Page 71 of He is Poison

Silvio remained silent.What answered Seth’s plea was a slow creak of a door, which stabbed him rightin the chest. The carpet was clean, yet all he could smell was the phantomstench of tikka masala, which only thickened, tugging at Seth’s throat,nauseating. He was already covered with cold sweat when it became clear therewas another presence in the room. A man, without a doubt. Women didn’t soundlike that. Not as heavy or menacing. The footsteps were slow, but there was toomuch confidence in them for the man to be old. This was a young bull whodeliberately took care to roll his whole body weight on his foot before takingthe next step.

As much as Seth wantedto prevent it, his teeth began to clatter, a drop of sweat falling from hisnose. “Please, let me go,” he whispered. Each of the man’s steps made him feellike throwing up from panic. The carpet was so rough on his cheek when helooked at the unknown man without much success. His vision was drasticallylimited, and from his position, even the fucking wooden chair seemed like animposing murder weapon. Was it the Chinese again?

Seth’s body twitched inan involuntary cramp when he realized they could take his arm as revenge fortheir man. No. Two arms. To make a statement.

He squeezed his jaw sohard it hurt, but when the Prada leather shoes came into view, his lips parted.He looked all the way up the long legs, and relief flew through him when he sawDom’s face. He didn’t get to watch it though since the menacing son of a bitchon his back pushed his face right back into the carpet. What the fuck was this?

The shoe pressed onSeth’s cheek, moving gently as if Domenico wanted to squish a bug on Seth’sface. Only then Seth realized that the smell of tikka masala was replaced bythat of dirt and leather, and he almost sobbed in relief, his body becominglimp and pliant under the sole of Dom’s shoe.

“Dom?” Seth uttered, noteven trying to escape. Being under that shoe was so much better than having hishand amputated on the spot.

But the familiar ambereyes didn’t even stray to Seth’s face. He looked at Silvio, a small smilespreading on his face. “Nice catch. Where did you pull such a trophy?”

Seth tried to take deepbreaths to survive the mocking. He deserved it. He got caught like a dog eatingfood out of the cat’s bowl. “Come on, Dom, don’t be like this.”

Silvio ignored him aswell, still sitting on his back like a proud cowboy. “He’s all yours. Found himat thePotsdamer Platz.”

Domenico gave a warm,breathless laugh, like when he and Seth were genuinely having fun. Hearing itin a situation such as this sent shivers all over Seth’s spine.

“No, he’s your prize.You first.”

Seth whined whenSilvio’s grip tightened. Dom couldn’t possibly be giving him out like aleaflet. He rubbed his nose against Dom’s shoe in a silent plea. The leatherwas so soft. So unlike Dom’s heart.

“No, you first.” Sethcould almost hear that toothy grin in Silvio’s voice.

“No, you go ahead.Unless your catch kisses my shoe. Then I take him,” said Dom calmly.

Seth didn’t dare lookup, too embarrassed of the position he was in. His cheeks burned with shame.Yet it was always better to have the known evil. And with no idea who Silviowas and what he was capable of, Domwasthe lesser evil. “I’m sorry,” heuttered and kissed the clean leather as a sign of his own defeat.

Domenico chuckled andstepped back, pulling away the only thing that gave Seth the illusion ofsafety—his shoe. “Will you hold him for me?”

“Dom, come on, don’t dothis,” Seth whined when Silvio pulled him up by his arms without warning. Hewas still dizzy from the waves of fear he’d experienced and barely stood hisground.

Silvio’s hand slid overSeth’s side and to his stomach, making the hairs on Seth’s nape bristle. Therewas so much force in that compact body. He could start struggling now, try topush Silvio off, hell,fallon him, but there was no point tryinganymore. He was outnumbered anyway, and if Domenico wanted to harm him, he’dhad plenty opportunities before. But since itwasDom, Seth couldn’t besure of anything other than that he’d leave this room physically intact.

Now that he was on hisown two feet, he could look into Dom’s eyes, bright like two polished coppercoins. It was hard to read anything from his expression even as he reached intohis pocket and pulled out a switchblade. “Remind me, what were you supposed tobe doing?”

Seth sighed, hoping thezip-ties were coming off because they cut into his skin like barbed wire.“Watching Vera Salieri,” he muttered with his head hung low. It wasn’t hisfault that he got seduced by some hot ass mafia biker dude. Not to mention thesaid “dude” kept stroking his fingertips along Seth’s spine, which onlydistracted him further. Those fingers were so oddly gentle.

Domenico snorted and touchedthe blade to Seth’s neck, making him jump at the cold steel. “Was there anymention of riding off to fuck a stranger?”

“No!” It came out louderthan Seth intended, and he pushed back into Silvio so abruptly that he actuallymoved the guy. “I wasn’t planning on this.”

“He just happened tocome over and pet my bike,” came from behind, and Seth groaned in frustration.

Domenico narrowed hiseyes and moved the blade lower, pulling its narrow edge down Seth’s chest. Thetouch was unsettling even through the fabric. “Did he? Maybe I don’t give himenough dick?”

“Maybe he needs two,”Silvio said, and his hand slid down between Seth’s thighs. He rubbed his thumbagainst Seth’s crack, making him flinch.

“No, Dom, I just… it wasan opportunity and I seized it,” Seth whined. “You know I’m a bit…you know.”He groaned, too embarrassed to talk about his soreness in public.

“Yeah?” asked Dom justas Seth felt a tug on his belt. “Getting hungry?”

“Who is he? Why are youhere?” Seth tried to change the topic, but it was hard to focus when he lookeddown at the knife sliding under his belt. It got him nervous, sweaty, hot, andwith his heart thudding like the hammer of gods, he wasn’t sure if he wasgetting scared or horny.

Dom’s eyes snapped openwider, and he looked at Silvio above Seth’s shoulder. His mouth spread into asmile, and as the knife pulled on Seth’s belt, its tip gently pushed againstSeth’s skin. “I’ve mentioned him, remember? He’s the Barracuda.”

Seth held his breath,suddenly feeling like a lamb between two wolves. The sensory overload was toomuch. The blade, the touch of the thumb on his ass, the body heat of bothpredators. “But he’s so… pretty,” Seth finished flatly, to the accompaniment ofa snort from behind and a harder push of Silvio’s thumb.