Seth’s lips twitched, curving into one of those smiles that already started feeling too scarce. “You can’t force yourself to do it?” he asked as he started twisting the ring off Dom’s finger.
Domenico closed his eyes for a moment, to sense the warmth of Seth’s fingertips on him. “Doesn’t feel right. I promised to be yours.”
Seth leaned closer, as if he were about to brush a kiss against Dom’s ear. It made Domenico instantly pull away, because with their boat already entering the narrow channel surrounded by makeshift piers and small boats, such gestures could be as dangerous as a knife pressed against the throat.
“You’re mine with or without it,” Seth whispered, not trying to get any closer than Dom wanted him to.
Domenico watched the band slide off, leaving behind a pale line where it had protected the skin from the sun. The trace made him smile and lifted his spirits a tiny bit. “Looks like its ghost is still there.”
Seth pulled his own off, making Domenico twitch uncomfortably with the memory of how Seth had taken it off in anger once. Even though he knew the ring was just an object, it still unnerved him to not have this tangible claim on Seth, as if his husband was a helium balloon that would fly away if it couldn’t be grounded.
“I hope someday we won’t have to go back into the closet,” Seth said, leaning against the gunwale next to Dom.
Domenico smirked and discreetly held Seth’s hand where no one but Mark could spot it. Seth’s fingers were warm and slightly clammy, but Domenico needed to share his strength with Seth as well as absorb some from him.
“Soon,” he said, even though now it felt everything but that. As closeted as he had been for most of his life, knowing the ropes of his organization allowed him a degree of freedom. Here? Everything was uncharted territory. Bleak, damp, and uncomfortable to walk through.
“You don’t have to lie. I know this isn’t New York. As long as I know I have you, I will suffer through it somehow.”
“Reality is what we make it,” Dom said. “Soon might not be days. It might be years, but we will get there.” He smiled and finally let go of Seth’s hand, settling his mind on the task at hand. He needed to focus and moor the boat somewhere, because the port was smaller than he expected, and he didn’t want to get too far away from the river.
His eyes settled on a single-story building standing on numerous wooden legs in the shallows of the port. Painted bright blue and yellow, it was a bar of sorts, with a large porch furnished with plastic tables and chairs, it was accessible to patrons via a gangplank.
And that’s where Domenico spotted Dana.
Dressed in a long dress specked with bright colors, Dana looked like a tropical bird. She sat in one of the chairs alongside a group of men, one of who Domenico immediately recognized. It was Toro himself, and now that Domenico focused on the bar porch, their eyes met, sending a shudder down Domenico’s spine. This was no ordinary welcome committee.
Seth took a deep breath, and his face was back to being a mask. “You see them too?”
Domenico wasn’t as proficient with steering as he’d like to be in this moment, but one of Toro’s men was there to help adjust Domenico’s course and pull the boat to the wooden pier close to the bar. Domenico, Seth and Mark barely disembarked when their hosts approached, striding over a wooden walkway leading all the way from the concrete alley running along the port. Dana had her arm looped around Toro’s and gave them a welcoming smile with not even a trace of recognition, as he expected of her.
Toro was taller than Domenico expected after only seeing him in photographs and also reasonably handsome. Tan, with dark hair that was only slowly graying at the temples, he was not too bad a sperm donor, Domenico supposed. As long as nothing went horribly wrong in the gene pool, his and Dana’s baby shouldn’t be too bad to look at.
Domenico tried not to grin at his own thoughts and squeezed Toro’s hand when it was offered. The man’s grip was sufficiently firm but not overbearing, as if he were still getting a feel of who he was dealing with.
Dom invited him on the boat, along with Dana, who looked appropriately elegant with a layer of makeup that was barely visible yet enhanced her natural beauty. Three men in sunglasses followed, their greeting amounting to a single nod each. The one who wore his dark hair in a crew cut and sported a brick-like body packed with muscle was likely a bodyguard, but the other two were older and less in shape. The younger of them, with sharp features and pitch black hair, kept a large notebook under his arm, so maybe he was some kind of personal assistant. The oldest of the group had a round belly protruding from above the tightly fastened belt, and the comb-over of dark grey hair would have made him look like a lecherous old man if it weren’t for the two handguns strapped under his armpits.
“You’re late,” Toro said in Spanish at the same moment when Domenico and Dana shook hands. She was missing half her little finger. Dom swallowed when he felt paper scratching at his palm but quickly hid the message in his sleeve. It was a good thing that he’d changed into a long-sleeved shirt for the occasion after all.
Domenico blinked, not wanting to reveal all his cards yet. “English?”
When Toro repeated his words in that language, Domenico nodded apologetically. “There have been complications with the fourth of us. He was a new man and failed to prove himself.”
Toro’s upper lip curled, revealing a small pale scar. Neither his polished leather shoes nor the crisp, white shirt could make Domenico drop his guard. He knew from both Dana and Miguel that Toro was no gentleman. “What kind of complications?” Toro asked and scanned Seth and Mark from head to toe.
Domenico shrugged. “The bastard tried to have a look into the trunk. He broke the seal, but we made sure the merchandise remained unharmed,” he said, catching Toro’s cool brown gaze. The man reminded him of the reptile he sometimes saw in the mirror, but the inability to know what was hiding beyond the narrow eyes was already becoming an issue. In recent months, Dom rarely had the chance to deal with people like Toro, and now he was starting to see how much ordinary life had made him let his guard down.
Toro took a deep breath. “I’m guessing he’s not with us anymore?” He walked toward the cabin as if the boat were his and he didn’t need permission to enter. It was already getting on Dom’s nerves, reminding him how much he hated to be in a subservient position. For so many years he’d worked for the Villanis, thinking it was a privilege to be their best man, yet now he could clearly see that he’d been kept on a leash all along. It used to not bother him, but putting a collar back on was becoming an itch even before the new master buckled it up around Dom’s neck.
“No. We slit his wrists and threw him to the caimans,” Domenico said, following Toro to the cabin, with the breath of the three silent men heating up the back of his neck. Were he to make a single suspicious move, he’d be dead. Toro was known to be borderline paranoid about his personal safety. It had made communicating with Dana a struggle.
Toro’s lips twitched into what could be a smile. “Tough guy, eh?”
Dana stayed behind by the door with Seth. “I’ll stay here, honey. The cabin really smells.”
Toro waved her off, walking up to the trunk. He nudged it with his foot. “I hear you’re independent contractors. Is that right?”
Domenico nodded. “Moreno chose us because he knows how proficient we are at this kind of business. You can take a look inside. She is quite charming.”
Toro laughed. “Go on then, open it. The Morenos got held up, and they’ll only be arriving in a few weeks. I hope you’re ready to be my guests for that time? I don’t want to be responsible for this cargo, if you understand my meaning. I’m just facilitating your business.”
Domenico smiled and scooted down, opening all the locks and straps. Deep down was the fear that the girl would be awake, that she would stare at him when the lid opens, all scared and defenseless... and what? What would he do then?
Nothing. He’d keep going with the persona of a people sm
uggler, but with a much sourer taste in his mouth.
The lid went up, and there she was, still sleeping like a baby. Domenico exhaled with relief.
Toro whistled. “Oh, she is something alright. Where did you pluck a girl like that?”
Domenico laughed and quickly came up with a backstory. “Miami. She was on holiday with friends. You can imagine it is not hard for any of us to charm them away from security cameras and eyes that shouldn’t see.”
Toro glanced at Domenico, and it seemed that the inspection was over because he stepped away and let Dom lock the girl back in what now seemed like a coffin. “You’re one narcissistic bastard.” He paused, but then laughed out loud. “I like it.”
Domenico grinned and followed him out, back into the sun. A quick once-over of the deck told him Dana kept away from Seth and Mark, which was to be expected. Always the professional. He did not want to agitate Toro’s suspicious nature. “If we stay with you long enough, maybe you will place an order yourself. We can fulfil almost any demand.”
Toro scooped Dana into his arms, and it gave Dom some satisfaction that technically she’d be able to break his neck if she wanted to. “Oh, I’m good for now. But I’m sure we’ll get better acquainted in the coming weeks.”
They introduced themselves with fake names and talked about their imaginary trip from Miami. Domenico even threw in a funny story of how they evaded a border guard in Panama, who was infamous for never taking bribes. Toro would definitely not become their new best friend, but he seemed more relaxed after the chat.
The docks were a messy group of buildings that hadn’t been designed to last long, then again the whole town had only been established less than a century ago. There was even an arena of sorts, covered with a flimsy-looking roofing supported by four metal poles, as well as several tiny eateries, stalls with produce, and all kinds of goods someone traveling by boat might need, from flip flops to newspapers. Children ran around playing a messy version of football while their parents met up or did business, and despite the overall shabbiness of the area, Domenico was surprised by how clean it was.
The supposed PA, whose name was actually David, and the bodyguard carried the trunk, with Seth’s help, all the way to an improvised parking lot sandwiched between the docks and the actual town where most buildings seemed much more solid, if still somewhat rundown and dusty. Because of the bad quality of the roads and the costs, motorbikes comprised the vast majority of the vehicles used in the area. Most cars that weren’t used for transport were relatively old and small, which made the two vehicles waiting for Toro all the more impressive. All black and shiny from a recent wash, they looked almost as out of place in El Encanto as the expensive necklace glinting against Dana’s skin. Domenico could bet his arm on it being of an expensive jewelry brand.
With the trunk moved into a black van, Domenico was happy to have the girl out of his hair for now. Dana had the oldest of the men, Luis, bring them all some cold sodas while they waited for everything to be ready.
“What about him?” asked Toro in the end, tipping the neck of his bottle at Mark, who froze, eyes darting to Domenico in a very undesirable display of uncertainty. Domenico felt a cold sensation trailing down his stomach.
“He’s for the younger ones. Boys and girls who wouldn’t trust a man.”
Domenico gave Seth a mental pat on the back for not even flinching.
Toro looked Mark up and down. “That’s actually smart, gotta give that to you. You seem to know your business. What do you say, Dana? Would you be charmed by those innocent eyes?”
She laughed. “Don’t joke like that. Is he even eighteen? You do know I like a real man.”
Mark swallowed. “I’m almost eighteen.”
Toro turned to Domenico. “Can you vouch for a kid though? I don’t want any trouble at my house.”
Domenico looked at Mark, as if he wasn’t at all worried. He was glad Seth hadn’t drawn any attention to himself so far and just worked his physical strength to his advantage. “He’s my cousin, and he’s been working with me for the past two years. What exactly concerns you about his age?”
Toro shrugged. “I like my household peaceful, and at that age not everyone can control themselves. I don’t want anyone bothering the maids and other household staff. They’re not there for that.”
Domenico laughed and had some soda to give himself two precious seconds more to think. It was a risk, but he knew from Dana that Toro did not care who his men slept with as long as they were effective. “You don’t have to worry about that kind of thing. He is not interested in maids, or any other women for that matter.”
Mark’s eyes went wide, and his cheeks flushed so rapidly he might have exploded next. Domenico needed to task him with more acting assignments, because the amount of expression on Mark’s face was unacceptable. “I…”
Toro snorted and patted Mark on the shoulder. “That sorts out my other dilemma, actually. I’ll have him guard the girl to guarantee she’s untouched until the Morenos pay us a visit.”
Seth finally opened his mouth, flawlessly using Domenico’s fake name. “Sounds good. Right, Gian? As we’ve learned today, even men who seem loyal can turn at the promise of fresh young pussy, so we’d rather avoid putting any of your own men an arms-length from temptation. No offense. It’s just a question of male nature.”
Domenico smiled. “That sounds right. I assure you Mark is a safe bet.” Staying with her around the clock would also ensure Mark’s own safety, because with the performance he’d shown since stepping on dry land, Domenico was starting to worry how he’d fare among hardened criminals. “Don’t let him near any boys though,” he said, laughing.
Toro scowled. “He better not approach my men. They would not like it.”
Mark crossed his arms on his chest, and his muscles flexed from the tension in his body. “I won’t.”
Dana laughed. “He seems perfectly harmless,” she said. Domenico was positive her words would hurt Mark, but on the other hand, this was exactly what he wanted Toro to think about the boy. Harmless, safe, and in no need of surveillance or testing.
It seemed that Seth was completely in tune with him on that when he too spoke, “His job is to have a pretty face. We’re the ones to take care of the rest.”
Domenico stepped closer to Toro, and just that movement made the boss’s shoulders stiffen slightly. It was a noteworthy observation. “But because he is so young, I would like you to guarantee his safety in your town. I doubt any of your men could see him as a threat, but you know how it is. People aren’t always reasonable when they drink a bit too much when off duty and spot an outsider.”
Toro glanced to Mark again, as if he were seeing him in a new light. “Don’t worry. Your cousin will be fine.”
Domenico nodded and stared Mark down. “As for you, do your job and keep your head down. You need to finally learn how to work with other people than us. But watch first.”
“I will,” Mark said to Dom, but then turned toward Toro. “Thank you for having us.”
Toro shook his head. “That’s just precious. Let’s go,” he said and turned around without another word, pulling Dana along with him.
Domenico let the bodyguards through first and followed, hiding behind Seth’s broad back to discreetly look at the note Dana had passed him earlier.
It said, Cameras and bugs everywhere. Wait for contact.
Domenico bit his lip.
Fuck.
Chapter 7 -Seth
There was plenty of space in the van, with even two rows of seats facing one another in the back. The bodyguard, whose bulbous nose kept wiggling at Seth in the rear-view mirror wouldn’t keep his mouth shut, but since he didn’t speak almost any English, David and Luis translated for the rest of them. Seth laughed when it was expected of him, even when the bodyguard told them a story of Raul ‘Cannibal’ Moreno having a traitor boiled alive. The humorous highlight of the story was the fact that with the victim being one of Raul’s own men, Moreno called the
whole ordeal ‘cooking caiman soup’. Hilarious.
Seth had to work hard on not showing how much the story affected him, and that he didn’t want to hear another. He might have killed people, he might have done so just earlier that day. He might have done it to ensure their safety and prove to Domenico and to himself that he could be a part of this world, but he knew all too well that he wasn’t a natural predator. The anecdote about caiman soup felt like a threat to his very existence, and bile rose in his throat when he thought of what could happen to him, the three of them, were something to go wrong. Maybe they’d stepped into shit that was too deep and too stinky for them to handle? Maybe there was still time to back out, even if they already reeked of it? Was a promise of coming back to Sicily in the future worth risking their lives like this?
Domenico laughed with the others, his features relaxed as if he found the story humorous. The backdrop of two-story concrete buildings passed by behind his window. Dom showed his teeth in a wolfish grin. “Was it cookout day then?”
David pushed his shades to the top of his head, pulling back the dark hair to uncover lively brown eyes. “I think he fed the fucker to his dogs, because it would have been inhumane to feed a caiman to other caimans.”
“I was wondering if he’s grilling them, frying them, or boiling them. Have you ever seen that happen?” asked Domenico as the car took an abrupt turn at the red light. Seth stiffened, bracing himself for impact as a tiny red car hit the brakes so as not to crash into them. He stopped breathing when he caught the sight of the elderly man behind the wheel staring at the pampered vehicles as if he’d seen a ghost. Despite the streets being practically empty, it seemed that Toro’s car taking priority was a major traffic rule in El Encanto.
David shook his head, unfazed. “It’s only for the people in his inner circle. I think it’s some kind of fucked-up obedience test. It’s like… if they’re willing to eat human flesh to be a part of his cartel, what are they not willing to do? Get my meaning?”
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