Page 30 of He is Poison
“Revenge is a dish bestserved cold, Villani. Cool down, forget who she is and what she did. She is aperson we’re watching, nothing more.” Just as Domenico finished, the trainpulled into the station with a loud clatter. “We’re getting into the same car,but use a different door, clear?”
Seth nodded, and it wasbecoming disconcerting just how quiet he went, all the stupid comments gone. Hewas eyeing the girl with caution and when she chose a car, they followed.Domenico hardly stopped himself from scowling when he brushed against a man ina dress, who exited through the same door. Christ almighty, what was the worldcoming to?
He didn’t comment on itthough and took a seat next to Seth, taking his cell phone out just in case heneeded to pretend to be busy, or snap a picture. Salieri parked herfar-too-exposed ass in a plastic seat and crossed her legs, focused on thehandouts. Her lips were moving as she repeated whatever information she wasrevising.
He had a hard timebelieving she thought such an outfit was proper for class. His mother, alwaysthe epitome of elegance, would never allow herself to be seen outside inanything that uncovered almost all of her thighs. This wasn’t a beach.
Despite his bestintentions, he’d recently started to pay more attention to women, as his mothermentioned his single status every time they spoke. According to her criteria, agood girl should be well-behaved and unspoiled, preferably Sicilian. He knewMother wanted him to enjoy his future wife’s looks as well, but that was asecondary factor, at least as long as asking a girl for a fertility test wasstill considered rude. Domenico tended to take his mother’s words to heart, butthis really was a tough one. The closest to a virginal Sicilian bride he couldoffer her was Seth Villani, whose sweet, tight bottom was riper than a freshlypicked peach. He could hardly believe how a guy that handsome had stayed avirgin for so long in the first place. Seth was gorgeous even by Italianstandards, and Dom believed his nation to have the most attractive men.Italians were always his first choice. Maybe guys were too intimidated bySeth’s looks to hit on him? Whatever the reason, Seth was Dom’s first virgin,and one that didn’t put out lightly at that. It was endearing. Made him feellike a conqueror.
He got up as theyapproached the station where Salieri should get off to go to class, and hewasn’t mistaken, as she got up a moment after, closing the folder and walkingup to the nearest door just as they reached the station.
“All right, Villani?”
“Fine.” Seth got up aswell, but he didn’t seem to be all there, his gaze wandering off.
Domenico frowned as theyentered the platform, walking slowly to let Salieri pass them. “Are your sugarlevels dropping?”
“I said I’m fine.” Sethshuffled his feet, only looking at the girl every now and then.
Domenico sighed andscratched his head. The guy was soft as a marshmallow, unable to separate workfrom his private life. If it wasn’t for the respect he had for the late Donna,Dom would consider the possibility of her having had an affair as well. Itwould explain Seth and his happy-go-lucky attitude.
Dom would have neversaid it to anyone but Luigi Tassa, his mentor, but the Don was wrong to thinkSeth had what it took. Was it early-onset dementia? And in fact, despite thejealousy gnawing at his insides, he did think Vincente could do the job better.Not as well as he would, but the man who fathered him didn’t even considerDomenico as a possible successor anyway.
Vincente was hard anddetermined, but who knew what he had done to push the boss into such an absurddecision. It could as well be a way of making Vincente apologize for whateverhe did. A way to teach the arrogant older son that the decision was out of hishands perhaps? The brief stay at the Villani mansion made his feelings for Sethclear though, and with everyone else appalled by Seth’s sudden rising in theranks as well, Domenico was cautious as ever.
Something else was onSeth’s mind though. “Can I go home yet?”
Domenico sighed and gavehim a nod. “I think you did have your share of excitement for one day, let’sgo,” he said, moving to the other side of the platform.
Seth followed, givingthe girl one more glance. “How did she set me up?”
Domenico sighed andentered the train that stopped by the platform. This one was almost empty. “Shehad information from one of the men who knew where you were. We need to findout who it was.”
Seth nodded and grittedhis teeth. “We’ll find him.”
“Of course we will.”Domenico gave him a pat on the back and let his hand linger on the soft leatherjacket. “All in the right time.”
They traveled back totheir local subway station, and when they got out, Seth stopped at aconvenience store. “Give me some money.” He held out his hand, and Domenicofrowned at it.
“I’m not leaving youhere. I’m walking you home, and if you want something, we’re gonna buy ittogether.”
Seth took a deep breathand clenched his hands into fists. “Can you ask if they have any books inEnglish?”
Dom was fluent inGerman, and he kept forgetting Seth needed help with every simple thing. “Idon’t think they have any here, but I could get something for you in town. Whatwould you want to read?”
“Just some fantasy orsomething like that.” Seth put his hands in his pockets. “We don’t even have aTV, so… yeah.”
They went down thestreet, and Dom looked up when a plane from the nearby Tempelhof airport flewover their heads. “For now, I want you to stay at home. I will have the cell onat all times.”
“Finally some sleep.”Seth stretched and opened his jacket when a few rays of sunshine peaked outfrom behind the clouds.
Domenico wanted to knockhis head into the wall of the nearest building. “Better work on your skillswith a gun. Take the black one from my suitcase and train disassembling andreassembling. Clean it, all the supplies are in the wardrobe. I will test youonce I’m back.”
“But… how?” Seth gavehim an unintelligible look and yawned.
“Just... you do know howto do it, right?” Domenico was at loss. What the hell was wrong with thisVillani? Did he live in a cave?
“I can use it, but notput it together.” Seth scratched his chin as they walked into their buildingthrough a gate made of a thin sheet of metal. “I suppose I could try and takeit apart. Do I need a screwdriver?”