Page 61 of He is Poison
Domenico never missedthe bull’s-eye. Seth stared at the holes his new mentor made in their practicetarget. They were spot on. Right in the forehead of the generic cardboard guy.They had spent the last hour practicing disassembling and reassemblingsemi-automatic pistols, and Seth was getting optimistic because it wasn’t allthat hard, but he couldn’t match Domenico's speed. Getting shown how to do itproperly was kinda impressive but made him realize Dom had to perceive him as aproper cock-up. Most of the time, Seth hardly even hit the target board, letalone the head or chest. He almost killed a squirrel though.
Trees surrounded themfrom every side on the clearing. They were about two hours drive from Berlin,and Seth was hoping there wouldn’t be any tourists wandering around when he wastrying to hit the cardboard target Dom put on a tree across from them. Theywere using silencers so no one should be alarmed by shooting, but he supposedthat made the whole ordeal even more dangerous to accidental trekkers. Evenwith the strong smell of pines and earth, the green color around him didnothing to soothe his nerves.
“Focus.”
“I am focused.” Sethgroaned. Dom approaching him from the back didn’t help with the task at hand.Even Domenico’s T-shirt couldn’t be completely casual. Fitted, but not tootight, with a slight v-neck, and three small buttons. Seth could bet it wassome fancy brand like Armani or D&G. As much as Seth wanted to mock Dom forhis stylish choices, he had to admit that the guy just knew how to dress toimpress.
Domenico shook his head.“You miss your target every time. Even first timers can actually get a bulletinto the cardboard man when they try hard.”
Sethwastryinghard to focus, but the heat of Domenico’s body behind him, a sharp contrast tothe cool dampness in the air, wasn’t helping.
“Is that what they tellyou in assassin teacher training? To put down your students?” Seth rolled hiseyes and moved away.
“I’m not putting youdown. On the contrary, I’m helping you stay alive.”
Seth tensed when he feltDom’s body melt into his. It was almost like an embrace, but the wiry arms wentstraight for the gun Seth was holding. He felt the shiver of excitement go allthe way from his ass to his balls. Dom’s breath was right under his ear, like anever-ending whisper.
“What do you think thisis?” hissed Seth “A rom-com?”
“A what?” Domenicocurled his dry, warm hands around Seth’s, and made him raise the gun.
Seth sighed, his palmsall sweaty around the gun. “A romantic comedy movie. The guy always takes thegirl out to golf or some shit, stands behind her, and shows her how to hold thestick. It’s one big innuendo.”
“That’s not a stick.It’s a gun. And secondly, how the hell do you know that?” growled Domenico. Hewas all business-minded now.
“Peter used to make mewatch them.” It was only partially true, since Seth did enjoy some of them.“Can I get some personal space then?” He breathed in deeply, enjoying thepleasant smell of trees and wet grass. He rarely got to go to the forest sincehe had moved out to New York City.
Domenico’s sigh sentvibrations down Seth’s neck. “How else am I going to show you how to do this?You’ve forgotten how to do it since your first time.”
“It’s making meuncomfortable, like you’re molesting me, Mr. Teacher.” Seth inched away. No guyin his life had ever gotten his heart racing so hard. And Dom wasn’t evenbigger than him, just intimidating. In a sexy kind of way, which got Seth allsorts of confused.
“Oh, man up. We’refucking already, what’s the big deal?” growled Domenico as he pressed evencloser and forced Seth into position with the frame of his own body. “Stopthinking about my cock and focus.”
“Do I look like I careabout your dick?” Seth snarled and looked back at him, only to stare into theintense eyes.
“It’s you thinking aboutsex all the time. I’m just trying to show you how to shoot a fucking tree.”
Seth’s body was gettingeven hotter, and he looked back at the target, pointing the gun at it. “Don’toverestimate yourself.”
“Don’t give me a reasonto. Now pretend it’s a fucking romantic comedy and do as I say,” hissed Dom,forcing Seth’s fingers to grasp the heated steel.
Seth swallowed and triedto imagine the head of the Triad member, who spoke to him after the kidnapping,on the target. Surprisingly, it only made him feel more uncomfortable. Sure, hewanted revenge, but did he actually want to blow someone's head off? The wayDom gripped his hands suggested he didn’t have such scruples. His fingers wereslimmer than Seth’s, yet their strength was unmistakable. It made Seth think ofan article he read about people only using a small percentage of their brain.Seth was probably using a small percentage of his body potential, whereas Dom,muscular but not as big, was filled with skill and the capacity to use it.
A brush of warm airagainst his ear did its job frighteningly well. “Breathe slowly. Take threedeep, slow breaths.”
Seth inhaled, trying toforce his body to relax. He focused on the target, and with Dom’s body almostmelting into his, he felt more powerful, as if Dom’s muscles supported his ownand assisted his strength. The heat against his back was empowering. Dom washolding the gun and Seth’s hands in a vise-like grip as they breathed together.
Inhale. Exhale. Inhale.Exhale. Inhale. “Shoot.”
No hesitation. BeforeSeth knew it, the deed was done, and he hit the target’s head, the kick fromthe gun not as strong as before. His heart was pounding in exhilaration.
“Good. That’s what Iwant.” Domenico didn’t move, but his words were like the sweetest petting, andSeth was ready to purr like a satisfied cat. He actually did something rightfor a change.
“I’m a quick learner.”Seth smirked to himself.
“Again then.” Domenicodidn’t move an inch, keeping exactly the same position as before. It made Sethimagine Dom competing in one of those exercises on the Biggest Loser, wherepeople had to stand on one leg and hold something in the same position for aslong as they could. He bet Dom would win even if he were fat. The thought madehim snort, but he said ‘yes’ and aimed again.
“Two breaths and shoot.Try the fucker’s right eye,” whispered Domenico. It wasn’t clear why he feltthe need to be so quiet when they were the only people here, but Seth was farfrom complaining.