“You like him. He’s got no one else in the world.” Seth’s words were sweet, but so naive it hurt to even hear them. They were to travel with a kid out of the country? And then what?
Domenico straightened his back and bit down on his hand. Of course, he liked Mark. That’s why he got angry about him leaving in the first place. “You are the priority. I can’t put you in danger. I promised,” he whispered even as his stomach clenched with sadness.
“I’m sure you can think of something. Can’t we leave him with Jed and Dana? Give him an allowance on a credit card? I don’t know… There must be something we can do.” Seth turned around and grabbed Dom’s hand. “I’ll be fine.”
Domenico laughed, but there was no joy in it. Just like the girls at the base, Mark was a casualty of the life Domenico chose for himself and Seth. “Credit card? My resources aren’t unlimited, you know. Let’s go,” he said, trying not to think about the boy he was leaving behind. Mark wouldn’t be the first person Domenico had to forget about. There was a whole array of faces he needed to forget. Some blurry, some slightly more in focus. If he could kill his father for Seth, he could leave behind a boy he barely knew.
Seth grabbed Dom’s face and forced Dom to look his way. “I’m not letting you do this. You would regret it for the rest of your life.” His voice softened. “Wouldn’t you have wanted someone to come for you when you were a kid? There was also a time when you didn’t know any better and made stupid choices you paid for the hard way. If there had been someone who reached out, wouldn’t that have changed your life?”
Domenico’s heart drummed the rhythm of imminent execution as he sank into the depths of Seth’s eyes and remembered the chocolate bar Tassa gave him when he was too thin for his clothes. No one saved him. Tassa only came for him when Domenico proved himself by getting away through the narrow tunnels, running from death like a rat. But Mark wasn’t Domenico Acerbi. He couldn’t save himself, and Dom knew that much.
He wanted to protest, but all that came out was a ragged breath, and he looked away. His heart was heavier by the second. How bad was Fred really if Mark decided to call them instead of just running away? What was going on there?
“Is he gonna die?”
Seth took a deep breath. “We don’t know. If he had to lie about what’s happening, it could be really bad. As far as this guy knows, Mark is alone, no one knows where he is, and no one will look for him. Mark made some bad choices, but his heart seems to be in the right place.” Seth squeezed his hand over the tooth pendant.
Domenico bit his lip and slowly pressed his mouth to Seth’s. A spark streamed down his body, and all of a sudden, his heart was quieting down, as if someone had drowned it in molasses. “Let’s go.”
“And then he can make his own choice about what to do next.” Seth stroked Dom’s hand, and it was hard to comprehend that this time he seemed to know Dom better than he did himself.
Domenico chuckled, feeling lighter than air. “Let’s shoot the motherfucker,” he said, looking into the glove compartment where he had stored his second handgun.
“Only if he deserves it,” Seth added, but judging by his silly grin and the energy with which he turned the car around, he wasn’t opposed to the idea.
“He does.”
It was a pain in the ass to have to obey the speed limit, but the last thing Dom and Seth wanted right now was the police pulling them over. The heat around them was rising, and all Seth wanted was to leave the state, but they had to find Mark first and make sure he was safe. It was a risky move with all that they had on their plate, but it needed to be done. Seth could see in Domenico’s eyes just how much the kid’s fate affected him, even if Dom was the last person to play hero for no reason.
Greaseball met them at the gate, without the ever-present dressing on his head, but as soon as he realized who was coming, he quickly unblocked their way. Domenico checked his Beretta, put it back in the holster underneath his open shirt, and rushed out of the car as soon as Seth parked. It was good to see him move with such purpose—the same old Dom Seth met and fell in love with.
Seth would follow him like a lamb anywhere, so he was quick to go into the clubhouse right behind him. There was such a confidence in Dom’s moves. All hesitation gone, he knew exactly where he was going. Unfortunately, Dana didn’t know she was the target just yet. She had her back turned to them and talked to Axe while sitting on the pool table.
Domenico grabbed her by the neck before the redheaded biker could even alert her of his arrival. She twisted her body, trying to kick and turn, but Domenico pulled her down, holding her limbs prisoner. It was fucking hot to see Domenico like this, and Seth was a little ashamed of thinking so.
“Where did you take Mark?” hissed Dom to the soundtrack of a few men getting to their feet.
Dana struggled in his grip and looked back, her eyes wide. “What are you doing here?”
Domenico must have done something hurtful, as she moaned and fell to the floor, but she stopped playing nice. In the most surreal moment ever, Dana opened her mouth and bit into Dom’s leg like a young shark.
“Fuck me! She’s feisty!” laughed a biker who didn’t even bother getting off the couch.
“What the hell is this about?” Jed yelled, approaching the fight, but Axe moved first. His bull-like body charged at Domenico, only to be sent on its way down with a billiard cue that broke in two once it connected with his back. Domenico used one of the halves to strike Dana in the ribs.
She cried out, letting go of his leg, and she was on her back with Dom’s foot pressing on her throat, without Seth being able to follow how exactly that had happened.
He gasped, but his awe didn’t last long when he saw Axe approaching again, with his expression wild with fury. Seth ran up to him and pushed him on the pool table with all he had. He didn’t quite expect the skull-jingling punch to the side of his head and fell to the floor, rolling over as the world around him made a turn.
Domenico looked at him, wide-eyed, and moved toward Axe, but Ryder grew between the two men like a solid wall. “The fuck is this about?”
Domenico ground his teeth so hard the sound had Seth squirming. “He punched my man!”
“And you punched my woman!” hissed Jed, picking up Dana at the periphery of Seth’s vision.
Seth got up, holding the side of his head. “I’m fine. You’re also fine, Dana, aren’t you?”
She slowly got up as Dom let her go, but she couldn’t help a snarl. “Fine.”
Ryder looked between them with a deep frown before settling his eyes on Jed. “Since when? You haven’t told me!”
Dana pouted. “Today.”
“Looks like we’re family now,” grumbled Domenico.
“Dana, where did you take Mark?” Seth asked, making sure no one was preparing to strike him.
“I can take you there if you’re so desperate. I don’t remember the address.” Dana crossed her arms on her chest and stood next to Jed. Like she needed his protection. Ridiculous.
Axe’s face twisted when he moved, but it seemed it was a matter of pride not to show just how badly Dom got him. “Stop beating up women on my turf.”
Domenico frowned at him. “She’s not a woman. She’s my cousin. And we’ve been doing that since childhood. Isn’t that right, Dana?”
She nodded. “Rough upbringing.”
Seth ran his fingers through his hair. “Let’s go. You’ll show us where you took him.”
Axe sneered. “Oh, so you can take her and beat her up elsewhere? She’s not going anywhere. Right, Jed?”
Jed licked his lips, as all eyes were on him all of a sudden. It was sad to see him squirm. “I… Yeah. I’m going wherever she’s going.”
Seth raised his eyebrows. That was a good answer. Diplomatic.
“Fine,” said Dom, looking straight at Ryder. “You can go if you want to watch me work my magic on someone who’s hurting little boys.” He nodded at Dana, and everyone’s eyes turned to her in a sudden silenc
e. Nothing enraged masculine straight men more than men molesting boys. “She took Mark to this shady guy behind my back.”
“He asked me to!” cried Dana.
“He’s a kid,” Seth groaned. “He doesn’t know any better. You should have asked.”
Jed looked at the pool table, to the window, anywhere but at Domenico.
Axe frowned. “How do you know something’s up with the guy?”
Domenico shrugged. “Mark called us to tell us that the fucker is just like his dad. And his dad beat him up and starved him. I’m gonna break this motherfucker’s neck, and if you want to help me, be my guests. You might as well join in on the party.”
“Do you know if it’s just him there?” Jed asked Dana, and she shrugged.
“The house was big.”
“He wouldn’t keep a boy there if he has family,” muttered Dom. “Let’s just go.”
Axe raised his hands. “I’m sure you can do just fine by yourself if it’s just one guy.”
Dom glared at him and pulled Dana by the arm. Seth followed with Jed, but Ryder was quick to catch up with them as well.
“Maybe you should stay?” Jed asked his brother.
Ryder sighed. “No, I’ll come with you. Might as well offer my help in return.”
Seth held back a grin. Now that was some appreciation.
Domenico looked back at him and gave a slow nod. “This kind of scum you don’t want to have around anyway.”
Domenico frowned at how normal the house was in the orange light of the slowly setting sun. It was almost five o’clock when they arrived, and it appeared that the guy was home, as the car was in the open garage. The place had a large barbecue in the back, but it also probably had an underground cell Fred kept his victims in.
They were all waiting for the door to open as Dana approached the house across a perfectly manicured lawn. There was no reason to overcomplicate things by lockpicking or forced entry. Dom assumed that the easiest way to put Fred’s vigilance to sleep was to have a woman knock at his door. With her pretty face and girl-next-door look, Dana didn’t seem threatening, even if she was actually deadlier than a cobra.
A minute after she rang the doorbell, a dark-haired man emerged from behind the door. Before he could say a word, Dana punched his face so hard they could hear the crackle all the way in the bushes. She threw all her weight at him, darting forward with her head low. As soon as her shoulder hit Fred’s chest, they disappeared from sight, falling to the floor inside the house.
Ryder frowned. “I didn’t expect that.”
“As I told you, we’ve been at it since kindergarten,” Domenico said with a small smirk. “Let’s go.”
They made their way to the back door, pulling on gloves on the way. And sure enough, it unlocked upon their approach. Dana was making progress, even if she wasn’t anywhere near perfect yet. Then again, not everyone had the opportunity to be trained by Luigi Tassa himself.
Dana’s blue eyes moved over their all-male group, as if she were assessing whether she should invite them inside, but in the end, she stepped back, letting them into a kitchen with surfaces so ridiculously clean that the room looked like a show house.
Fred was on the floor, gagged and with his hands cuffed behind his back.
“I’ll go check if there’s anyone else,” Jed said and was quick to rush down the corridor with a gun in hand.
Seth started looking around. “Maybe I can find Mark’s backpack or something like that.”
Domenico groaned, searching for any clues about the kid’s whereabouts, but found nothing at first glance. No piles of chocolate bars, and no curly brown hair in sight. There was something extremely odd about the house though. It was picture perfect, with white walls and bright wooden floors, but the lack of personality was hitting Dom in the face.
Ryder seemed to share his thoughts. “Did this fucker just move in, or something?”
Fred stirred on the floor, apparently coming back from his trip courtesy of Dana’s fist, and Domenico rushed over, grabbing the thick chain between the cuffs.
“Hi, Freddie,” he said, forcing him into a sitting position by yanking the pulled-back arms. It spurred a muffled cry.
“No one else in the house,” Jed informed, as he came back, thumping his boots against the wooden floor. “I’ll go look outside and see if there’s any barn of horror or anything like that.”
Ryder walked out with his brother, leaving Dana, Domenico, and Seth alone with the damn barbecue guy. For a terrible few seconds, Domenico wondered whether he wasn’t one of those people who fantasized about roasting their lovers alive and then eating their flesh and crisp skin.
Fred looked up at Dom with a frown. As if he had any leverage here. It pissed Domenico off so much that he pulled on the bastard’s arms again, dragging him toward what looked like the living room.
Fred screamed, trying to change position and pull his arms back, desperate to keep his joints from breaking apart, but physics was not merciful to him.
“The boy that got here last night, Freddie.”
Seth followed, and Dana was kind enough to take the makeshift fabric gag out of Fred’s mouth, wiping away some blood that streamed from his nostril.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he started babbling, his eyes bobbing to the sides, looking for ways out, for weapons he could make use of. “No one was here.”
Domenico smirked. “Come on. He showed me your picture.”
A glint of fear trembled in Fred’s eyes, the same ones that smiled in the picture from above a succulent rack of ribs.
“I think you should think again,” said Domenico, glancing at the empty walls. Even the furniture was extremely generic, and a strange idea was slowly curling in his mind. “It’s not your house, is it?”
Fred hesitated. “I moved in just lately…” The way he said it was much too calm for a civilian who just got his face punched and his house invaded. As if it wasn’t the first time something like this happened. As if Fred believed he would eventually free himself.
Domenico understood that very well. Whenever he got in trouble, that was the mindset that got him to make the best of the situation and win the game. As normal as Fred looked, he was a damn psycho, no doubt about that.
Domenico slowly kneeled down, preparing to fend off any attack, even if it turned out Freddie had lasers in his eyes. If the man couldn’t get rid of Dana, he was not a worthy opponent for Dom. Then again, Dana had the advantage of surprise.
“Where is he? I know he came here. She brought him over,” Dom said, swaying his head toward Dana.
She nodded, crouching next to Dom. “I saw him walk down the driveway and stand at your door.”
Fred swallowed. “I didn’t want anyone to know about him. But he never came. I swear. He texted that he would be here early and never arrived. He must have gotten cold feet.”
Domenico cast a glance at Dana, and she shook her head.
“He’s lying.”
Domenico shrugged and peeked into Fred’s eyes, already feeling the pleasant buzz spreading underneath his skin. His gaze trailed up Fred’s forehead, and the slight sheen of perspiration was unmistakable there. Dom could flay Fred bit by bit, were he to stubbornly refuse them information. “I believe her.”
Fred took a deep breath and shook his head violently. “What the hell can she know about this? The boy’s been messing with his arrival date for weeks. I don’t know what happened to him. I mean, I’m terribly sorry if he got into trouble yesterday. I would love to help find him.”
Domenico raised the fabric above his ankle and pulled out his small knife, making sure the blade caught the light. “Are you keeping the boys somewhere else, Fred?”
That was when Fred shut up with his bullshit. His eyes widened, and even his breath became a bit shallow. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I had good intentions…” His voice became ragged and turned into a choked wail when Dom pushed the blade into the bare flesh of Fred’s thigh, right
where his shorts ended.
“Come on, Freddie. Try harder.”
To Dom’s surprise, Seth put down his gun and sat next to Fred. The sunlight coming through the window played with his black hair so beautifully, Dom was falling in love with him all over again. “This doesn’t have to continue. Just take us to Mark, and we’ll leave you alone. We don’t want any trouble either.”
Fred swallowed hard, staring at the metal handle sticking out of his flesh, shaking slightly as tremors ran through his body. “I…”
Domenico moved the knife inside, mindful of not cutting an artery. It was all just to shock and hurt. As much as Fred deserved to die, they couldn’t have that happen yet.
“You?” he asked calmly. He loved the sensation of peace that overcame him at times like these. It would have been even better if he strapped Fred to something that would prevent him from moving, but this was not about Dom’s satisfaction. The goal was to break Fred’s morale and make him realize Domenico wasn’t just a guy trying to find a lost friend. Dom meant business, and he would work on Fred as long as it took, and at this point, it seemed like he was slowly getting his point across.
Fred cried out, stiffening as he fought for each breath, wheezing with fear. “I did meet him,” he uttered. “He didn’t like me in person, so I drove him to town.” Great. That was even more bullshit.
Seth shook his head. “I can promise you he won’t kill you, but you need to be more honest with us than that.”
Domenico bit his lip, looking at his lover with a warmth spreading throughout his chest. Months before, Seth would have never participated in a stunt like this, but clearly, his skin was slowly hardening. “Did you eat him, Freddie?” asked Domenico. He didn’t really believe that was the case. No one waited so long for a beautiful boy only to dispose of him within the first day, but at the same time, just saying that out loud made Dom’s stomach queasy.
“No! I’m nothing like that! I just wanted some company!” Fred cried out when the blade cut a little farther. Seth’s ‘good cop’ act must have been working, because Fred turned to face him. “Please make him stop. I won’t report this, I just want to live.”
Guns n' Boys: Swamp Blood (Book 3) (gay dark mafia erotic romance) Page 32