Gilded Agony

by K. A. Merikan

  It seemed that the majority of the guests have already arrived. With only finger food available so early in the evening, most danced in front of the stage or gathered in small groups, discussing everything from local gossip to business. The mayor’s parties gathered the crème de la crème of El Encanto and beyond, but with the town being relatively small, that resulted in an incestuous group of people guarding each other’s interests. And like in every small group that considered itself better than, everyone fucked everyone, and people knew things they shouldn’t know, because a string of common friends passed something on ‘in secret’.

  It was like any other subculture Seth had ever been a part of, only with more money and politics involved.

  “You should run for mayor next year. I could do some cooking for charity at church, set up a monthly event,” Seth said with a smile, rubbing Dom’s ring finger. Despite Domenico’s frequent disappearances lately, he was feeling generally upbeat.

  While Dom dismissed many of Seth’s ideas as ‘unsafe’, he’d actually come through for Seth and got him a state of the art crossbow for Christmas, which showed that he did sometimes pay attention to what Seth said after all.

  Domenico let out a barking laugh and swept Seth to the dance floor. They spun around, pressed together like any other couple—chest to chest and interwoven fingers. “Could the mayor do this with you?”

  Seth grinned and let Domenico guide him in the movement the same way he did at home. Yet another thing Seth used to resent yet grew to enjoy. “He could in El Encanto.”

  Domenico pulled Seth to the edge of the dance floor, to the left of the stage, where a band of six musicians in formal outfits played the Toro-approved music. Even with some of the other guests keeping their distance, being together like this, in public, still felt like a celebration of their relationship. And it didn’t matter that the party wasn’t thrown in their honor, or that their wedding anniversary had been such a fiasco. What did special dates mean anyway when they were so happy together, regardless of the odds?

  Domenico smirked. “If he was me he could. But why would I need to expose myself this way to our enemies if I can still make all the important decisions with one phone call to the man who does the dirty work?”

  “Oh, right. I forgot you like to keep your hands clean.” Seth had to stop himself from laughing at the irony. Just talking about these things was making his blood pump faster, as if he were getting his old self back. He squeezeded Dom’s holster for good measure to silently remind him that his identity was no secret to Seth.

  Domenico licked his lips, but his eyes shone in the red lights above. “My hands are never clean.”

  Seth was glad that Mark had decided to stay home tonight, even though he felt sorry for him having a headache, because he needed this time with Domenico. Not alone, but around people, and without a third person always tagging along. It was as if he could breathe freely again. He loved Angelica, loved his chickens, and preparing recipes for a food blog that was bound to never see the light of day. But life was slipping through his fingers all too quickly, and the big three-zero had really unnerved him this past year, to the point where he couldn’t stay still anymore. The home that he’d grown to love felt so oppressive at times. Maybe it would have been different if there was a time limit, a deadline for their presence here that he could count the days to, but with the way things were, he was trapped in limbo.

  “No, you get shit done.” Seth couldn’t care less about the onlookers. Something about tonight, them both looking so classy in their suits, and having time for each other, had Seth elated and feeling more connected to Domenico than he’d had in a while. Even though Dom still appeared tense most of the time, and his sleep remained uneasy, in this moment all of his attention was on Seth for once. That was enough to make all the bad things fade into the back of Seth’s mind.

  They left the dance floor when the music ended, and the orchestra walked off the stage, making way for the first entertainer of the night, a female magician. Neither of them was interested in the tired old tricks like pulling flowers out of a hat, so Dom urged Seth toward the buffet.

  Seth grabbed himself a glass of fake champagne, but as soon as they parted for a second, someone Domenico knew approached him with greetings. That became a pattern, and went on, with Domenico introducing Seth to people, yet everyone ending up speaking in Spanish, which left Seth to sip from his glass and politely nod. He’d much rather know what was being said, what issues a middle-aged bald man might have to discuss with Domenico, or what a lady in a bright green dress whispered to his husband, but all in all, he was simply happy to be out of the house and free to roam.

  Unbothered by anyone, he followed Dom’s lead and sampled the food that turned out to be laughably pretentious—tiny portions and weirdly elaborate presentation—just the kind of thing someone completely disinterested in modern trends would consider classy. Mayor Suarez’s idea of haute cuisine was stuck deep in the eighties. Seth was surprised prosciutto di Parma and melon hadn’t made an appearance alongside other somewhat outdated delicacies.

  As he scanned the room, he almost choked on his drink when a familiar figure moved through the crowd and caught his attention for two reasons. One, Diego was the only person Seth had said more than two words to in the past. Two, Seth had to admit the guy scrubbed up well, even though the boots he was wearing with his slacks and dress shirt suggested he might have arrived by horse. Seth looked away when Diego caught his gaze, and he walked over to the window. Would he get to see the magnificent beast Mark spoke of so enthusiastically?

  Seth expected the other guests to leave him alone—courtesy of him being the local gangster’s lover—but when he peeked into the street to avoid showing any interest in Diego, he couldn’t help sensing the heat of brown eyes on his nape. He smirked to himself at the illicit nature of Diego’s approach back at their home. Here at least, Diego wouldn’t dare touch what wasn’t his yet still serve as Seth’s entertainment.

  Strong, bittersweet perfume invaded Seth’s space almost like a physical presence. But before Seth could glance over his shoulder, the reflection of Diego’s face behind his appeared in the glass.

  “Toro is a busy man,” Diego said from far too close.

  Seth turned around, unsure why he was so rattled by this man’s presence? Was it the sense of danger? That one wrong move here could end in bloodshed?

  “You should know. You work with him.”

  Diego moved to face Seth, sipping wine from a large glass. “Only temporarily. I never stay anywhere too long.”

  In the black shirt with rolled-up sleeves, Diego had found that sweet spot between elegant and casual, even if most guests would consider him underdressed.

  “So what are you helping him with? I didn’t catch everything in Spanish last time. Should I be jealous that you two disappear together all the time?” He laughed to break the ice. If he wanted intel, he needed to play up what Diego was after.

  Diego came closer, as if this was a dance, and he was about to put his hand on Seth’s waist. “Toro? No. He is a bit… too sharp for me. When he looks at me, it makes me bleed.”

  Seth bit his lip with a smile, playing with his glass. “Are you saying my husband’s not handsome enough?”

  Diego looked Domenico’s way, and when Seth followed his gaze, he spotted his husband in a lively discussion with the mayor’s wife and some other ladies. He could be quite a charmer when he wanted to.

  “He’s handsome enough, but if I lay next to him at night, I would always wonder if I’m gonna wake up in the morning.”

  Seth found it hard to take his eyes off Domenico in a tux, even though he was supposed to fish for information with Diego. “I like a bit of danger. Makes my blood hotter.”

  “And what is more dangerous for a married man than an affair?” Diego whispered in a voice so soft Seth at first thought he’d heard him wrong.

  Hairs at the back of Seth’s neck prickled. “Do you suggest we ride off into the night on th
at dark horse I hear so much about?” Mark had mentioned how much care Diego put into that animal, so complementing it would surely tickle the man’s ego.

  For a moment, Diego’s smile became oddly stiff, but he quickly recuperated. “Ah, yes. My Guerrero is an exquisite animal. I could give you a ride if you’d like. But only as long as Toro doesn’t know.”

  “So secretive. You sure I shouldn’t tell him?”

  Diego’s lips twitched. “Oh, I’m sure. He’d bleed me if he knew how much I like the look of you.”

  Seth couldn’t help a smile. “So you do know that much. Both our hands’ are tied, Diego.” He clinked their glasses, and the thirsty look in Diego’s dark eyes was exactly what he was going for.

  “Are they?”

  It’d been a while since Seth had met someone this set on him, and the rush of it was a temptation he couldn’t resist. “Especially that once the late shipment is found, you won’t be staying long, will you?” He watched Diego’s face for clues about the situation, because judging by Dom’s twitchiness lately, something was unresolved. Being left in the dark was one thing, but having his eyes forcibly shut—another.

  Diego wordlessly sipped some of the wine, but his gaze kept Seth captivated.

  Seth had never been good at riddles. “It hasn’t been found, has it?” He was shooting blanks into the river, but he had to sound like he knew something. “He pisses me off sometimes, you know?” he added to push the notion that Diego had a chance.

  Diego snorted. “I can imagine. I know the things you’re after, but whether I tell you or not depends of what you can give me in return.”

  Seth’s heart sped up. He was surrounded by the lies he’d asked for, but Diego’s price was not one he was willing to pay. There needed to be a way to play this cocky fucker. “Oh, no.” He touched Diego’s arm from the side where no one could see the gesture. “You’d just leave me high and dry, and ride off on your horse while I have to face the consequences. I can’t decide until I know more about what you do for Toro.”

  Diego’s step in his direction pushed Seth dangerously close to the heavy white curtain that could have provided temporary shelter from prying eyes. “Not even a small kiss for my effort?”

  “Here?” Seth raised his eyebrows at the notion. “I like my throat whole, thanks. But maybe… you could show me your horse? We could talk there, more privately?” He was positive he had enough training to avoid a kiss when he expected it, and if he played his cards right, maybe he could get his hands on even more information on the way. Though there was a thrill to this dance as well. Like an aggressive tango without touching.

  He wondered how Diego would react if he knew what Seth was wearing under his fancy suit.

  Diego took the bait, and his Adam’s apple bobbed like a visual representation of what was going on in his head. “You will love Guerrero. And the other things I could show you.”

  Seth smiled and made sure to prolong eye contact. With his gaze, he promised all the dirty things Diego could wish to do to him. “What else? You know where the shipment is but you’re keeping it a secret to spend more time around me?” He winked and started moving along the tables to suggest that he really did mean what he said, and that he was ready to go ‘see Diego’s horse’.

  Or cock.

  Or both.

  Diego followed him too closely, using the crowd of people as an excuse to constantly rub himself against Seth. “I’m exactly where Mr. Moreno wants me and for how long he wants me. I have no reasons to stress, but those five million lost must be a heavy weight on Toro’s shoulders.”

  Seth did his best to appear unmoved, but his mind exploded with questions. There had been a shipment worth five million, and it had been lost for over a week? His brain wouldn’t stop throbbing, and the prospect of continuing this charade when he was like this seemed too risky all of a sudden. He made a turn for Domenico’s tall form with a smile. It couldn’t appear to Diego that he’d changed his mind, but he sure as hell knew Domenico wouldn’t be all that excited about them going off together anywhere.

  He felt a pull on his hand, aimed to take him away from Domenico, but it eased the moment Seth tapped Dom’s shoulder. “I’m going out with Diego to see his horse. Mark keeps saying I should.” There. And Diego could think Seth was dumb as a sack of rocks.

  Domenico’s face quickly went from the neutral smile he had for the ladies to a frowny picture of suspicion. His gaze zigzagged between Seth and Diego. “Ah. You were invited?” he asked in a tone that was innocent enough on the surface yet implied that Diego didn’t belong here.

  Diego exhaled. “Favor from a friend.”

  Domenico nodded slowly, his arm sliding along Seth’s shoulders. “How interesting. Is it the guy who owns the stables? Pimienta, was it?”

  Diego pushed his hands into his pockets and nodded. “Yeah, he really cares for the animals. Like me, he understands them.”

  Domenico laughed, and pulled Seth that bit closer before patting Diego’s shoulder hard. “So does Seth. We have our own chickens, right?”

  Seth snorted and covered his face with his hand. “I do love the chickens. They’re so fucking dumb but so funny. We were even thinking about getting a goat, but I’m not sure yet.”

  Domenico glared at Diego, as if the two of them shared some kind of silent conversation. “You hear this, Diego? His demands never stop. Never get married.”

  Diego gave an insincere laugh. “I’ll remember. Let me relieve you for fifteen minutes. The stables are right behind the corner.”

  Domenico rubbed the back of Seth’s neck. “Thanks for the offer, but we have to pass. I was just going to get him.”

  “Oh, are we leaving early? It’s not even midnight yet…” But despite his words, Seth gave Diego a look that promised a thousand blowjobs. “Another time.”

  Diego couldn’t entirely keep his annoyance hidden and walked off with a very curt goodnight.

  Domenico snorted. “Ouch. That must have hurt. I bet he isn’t rejected often enough.”

  Seth made an effort to appear oblivious. “What? You think he was hitting on me? That’s ridiculous.”

  Domenico’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t stop smiling. “You brought him here on purpose, didn’t you? Do you miss my jealousy after all?”

  Seth bit his lip and rubbed his thumb over Dom’s hand. “Caught red-handed, huh? Maybe I’m just missing a bit of adrenaline, but then again, nothing good ever comes from prodding a lion with a stick, does it?

  Domenico’s lips quirked, and it suddenly hit Seth that this beloved face had changed over the years. While definitely not old, it seemed more mature, sharper than when they’d first met. What would it look like in ten years’ time?

  Domenico gave him a kiss. “How about we watch the fireworks from someplace else?”

  Seth didn’t even care to ask what Domenico had in mind. He’d follow him anywhere. “The sparkling wine’s pretty shit anyway.”

  Domenico took only a few moments to excuse himself from the people he deemed worthy of a goodbye, and they left the building, way before midnight. Seth instinctively stepped in the direction of the parking lot where they’d left their car, but Domenico pulled him right back into his arms.

  “You wanted to see a horse, didn’t you?”

  Seth blinked in confusion at first, but then his lips stretched into a smile. “I did. Mark keeps saying how tall that thing is.”

  Domenico grinned and led the way down the street, completely at ease in the crowd of people. The music was different here, livelier and much more modern than Domenico’s choices, and its rhythm made Seth walk faster, chasing the beating heart of the song. In the crowd of people, dogs walked on their own or sat still, scanning the ground for fallen scraps.

  “We could afford a horse, right? Technically speaking?” Seth asked, following his husband into a pedestrian-only area, currently filled with people celebrating the encroaching new year. Numerous stalls were decorated with Christmas lights and served all kinds of
food and alcohol, competing for customers by means of scent but also volume, with many of the sellers loudly inviting people in. With his head pleasantly buzzing with alcohol, he found it difficult to coherently form tricky questions.

  Domenico groaned loudly enough for Seth to hear him through the noise of two sets of speakers competing in the war of whose music would overtake the dancing crowd. “I literally just got you that crossbow.”

  “I know, I know, and I love it!” Seth laughed and gave Dom a quick hug. “I was thinking about Mark. He’s… When he talks about the horse, and the riding lessons, something lights up in him that I haven’t seen for a while.”

  To that Domenico didn’t protest. He contemplated Seth’s words for a few seconds, squeezing his hand as they stood in front of a stall selling cocadas. “You think?”

  “I know he’s all tough guy now, but sometimes I feel he’s… I don’t know, missed out?”

  “What do you mean?” Domenico glanced at him in the light of the pink lamp above the head of the middle-aged seller and her homemade sweets. In this kind of light, which deepened shadows and transformed the atmosphere, the full trays of the coconut cookies looked somewhat sinister, like something out of a highly stylized movie.

  “He’s had to grow up real fast and never finished school. Who knows what he could have become if our business wasn’t in the picture. He’s so focused on work he doesn’t even do photography that much anymore, and his only hobby seems to be fucking whatever breathes.”

  Domenico smirked. “That reminds me of a certain someone,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows. He realized the queue had dispersed, and stepped up to the counter, quickly ordering the sweets before glancing at Seth again, as if even sugar couldn’t hold Dom’s attention for long in his presence.

  “You’ve got a hobby. It’s expensive too. Me,” Seth told him, nodding at the seller when she handed Domenico a paper bag with the cookies.