Since there was no need for daily shaves in El Encanto and Seth liked him with a bit of a scruff just fine, Domenico got straight into the shower, bundling his long hair at the top of his head so that it wouldn’t get wet. There was still enough time before the shipment of weapons reached the port that he could allow himself a bit of a haircut. After all, there was relaxed, and then there was sloppy. He didn’t want to be seen as the latter.
Dressed for the day, Domenico walked down the stairs, lured by the smell of fresh coffee and food.
Seth’s Christmas decorations started on the staircase, and their density grew as he progressed toward the kitchen. The air here was fragrant with the scents associated with holidays, and seeing how much care Seth had put into bringing the celebrations they knew from Italy into their home in the Amazonian jungle intimidated Domenico every day. It was as if the lack of homely atmosphere bothered his husband so much he felt compelled to fill their house with an abundance of seasonal embellishments.
And it was Domenico’s fault. He’d promised Seth that he would bring him home, but that couldn’t happen for as long as the elusive Mr. Tropico was out there. Even though Santo was satisfied with his partnership with Moreno, an invitation to come back was useless when peeking out of their hole in El Encanto could mean a big fat target on their backs. Domenico was doing a shit job of bringing his family home. He was not fulfilling his promises, and if he didn’t hurry, his daughter would grow up without ever setting foot on Italian soil.
What if he never saw his mother again? What if he couldn’t tear her out of Federico’s clutches? Time was ticking on Domenico’s future every day, and yet there was no progress on the Tropico front whatsoever, as if the man had sunk into the sea.
Grim thoughts evaporated from his mind for at least half a second when he spotted Seth’s back. Standing in front of a stove, he was creating another masterpiece that would make Domenico feel as if he were eating love itself.
“Busy day ahead?” Seth asked Mark, who looked back at Domenico and started the coffee machine.
Domenico smiled, awakened by the bright sun licking his skin and the sight in front of him. This here was what he worked for. This was what he’d risked his life for, and one day he would give his family what they deserved. Today though, he would take it easy. Once he was done with the shipment, he’d join Seth so they could celebrate their wedding anniversary together.
“It will be. But don’t worry, we have it all under control.”
But as soon as Domenico joined Seth and Mark, ready to ease into the day, the conversation degenerated, with Seth returning to the same damn topic he’d disturbed Domenico’s sleep for.
Months ago, he’d become similarly obsessed with learning to be a pilot, but that at least was a useful skill to have. After long debates with himself, Domenico decided to offer helicopter flying lessons to Seth as an anniversary gift, but it seemed that fleeting interest had since retreated into shadow, replaced by yet another dumb fancy.
In the end, Domenico decided to keep his cool and use reason, because Seth was getting increasingly agitated, and that was the last thing they needed on a special day like this. “If you absolutely need to learn some survival tactics, how about producing electricity or filtering water? There really aren’t any reasons for you to walk around with a weapon.”
Seth shut the oven so loudly it almost felt like he wanted to bust Domenico’s head with the door. “Mark does. And I will learn that other stuff too. I want to be self-sufficient.”
Domenico’s fingers moved, tapping the table in a fast sequence as he met Seth’s gaze. For the longest moment, he had no idea how to answer that question. The process of overtaking Toro’s business had been nerve-wracking and had ended up with the ground below their feet soaking up many lives. He’d seen the effect that had had on Seth, and when his husband all but begged him to never have to participate in such bloodshed again, Domenico had promised him just that.
A life without worry. One of leisure and happiness at home. A life in which Seth had to neither see nor think of things that paid for their imported food, expensive marble, and designer furniture. And Domenico could offer him that, because they were no longer alone in dealing with dirty business. Miguel and Dana proved loyal and capable, and Mark had grown into the kind of man even Luigi Tassa would have been proud to call his own. Seth was welcome to retire if he wished to, but sometimes it felt like that choice had created an invisible barrier covered by delicious scents and smiles.
Domenico flinched when Seth slapped Mark on the back of the head, although the kid had had it coming. For all his many good qualities, Mark could be a mean shit sometimes.
“Mark needs to carry a gun. He doesn’t do it for fun, or because he’s bored.”
When Seth stilled, Domenico knew nothing good was coming his way despite all his senses craving those egg-stuffed croissants. Maybe Seth needed to blow off some steam? Even Domenico had to admit that he hadn’t been spending as much time at home as he would have liked. And there was so much to appreciate in Seth. Sometimes, Domenico would sneak up on Seth when he was boxing at their home gym, to watch all that sweat and muscle, and listen to the grunts that never failed to give him goose bumps.
Seth’s T-shirt was so very accurate. He was a trophy husband. A greedy part of Domenico wanted to keep him in their house at all times, away from sticky gazes. He’d always been a catch, but the way he’d sculpted his body in the recent months added yet another layer to Domenico’s desires. He craved Seth’s touch more than the breakfast that Seth put in front of him.
“Is this also my house, or not?” Seth asked harshly, grinding fresh pepper on the fluffy scrambled eggs. He faced Domenico like a bull preparing to trample the matador. Was it the sneaky morning glasses of wine that had made him so snappy lately? Where did such questions even come from?
“Of course it is.”
“Then get me the fucking crossbow, since it’s my money too!” Seth slammed the little bowl of freshly chopped chives on the counter in front of them so hard some of it exploded over the table.
Domenico stared at the bowl that might have shattered, had Seth used a bit more strength. The abruptness of Seth’s anger seemed to come from a void in the beautifully decorated kitchen that smelled of fresh food and coffee. Domenico’s muscles tensed, his heart beating faster as he met his husband’s confrontational stare, but was this really what they needed today?
At least Mark wasn’t interfering this time, and that was for the better, because Seth had a tendency to get volatile when prodded too hard. Though it was anyone’s guess what had him agitated so much, since he lived a carefree life. All he did in the morning was feed the chickens, play with Angelica, and make breakfast. Maybe he was upset that he would be spending another Christmas in Colombia instead of the homeland they both longed for. Domenico supposed he could compromise to calm him down.
In the end, Domenico nodded. “Fine, but you can’t shoot it here. We’ll build a range for you.” The last thing they needed was Seth plastering the brains of their carefully sourced Italian nanny all over the wall.
Seth took a deep breath. “Good,” he muttered and, as if to signify a truce, he pulled out a plate with two small chocolate pastries from the cupboard. He then poured himself another glass of wine, and Dom chose not to comment on that, since the last thing he needed was for this argument to escalate.
But then as Seth was about to pour the contents of the glass down his throat, Domenico remembered that an intoxicated Seth would not fare well with scissors.
“How about you drink that a bit later? I need you to trim my hair.”
Seth stilled with the glass in hand and leaned over to rub a few strands of Dom’s hair in his fingers. The tenderness of the gesture made Domenico’s heart melt, and he leaned in until their lips met in a sweet kiss.
“Right. See you later, Domenico,” Mark said, getting up loudly from the table.
Seth followed Mark with his gaze and only spoke once their son
left. “I bet he’s going for a quick visit with Gina. Sara told me all about it the other day. Is it anything serious?”
Domenico grunted with distaste but curled his fingers around Seth’s. “Gina from the brothel or Gina from the ice cream store in the port? It’s really fuckin hard to keep up with him.”
Seth rubbed his thumb over Dom’s skin. “Just like daddy used to be. Let’s just hope he wisens up one day too.”
Dom frowned, but the taste of the chocolate pastry sweetened Seth’s comment. He got up and tugged on Seth’s hand, pulling him toward the stairs. “Daddy never risked becoming a daddy half the time he opened his pants.”
Seth wrapped his arm around Dom’s waist. It made climbing the stairs slightly awkward, but Seth’s touch was too good to pass on. “Well, not with Gina from the brothel, since she doesn’t have the right equipment for that.”
“I guess. The lesser of two evils. Still hoping he’ll realize men are so much less fuss. Why the hell would you want to be with a woman if you can be with a guy? I asked him so many times, and he can’t come up with a convincing answer. Though, to be fair, it’s not like El Encanto has a thriving gay scene.”
“Maybe that’s why he’s so brooding lately. Not enough dicks to suck. Or he just thinks that’s the expression he needs on his face to be considered a badass.” Seth slid his hand into Domenico’s back pocket once they reached the landing.
Domenico laughed and kissed Seth, pulling him closer by the hip as they entered their spacious bedroom and went straight into the ensuite. “Look at you. Reading people so well.”
Seth leaned in for a kiss that conveyed a growing hunger. “I have a lot of time to think about it.”
“And the peace of mind to do it,” Domenico added and tapped Seth’s forehead before pulling away from him to shove a small stool to the middle of the room. The scissors were in the drawer along with a plastic cape that he swiftly wrapped around his shoulders. One look at his watch told him he didn’t have much time to waste. Fun would come in the afternoon.
“You sure the cutting can’t wait ‘til another time?” Seth asked and casually lifted his T-shirt to scratch his stomach, which Domenico was sure was no ‘casual’ move but rather a deliberate way to show off the dark hair on Seth’s skin. It was cute to see him so eager to entice Domenico, but Seth deserved far more time than Dom could offer him right now. “No. My subjects beyond our walls need to see I’m always perfectly groomed. It won’t take long. Cut more than last time.”
Seth nodded and stood behind Domenico. He first got the hair a bit damp, and then scooted down, cutting Dom’s long strands. Domenico yawned, but his face twisted into a frown when the floor-length mirror showed no signs of black hair dropping to the tiles.
The snapping of the blades continued, but the more Domenico listened to the sound, the more certain he became that it was two pieces of metal creating friction, with none of that distinct noise of something being cut. He tipped his head back when Seth pulled a comb through his hair, but the motion made him peek at the spotless floor with barely any hair on it, and his entire body froze.
Seth was on his knees, but he wasn’t trimming Domenico’s hair. He worked the scissors in the air, more than an inch away from Dom’s locks. Air flooded his lungs, and he twisted so abruptly the stool clattered to the floor, leaving Domenico to scoot in front of Seth, who stared at him like a deer caught in the headlights.
Domenico grabbed his wrist hard, and the scissors fell to the floor.
“What the fuck? What are you doing?”
Seth’s lips parted, eyes wide, and Domenico for once had absolutely no idea what was going through that head of his. “I… what do you mean?”
“What do I mean? Do you think I’m an idiot? Are you so lazy that you won’t even cut my damn hair for me?”
The silence coming out of Seth’s moving lips was yet more infuriating. He looked lost like a child trying to explain why he thought putting an iPhone into the microwave seemed a good idea at the time.
“I cut a bit.” He pointed to the floor, but the evidence was scarce, perhaps a few scattered hairs, and Seth’s denial of something so blindingly obvious was making Domenico fume even more. He pushed Seth back, but the shove ended up so hard Seth fell against the cupboard and hit the back of his head.
“Like fuck! What the hell are you playing at? Is this a joke to you? I trust you with this!”
Seth sat where he fell with a scowl. “I like it, okay? I like it long. It’s so smooth, and gorgeous. Can’t it just stay the way it is?”
Domenico stared back at him, blinking, because he couldn’t decide if he heard that right. Blood was still thudding in his veins furiously when he slid to his ass, sitting on the floor across from Seth, who massaged the back of his head.
“You what?”
Seth stayed silent, his face getting redder by the second.
Realization hit Domenico like a hammer, and he winced, slumping against the wall. “You’ve been doing this for a long time, haven’t you? That’s why my hair got so long so fast?”
Seth took a deep breath, and instead of meeting Dom’s gaze, he stared down at his own knuckles. “You complained it was getting ‘girly’ or whatever. It’s not.”
Why couldn’t he have just voiced his fucking opinion earlier instead of resorting to such bullshit? Domenico wasn’t sure what angered him more: that Seth wasn’t being honest with him, that somewhere along the way Seth figured he’d make Domenico’s fashion choices for him, or that he’d thought he could get away with his scheme.
No. The most infuriating thing about this was that Seth must have gotten away with this kind of shit several times already, which proved that Domenico was the idiot in this equation.
Fueled by the red hot rage buzzing inside him, he grabbed the scissors, then gathered his hair, and before Seth’s open mouth could make a sound, cut off a portion of the strands.
He regretted it the moment he saw the long locks of black hair fall to the floor, but what was done was done.
At least he’d made his point.
Seth pouted like an overgrown child despite his muscular body and the scruff on his face reminding Domenico of his age. “Happy? Want me to even it out?”
Domenico stared back at him, his chest rising and falling with the rapid breaths that he needed in order to calm down.
“Please.”
From then on, they didn’t speak. Seth was quick with the job, not making any other silly pranks either. At the end of the process, the hair barely reached past Domenico’s shoulders, but that was more than good enough, especially since Domenico often put it in a ponytail. It would grow longer soon enough. He still couldn’t believe Seth had come up with that dumb scheme instead of just saying what he liked and leaving the decision up to Dom. Though it was unlikely Dom would ask Seth for more haircuts anytime soon. In his frustration, he’d cut it much shorter than intended.
When Seth was done and Dom acknowledged that with a nod, he walked off without a word, and Domenico could bet that the sand bag at the gym would be getting a beating very soon. But that was fine. Both of them would get more than enough time to let off some steam before the day was over. And once Seth got a good fuck and found out that Domenico planned on finding someone to teach him how to pilot a helicopter, all the bad stuff would be forgotten.
He was almost relieved to leave the confines of their villa and stretch his legs during his daily walk across the vast grounds that belonged to their family now. The eyesore that was Toro’s pseudo-Versailles blinked at him with its polished windows like it did on every single sunny day.
When Domenico had first taken over, he thought he’d get rid of the plaster decorations and statues that made the building even more atrocious than its unreasonable size, but at the end of the day he decided not to bother. For whatever reason, many of his men, staff, and even the girls who lived on the premises for the sake of keeping Domenico’s soldiers happy, liked the opulence of the ungodly thing. That, and the modifica
tions would have cost an amount of money he wasn’t prepared to part with for purely aesthetic reasons.
As he made his way through the rose garden and then the house, the polite nods and greetings never failed to improve his mood. Regardless of how shittily this day had started, there were people here who’d never deny him respect. After a brief conversation with Natalia, the former head maid whom he’d promoted to housekeeper, he eventually reached his office on the top floor.
Miguel was already waiting for him with some documents to look through, then Dana called in to report on the progress of the deal she was making for him, and then there was a call from the mayor, who wasn’t certain where exactly Domenico wanted the new green area located in the town center.
Domenico’s days were filled with local politics, negotiations, and reports about the many businesses he now owned in the area and beyond. There hadn’t been a day without any issues for him to look into, whether it was about an outbreak of syphilis at the local brothel or a police raid at a factory where one of Domenico’s subcontractors produced bullets for him.
Mark arrived in time for them to head together to the port where they would await the shipment of guns that was due to arrive soon. He was still licking his fingers and finishing some sweet cinnamon-smelling treat when he entered. The boy’s appetite made Dom wonder how much more he would grow.
Domenico couldn’t be prouder. Mark never missed training, had dropped his childlike attitude, and at just twenty, could be considered trustworthy and dependable. Just like Domenico used to be at his age. Never once had Domenico regretted his decision to adopt the silly kid he and Seth met in a rundown supermarket in Louisiana.
Gilded Agony Page 3
