THE MAFIA'S VICTIM

Chapter-4

Damian in the picture

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Gabriella: 

"Hello," the man greeted me. He must be Damian's older brother, Leon. I had never seen his picture but by God he is gorgeous. I suddenly sat straight as I realized that this is probably the first time I'm attracted to someone after a very long time, after the incident. I must be staring at him longer than a normal person because he smirked. Of course, he would the kind of effect he had on women. 

"Sorry, yes Hi" I squeaked, turning red to my ear tips. Oh my God, kill me now.

"I'm Leon." 

"I'm Gabriella." I smiled. 

Sienna clapped her hands. "So, tell me about it." Damien sighed. "Mom, Gabriella is not my girlfriend nor Gage is my son." I could see Sienna's happiness melt and be replaced by confusion. "Let's just start the dinner okay? I'll tell you in some time." Adriano was comforting his wife but he looked pissed. He kept glaring at me and Damien all the while Gage was still sitting on his lap, chewing on his fingers. Not wanting to make it weird, I requested to take Gage back. Adriano gladly passed to Leon who then handed over my son to me.  Settling Gage on my lap, we waited for my brother. 

"You know I'm all for family dinner but I would love to know what's going on. I don't like being a sitting duck." Leon sounded irritated.

"I agree. If you are done embarrassing us and yourself, we should leave." Adriano commented. 

"Adriano!" Sienna gave him scolded him. Putting her hand on Damien's hands, she asked "Please tell me what is this about? I'm worried." 

"There is nothing to be worried about. Damien is just introducing his friend." Adriano's eyes were like laser beam warning. Now I get why Damien is so afraid of him. 

"Have we met before?" Leon asked, looking at me with a concentrated look. 

"No, definitely not," I say adjusting Gage on my lap. He started fidgeting with my necklace. He must be getting hungry. Noticing the same, Damien stood up and looked at me "I'll go check and will be back."  Holding his wrist, I offer to go look for Camden myself but he refuses and asks me to order food. 

The moment he left, all three eyes turned to me.

"So darling let's order food and then you can tell me about you. I don't know what is going on but I get to make this cutie." She smiles softly at Gage who has now started to chew on my fingers and is pecking my chest for food. 

Calling the waiter, we quickly placed the order and then got into conversation. I gave them a basic introduction about my job, parents, and brother. "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about your parents dear." 

"Thank you. Camden and I are okay now."

"Will your brother be joining us for the dinner?

"Yes. Camden went to look for him." She nodded, still not suspecting anything.

"What about Gage's father?" Leon asked. This is the second time he has conversed with me. He is more like his father. I knew this question was coming but I was still ashamed to answer it. 

"He is not in the picture," I answered in a quiet voice. 

"Why?" Adriano asked in his usual straightforward manner. No sensitivity whatsoever. 

"Honey,.." Sienna tried to intervene but her husband was adamant. "I want to know what kind of friends our son is making. Respectable or not?"

"Dad" even Leon interrupted. 

I didn't know what to say. Usually, I just say none of your business but this was Damien's family and if everything goes well, this might be Camden's family too. So, now I'm suddenly in an anxious state of what to say. I had a whole day of thinking of what I could say. In the end, I just assumed that they would be easygoing and won't bug much but I was wrong. Fortunately, our food arrived and so did Damien and Camden.  

I looked at Camden to see if he was doing okay but Gage started crying. So I started feeding him mashed potatoes and veggies.  

"I want you guys to meet Camden, my boyfriend." The moment Damien made the revelation, there was a pin-drop silence. Before Sienna or Leon could say anything, Adriano threw his fist on the table. "Don't play with me, boy. I warned you. I told you to keep your mouth shut and be normal. But you just don't listen to me." 

"What- What is going on? Damien, you are gay?" She gapped at her son and then turned to her husband " And you knew about it and didn't say anything!"

"I didn't say anything because I thought it will be just a phase for him. Now he wants to sacrifice his whole life."

Damien gritted his teeth. "We have been fighting for a few years now on this and you still think it's a phase. I love Camden and I'm gonna be with him forever, so I suggest you accept it."

"Over my dead body boy!" He sounded so furious. His voice startled not only Gage but even the surrounding tables even though we were sitting in a semi-private area. I started shushing Gage moving my concerned gaze over Camden and Damien. I put my hand on Camden's arm as he was sitting beside me and looked disappointed. 

"Please sir, give us a chance, give me a chance. I-" 

Without even looking and hearing to what Camden was saying, Adriano asked Damien - "You know what will happen to you if people come to know you are gay? What will the family do to you?"

"Dad, stop it. We are with others." Leon interjected. He didn't look surprised to find out the situation. 

Adriano looked at both Camden and me, eyes glaring with disgust. "I would've accepted you with a woman who is a whore and has a child out of wedlock but this is unacceptable." 

My lungs burned at his accusations. With my watered eyes, I looked down feeling humiliated by yet another person calling me a whore. 

Sienna and Damien both stopped him at once. "Adriano, stop it!" "You are way out of line. You can't talk to Ella like that."

"I will if I feel like it. You need to be more worried about you than these fucking outsiders."