Guns n' Boys Book 1 Part 2 (3 page)

Santo finally pulled his gun down from the
invisible target on Seth’s back and looked up at Dom. “She’s good
for now,” he said with a thoughtful expression. “Parties too much
for my liking if you know what I mean.”

Domenico stared at him and snorted,
genuinely surprised. Santo really had changed since he was this kid
who couldn’t do his own kill. “Absolutely. So it’s nothing serious?
It’s been going on so long I was thinking about the presents
already,” he said, watching Seth scoot down in the grass and pick
up the dead rabbit.

“It used to be, but we’ve known each other
too long. She’s changed, I’ve changed.” Santo shrugged and cocked
his head as they all watched Seth.

“You, Acerbi? Gonna bring a bride from
Ukraine or something, or are you sticking with Italian blood?”
Vincente asked.

Domenico laughed out loud. “Why, you wanna
be my best man?” he joked.

“I’d be better than Seth,” Vincente said with
a smug smile. “I know how to wear a suit properly.”

Domenico snorted. He’d take Seth’s tight
T-shirts over Vincente’s suits any day. “There’s this one Italian
girl across the pond, but we’ll see how it develops.”

It seemed to catch Santo’s attention, but he
didn’t say anything, instead Vincente babbled on.

“Oh, go on! Do tell.”

“There’s not much to tell yet. I’ll bring her
over one day, but I might have hit the jackpot. Training does pay
off, gentlemen,” said Dom as he watched Seth return with the rabbit
dangling close to his knees.

Vincente sighed and checked his magazine.
“I’m sure I could still use a few pointers, by the way.”

Vincente wanting to
be
his
student?
The world was going insane. “I’m sure we could work something out
as well, if you wish.”

“You don’t think you’re good enough?” Seth
snorted, joining them at the small hill. Dom wanted to howl when he
saw him put his gun on the ground with the safety off, next to the
rabbit, but he couldn’t let anyone else know. There was a chance no
one would notice.

“I think everyone has room for improvement.
If you stick around the right people, you develop, rise in the
ranks.” Vincente said and smiled at Dom.

Domenico nodded,
increasingly chilled by the oddity of the situation. “I will keep
that in mind.” He then gazed at Santo. As unwilling as he was to
associate with the
consigliere’s
son
of all people, he
asked, “What about you?”

“I don’t think I have much chance to ‘rise in
the ranks’.” Santo smiled at them, his full lips stretching over
pearl white teeth. “I’m happy where I am. Not everyone has the
capacity, and it’s a virtue to know your own limitations.”

That had to be exactly what Vincente wanted
to hear because his eyes lit up at the declaration.

Domenico smiled as well and
nodded. He did appreciate intelligence and strategy. Santo’s father
had taught him well, and it was clear to most that the
consigliere’s
goal was
to have Santo replace him. With Vincente not cut out for the job,
it was bound to happen. “You never know.”

“There is one thing I hope to be,” Santo said
and pulled up his sleeves. “Useful.”

Seth put the gun back into the holster under
his arm, and Dom was itching to go up to him and put the safety on,
but he couldn’t shame Seth like that in front of the others. “I
wouldn’t just assume your position won’t change. I was in the US
for five years and now, here I am, training up to be the future
Don.”

Dom hated to see him put a target on his own
back and with that gun in his holster, Seth was even a target for
himself. It was hard not to notice the growing tension in the air.
Even the cool breeze wouldn’t change that. Everyone zipped their
lips, waiting for Vincente’s response.

Vincente narrowed his eyes and nodded.
“Exactly. No one can predict what will happen. My little brother’s
doing so well, but who knows how soon he’ll have to put his skills
to use. Hell, Santo,” Vincente patted Santo’s shoulder with a
laugh, “you could end up being the future Don for all I know.
Circumstances change if you work for it. Isn’t that what Father
taught us all those years ago?” This time he looked up at Seth and
bewildered Dom by briefly sliding his dark eyes across Dom’s face
as well.

Domenico forced a smile. “I’m sure your
father has a lot more up his sleeve.”

“That’s for sure,” Vincente looked into his
eyes before turning to the fields and taking another shot. Seth got
up and started walking away without a word, but his brother
wouldn’t let him off the hook. “Hey! Seth, don’t go yet! I know
Father arranged a wife for you, but you can’t have Acerbi shooting
your rabbits for you as well.”

Domenico swallowed, keeping neutral silence,
though all he wanted was to grab Seth’s arm, force him into the car
and drive. Seth did turn back though, and Dom paled. He knew that
look all too well by now. Seth was about to lash out, and it
wouldn’t be pretty.

“It’s Acerbi’s job to have the rabbits dead,
so that’s what he’ll be doing. What is your fucking problem?”

Making sure no one but Seth could see it,
Domenico mouthed, ‘Stop’.

Vincente gave a theatrical sigh and
approached his brother. “I’m just kidding, Seth. No need to get
violent,” he said, absent-mindedly patting Seth’s cheek.

Dom saw the tension rise in Seth’s arms, but
in the end, the younger brother showed Vincente the finger and
walked off.

Domenico swallowed the need to follow him and
smiled at Vincente. “Someone needs chastising.”

He predicted Vincente’s reaction perfectly.
“Oh yeah? You want to go and teach him a lesson, master baker?”
Vincente asked with a bloodthirsty grin.

Domenico pulled his feet together and
saluted. “With pleasure. Am I excused then?”

“Go on, you shot enough rabbits for today.”
Vincente shook his head.

“See you later, brothers,”
said Domenico, nodding at the whole group and followed Seth, making
his walk as nonchalant as possible. He had been wrong. Seth
was
puss-brained. Didn’t
he have any sense of the gray clouds that were gathering around
him, ready to turn into a tornado?

Seth made his way through the field without
turning back. He eventually disappeared behind an old wooden barn,
which was now used mostly for storage. Domenico rushed after him
and as soon as he too was no longer visible to the men they left
behind, he ran the last few steps. His hand squeezed Seth’s arm
with much more force than he had intended.

“Are you insane?” he growled through his
teeth, immediately reaching for the gun hidden at Seth’s side.

“Huh?” Seth turned around and instinctively
grabbed Dom’s wrist, his eyes wide open.

“The gun. It could fire any second. What’s
wrong with you?” Domenico pulled it out and showed him the
firearm.

“Oh. I… fuck.” Seth paled and rubbed his
hands over his face. “I didn’t notice.”

“You can’t
ever
miss that!” growled
Dom, shaking the gun in front of his face, even though it did
nothing to calm the turmoil in his chest. “This is a matter of life
and death. You can’t
miss
something like this!”

Seth swallowed and took a step back, leaving
the gun in Dom’s hands. “I’m sorry, I know, I’ll be more careful.”
He was deflated like the dead rabbit he’d left back at the
hill.

“And what was that anyway?” Domenico put the
safety on and pointed the gun in the general direction of where
they left the others. “Don’t you see you’re a bird in a snake
nest?”

Seth pouted and furrowed his eyebrows. “I had
to say something!”

Domenico took a big gulp of air and balled
his hands into fists, unsure what to do about this stubborn goat.
“No, you should have kept your mouth shut if you can’t do it
properly.” He moved closer, knocking on Seth’s chest. “Vincente
really wants to be the Don. Don’t provoke him on his grounds!”

“It’s not my fault!” Seth took a step back
and then just turned around, continuing his walk toward the
villa.

Domenico wouldn’t have it. He yanked Seth
back and dragged him toward the doors of the barn. His temples were
pulsing with barely withheld anger. “Doesn’t matter.”

“Hey! He’s been nasty to me. I can’t just
take it.” Seth looked into his eyes and reached for the gun in
Dom’s hand, even though he didn’t put real effort into getting
free. “You said you wouldn’t leave me alone in this.”

Domenico pushed him into the barn and shut
the door behind them, leaving them in darkness thick with a strong
smell of dust. “I’m the fucking bastard son, in case you don’t
remember. I can hardly argue with Vincente. All I can do is warn
you, but you’re behaving like a child instead of listening to my
guidance!”

Seth took a few steps back. “Oh yeah? You
seemed to be having fun. A new fondness for Vincente?” he hissed
like a teased cobra.

Domenico followed him and pushed at his
chest. “How do you think I managed to get where I am, huh? It’s all
in here,” he growled, poking himself in the temple. “You should try
it sometime.”

Seth slapped his hand away without much
enthusiasm. “I’ve been to university.”

“They don’t teach ‘how not to get killed’
now, do they?” rasped Domenico, shaking him in frustration. He
didn’t know how to get to this knobhead.

Seth bit his lip and looked away. “No, they
don’t. I suppose I’ll just keep quiet…”

Domenico dragged his hands down his face
with a low sigh. If it were him in Seth’s position, he’d know what
to do. “You need to understand that your life is hanging by a
thread. It could be poison, a push from the cliff... you can’t
tease the lion!”

Seth looked up at him, eyes wide and face
paler than usual. “But… he’s my brother. He’s been cranky, but come
on...”

Domenico shook his head, resigned. “Don’t
take anything from anyone but me, unless it’s from a container
everyone is using. Do you understand?”

“What if it’s you who is the danger, huh?
You’re a good actor after all.” Seth shrugged, turning to look into
the darkness. He couldn’t really mean it. All he wanted was a
promise that Domenico would not betray him.

“Right, that’s why I’m trying to keep you
alive,” Dom muttered, pulling Seth close by the collar of his
shirt. His smell alone was enough for Dom’s gums to tingle,
especially now, when it was so dark and his attention wasn’t
occupied by that gorgeous body.

This time Seth looked up into his eyes. “Why
wouldn’t you just push me off a cliff if I’m too stupid to
live?”

Domenico let out a sharp breath and pressed
his lips together, watching Seth’s face in the shadows. “I promised
not to.”

“I think it’s what I deserve.” Seth looked up
at him with such utter sadness even the darkness couldn’t conceal
it. “A push.”

Domenico frowned, unsure how to respond to
that. “Why?”

“Because I will fail at this no matter how
hard I try.”

Domenico stepped back, watching the
slouched, defeated figure of his lover. “It’s not your world,” he
said and pulled Seth even closer, sliding an arm around his waist.
The musky aroma at the base of Seth’s head was better than Xanax.
“I wouldn’t be a good ballerina, for example.”

That seemed to cheer Seth up, even if only
slightly. “Are you saying I’d be a good ballerina?” He leaned in
for a hug. With his bulky body, he was to a ballerina what a bull
was to a swan.

“We could try,” chuckled Dom, pushing his
nose under Seth’s neck. He pulled on one of Seth’s hands and raised
it along with his own, starting a gentle turn in the middle of the
barn.

Seth’s smile melted, and he parted his lips
in surprise but followed Domenico’s lead. His thick fingers were
slightly sweaty in Dom’s hand but curled around it as their eyes
locked. There was no music but the rhythm pulsing in Dom’s
temples.

“Ever danced the waltz?” he asked, suddenly
lighthearted.

Seth chuckled. “No. I’m
more of a
Placebo
fan, you know.”

“How do you dance that?” muttered Domenico,
squeezing his hand and leading him through the barn. Dancing had
always relaxed him, and this old barn was perfect for a love scene
of their own, where no one could see them.

Seth wasn’t the best dancing partner. He was
clueless about the waltz, but he did follow well. “This could
work,” he said, working hard not to stumble in the dirt.

“What do you mean?” Domenico smiled at him.
“What are the steps?”

Seth never tore his gaze away. “There are no
particular steps, so… this could work.” He followed Dom’s lead. It
was clumsy, but Dom’s skill made up for both of them.

Domenico chuckled and rose to his toes,
kissing Seth’s soft mouth. He loved the ever-present stubble that
never failed to scratch him. “Trust me, and do what I ask you to.
Understood?”

Seth gently kissed him back, calm and
collected again. “I will. Don’t betray my trust.” It was more of a
plea than a threat. “I’d have to exchange you for someone else
then.” He smiled, never letting Dom’s hand go.

“I’m a man of my word,” whispered Domenico,
looking at him with a growing smile. He was tempted to turn Seth
like a ballerina, but that wouldn’t do with their height difference
playing against him. “Besides, you’d have him on your
conscience.”

“Oh, would I?” Seth raised his eyebrows.
“You’d kill a man just to have me?”

Domenico grinned and moved them to a pile of
jute sacks. He pushed Seth back, making him fall down with a silent
yelp. “An alpha knows to keep intruders away from his herd.”

Seth furrowed his eyebrows, spread out on the
sacks. “Oh, so you have a whole ‘herd’?” He didn’t sound impressed.
It only made sense for someone as attention seeking as him.
Domenico grinned and spread out next to him. The bags were quite
soft, filled with some dried straw or weeds, so he closed his eyes
for a moment, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere. That was a first
since they came back.