Free Seeing Black by Sidney Halston Page A

just don’t trust you. What
exactly do you want with her?”
    Jill’s head was turned to her right, staring at
Alexander, dumbfounded. Naïve? What the hell! She couldn’t
believe Alexander had gone there guns blazing. He was not going to
give Rocco a chance, and nothing Rocco could say or do would likely
change Alexander’s opinion. Bringing him was a big mistake.
    Rocco put both hands on his lap and sat up straight
and controlled. As usual, he spoke softly and calmly. “I don’t have
much family. I only have a brother. My entire life has revolved
around my work. After Jill’s mother died, nothing else seemed
important. I think you can understand that?” Rocco looked at
Alexander. “When the woman you love is gone, you can’t seem to do
anything other than try to forget the pain, and in my instance, I
focused all my attention on business. When I discovered Jill hadn’t
died in the plane crash, I was so excited. The thought of finding
her consumed me. All I desire is to get to know my daughter.” Rocco
reached for his glass again and slowly took a sip. “And I think she
wants to get to know me too.” Jill noted that Rocco had left out
the other reason, the one who would send Alexander through the
roof, the one involving blood and scans.
    “Yes. I do want to get to know him, but,” Jill
scowled at Alexander who was about to say something but
intelligently decided to keep quiet, “even though he has an
abrasive way of verbalizing it, Alexander is right. As I told you
at your home, I’m still apprehensive about trusting you.”
    Alexander interrupted. “You broke into her house and
left her a mysterious note on her bedside table, for Christ’s
sake.”
    “I wasn’t the one who left a note. It was one of my
employees. I needed to know if she was psychic—”
    “You could have picked up the phone and asked.”
    “Well, I have my ways of doing things, but it wasn’t
a threatening note. It was just a puzzle, a puzzle she solved
perfectly. I apologize if it made you nervous.” Rocco said to both
of them. “I know you don’t trust me, but if you give me the
opportunity, you’ll see that I just want your affection. I can
teach you so much, Jillian. You and I have a connection that no
one,” he glanced over at Alexander, “else shares, and I’m not
talking about you being my daughter.”
    Alexander took a swig of his beer and very
matter-of-factly spat, “What? The psychic shit.” Both Jillian and
Rocco’s head turned and locked on Alexander’s brash response.
    “Shit?” Both Jill and Rocco said incredulously.
    “Oh, relax. I didn’t mean it like that. I meant the
psychic thing is what you are hanging your hat on? That’s the
connection you’re using to get Jill to trust you. You know she
doesn’t embrace it quite the way you do. Learning to control those
unforeseen visions is something you know she wants, so you’re using
that to gain her trust. The fact that you’re her father is beside
the point. She has plenty of people who love her and consider her
family. She doesn’t need a stranger to, what? Teach her how to
drive, throw a ball, how to swim? Jesus, Jill, you’re not buying
into this bullshit are you?”
    “Stop it, Alexander.” She grabbed his forearm.
“You’re wrong on so many levels. Sure, you’re in my life now, but
that’s it. I have Oliver and Heather, and I just met Heather like
what? A few months ago?” Alexander gave Jill a look that said, I
have a lot more to say on the subject but we’ll discuss it more in
private.
    After some awkward silence between the three, Rocco
spoke. “Let’s just enjoy this lunch. I’m glad my daughter has
someone who cares about her this much. All I ask is for some time
with you, dear—a few lunches or dinners—that’s all. Just to get to
know each other.” Jill looked up at Rocco between bites of food and
gave just the tiniest nod. Alexander probably didn’t even notice.
They finished their lunch with some light small talk and a