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“Hi Pop, good to see you, I didn’t know you were coming up.  You should have called me, I
am
your son.”

John sets his glare on Steve warning him not to push it. 

“
Because
you’re my son is why I’m here, Steven.  For no one else would I have come for this.” 

I see Steve’s nostrils flare, at least he has the common fucking sense to keep his mouth shut! 

“Hello, Zio, you should have told me you were coming.”

Vinny is Liana’s uncle, zio means uncle in Italian, she has always used this term of endearment to get what she wanted, almost to the extent of abusing the fortunate position she had nothing to do with.  Remember, opportunistic. 

“I love you, Liana, but you will not be receiving any special treatment from me, this you are well aware of,” Vinny warns her before he continues.  “Now, sit, both of you, you know we have much to discuss.” 

Vinny speaks with the mannerisms of the old times, not giving in to slang, but his position as the head of our family so to speak is one that was born from many generations ago, before his father came over on the boat and was dropped off at Ellis Island.  We all sit and wait for him to begin, showing our respects.

“Now, Steven, why did you do it?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” 

Is he a complete fucking asshole?!  He did not just insult Vinny’s and his father’s intelligence by denying that he bribed a governor to get the local offices to stop my permits with a promise of large financial support during his re-election, also promising him some very strong political backing.

John leans forward in his seat and speaks calmly, putting his hands together, “Steven, we’re going to ask you one more time, only once, and if you’re smart, you’ll tell us everything.”  He sits back in his chair and takes a deep breath before continuing, it’s so quiet in here you can hear the fabric rubbing as we shift in our seats.  “Why did you do it?” 

John stares into his son’s eyes for a long moment before Steven opens his mouth.

“Because this should have been my project, I’m your son.  Marco’s not even blood and you put him in charge of the first expansion.  He doesn’t even have the business education, I’m the one with the certifications.  How could you do this to me, Pop?” 

I’m torn between wanting to destroy Steve, physically and professionally.  If he was anybody else I would have already done it, after he dragged his ass up from the beating I would have given him he would never be able to show his face again.  The anguish, hurt and resentment pouring out from him is breaking my heart.  I want to get up and leave the room, I feel so guilty.  I feel as if I’m responsible for taking his opportunities away from him, that I punched him in the face and left him there to suffer.  We’ve been friends for a long time, or at least I thought we were.

“Steven,” John is not an emotional man but his tone is endearing right now as he speaks to his son, “yes, we gave Marco this expansion.  But you should have come to us and asked us what we had planned for you.  Do you think we would not have done anything for you as well?  And do not insult Marco by saying he is not blood, he is part of the family, just like Vinny and I are family.  And what you did here, you did to the family.  That cannot go by without being punished somehow.”

Steven’s expression has just become one of mortification.  He knows what’s happened to those who have wronged the family in the past. 

Vinny turns to me and asks, “How much did this cost the company, Marco?”

“Approximately $10,000, Vinny,” I answer him calmly.  He’d asked me this earlier so I’d calculated the fees due to delays and other incidentals.

Vinny turns Steven, “You will write a check to KMD Enterprises for $10,000 to correct the financial loss incurred.  It hasn’t been decided what’s going to happen with you but for now, you’re coming back to Florida with us.  Go home, pack your suitcases and be ready to leave.  We’ll call you to let you know when the flight is.  And don’t say a fucking word, Steven, you’re lucky you’re getting off this easy, and you know it.  Now go, I’m so disappointed with you right now, I can’t see straight, what you did to the family, you should be
ASHAMED
of yourself.  And you made us look like fools up here with these politicians and the local rednecks, putting us against each other.  How do you think we look in terms of strength of a company?  As soon as we get into town you start fighting for power, fucking disgusting!!  NOW GO!” He bellows so loud, the door shakes.

Steven has the decency to look ashamed with his head bent and the flush on his pretty boy face.  He stops at the door and turns to me.

“I’m sorry, Marco,” he says quietly and turns to leave.

“Steve…,” he’s my friend, I can’t help it.  Never, never would I have imagined he would have betrayed me like this, the pain I feel is so deep.

I don’t know when I’ll see him again, what happened breaks my heart but it doesn’t break the bond I have with him, it goes too far back.  Money, power and greed turn people into monsters, using and betraying the ones they love.  It’s so sad.

Vinny turns to Liana who, unbelievably for once, has been sitting quietly.

“Liana..,” he says to her.

“Zio…”

“Thank you for calling me when you thought something was not quite right.  Your keen senses never let you down.  I am grateful for your attentiveness.  It does not go unnoticed.”

“Of course, Zio.”

I am shocked! 

“You knew?!  When?”  I ask Liana, I’m sure the surprise is evident on my face.

“I had a feeling something was up.  I’d overheard some conversations that Steve had on the phone and something seemed off but I couldn’t put my finger on it.  Sometimes being thought of as a bimbo can be used to your advantage, people think you’re stupid.”

The insinuation succeeds in making me feel like an asshole.  Then something dawns on me.

“So, every time you came into my office...,” I let the sentence trail off as the realization is coming together in my mind.

She picks it up, “Yep, I was checking to make sure that Steven hadn’t gotten into any of your documents or hacked into your computer,” she finishes, looking relieved that everything is finally out.

“Holy shit, I can’t believe it.  I’m sorry, Liana, if I’ve ever insulted you, I would never want to do that.”  My apology is genuinely heart felt.

“Marco, regardless of what you may think of me or feel about me, I would never do anything to jeopardize you or your business.  But, Sir, we can discuss that privately if you’d like,” she purrs at me, right in front of Vinny and John.

“Liana, behave yourself.  Marco is taken, stop that,” Vinny chastises her, and that goes to show you can’t teach an old cat new tricks.

“I know, Zio, but it’s so cute to aggravate him and watch him get all flustered.”  So she’s been playing with me all of this time, that little pain in my ass.

John has been sitting quietly through this whole conversation until now.

“Marco, you’re going to have to get a replacement for Steven immediately,” he points out, “now that things are moving again, you need someone with experience to oversee what’s going on out on the project.”

“Yes, you’re right, John.  I’ve already spoken to a friend of mine who does have experience and he agreed to help me out until a full time replacement can be found.”  I look back and forth between Vinny and John, “and if you have any other ideas or suggestions we can discuss it.”

“Liana, you can go now, my dear.  As always it’s lovely to see you, you are as beautiful as ever,” Vinny stands pulling Liana up with him and puts his arms around her.

“Thank you, Zio, give momma and poppa a kiss for me, ok?” she says as she kisses both of his cheeks.

“Of course, my dear, and don’t make any plans for dinner, we’re all going out, even Marco’s girlfriend.  Send Christine in on your way out, Liana.” 

Vinny has a very elegant way of dismissing people.  And I can’t help but think that Elizabeth is absolutely going to love this, she is going to kick my ass. 

Christine knocks tentatively at the door.

“Come in, Christine,” I call from behind my desk.

When she enters she looks at each of us and can tell that the air in here has de-escalated and become more diffused and her posture immediately relaxes.  It’s wonderful being able to read a woman, no matter who it is.

“Christine, honey, make reservations for us for dinner tonight at,” Vinny instructs Christine and turns to me for a restaurant.

“Circa 1922,” I interject, and smile.

“At Circa 1922 for 7:00 for, let me see...,” he counts the number of people in his head, “six people, ok?”

“Certainly, Mr. D’Angelo,” she even appears not to be as afraid of him now.

“And Christine, call Elizabeth at work, the insurance agency, and let her know about the reservation and that I’m tied up in meetings with Vinny and John, explain why I’m not calling her, please,” I know that I have just appeared totally pussy whipped in front of Vinny and John but I don’t care.

“Yes, Mr. Kastanopoulis, um, Marco,” and she steps out smiling to herself, even she thinks I’m a pussy.   Shit.

Vinny and John look at each other.

“Yep, you are so fucked, Marco, better just cut your balls of now and hand them over to Elizabeth in a nice little Tiffany’s box with a pretty ribbon wrapped around it,” John says busting the last nut I’ve got.

Chapter 16

Elizabeth

I’m a nervous wreck and have been since I received that phone call from Christine at work.  She was babbling about two men arriving today, and Marco and these men are locked up in his office having a meeting, and how she doesn’t want to go back in there.  And that I was having dinner with them tonight at 7:00 at Circa 1922.  If I didn’t understand anything else about that conversation I do know it’s good news because we’re eating at ‘our’ restaurant and if it’s there, it’s got to be good.

After I hung up with Christine I didn’t know what to think.  I didn’t want to call Marco because, obviously, he’s extremely tied up or he would have called me himself, he always calls me, and I don’t want to text him because I don’t want to distract him from whatever’s going on.  So I just decide to not worry about it, apparently everything is fine and he will either pick me up or if he’s not here by 6:45 then I’ll just meet them there.

6:15 and I’m trying to ignore my nervousness, fake it until you make it, and I’m faking being calm.  Being alone with one’s self, one tends to have elaborate conversations with yourself, taking on both sides of an argument.  The argument going on inside my head at the moment is about why Marco is throwing me in to a den full of lions tonight, two that I know of, without giving me any information about them.  This is really quite unfair.  I mean, it could be anyone really, like Brian and John or the councilman and another politician, there is no way of knowing without speaking to him.  On the other hand, he wouldn’t knowingly put me in an uncomfortable situation without giving me fair warning, would he?  I stand at the open door to my closet in a black bra and panty with my thumb nail sliding between my front teeth as I’m trying not to chew it, not really looking at anything, completely lost in my thoughts.  Then I hear the front door click open.

“Baby?”  Marco’s voice floats to me from the foyer.

“Thank God you’re here!”

My body instantly relaxes just knowing he’s here and I let out the air I guess I was holding.

He strides towards me and the room is suddenly filled with him and it thrills me and calms me at the same time.  His presence wraps around me like an embrace pulling me towards him and holding me close.

“Hi, baby,” his arms are around me and his lips are on mine forcing my mouth open and he kisses me as if he’s starved and I am his only sustenance.

My hands bury themselves in his hair as I kiss him back, my hunger for him matching his, ravenous and starved.  He continues to walk us, holding our embrace, until my back hits the wall.  His hands slide to my waist and he lifts me as my legs wrap around him and I hug him with my legs.  He holds me with his body against the wall as his hands fumble with his belt, button and zipper of his pants. 

“Marco…” I pant into his open mouth.

“Sshhh, baby, I need you…Right.  Now.”

Desire courses through me with his need, I feel it in his body, I taste it on his tongue, and I hear it in his voice. 

I hear his pants drop to the floor the instant my panties leave my body, ripped off with both of his hands.  They move to my breasts taking handfuls of them, squeezing them tightly before pulling them out of their confinement of the bra, exposing them to his hungry mouth.  He growls as he feasts on me, pushing me down on his rock hard erection, filling me completely and I cry out with it.  His hands tightly on my hips, his mouth sucking and biting on my tits, he’s fucking me like a mad man, wild and primitive and fierce.  And it drives me wild.  I dig my nails into him, begging for it, demanding it, pushing him on.  We explode, screaming and biting and digging into each other like animals lost in the heat.  Standing with our foreheads touching, just breathing, coming down, and holding on to each other, he sets me down gently and brushes his lips against mine.