Guns n' Boys Book 1 Part 2 (27 page)

It turned out Domenico was so eager to be out
soon because he had booked an appointment to be measured for a
made-to-order suit. Seth didn’t quite understand the appeal, but
the way Dom’s eyes lit up when every part of his body was carefully
written down was worth the speed. He looked as proud as a cock on
Sunday when the shop assistant, who was obviously flirting, told
him that his measurements were ‘Italian perfection’. Whatever that
meant.

Seth on the other hand felt awkward and
didn’t quite know what to do with himself. Nothing he saw was his
style, everything more expensive than he’d want to pay. The
surfaces were so clean Seth started obsessing about not leaving any
fingerprints. “Does it take long?” he asked, glancing at Dom again
and playing with his cowl.

“No, I’ll be done here soon. Why don’t you
choose something you’d like to see on me in the meantime?” asked
Dom.

A silly grin bloomed on Seth’s lips because
all he could think of were the Armani briefs. They made Dom look
expensive.

“Is there anything you’d like, sir?” Another
shop assistant walked up to him with a welcoming smile.

“I don’t know… I don’t really think-- I’ll
just look around, don’t worry.”

“I’ll see you soon. Pick at least five
things,” said Domenico, tensing his muscles, Seth knew, for his
viewing pleasure.

“Where will we meet?” Seth asked, already
walking off. When he thought about it, he did like one of those
casual V-necks with a few buttons under the collar.

“Second floor, that’s where I shop most
frequently.”

Seth smiled at him once more before going on
the amazing winding stairs which made his mind swirl. He looked up,
trying to work out their structure, but all he got was that he
almost tripped. The space was a bit like a museum, but he could
give the scavenger hunt Dom assigned him a shot. He definitely
wanted to get Dom new leather gloves, those were hot. He got a
thrill every time Dom touched him while wearing them. Seth picked
up a fitted T-shirt from what seemed like the Armani sports section
and ventured to Armani Exchange where he felt much more at home
than on Dom’s beloved suits floor.

Seth got a slim fit black shirt he thought
Dom might like and a fitted black hoodie made of soft cotton,
curious if Dom would scowl at him for the choice. Everyone needed
something casual every now and then.

But before he would go meet Dom where they
arranged, Seth found the one perfect thing he was sure Dom would
appreciate in the Armani Dolci shop. He bought him a box of
chocolate pralines. Some of them already from the Valentine’s Day
section, heart-shaped in red wrappers. He was ready to go looking
for his boyfriend when he got a text message from him. Domenico, of
course, got tempted by so many things on the way that he ended up
in the fitting room already.

Seth lost his way a few times, but finally
decided to relinquish his dignity and ask for directions. There was
only one fitting room taken, so Seth sneaked closer to surprise
Dom. He opened the thick curtain with a wide grin, holding the box
of chocolates in front of himself.

“Look what I got—” Seth’s eyes fell on the
wrinkled face of Luigi Tassa. “F-for my wife.”

The earlier twinkle of humor was gone from
Dom’s face, replaced by the frightening icy facade he knew all too
well from the beginning of their time together. Domenico was
worried. Very worried, but still managed to smile. “I’m sure she’ll
appreciate it.”

“Am I… interrupting something, Mr. Tassa?”
Seth looked to the man who leaned against the wall.

“Not at all, Seth. I was just chatting to
Domenico about the store.”

“Um… I brought you some of the clothes I told
you about,” Seth mumbled, passing the pile to Domenico.

“Ah, thank you, I couldn’t find this
department,” said Dom, taking the garments as if having your male
friend choose clothes for you was the most natural thing in the
world. “We’ll be out soon. Wait for us?” he asked, with his eyebrow
crooking. He was as tense as a Victorian maiden on her wedding
night.

Seth’s stomach was clenching and pushing his
breakfast up to his throat. “Yeah, sure. I’ll have a look at the
shoes and stuff.” He closed the curtain faster than he even opened
it and rushed out of the fitting rooms, but then curiosity got the
best of him, and he tiptoed back, hiding behind the last stall and
trying to hear something. If something bad was happening, he didn’t
want to be left in the dark.

“Is that how you’re training him? To be your
errand boy? He sure seems eager,” he heard Tassa’s stern voice.

“We’re shopping. I don’t see what’s the
problem,” replied Domenico, and Seth heard a rustle of
clothing.

“We’re shopping as well, and you don’t see me
asking Vincente to bring me shit. He’s
not
your friend.”

“Isn’t he my brother?”

Seth covered his ears for a cringe-worthy
moment. This was possibly the last thing he wanted to hear!

“Not the same thing as a friend. Remember
Dino Villani’s brother? Massimo?”

“He was a traitor. My brother, on the other
hand, will be the Don. What harm is there in fraternizing with
him?” asked Domenico calmly.

Seth knew it was all a game, a pose, but he
still didn’t like how that sounded. Nor did he like the memory of
Massimo’s brain all over the basement floor. It had been years, and
it was stuck in his mind forever.

“Remember, things can still change. Don’t get
too caught up with the wrong brother.”

Domenico snorted. “Wrong brother? He’s been
chosen.”

“Let’s say so. When Vincente visits, don’t
you dare brush him off. Make friends. You never know what might
happen.”

Domenico answered after a short pause. “Are
you spying on me on his orders then? I don’t appreciate it.”

Seth knew that cold voice. It never led to
anything good. If it was them talking, Dom would probably be
holding Seth’s jaw as he spoke in a voice like that.

“Spying? Not really, no. I don’t need to, do
I? Just a coincidental meeting in a store we both like.”

“Of course. It’s a shame Vincente didn’t let
us know he’s visiting. We’d invite him for drinks.”

“You’ll have a chance for drinks and
fraternizing
. He’s on his way to your apartment because he
wants to leave his shopping and luggage before doing anything
else.”

The blood froze in Seth’s veins. Vincente was
going to their house? There was a fucking bottle of lube on the
bedside cabinet, and clearly only one bed used. There was history
of gay porn on his laptop, a Post-it note with a heart drawn on it
stuck to the container with the last lemon cupcake, a few gay
magazines lying around, and no sign of any interest in tits and
pussies. If Vincente made it to their home first, they could as
well tell him they’d been invaded by the gay village and forced to
have sex.

“I should make my way home then and prepare
it for him. I’m sorry to say we got a bit messy in recent days.
Seth isn’t a good influence on me,” said Domenico and the curtain
moved as someone put his elbow into it. Seth hid farther behind,
ready to follow as soon as Tassa was gone. What a fucking
cock-up.

“You do that, Domenico,” said Tassa, without
a hint of smile in his voice. He was the first to leave as well.
His stiff, broad-shouldered figure was still visible when Dom got
out, his eyes frantic.

“Seth? Where are you?”

Dom was walking out, to look for him outside,
so Seth quickly got out from behind the curtain and grabbed the
back of his shirt.

Dom swallowed hard and grabbed his wrist.
“Let’s go. You heard it all, right?”

“Yeah,” he whispered, following with his
knees soft as butter. And for once it wasn’t because Dom got him so
horny. His dick couldn’t be softer. “Motherfucker could have
e-mailed.”

“Yeah, he probably got some news from your
father. Just don’t show any weakness when you meet him, got it?”
asked Dom as they walked down the white stairs.

Seth put on his cowl and gloves, bristling
up. “Of course not. Fuck.”

Domenico sighed as they moved toward the
exit. “Were those chocolates for me?”

The question got Seth so out of balance that
he didn’t know what to say. “Duh. Who else? The fantasy of having
you eat them off me is long gone.”

Domenico nodded and raised his hand for a
taxi as soon as they were in the street. Seth couldn’t care less
about the chill and snow, his body was getting so sweaty with panic
under the jacket that it wasn’t even funny anymore.

“Just put it into the drawer,” growled
Domenico as he pushed the spunk-stained bedding into the trash bag.
Both the master bedroom bed and the single one in the guest room
had been appropriately rustled, and Dom moved his things into a
pile in the living room, except for a half-used pack of cigarettes
he left in the second bedroom, as if by accident. They were running
around like headless chickens, and he didn’t like the sudden
presence in the city one bit. Luigi must have watched them, which
gave Dom a very unpleasant sensation in the stomach. Just in case,
he hid a few weapons on himself.

Seth rushed over to the kitchen but stopped
to pick up a few magazines. He stuffed them into the freezer of all
places. There was no time to argue with that idiotic move as they
already heard a key in the lock. They should have rented an
apartment that wasn’t paid for by the Family.

Domenico fell to the couch, on a pile of
bedding he stained with tea earlier, and looked at the door as it
opened, revealing the self-satisfied smirk of Vincente Villani. He
walked in with a dark piece of luggage, dressed in a dark blue polo
shirt and jeans under a short woolen coat. “Missed me?”

Seth gave him a faint smile from the kitchen.
“You should have warned us, we’d have ordered some food.” He looked
into the fridge, pulled something out of there, and threw it into
the trash.

“Mr. Tassa surprised us in the store,” added
Domenico and walked up to the newcomer. All his senses were alert.
“But I prepared the room for you.”

“Oh, cool,” Vincente pulled out his fist to
the front. “We’re gonna have fun tonight!”

Domenico stared at the hand, but decided this
wasn’t the moment for him to die so he pushed his own fist against
Vincente’s. “Why, you have any plans?”

“Hell yeah! I’m taking you guys to my
favorite titty bar.” He looked around the apartment with a grin.
“Where do I leave my shit?”

Domenico gave a mental groan. ‘Titty bar’.
How old was this idiot? “Just across the door. I moved out and gave
you clean bedding.”

“Great stuff, Dom.” Since when was he ‘Dom’?
“It’s a shame though. Shouldn’t my brother show some hospitality?”
Vincente looked toward the kitchen, where Seth was pretending he
didn’t exist.

“Sure, you can take my room if you want. I’ll
just take my stuff.”

“No, that’s all right,” said Domenico. “I
moved out, according to my rank. Please, make yourself
comfortable.” He entered the second bedroom and switched on the
light, pointing to the en-suite bathroom door. “You could freshen
up for the girls.”

“I’m planning to take one home tonight, so I
better.” Vincente wiggled his eyebrows. “Can’t wait for some
American pussy.”

“Y-yeah,” Seth uttered, following them.

“You have to keep it in your pants so I don’t
tell your wife.” Vincente snorted.

“You should tell on him already then,”
chuckled Domenico. The joke did actually make him smile. “Before he
puts it into one, she needs a cavity search for security reasons.
But I’m happy to help.”

The scowl on Seth’s face could break a
mirror. “I’m faithful.”

“Look at him, all defensive, as if I care.”
Vincente poked Dom with an elbow and laughed.

Domenico gave him a tight smile. “You want
some beer?” What was up with this fraternizing? Vincente had never
missed an opportunity to push Dom into the ground, and now he was
even friendlier than the last time they’d met in Italy.

“Yeah, sure. More fun for us then if Seth
can’t join in. Where do you guys go? You’ve been here, what? Over a
month?”

Seth stroked a lampshade. “Eight weeks.”

Domenico shrugged. “We devote most of our
time to training. As you know, I’m very serious about orders, and
Seth does need some polishing,” he said, glancing at his lover
across the room. He was a sad sight, with his shoulders slightly
hunched.

“I’m good. I’m getting really good at
wrestling.”

“We should spar.” Vincente grinned before
walking off to the bathroom.

Domenico swallowed. “Shall we order some
food?”

“I’m not hungry,” Seth whispered as they
heard the water start in the shower. “But we can get
something.”

Dom closed the door to Vincente’s room and
hurried toward the lone figure in the kitchen. Something wasn’t
right.