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“Come on baby, let’s get cleaned up and I’ll fill you in,” he pulls up his pants and takes me by my hand and leads me into the bathroom.  I can feel our cum dripping down my legs as we walk.

Lifting me into the tub and grabbing a washcloth and wetting it he begins to clean me up and starts to tell me what’s going on.

“Ok, here’s the short version of it:  Steve was responsible for having the permits stalled, he was trying to sabotage me so he could take over, I think those were his plans.  He was doing it by bribing a governor, I found the trail when I spoke with the mayor, actually Brian spoke to the mayor at the Halloween party, then I met with the councilman while having coffee with Brian on Sunday.  That’s what the councilman wanted to talk to me about that night at the restaurant.  You still with me, babe?”  He looks up to see if he’s confused me yet.

“I’m good, go ahead,” I nod my head for him to continue.

He wipes himself before tucking everything in and zipping up his pants then lifts me out of the tub and carries me back to the closet.

“We are having dinner with Vinny D’Angelo, he started the company in Florida years ago, and John Mikelson, Steve’s father, who is Vinny’s right hand man, also considered an owner of the company as he was integral in its growth.  Still with me, babe?”  He steals another look.

I nod my head after he hands me a new pair of underwear then he leafs through my closet finding something for me to wear.  He pulls out a black jersey body hugging dress, simple yet elegant.

“If you keep ripping my panties Marco, I won’t have anymore,” I scold him

“The only reason I’m going to buy you new ones is because you look so good in them and I like ripping them off,” he leans towards me and pulls my lower lip between his teeth giving it a quick suck.

He continues, “Liana,” and I roll my eyes, “just listen Elizabeth.  Liana got a feeling a while back that something was up when she overheard Steve on the phone.  She’s been keeping an eye on him for a month.  She called Vinny as soon as she thought Steve was up to something.”

“Are you kidding me?”  I can’t hide my surprise.  I was certain she had something to do with the problems.

“Well, it won’t be as much of a surprise when you know that she’s Vinny’s niece.”

My jaw has just hit the floor.  The bosses fucking niece, isn’t that just lovely.

“But, what you really need to know is who and what Vinny and John are, well, mostly were...,” he pauses after he’s pulled the dress over my head letting me arrange it on my body.

“Are you going to tell me or am I going to have to guess that, Marco?”

“I can’t really tell you but what I can say is they are from the neighborhood with the power of the family behind them.” 

I stand there staring at him not really believing what he’s just told me.  I open my mouth to ask and he just nods his head.

“That’s why Christine was so freaked out, she’s never been in contact with anybody like that.  Jesus, Marco you should have prepared the poor thing!”

“I know but you also need to know that Liana and Steve are having dinner with us tonight.”

I can see him almost cringing delivering that wonderful piece of news to me, I know he was not looking forward to that part.

I square my shoulders and pick out my sexiest shoes and walk to the bathroom telling Marco over my shoulder as I go, “Thank you for letting me know, I have to put on my war paint.”

I hear him laughing behind me as I close the door.

It’s 7:00 exactly when we walk in the door of Circa.

“Mr. Kastanopoulis, so good to see you again, your party has already arrived.  Right this way please,” Mr. Maître D greets the local celebrity that is my boyfriend and turns with his chin up already walking towards our table. 

Marco slides his hand down to the small of my back with his finger splayed open in that wonderfully possessive way that I love.  I lean into him and whisper, “Do I have to get used to being with someone who’s a celebrity?”

His grip becomes firmer on my back pulling me closer as he answers, “You’re damn right you do, you’re mine Elizabeth, and I’m not letting you go anywhere.  So get used to it,” and he kisses me, sealing his declaration as the entire table with Vinny, John, Liana and Steve watch.

The joy I feel bubbling up inside of me is almost bursting, I am so happy, even a dinner with Liana can’t ruin it.

The gentlemen stand as we approach and Liana looks almost…civilized. My eyes return to the two imposing, er, gentlemen, standing in front of me.  They are striking, there is no doubt about that, and everything about them reeks money, from the perfectly styled slicked back hair down to the fine round laces threading delicately in and out of the holes of their very expensive Italian leather shoes.  The sense of power and simmering danger lurking below the surface emanating off of both Vinny and John is like hearing a sonic boom off in the distance and then being rocked by the tremors of its aftereffects, you know if you disturb it, it will throw you on your ass.  No wonder poor Christine was so shaken up and couldn’t even speak, she couldn’t process everything that was happening and maybe couldn’t understand it but she obviously felt it.

“Vinny, John I’d like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Elizabeth DiStefano.”

Vinny speaks up first, “Elizabeth, it’s a pleasure to meet the woman who has made our Marco settle down.  And I can see why, you are stunning,” he holds me by my shoulders then kisses me on both cheeks.  His New York accent is still evident but is not very heavy, I can tell this man has worked very hard at becoming who he is today going from that slick kid running the streets of Brooklyn and evolving to the dapper well respected business man in front of me now. 

And you know what I’m thinking?  I’m wondering if I should bow and kiss the ring on his finger, is that what’s expected?  I mean seriously, this man is power personified, strength, charisma, fear, envy, and success.

“I am honored to meet you,” I say as I return the kisses on each of Vinny’s cheeks, “and I don’t know about making Marco settle down, though, he is a very stubborn man,” I say as I steal a glance at him.

He’s smiling, he looks so happy being with his ‘family’.  And I’m being welcomed into it, I simultaneously feel a little apprehensive and happy about it.  We’ve all heard stories of entering into the ‘family’, these men are connected, and very close to the top. I wonder if Marco is considered a made man.  I look at him trying to imagine him in the mafia.  He doesn’t fit any of the stereo types I’d always envisioned.  Yes, he’s a very good business man and I think that’s where the extent of his involvement lies.  I believe that he is involved with a business that was made by money and support of the family, a legitimate business that is doing a very good thing.  This thought alleviates some of my concern.

“Elizabeth,” John takes hold of my shoulders, “welcome, it is an absolute pleasure to meet you, if you ever get tired of Marco just call me, I’ll come save you,” and he kisses both cheeks, laughing as he does, and I smile kissing his as well.

“I will keep that in mind, John, and if Marco gets out of line I will let you know,” I almost flirt with him, one must be careful what one says to a man like this.  You don’t want to offend nor do you want to over promise, even playfully.

John’s eyes are sharper than Vinny’s.  Make no mistake though, Vinny misses absolutely nothing, he is the lion, sitting regally still all the while taking everything in.  John is more like an eagle, his view is more lasered and swift.  I almost want to shiver under his touch from the ice running through his veins.  Where Vinny will incinerate and obliterate you, John is lethally cold.  They are the complimenting opposites of the other, making the perfect dangerous whole.  

I turn to Liana and Steve as I take the seat Marco is standing behind waiting for me to sit down in, “It’s good to see you both again,” I decide its best that I pretend I don’t know what’s going on.  “The party went very well the other night, don’t you think?” I ask them trying to keep the conversation light.

“Yes, it was great and your friends costume was amazing,” Liana says, I can’t believe she is actually being pleasant.  I wonder if the shock is showing on my face because I am not believing this actual turn in her behavior is for real.

“I know, she made it.  She’s a designer and has been in charge of wardrobe for various movie productions for years now, her talent is incredible,” I answer her pleasantly but I’m still waiting for the bitch Liana to peel off this imposters skin sitting in front of me.

“Really, that sounds fantastic, I’d love to talk to her sometime.  She must have some interesting stories.” 

I cannot believe that Liana is talking to me like she wants to be best friends, please don’t let me fall of my chair!  Maybe I should warn Marco to watch out and be ready to catch me just in case.

Steve asks me, “Did you have fun at the party, Elizabeth?  It looked like you did.”

Sitting this close to Steve now I can see the many likenesses to his father and other interesting characteristics about him that I missed the other night.  But I have to wonder if my opinion of him is being tainted or is it a clarification in light of the newest developments in the attempted sabotage of KMD’s project.  As I look into Steve’s eyes there is nothing but coldness in them, they’re flat and without emotion.  What I thought was a flirtatious laid back guy appears to be a cold, callous, unfeeling shell of a man.

“Yes, it was the first party like that I’ve been to, fortunately I knew some other people there besides Marco and Elsie.”

“Marco,” Vinny cuts in, “you’ll have to bring Elizabeth to visit us in Florida, and we can show her around.”

“Actually Vin, I thought we might go up to New York and visit the family up there around the holidays,” he says smiling at me.

I am speechless.  Marco just said he wants me to meet his family, his real family, mother and father and any sisters or brothers.  This is a huge step, this is
the
one that screams long term commitment.  I want to throw my arms around him and smother his face in tiny butterfly kisses.  Thankfully the waiter approaches our table with water glasses saving me from making a blubbering idiot out of myself in public.

During our meal I study Vinny and John through the veil of my lashes.  And I see no depth of emotion in their eyes, no sense of love or compassion.  There is a fondness, yes, that they’ve exhibited to their family members at the table but it seems like life has forced them to put this impenetrable stone veneer over their hearts.  I glance over to Liana and I catch a glimpse of unguarded emotion on her face.  She’s lonely and my heart instantly hurts for her.  Finally I turn to Steve and all I can think about is the poor little boy who was starved for the love of his father and I pray that it’s not too late for him.  Marco’s hand comes to rest on my thigh and his touch fills me with warmth and comfort.  I look up into his face and the happiness and joy I’m filled with by his touch is looking back at me in his beautiful deep dark eyes. 

The evening passes so beautifully, like family and friends with no worries, no conflicts, no hidden agendas.  We’re just enjoying our time together, making memories and giving smiles.  Even Steve and his dad are close sharing inside jokes that only they know.  This is about as close to Norman Rockwell as we all get, the extent of our white picket fence image.  Even on the surface we’re different than most people, our little group of misfits, but we fit and tonight we’re about as normal as everyone else.  The only difference between us and them is we wear our dysfunctionality proudly, it makes us who we are, and if you can’t be yourself, who can you be? 

Marco

Elizabeth has amazed me tonight.  I was pretty certain that she wasn’t going to go running for the hills when the last bit of my past came roaring out of the closet I was hoping to keep locked up for at least a little while longer.  Everything is out on the table, all of my fucked-upness and sick shit.  When I tied her up and flogged the shit out of that beautiful cream skin of hers, she begged for more.  And now she sees my backbone and the backbone of my company and she didn’t bat an eye.  On the contrary, she stood tall smiling in everyone’s face and proudly said, ‘Bring it, I can handle all of you and more.’  This woman is totally fucking amazing. 

And what I realize, what I know is the absolute truth, is that she doesn’t want anything from me, she expects and demands nothing and because of that everything within me flows and runs over into her endlessly.  She accepts me for who I am, for what I am and that allows me to be open and relaxed and completely free with her.  With her acceptance she gives me freedom and with that freedom she gives me herself.  She was always there, open and waiting for me, waiting for all of me to be shown to her so she could give her everything to me, her heart and soul. 

Tonight all of our facades are gone, all of our closets are open and those skeletons are thrown out never to be hidden again.  Tonight we stand before each other completely naked, stripped of all personas and labels and names.  Tonight we will come together raw and truly uninhibited, bare and exposed, able to lose ourselves in the purity of it. 

We’ve just walked into the condo after dinner.  I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders.  I hadn’t realized all of this, the problems going on with KMD Enterprises and Elizabeth not knowing everything about me, were actually pressing so hard on me.  I feel like I can breathe deeply and not worry about anything or anyone being ripped from me or crumbling within my grasp.