Unshaken
Guns n’ Boys: Unshaken (Book 9)
K.A. Merikan
“You can never understand what this man has done to me, for me, and with me.”
Seven years.
Domenico and Seth have been together for seven years. After trudging through blood, tears, fights, and painful compromises, they’ve finally arrived at a point where every day doesn’t feel like it could be their last.
Settled in their comfortable life, they decide to go on vacation to Singapore. But their romantic break turns into a nightmare when an old adversary appears, tempting Seth and Domenico away from the peace and quiet of their home in Argentina, and toward a new kind of future.
What begins as a wild goose chase could be their ticket back to Italy, but when Seth and Domenico step into the snares that have been set up for them, they can only count on each other to get through a reality so horrific that death might be mercy.
What their enemies don’t know though is that their bond is stronger than ever before, and attempting to tear them apart will bring destruction on anyone who tries.
For Domenico, Seth would walk through hell and back.
For Seth, Domenico would tear down the heavens.
Together, they are not to be f*cked with.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
Themes: mafia, cartel, assassin, organized crime, family ties, betrayal, revenge, Singapore, human trafficking, ghost from the past, unbreakable bonds, established couple
Genre: Dark, twisted M/M romance / crime thriller
Length: ~80,000 words (Book 9 in the series)
Unshaken - Book 9
K.A. Merikan
Acerbi & Villani Ltd.
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living, dead, or undead, events, places or names is purely coincidental.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transferred in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. Uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without a permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law.
Text copyright © 2019 K.A. Merikan
All Rights Reserved
http://kamerikan.com
Editing by No Stone Unturned
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Cover Design by
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1 - Domenico
Chapter 2 - Seth
Chapter 3 - Domenico
Chapter 4 - Seth
Chapter 5 - Domenico
Chapter 6 - Seth
Chapter 7 - Seth
Chapter 8 - Seth
Chapter 9 – Domenico
Chapter 10 - Seth
Chapter 11 – Domenico
Chapter 12 - Domenico
Chapter 13 – Seth
Chapter 14 - Seth
Chapter 15 - Domenico
Chapter 16 - Seth
Chapter 17 - Domenico
Chapter 18 - Domenico
Chapter 19 - Seth
Chapter 20 - Domenico
PATREON
NEWSLETTER
About the author
Post-Credits Scene (Irena)
Acknowledgements
Dedicated to all our Patreon supporters. Without you, these books would be impossible to publish. Thank you for loving Dom and Seth as much as we do.
-Kat & Agnes
Chapter 1 - Domenico
It was like being back in Europe. Underneath a ceiling of stained glass, the limestone walls created the picture of Old-World grandeur. Elegant columns and niches, filled with local plants and marble sculptures representing classical gods, framed the two-storey-high hall. Little balconies on the second floor served as private booths for the one-of-a-kind event, but while they offered more privacy, Dom wasn’t regretful over only managing to obtain the two seats at a round table in the back.
The tickets to the concert had been sold out by the time Seth and Domenico arrived in Singapore, but they managed to get seats thanks to luck and thick wallets. They came unprepared for such an elegant occasion, so the two of them had spent the whole day searching for appropriate evening wear, but after consuming a feast of fillet mignon, along with numerous small dishes and good Italian wine, Dom had no reason to complain. Besides, why would anyone complain about having to shop in exclusive boutiques in order to listen to an array of world class opera stars performing Italian arias?
It had been a while since he and Seth had dared to leave the relative safety of Argentina, where their mafia family had no ties, but he missed the joy of seeing something new, and Singapore, with its skyscrapers, parks, and cutting-edge architecture was the kind of modern hub to enrich his life.
He could have only been happier if they had been doing the same in Palermo.
“To us,” he said, clinking his glass against Seth’s, as they wandered around the art gallery attached to the main venue during a technical break.
Seth’s carefree smile solidified Dom’s confidence that this trip was a much needed break from their hectic lives. For the two weeks ahead of them, Seth wouldn’t engage in any Secret Chef matters, and Domenico had informed his PA that they shouldn’t be contacted unless the sky was collapsing.
Domenico’s new suit hadn’t been made to measure, but it fit him perfectly, and he reveled in the opportunity to parade it in front of perfect strangers. He might have spent too much time at the Armani boutique, but Seth had hardly minded as it offered him the opportunity to try local foods without Domenico bothering him every time he asked the seller about a new fruit or vegetable.
Over two years had passed since they’d left El Encanto, and Domenico had adjusted to having a free-range husband, but it wasn’t without its growing pains. What he understood now was that without giving Seth room to breathe, Dom wouldn’t have Seth at all, so he’d made peace with it. He did make sure they trained every day, though, in case Seth needed to defend himself.
“To us,” Seth answered and took a swig from his glass.
Domenico couldn’t miss an attractive woman’s gaze discreetly following Seth’s impressive figure. For one, because Seth was his and all she could do was stare, but also because he’d been the one to choose Seth’s outfit. Putting together the smooth black pants and a burgundy jacket had been a stroke of genius and transformed Seth from a hottie into a presumed celebrity who graced mere mortals with his presence.
“I’ve been having an intense deja vu all evening,” Domenico said, staring at the abstract sculpture in front of them. “It’s like we’re back home. We never got the chance to live this kind of life there.”
“Back then, you would have had to bribe me with the best blowjob go to an event like this.” Seth’s grin widened, and the tiny wrinkles by his eyes made Dom’s heart skip a beat. Seth had been fresh, hot, and juicy when Dom first put his hands on him, but now he was bigger, stronger, more experienced. All man. Dom had no doubt he’d be just as exciting ten and twenty years on, intense and smooth like aged wine.
He finished his dry red to quench the thirst that hit him like a mallet. “So you’ve finally grown accustomed to the finer things in life? Opera, silk, bespoke suits,” he whispered, placing his open hand on Seth’s back and letting it descend toward that precious ass. He wouldn’t let it rest too low. Yes, he was a tourist, and yes, Singapore was reportedly lax in the way it persecuted gay sexual activity, but there was no point in spoiling their vacation with such issues.
And next time, he’d definitely make sure the place he was traveling to for pleasure was LGBT-friendly before buying the plane tickets.
Seth bit his lip with a glint in his eye. “Domenico Acerbi,” he whisper
ed, adding to the list of luxuries he enjoyed.
Domenico smiled, unable to look away from the magnetic pull of Seth’s brown eyes, even though a shadow crept into his chest when he thought back to the cobbled streets of their hometown. “It seems you’ll be the only piece of home I can ever have.”
Seth snorted. “So you better cherish me.”
“Don’t I cherish you enough already?” Dom asked, fighting the urge to bring Seth’s hand to his lips.
“You do, you do. If anything, you spoil me rotten.”
Domenico contemplated this for a second. “I had this dream recently. I didn’t tell you, because you were out, and then I forgot, but it was one of the good ones. We had this gorgeous old house in the countryside, a whole orchard of lemon trees, and we watched the sunset together. But it’s never going to happen, because no other place smells like home.”
Seth nudged Dom’s fingers with his pinky. “We could buy a countryside property anyway. It would be for Angelica’s sake too. Different isn’t always worse. The leads on Tropico have dried up, so no point dwelling on what could have been.”
A scowl passed through Domenico’s features. Santo wouldn’t accept them back into the fold if they didn’t honor their end of the bargain. It was a lost cause.
He placed his empty glass on a tray held by a passing waiter. “Maybe I’ll return when I’m so old I won’t care anymore if someone shoots me in the head.”
Seth took another glass of wine and spoke when the server disappeared. “Don’t say that. Considering who we are, we should be happy we’re alive at all. Mark has a bright future ahead of him, and Angelica will too.”
Domenico bit his lip. He’d spent thousands of dollars on informants, hackers, even took the risk of checking out some of the leads himself, but Tropico remained as elusive as a ghost, and every trace he’d left ended like the edge of a cliff into nothingness.
At some point, Santo had stopped asking about progress on that front, only deepening Domenico’s sense of shame. But Seth was right. There was no point in beating himself up over something he couldn’t control.
“I can’t stop thinking about how I failed to take us home. I can’t show my kids where I grew up, and I can’t see my mother.”
“I know. Even if we could go just once. For a month. For a week. To visit those important to us without looking over our shoulder would be something special. Maybe one day Mark will take Angelica and show her around?”
“I would have gone if I didn’t have you,” Domenico said, briefly rubbing the middle of Seth’s palm with his fingertips. The tenderness made him gravitate closer in a way he wasn’t sure of in this unfamiliar place.
Seth must have misunderstood him, because he averted his gaze. “But you do.”
“I know. And as long as I have you, I won’t take unnecessary risk. Family comes before everything else.”
Seth drank his wine for a while, but finally turned to Dom, his warm eyes like two pots of the sweetest, richest chocolate. “It does, but we keep in shape, we still work on our combat skills. If push came to shove, I’m ready. Okay?”
Warmth kindled in Domenico’s heart, as if Seth had petted it with his loving hands. “I know.”
A series of clinks echoed through the air, drawing everyone’s attention to the entrance where the master of ceremonies who’d announced the previous singers stood with a glass of champagne, which he’d tapped with the tiniest of spoons.
“Ladies and gentlemen. I am very sorry to announce that Maria Cancio’s plane was delayed, so she will arrive later than expected. The concert will resume in half an hour. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.”
Heat tickled Domenico’s neck. “Half an hour. Plenty of time.”
Seth’s lips quirked. “You’re unbelievable.”
“I’m pragmatic. And very thirsty.”
“You think I’m that easy?” Seth downed the rest of his wine.
Dom didn’t think Seth was easy. He knew it.
“You’re also bold, and you might have made someone important very unhappy with your behavior. So unhappy, in fact, that they’ve sent their bodyguard after you,” Domenico said, capturing Seth’s gaze as shivers danced all over his skin.
Seth’s pupils dilated as if he’d snorted a line of cocaine. Hook, line, and sinker.
“I better lose him,” he whispered, stepping away.
A wicked smile pulled on Domenico’s lips as he followed Seth’s magnificent form across the gallery, until he disappeared in one of the doors. Choosing not to give him too much of an advantage, Domenico followed into the elegant corridor separating the gallery from the bar. He wondered whether Seth would make things hard for him, but no, his husband was easy to spot as he went along the red carpet and swung his hips a fraction more than usual. Such a tease.
Unbothered by any of the other guests and staff, they left the party behind once Seth passed through the reception, his shoes squeaking against the marble floor. The brief glance Seth stole over his shoulder made Dom’s heart beat faster, and he ducked behind a large potted plant, eager to reinforce the notion that he was a predator stalking his chosen prey until opportunity arose.
Seth adjusted his suit jacket, making it briefly cling to his ass, and continued down the corridor before glancing over his shoulder once more and dashing through a door, as if he’d only then realized he was being followed.
Blood simmered in Domenico’s veins, and he broke into a run. The entrance Seth passed through was marked as only for the use of staff, though Domenico never cared for such details and ran down the basic stairs beyond it. The scent of food tickled his senses, but his gaze remained on the burgundy-clad shoulders, watching them disappear beyond the bend of the corridor.
The clatter of cutlery and plates told Dom they were near a kitchen. Something was boiling beyond the wall, and as Domenico followed Seth through the underground labyrinth of identical white hallways, he caught a glimpse of a chef using a wok in the open kitchen. He didn’t wait to be spotted and jogged along, focusing on the familiar rhythm of Seth’s footsteps whenever he couldn’t see him.
His heart beat fast, spurred on by the thrill of the chase to the point where he didn’t even care about remembering their way out. He needed to get his fill of the most tender meat he’d ever tasted, and once that happened, the whole world could end for all he cared.
He broke into a jog once Seth dived into a room right next to a large hall with some empty chairs, and followed him inside, only realizing it was a restroom when he faced a row of urinals. But his gaze trailed farther in, to a separate little room with several stalls.
Domenico unbuttoned his jacket, ready for a struggle. They were so perfectly aligned in these matters. Domenico was a match. Seth—the rough surface that provided the spark and ignited his fire. No matter how exhausted Dom was, Seth would always find a way to turn him on.
He grabbed the last door in the row and yanked it open, fully prepared to deal with the arm swinging his way. He pushed Seth deeper into the cubicle and locked the door with an old-school latch before taking in the small yet clean space. This was exactly what they needed tonight.
“Mr. Tropico didn’t appreciate the way you talked to him.”
Seth’s nostrils flared, and seeing him already excited was yet more fuel to Domenico’s fire. “So he sends his lapdog?”
Domenico straightened, taking a further step into Seth’s personal space. He loved the way Seth’s eyes burned for him, and he’d keep that fire alive or die trying. “My boss told me to teach you a lesson in humility.”
Seth pushed at Dom’s chest. “You can tell your boss to go fuck himself.”
Tall, broad in the shoulders, with a gorgeous dusky skin tone, Seth was all Dom wanted in a man, and now he’d get to snack on him before a recital. Could things get any better? The force-play they enjoyed brought out the most primal instincts in Dom. Every time Seth shoved back only made Dom want him more.
“Pull down your pants,” Dom said, moving t
o stand in Seth’s way when he tried to get out.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Seth shoved him so hard Dom hit the door, yet the arousal in his voice was unmistakable.
Dom had enjoyed seven years of a tumultuous relationship with this volatile man. He knew exactly what he was dealing with, and somehow Seth always had a way of making their games feel fresh.
“I think not,” he said and pulled on Seth’s shoulder, bringing him close enough to hook his arm around the thick, warm neck. His breath caught when the intense scent of Seth’s aftershave hit his nose, and he couldn’t help himself. He licked the side of Seth’s ear and made sure his lover knew what he meant by rocking his hips against Seth’s ass.
“Pervert,” Seth groaned, but his struggle was for show. He knew the techniques to get out of chokeholds, and none of them involved rubbing his ass against Dom’s crotch.
The need to feel Seth’s body hair against his palm was becoming impossible to ignore, and Domenico took full advantage of their position by pushing Seth forward and forcing his feet on either side of the closed toilet.
“Yes, I am. Ever had a dick up your ass, you arrogant bastard? Anyone ever put you in your place like that?” he asked and, unable to resist the temptation anymore, licked sweat off Seth’s nape. It was salty, with an aftertaste of the cologne, yet so delicious he wished this aroma would flavor every single wine he tasted.
The tremble in Seth’s shoulders was the compliment he craved. He looked back at Dom with lowered eyelids, holding himself steady with his hands on the tiles in front of him. “Of course not,” Seth groaned, so easily toying with the fantasy that was Domenico’s catnip.
No matter how rocky the beginnings of their relationship had been, Domenico would never forget the vulnerability in Seth’s eyes when he took cock for the first time. From that moment on, Seth was his, claimed forever—for better, and for worse.