Bloodbath

by K. A. Merikan

  Then the double doors fully opened, a flash of bright green caught Domenico’s attention first, and the men went quiet, their voices no longer competing with the music as Luis led the two guests to a flimsy-looking sofa decorated with gold paint and gold thread. There was not much familial resemblance between the brothers, with Nero’s skin several shades darker than his older brother’s and his vastly different facial features.

  Samuel Moreno pulled his expensive-looking sunglasses to the top of his head and surveyed the men gathered with a broad smile. A big, tall man with warm-hued skin and black hair, he was the more important one in terms of hierarchy, but Dom couldn’t tell which brother had paid for the pretty blonde.

  Luis focused most of his attention on Samuel, which could be because of his greater importance or because Nero’s sexuality freaked him out, but that left the younger Moreno brother dangerously bored. His eyes drifted all over the room, and it was impossible to assess whether he was looking for potential threats or potential fucks.

  As far as Domenico knew, Nero would be mostly out of luck when it came to Toro’s men, with the exception of a certain guard with a snake tattoo, who was the only gay man here to ever set off Domenico’s gaydar. If Dom were still unattached, he might have given the freak a taste of his cock, because why not? Nero was good looking enough, but since Domenico wouldn’t even dream of cheating on Seth out of morbid curiosity, he could let David have this prize. Who knew, maybe the bastard would benefit from a bit of soreness in his ass to temper the fake smiles he was always sporting?

  Despite a hair color that made Dom wish he had worn sunglasses to protect his eyes, he couldn’t ignore the handsome man hiding beneath ugly, flashy clothes and caimans tattooed all over strong, wiry arms. Nero’s eyes were constantly moving, two spots of light hiding in the shadow of strong brows, and aware enough to suggest he could spot even the slightest trace of danger. Nero was smiling, but that only enforced the sense of unsteadiness the man carried about him. His lips were very full, large, and so sensuous Domenico could imagine them serving a dozen cocks, right here, in this room, but he would rather not stick his own in there, as tempting as that had seemed before.

  Nero’s eyes were the eyes of a man who’d bite a man’s dick off, were he to feel the situation slip out of his grasp. The sharpened teeth in his lower jaw, which Domenico spotted when Nero smiled were yet another cringe-worthy addition on Domenico’s mental list of why men might not want to sleep with Nero Moreno. He looked like a sexy, trashy slut everyone could have in the darkroom. Nothing like Seth who was so handsome, and seemingly so unattainable in comparison.

  Domenico had to force back a smile. Seth was the kind of man you had to work for. Nothing was easy with him, but Dom liked the challenge.

  Nero smiled and waved at some man in the back who instantly got so flustered he spilled some of his drink. Seth snorted.

  Nero’s eyes swept over the crowd, but everyone seemed slightly more at ease after that bit of comic relief. People were starting to nibble on the food and talking while Luis, David, and even Dana, who came in last, chatted too quietly to be heard over all the noise. Domenico tried to focus on their lips moving, but so far it was all small talk, questions about Toro’s arrival, and that kind of shit. Nothing of substance. Nothing about Raul Moreno. Nothing about the girl.

  Nero stood up from his armchair, still chewing on a morsel of food as he stretched so thoroughly his tank top pulled up, revealing colorful boxer shorts and even a bit of inked flesh. As soon as he moved, Samuel’s gaze followed him in scornful anticipation. Nero moved with a slight wiggle to his hips, but there was nothing feminine about his gait either. It was as if he swam through the air until he reached a table filled with dessert canapés, cookies, and fruit.

  He slipped one of his hands under his top, to scratch his stomach as if he were alone, and Domenico took notice of the size and shape of the rings he wore on most of his fingers. Many would dismiss them as flashy jewelry, but they would make very decent knuckle busters, and it did not matter that they were decorated with precious stones if said stones had sharp edges.

  Seth was keeping a perfect facade of disinterest, chatting to one of the men who spoke good English. He wasn’t disrespectful to the guests, but he did his own thing, since there was too many of them here to form a single group anyway. Good. Very good.

  “Jesus Christ! You couldn’t just eat a fucking apple, could you?” Samuel hissed, grabbing all of Domenico’s attention.

  Nero looked up from above his own fist, busy deepthroating a large banana. It was such an outrageous thing to do in public Domenico froze, watching him in disbelief. Nero’s jaw worked, and then he swallowed, mentally castrating 99% of the men gathered when the empty banana peel landed in a waste basket by the table.

  Nero shrugged and swallowed all the flesh, rolling his eyes. “You can have all the juicy peaches if you want, brother.”

  David stared at him from his place at the front, face so dark it seemed the voracious nature of Nero’s provocation was already giving him second thoughts about the plans Domenico suspected him of for this evening.

  “Thanks. I’d rather you tried some,” Samuel said with a sneer.

  Domenico was glad for the background music, because it was getting far too quiet for his liking.

  “They don’t have the kind of juice I enjoy drizzling down my chin,” said Nero carelessly and slowly made his way across the room, where most of the men sat in their chairs, now still as if they were children approached by the strictest teacher. His hips swayed to the music, and he started snapping his fingers to the rhythm too as he watched the small crowd with an unnerving smile.

  Domenico gritted his teeth. The man had a death wish. If it weren’t for the protection of his name, he’d have long ended up with a red-hot fireplace poker up his ass, thrown to the caimans.

  Even his brother was openly hostile. “That’s disgusting. If you’re not joining the adult conversation, maybe take some more bananas and leave?”

  Luis finally chose not to ignore his other guest and walked up to Nero, visibly sweaty despite the air conditioning working perfectly. “I could show you to your room, if you’d like that.”

  “Absolutely, but I’ll choose my takeout first,” Nero said and dismissed Luis with a gesture, approaching the ever-tensing crowd. Domenico tried not to laugh when some of the tough guys he knew did their best to remain invisible, because as long as they were not approached, they did not need to react... and the only valid reaction to the kind of teasing Nero seemed partial to was something no one who valued their life wanted to do in Nero Moreno’s presence.

  Luis’s expression was a mockery of what a smile should be. “Maybe I could arrange someone in town—”

  “If he wants hookers, he’ll haul his own ass down into town!” Samuel was getting more agitated by the minute, and Domenico was left to wonder if they both behaved this way with their father around, or if this was the kind of animosity they indulged in on their own.

  But then Nero’s gaze moved and settled on an armchair nearby, pushing icicles through Domenico’s stomach.

  “This one’s handsome. How old are you?” asked Nero, ignoring Luis as he walked up to Seth and settled in his lap without giving anyone time to think.

  Seth was so stunned, he just sat there frozen, staring up at Nero, with his arms up to signal he didn’t understand any Spanish. The guy next to him was quick to translate, and Dom saw Seth go pale even at a distance. “I’m… I— don’t swing that way,” he choked out in the end.

  “Nero, get off the poor guy!” Samuel said. “Someone should finally break your nose. Maybe you’d learn then.”

  It was practically an attempt at provoking one of Toro’s men to attack his brother, Domenico wondered how deep-seated the brotherly animosity really was.

  But Nero was too focused on Seth to pay any attention to threats that he likely heard many times before. He squeezed Seth’s bicep with his fingers and grinned, showing off the shark-lik
e teeth that made Dom’s cock ache. “So? You look like an adventurous guy.”

  Domenico could hardly bear what he was seeing despite knowing that Seth didn’t want to be in the position Nero put him in. Seth was his to touch only, and now this was happening. They’d made so many sacrifices. They didn’t kiss or talk freely. They’d even stopped wearing their wedding rings, and for what? For Nero to freely help himself to Seth? The bastard had no right to sit his slutty, used-up ass on Seth’s thick, muscular thighs.

  “I’m not… that adventurous.” Seth laughed nervously and put his hands on the sides of the armchair to avoid touching Nero.

  Domenico shifted his weight, trying to keep himself in check, but it was so damn hard to see someone else’s hands trail up Seth’s chest when he, Seth’s husband, was deprived of that!

  He tried to calm his breathing, but it was no use. Nero leaned closer and whispered into Seth’s ear as the glacier of hate pushed its way up Domenico’s windpipe.

  Judging by the way a flush crawled up Seth’s neck, Nero’s words were nothing good. He probably teased Seth with some filthy talk when all Domenico got from his husband recently was the occasional whisper and the damn dot text messages, which were so soothing in the middle of the night yet now felt so bland in comparison to touch.

  Luis walked up closer, rigid like a corpse and with a smile just as lively. “This is Bastian, one of the brothers who brought the girl for your father…” He was trying to de-defuse the situation, so at least there was that.

  Samuel stood up from the sofa. “Get off him, you’re an embarrassment.”

  Nero ignored him, leaning in too close to Seth, too intimately, sensuous lips hovering next to Seth’s.

  Domenico pushed past the two chairs between him and Seth and grabbed the bright green hair on top of Nero’s head, pulling him away from the kiss that Dom would never allow to happen. The raw fury buzzing in his veins made him squeeze his hand tighter despite his headspace being a complete mess. “That’s it. Get off and suck someone else. There’s fucking glory holes in the docks.”

  Seth looked up at Dom with a frozen expression and shook of his head. “It’s fine, Gian, I bet he was just joking.”

  “More,” whispered Nero, and his pale eyes rolled back, meeting Dom’s gaze with a mixture of surprise and curiosity. “I like my hair pulled.”

  Domenico huffed, choking on the need to punch the bastard’s face in. His fist trembled, but he leaned in, twisting his hand in the short hair. “If you don’t stop touching him, I’m gonna fuck your ass with a 500 Magnum.”

  Seth seemed to have shrunk into the armchair, trapped under Nero’s weight. Domenico could take a lot of shit. He could understand that Seth had to flirt with the women here, or that they’d touch him, but no man was getting anywhere near Seth with their filthy hands.

  Even with the music in the background, the room seemed to have gone silent.

  Samuel broke the spell. “You’re fucking out of line,” he said as if he hadn’t encouraged someone to break his brother’s nose moments ago.

  Domenico stretched and looked back at Samuel, never letting go of Nero’s hair. His heart was beating fast, and his hands itched for the comfort of steel. “You’re welcome to deal with your brother, but Bastian is with me, and this is not happening.”

  Nero let out a long laugh. “Ah, I understand. You’ve already set your eyes on this juicy chunk of meat, haven’t you?”

  Domenico’s lips twitched, and he uncovered his teeth in a sneer. “Now you know. Get off him. There’s fifty men here, so have your pick out of the others,” he growled, in the end letting go of Nero’s hair.

  Nero leaned against the armrest and pushed back his green spikes, and gave Domenico his full attention. “This is new. You two are lovebirds?”

  Seth put his hand over his face, but that wouldn’t help him escape this situation. Luis stood nearby with his lips open, completely out of his element.

  Samuel looked to David, who didn’t know how to handle the situation despite the nice suit. “Is this shit for real?”

  Domenico fought against the tension in his stomach, his hand itching to squeeze Seth’s fingers. He was outnumbered. He raised his hand on Raul Moreno’s son, and he’d outed himself. He might as well go out with a bang. At this point, a step back would end up with a bullet deep in his brain.

  “This is very real,” he said, glancing between them. “Would you be fine with someone putting their hands on your woman?”

  Nero gave a low sigh and finally took his ass off Seth’s lap. “Fine. I’m not a homewrecker,” he said and patted Seth’s head as if he were a dog.

  Seth took a deep breath, but he looked as if he were about to throw up. He wouldn’t meet anyone’s gaze, and maybe it was for the better, because most people were in fact staring at him. Good. At least now they all knew who Seth belonged to.

  Samuel wrapped his arms on his chest and shook his head. “At least if you two are fags, I know my merchandise is untouched.”

  This was good. Samuel wasn’t looking to make things worse than they were already. And as much as Domenico detested the term fag, he was ready to compromise for now. With time, he would get rid of that shit-eating swine, but it was not the right moment.

  “Untouched? She’s fucking pristine. We have my cousin guarding her day and night. A client gets what he asked for.”

  Seth slowly got up from the chair, shaken as if he got hit by a truck. “Will you only take her once your father arrives?” He wouldn’t even look Nero’s way, but he did manage to meet Samuel’s gaze. Domenico was proud of him. That was it. All confidence. Masculine energy, not the trashy vibe Nero had about him.

  The green-haired freak was watching them now, but with interest rather than offense. Domenico gave him a shallow nod and glanced at Samuel once more, trying to not think of all the gazes stripping the skins off their backs. They needed to move wisely now, because the floor could crumble under their feet at any moment.

  Samuel took a deep breath and shrugged. “Let her stay where she is. I’ll take a look at her later, to make sure she’s really what I was looking for.”

  Seth nodded, though his mask wasn’t as perfect as before, his fingers getting slightly twitchy. But that was fine. It wouldn’t make anyone aware that they have been wearing more than one disguise. “She is.”

  “He’s right. The girl looks so innocent she could play the Virgin Mary,” Dom said.

  “That doesn’t fucking make me any less certain coming from your lips,” Samuel hissed back.

  Nero looked at Domenico and Seth with a knowing glance, as if he meant to say Look at that silly straight man. “Of course. Gay men dress and style the women you like, but they have no idea what’s attractive.”

  In context of Nero’s pronouncement, Domenico couldn’t help but frown at his trashy outfit consisting of a tank top and Adidas tracksuit pants combined with a pair of golden sneakers, but he didn’t comment.

  Samuel opened his arms. “Whatever. I’ll take a look at her fucking teeth. I paid for her, so I can. You do whatever you want. Just stop making everything a damn mess.”

  Luis butted in, rapidly adjusting his comb over. “We can proceed to that when Toro arrives.”

  Seth put his hands in his pockets and nodded. “We never meant for it to—”

  Samuel dismissed him with a gesture of his hand. “Just get the fuck out of my face for now. Like it’s not enough I have to deal with him,” he mumbled the last bit to Nero with a sneer.

  Domenico gave a polite enough nod, telling himself he’d yet have a chance to make Samuel Moreno choke on his rudeness. There was nothing about him that commanded respect. Nothing but his name. “Very well. Come, Bastian,” he said, briefly meeting Dana’s still, lifeless eyes. She expressed no emotion, but he knew she’d be on his side if something went wrong after they left. She’d be his ears.

  Seth walked on stiff legs between the other people gathered, and his movements didn’t get any less rigid once they left th
e painful atmosphere of the yellow room and entered the corridor. Worse yet, Domenico didn’t have to turn around to hear that they were being quietly followed.

  He ignored it for now and rushed all the way outside, to the steps leading to the terrace. “Anything else you want to say?” he asked. His skin felt cool despite the heat, and he kept his muscles tight, ready to draw a weapon, because the spy was coming closer.

  Seth turned around abruptly and looked past Domenico’s shoulder. “I don’t think I’ve actually said it, but no, I’m not interested.” His breaths were getting rapid, as if he’d held them in back in the room but was losing his cool now.

  Domenico didn’t hesitate anymore. The truth was out, and when his hand closed around Seth’s, the heat of it, and the pure pleasure of touch spread all over his body in a flash. “What do you want?”

  Nero emerged from behind a column and approached them, hands resting on his hips, as if he wanted to show off the jewelry on his fingers. “It’s the first time I got this reaction. You two make me curious. Are they not gonna murder you now?” he asked casually.

  Domenico’s mind was blank for a split second, yet that was long enough to not grab Seth when the warm hand slipped out of his grip.

  Seth charged at Nero and shoved him back so hard the bastard almost lost his footing. “That’s what you’re trying to do, motherfucker? Get us killed ‘cause I won’t suck your dick? Fuck. You.”

  Nero raised his hands with a sly smile. “Don’t be so sour. Didn’t know I was trying to shove my pickle into a jam sandwich.”

  “That is the worst thing I’ve ever heard,” said Domenico, pulling Seth back against him.

  Nero shrugged. “Men like us, we need to have each other’s... backs. You know what I’m saying?” he asked, grinning even wider. The guy was completely unpredictable, and Domenico most certainly did not want him to have their backs.

  “Your jokes aren’t getting any better.”

  Now that Dom held Seth close, he could not only hear, but feel how heavily Seth was breathing. It would have made him nervous if it wasn’t for the fact that touching Seth felt so gloriously soothing. This was the body he wanted to hold close every night.