and when he didn't. With his answers short and to the point, I assumed this was one of the time's he didn't want to talk. "If I called my father or my mother by their first names, I would get backhanded."

"Michael wouldn't dare backhand me."

"Still, it's disrespectful. I haven't been around long, but I feel like you should respect him."

Liam seemed slightly surprised as he turned and looked at me. His eyes were squinted at such an angle, and a frown seemed to be forming on his lips. "You want to start acting like my shrink now?" He laughed, coldly and unamusingly. His question was obviously rhetorical - so I mentally, and physically, braced for what was to come. "Then I'll start treating you like one. I'll tell you the same thing I've been telling every single doctor. The minute he starts giving me something to respect, I'll respect him. Happy?"