Page 37 of Corporate Bondage

Chapter Sixteen

(Gio)

“Dio mio, Giovanni Arcuri, what happened to your face?”

I groaned as ma touched the bruise on my left cheek, the look on her face horrified. “Hello, mother. It looks worse than it is. I promise.”

I gave her a hug to distract her, but Giorgia Arcuri wasn’t easily distracted. She eased back and continued to gape at my face. I didn’t think it looked that bad. I’d iced the area last night when I arrived home so the swelling I had anticipated was not there. The area was black and blue though, but it looked worse than it felt. The bruise was only slightly uncomfortable.

“How did that happen?” she asked as I took her carry-on case. “Did you have an accident?”

Since during this trip I had decided to confess to my parents I was gay, and might even introduce Keith to them, I could not let her know the real reason. “I got into a fight, ma,” I told her.

“I hope the other guy doesn’t look any better,” she huffed. “Your brother and dad are here if you need backup.”

I chuckled and squeezed her arms. She looked good, and I was happier to see her than I had thought. “I missed that spunk, but I’m fine. I promise we’re fine.”

“Other than the face, you look good,” she remarked, sounding pleased. “Tell me all that’s been happening with you. I feel like I’m missing out on so much since you moved away.”

I filled her in on as much as I could, putting off telling her I was gay because I wanted to tell everyone at the same time. It would save me the trouble of repeating the information and dealing with the reaction twice. Although I was certain my mother would be okay with my sexual preference, I was uncertain about Pa. I was never quite able to read the man and tell what he was thinking. He was closer to my brother than me which was expected since they ran the casino together and whatever else they did on the side.

Pa and my brother joined us about an hour after I dropped ma at the hotel. I had to stick around for a few hours because ma insisted we hadn’t been together nearly enough as a family. We ordered room service and had lunch together while I repeated information about my life to them that I had already shared with her. I never had the opportunity to come out to them but decided that could wait until they were settled.

“You keep checking your watch, son,” Pa observed, and I dragged my eyes away from my watch. “Do you have somewhere to be? You knew we were going to be in town and you didn’t schedule some time for us?”

Pa was a tall man with broad shoulders. Nic resembled him, but I didn’t. While growing up, he usually teased my mother about who was my real father. I never thought it funny, and it only made me feel more excluded from the family. Sometimes, I thought he was serious. He had always been frightening but now even more so. When I was a teen, he had been attacked and left for dead. The doctor had suggested reconstructive surgery, but he had opted not to, arguing he was wearing his survival with pride. His voice was also distorted from the incident since he had been stabbed in the throat. He now had the full package of a man to be afraid of.

“I’ve made time,” I replied with a frown. “But something important came up for today. We are still on for dinner at the restaurant tomorrow, and I’m looking forward to that.”

“I think I need to take a nap after that plane ride,” Ma announced, getting to her feet. “I swear the worst part of the flight is going through the airports and not the flight itself.” She came over to me to kiss my cheek. “Take care, Gio. I’ll see you later, my son.”

She left us to enter the bedroom, and I rose to my feet as well. With mom out of the way, I was uncomfortable being with my brother and father alone. Their very presence in San Diego was questioning, and that was a secret I didn’t want to be made privy to. My one fear was that their dealings would catch up with mom or me one day.

“I should get going,” I announced, checking my watch again. If I left now I would probably beat Keith to my house.

“Don’t you have a minute to sit down and talk to your Pa Sometimes, I get the feeling Gio that you are ashamed of us, your famiglia, but don’t go forgetting that it’s because of us that you have that restaurant.”

“Of course not, Pa,” I remarked. “I promise we will talk, but I do have to go.”

“Sit. There is no time like the present.”

Seething with anger at him, I returned to my seat out of respect. There was already so much bad blood between us that I didn’t wish to compound it further.

“I’ll get us a drink of the complimentary champagne that comes with the room and we can talk.”

Dad walked to the kitchen, and I sighed.

“Cazzo!” Nic cursed when we were alone. I really gazed at him for the first time since he came in and noticed he looked stressed. We were seven years apart and had never been close. “The old man gets worse every day,” he mumbled. “I envy you, Gio. I wish I had been smart enough to do what you did and get out while you could.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Business is going bad. Tanto male.”

Before I could ask anything else Pa entered the room with three glasses and the champagne. He popped the cork and poured. “Alla salute,” he said in toast. “There’s no greater loyalty than that of blood.”

I drank because it was expected of me, but my mind was spinning, trying to figure out what Nic meant, but the opportunity for him to tell me had vanished with the arrival of Pa I always thought Nic enjoyed and found thrill in the business ventures Pa drew him in, but he didn’t seem too happy right now. He looked the opposite. I wasn’t a fool. Their visit to San Diego was no coincidence, and I didn’t want to know. I had the feeling in my gut that they were about to try to rope me into something they knew I didn’t want to be a part of. That would explain Pa’s opportune toast.

“I really have to go,” I declared, getting to my feet, determined this time that no one and nothing would stop me. “I’ve someone due at the house, and he is going to get there before me if I don’t leave right now.”

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