Guns n' Boys: Swamp Blood (Book 3) (gay dark mafia erotic romance) Read online

  “You really thought you could just piss away all that I have taught you?” Luigi Tassa hissed, circling Seth’s body and sending Domenico glares of pure disappointment. “That you can choose this piece of meat over your own father?”

  Seth’s skin erupted with goose bumps the moment Luigi put his blade against the body.

  Domenico spat a yell, but it came out muffled through the thick gag of cloth. He yanked at the cuffs, hands numb from constantly pulling. His thumbs were out of their joints, radiating with pain, and yet he still couldn’t pull them through the tightly closed metal rings. The pipes he was cuffed to were too thick to break, but Domenico smashed the back of his head against them so hard his brain rattled. He wanted to die first. Luigi wouldn’t see any reason to hurt Seth anymore once he’d be gone.

  “Oh, no you don’t,” came a raspy voice from behind. It took Domenico a moment to recognize it. Vincente grabbed Dom’s hair and held his head in place.

  Luigi drove the blade into Seth’s skin, yet not deep enough to really quicken Seth’s death. The muffled cry Seth let out shattered Dom’s heart more efficiently than any bullet could.

  “I knew you’d be weak,” Luigi went on. “That’s why I never told you that you were mine.”

  Domenico cried out, stabbed in the chest by the two blades that could hurt him most. He wheezed, flinched, but kept struggling against the cuffs until they cut into his flesh. He would hack away skin and muscle if that was what it took to free himself. Seth was still alive. Even badly hurt, he could be taken care of. Domenico wouldn’t let anyone take him away. They would flee, and with that firm belief ingrained in the center of his brain, he pulled through the agony of the metal destroying his hands.

  Luigi squinted at him. “This is a lesson for you, Domenico. A man like you cannot have love, or it will be used against him.” He threw away the knife and pulled out a gun. Not just any gun, Dom’s Beretta.

  Domenico stopped breathing, completely frozen, his eyes fixed on Seth’s painfully neutral face. All traces of hope were gone from it at this point, and through the layer of sweat and blood, it almost looked serene, as if Seth had finally moved on, leaving Dom all alone with the horror of what was happening.

  The bullet went straight into Seth’s temple, and like in the most disgusting of cartoons, his brown eyes popped out of his skull, tearing up with blood, as brain and bone exploded from the other temple.

  Domenico screamed, grabbing at nothing as thick air, drenched with the coppery scent of blood, poured into his lungs. It was dark. Something was holding him down, and he fought it until he managed to get his numb hands free. Only now, his senses were fully kicking in, and he realized the air wasn’t thick with a metallic aroma. All he sensed now was the damp smell of cotton, mold, cologne…

  Seth’s hot, beloved body was alive next to him, sleeping soundly in a T-shirt despite the heat of Louisiana in July.

  “Dom? What is it?” Seth muttered groggily and slowly turned his face to Dom, but kept his eyes closed. Even with the messy beard he had grown in the past months, he was still the sweetest image Dom wanted to always wake up to.

  Domenico took a deep, hollow breath and dropped back down to the bed, straight into the permanent dip the previous occupant of their apartment had left in the mattress. He slid his arms around Seth and pushed his face against his furry neck. He was barely suppressing the shaking in his limbs as he traced his lover’s warm skin with his fingertips. He slowly calmed down, recognizing its softness, the familiar scent of fresh sweat, and the sea that somehow always clung to Seth’s skin at night.

  “Must be a dog outside,” he lied, not daring to look up, like a little boy afraid of staring death in the face. As if this all turned out to be a dream, and he’d wake up holding a lifeless corpse.

  Seth groaned and turned his back on Dom again. “I’m barely sleeping in this heat.”

  Domenico gritted his teeth as Seth twisted out of his tight embrace, leaving him with just the image of a warm, wide-shouldered body. It was just another rejection shoved into Dom’s face, but he shook his head and slipped out of bed, grateful for how cool the wooden floor felt under his bare feet. There was faint light coming from underneath the blinds. He could as well let off some steam if Seth was still tired.

  As his eyes adjusted to the change of brightness, he took in the narrow bed, the white wardrobe they got at Target, and the two chairs they used as nightstands. There was hardly any space left to walk in the bedroom, not enough for him to exercise without yanking Seth completely out of the sleep that was slowly aiding his recovery from that horrible night three months ago, the same one that invaded Dom’s dreams and choked him in his sleep for at least one night each week.

  Despite Seth’s injuries healing, nothing had been the same since then. His broken ribs should be fine now, yet Seth still complained about pain and problems with breathing. His right hand, where Vincente’s knife had pierced it was still weak, and any time Seth dropped something, he’d get so agitated Dom found it hard to watch. The cut in his cheek had been one of the reasons for him to grow a beard, and to Dom’s utter frustration, Seth wouldn’t let him touch or see the scars where his cut-off nipples had been. Even though Vincente was as dead as the alligator skull hanging in their living room, the pain he’d inflicted was a continuous presence in Dom and Seth’s relationship. All Domenico wanted was to have his happy, sexy boyfriend back. It almost seemed that the more Seth healed, the more frequent and intense Domenico’s nightmares got, and each one chipped at his soul. Piece by piece.

  Even prayer wouldn’t help anymore. Neither did confession or the Holy Sacrament. It was as if God had forsaken them in the thick Louisiana air.

  Domenico dressed quickly in shorts and a tank top and opened the door, looking back at the large shape of his lover under the sheet. His fingers itched to go back and hold him, but Dom knew it wouldn’t be welcome and slowly walked out of the bedroom.

  He didn’t even have to tell Dana to wake up and get off the couch where she slept. Her eyes were open as soon as he made a few steps into the living room. Maybe she was a woman, but Dom had to admit she was an accomplished student, not afraid to work hard to learn new skills. Especially in the first month after Vincente’s death, with Seth not moving much, it had been useful to have her around. She had some medical knowledge, and Dom had her tend to Seth’s wounds. She’d been out and about in search of a good spot to hide, and she found it in the tiny town in the middle of swamp land.

  The place was quite tranquil, with just one supermarket and a gas station next to it. The public library had been closed five years back, and the local church seemed to provide the only entertainment for those who didn’t favor visits in the only bar/restaurant around. Everything else could only be reached by car, and as safe as it was, the place made Dom miss Europe as never before.

  He’d think back to Mom’s cooking as they ate tuna sandwiches with bread that had the texture of old cotton. With Seth’s right hand not yet completely recovered, and with the kitchen being a microwave oven, life was not as colorful as Dom would have wished. He still remembered the pasta Seth had made for him back in Berlin, with fresh herbs from a neighbor’s garden. Or the lemon cupcakes in New York, just as delicious as the countertop fucking. Dom couldn’t shake the feeling that he was made for better things than the position he was in.

  He met Dana’s cool gaze. “Get dressed. We’re going for a run.”

  Dana made a tiny groan but got up without a word and pulled her blonde hair into a tight bun before taking her workout clothes to the bathroom. She’d already learned that Dom wasn’t okay with seeing her change.

  He sighed and rested his forehead against the bedroom door, listening to the faint snoring on the other side. Energy was draining out of him and soaking into the wooden floor of the living room, which wasn’t much to look at either. The sofa, which served as Dana’s bed, was the ugliest flower-printed piece of furniture Dom has ever seen, the television didn’t work, and the faded carpe
t smelled of old people.

  Domenico massaged the bridge of his nose and shook his head, slowly walking up to the makeshift kitchen, equipped with cheap silverware, plates, and basic food that could be prepared without a stove. He poured himself some water and washed away the sourness in his mouth.

  Dana walked out in a simple top and running bottoms. “Ready,” she said, looking as alert as if she’d just drunk three shots of espresso.

  When they went outside, the sun was slowly rising, coloring the weeds in the front yard with a faint yellow glow. Dom noticed Seth’s book on the porch, covered with morning dew. Fucking alligator hunting manual—one of the few things Seth seemed to be excited about nowadays. Too bad, he wasn’t as excited about Domenico anymore.

  Domenico nodded at Dana and jumped off the porch, going straight into a jog up the road that would eventually lead them to a neglected park. He closed his eyes and focused on the sensation in his ankles when the sole of his shoe thumped against the asphalt, on breathing steadily, and on the easy movement of his hands. His hair, loose and uncombed kept falling into his eyes, and he pushed it back every single time.

  Moving quickly warmed his body despite the morning chill, and the rays of bright sunshine caressed his skin in a way so pleasant he considered staying on the road. But as much as he wanted to, the locals were already snooping too much around the foreigners living with a beautiful blonde woman, even without seeing the regime Domenico put himself and Dana through every single day.

  Dana kept one step behind, even when he silently challenged her to a faster pace. She was efficient like a gun, but not yet precise enough to be considered flawless. Her life was still a bit of a mystery, as Dom was pretty sure parts of her story must have been lies. But was it the piloting a helicopter in South America or that she went all the way to Vienna trying to find him when she was just eighteen? He had no idea, as her face was devoid of true emotion, and he was pretty sure she was far on the sociopath spectrum. What he did know was that Dana had a minor obsession with him and was eager to soak up any information she could get. As long as she didn’t try to flay his face and wear the skin as a mask, he didn’t mind the worship in her eyes. Having her around was a bit like owning a watchdog, so Domenico couldn’t complain too much.

  “Are we going to be out long?” Dana asked after about half an hour.

  “Yes,” was all he could force out without gritting his teeth. Even despite running at full speed through the park grounds now, he was getting increasingly agitated. He didn’t need those dreams on top of all the problems he already had. He’d been so patient, and yet even with the best intentions, his patience was slowly running out.

  Why wouldn’t Seth talk to him anymore? Sure, they’d exchange sentences about each other’s days, Domenico complimented the food Seth managed to prepare, but as Seth’s body was still healing, he refused to participate in any exercise, and every time Domenico tried to get closer to him, it just wouldn’t happen. How long was Domenico to sleep in the same bed with his own fiancé but be banned from touching him? He did masturbate, which helped, but at the same time, each no sounded more and more like genuine lack of interest. Did Seth despise Domenico for what he did to Vincente? Seth’s ribs should have healed by now, and there were no blow jobs either, as Seth said the scar in his cheek was still tender. And even though Domenico greedily watched each smile on Seth’s face, he could almost touch the wall between them, and it was driving him mad. He was not a fucking castrato.

  It took a good three hours to wear out Dana, and physical activity always helped Dom let off some steam as well, so as they were heading back home in the morning sunshine, Domenico tried to keep his mind clear. Another day. A clean slate. Soon enough they would be heading to Mexico anyway, and maybe the trip would give Seth a push into expressing himself better.

  They were approaching the house when Dom got a text message from Seth. Don’t come in yet. Wait on the porch.

  He stopped and looked back at Dana before stripping off his shirt. He used it to wipe sweat off his skin and shrugged. “Did he break something?” he muttered, slowly sinking into a crouch.

  “Why? What is it?” Dana frowned and instantly looked around, as if they were to be invaded any moment now. Her face was red from exhaustion, and it spilled over her tan.

  “He asks us not to come in. I could use some water,” said Dom as he gave up and sat on the asphalt in front of the tiny home in a row of mismatched but equally gray buildings. As much as he tried to keep up appearances, fatigue was getting to him.

  A few minutes later, Seth opened the door and came out in a simple T-shirt and jogging bottoms, with a cardboard box in his hands. Dom’s gaze instantly darted to his lover’s injured hand and saw the fingers trembling slightly.

  He swallowed hard but his heart thumped in his chest, and he got up, approaching Seth. “What is it?” he asked.

  “What day is it today?” Seth smiled, catching Dom’s gaze.

  Domenico frowned and shook his head. Was it Tuesday? Without a reason to keep tabs on the calendar, it fled his mind.

  Dana pointed at the door and went inside when Seth nodded at her.

  “It’s your birthday.” Seth leaned closer and placed a chaste kiss on Domenico’s lips. It felt like the first one in forever.

  Domenico drew in a sharp breath and pulled Seth closer, deepening the kiss, with his tongue sliding against the roof of Seth’s mouth as their chests touched. Seth’s breath tickled Dom’s skin along with the hairs of Seth’s beard. And for once, Seth didn’t pull away right away, but opened his mouth wider. How much Dom would give for that invitation to be extended to his dick.

  He nipped Seth’s lip and brushed their foreheads together, holding on to Seth’s warm nape. “Maybe we should hide in the bedroom for a little while then?”

  Seth chuckled. “I thought you’d prefer to take a look at your gift.” It seemed as if he wanted to take a step back, but Dom held on to his nape and wouldn’t let him.

  “Good, let’s go there, and Dana can show herself out. Since it’s my birthday,” he muttered, giving her a low glance through the window.

  Seth licked his lips and nodded. “I made a reservation for us at Chuck’s later. I also thought we could go shopping. I wanted to pick up a few more things for the alligator hunt.”

  Domenico pulled away and threw his tank top to the ground. “Alligator, huh? That’s pretty important.”

  “Yeah.” Seth nodded as if he didn’t notice the sarcasm and went inside, passing Dana on the way. “I wanted to make a birthday feast for you today, but I don’t have all the equipment to catch the thing just yet, and I thought it would be half-assed to just buy the meat.”

  Domenico exhaled and shook his head, stepping away from the house. His veins were burning with the need to kill something. He could wrestle the fucking alligator if Seth wanted it so much. Would that make him lovable again?

  Seth looked over his shoulder. “You don’t want to see what I have for you?”

  Domenico put his hands on his hips, taking three breaths, but eventually followed Seth, feeling grimmer by the second. “How did you know anyway?”

  Even with the fucking beard and the size of a lumberjack, Seth looked as shy as the first time they had fucked, when he glanced down to the box with a half smile. “It’s engraved inside the ring. The one that your mom gave you.”

  Domenico sighed and stepped closer, grabbing Seth’s hand. His fingers sought the signet, which was still on the familiar, warm hand that now too frequently strayed away from Dom’s. “Yeah, I remember.”

  Seth led him inside and they sat on the couch. He passed Dom the box and ran his hand through his slightly longish hair. Domenico thought it needed some grooming, but antagonizing his already withdrawn lover was the last thing he wanted. “It’s nothing special, but it’s what I could manage with the microwave…”

  Domenico blinked. “Food? Did you make me a chocolate dick?” he asked with a small smile as he opened the box.

&nb
sp; The cake inside looked a bit crude, topped off with sliced Snickers bars and bits of brownie, but the smell of chocolate was nice. Next to it stood a can of whipped cream and paper plates.

  Seth snorted. “I should have thought about that, sorry. I know it’s nothing like the ones I used to make, but I know you like sweets, and the store-bought stuff is mostly shit… Though I’m not sure how this turned out anyway...”

  Domenico put his arm across Seth’s shoulders and nuzzled his cheek, sniffing their cheap bath gel, which on Seth’s skin somehow managed to smell sophisticated. “It’s Snickers. Bound to be good.”

  Seth reached inside for a knife, and Dom’s senses instantly sharpened, like they did every time Seth would hold anything deadly in his recovering hand. Slowly but steadily, Seth cut each of them a piece. The cake was a bit messy inside, with bits of meringue crumbling out, but at least it wasn’t a fucking fried alligator, caught without a license.

  Domenico wouldn’t want any of that shit on his plate. “Looks good,” he lied, still petting Seth’s shoulder. Should he take a bath now, before Seth got grossed out by his sweaty body? It had been months of celibacy. No man could be that patient.

  Seth smiled a bit wider and sprayed lots of whipped cream on both their plates. “I will make something better once I have a proper kitchen. It’s not like we are going to stay here forever.”

  Dom could swear there was a hint of question in that last sentence. “I know, I hate it too,” he said, digging in. The cake was gooey with caramel and chocolate, but he managed to scoop some on his fingers.

  “I’m sorry we had to stay here because of me. I promise I’ll be better in no time,” Seth said before filling his mouth with cake.

  Domenico pushed some into his own mouth as well, but even with the sweetness spreading in his mouth, his mind settled on Seth. “We should get you to a better doctor. You’re young. You should be fine by now.”