Page 79 of He is Poison
Seth’s heart sank. Ofcourse. He was always on the outside. “What do you mean? We’re sort of in thesame profession. Just at… uh… different job stages.”
“No. We aren’t.”Domenico brushed his fingertips up and down Seth’s nape, and pulled him closer.The scent of his body never failed to turn Seth into a big pile of goo. “I’m anexecutioner. I am the person you will call for the dirty jobs.”
“And… you wouldn’t wantto share that with someone?” Seth whispered, soothed by the fingers andtormented by his own thoughts at the same time.
There was a moment ofsilence, but Dom eventually let out a sigh. “People like us are bound to bealone. Better start getting used to it.”
Seth took a deep breathand nodded, with his dirty face on a bed of Dom’s hair. It was the truth hedidn’t want to hear. After all, how long could being on a mission with Domlast? They couldn’t risk contact back in Sicily, Dom could be called offsomewhere else. As the Don, all eyes would be on Seth, and chances of findingsomeone he could be with would be zero.
Yet, when he lay therewith Dom, spent and relaxed, he couldn’t help feeling less alone than ever. “Iknow. It’s back to random encounters in dark rooms. If I’m lucky.”
Domenico was silent forthe longest moment, but then, he patted Seth’s shoulder. “We need to go.”
Chapter 14
The sky was getting graywith a herd of clouds looming above the city in a threat of downpour. Theyshared a sandwich from the local bakery as Dom explained the plan to Seth,sipping black coffee from a cardboard cup. It had gotten cold enough for themto wear jackets. Seth wasn’t surprised that Domenico looked stunning evendressed casual. The plan sounded easy, he was with someone experienced in whatthey were about to do, but the closer they were getting to Salieri’s return,the shakier Seth was becoming. Domenico on the other hand was leaning againstthe Volkswagen Beetle as if he were resting after a hard day’s job.
Seth squeezed his handson the steering wheel, taking deep breaths, but the only thing that actuallygot him relaxed, was seeing just how calm Domenico was. When Seth saw him likethat, all worry was gone. Someone had everything under control. Even theclicking of Salieri’s high heels on the pavement couldn’t get him nervousanymore.
There she was, walkingslowly in a colorful coat, an expensive looking bag open as she rummagedthrough it, looking for something. Silvio was there too. In a pair ofwashed-out jeans, sneakers, and a hoodie, and with a backpack hanging from hisshoulder, he could be easily mistaken for a high school student rushing backhome. He kept just enough distance from Salieri for her not to notice thatsomething was off about her situation.
Seth stirred when thestreetlight above the car suddenly switched on and in the side mirror, he sawDomenico walking into the darkness of the gateway to the building Salieri livedin. It was dead quiet. He had thought it would feel like being in a movie:exciting, the taste of revenge on his tongue, but all he could feel in thedarkness was fear. Every sound and sight was visceral, and as real as the hairsbristling on his arms. A dog barking in the nearby park, a light turning on inone of the windows, and the neverending clickety-clack of the stilettos, like astampeding horse about to fall down the cliff.
Salieri kept lookinginto the sky, marching as fast as she could in her tall heels. Her coat floatedwith the gentle wind when she made the turn into the building and disappearedfrom sight. Seth could imagine Dom’s arms holding her in place as the sleepingshot did its job. A part of him couldn’t help feeling sorry for her, but thenagain, if you play with fire, you get burnt. He listened in through thehalf-open window, ready to act if something went wrong, but he wasn’t sure whatexactly he would do.
His mouth fell open whentwo silhouettes exited, one tall and masculine, the other petite, stumbling asif she were drunk. It took him a whole two seconds to acknowledge that Salieriwasn’t wobbling. Domenico was dragging her limp body in a way that suggested hewas just helping her into the car. Silvio walked past them, unbothered, butSeth didn’t miss the small nod of acknowledgement he gave to Dom before walkingoff without a word. As hot as his ass was, Seth knew there were more importantthings to do.
He got out of the car,trying not to move too hastily, and opened the door to the backseat forDomenico. His blood was pounding so fast he could barely hear through thethrobbing in his ears. Every detail around them was setting him on edge. A cardriving by in the distance. Someone smashing a bottle and swearing loudly.
“Thanks,” said Domenicoas if he were dragging a box of wine, not an unconscious woman. He pushed herinside and spent some time arranging her body in the backseat. With the seatbelt in place, a travel pillow at her nape, and her bag at her side, Salierilooked convincingly asleep. Seth shook his head in amazement but didn’t wastetime and got back behind the steering wheel.
“Everything wentsmoothly?” he rasped and started the engine. It felt surreal. Domenico made thewhole ordeal seem like a piece of cake. Kidnapping Vera Salieri was for himlike making espresso for a barista. It took skill and experience, but wassimple when you knew what to do.
“As expected. She’s acog, not a professional.” Domenico slid into the passenger seat and lit acigarette right away.
“Give me one.” Seth madesure he drove like a senior citizen, breaking no rules whatsoever. At leasttheir new flat wasn’t that far away. “Will we just hold her?”
Domenico put a secondcigarette into his mouth and lit it, popping it between Seth’s lips as soon ashe was done. “Unless we get different orders.”
Seth took a huge gulp ofsmoke, but it didn’t calm him down. “What if we get…badorders?”
Dom leaned back in theseat. “What do you mean by ‘bad’?”
“I mean… the kind oforders you,”I, “wouldn’t want to follow…”
Domenico chuckled,digging his teeth into his bottom lip. “Orders are orders. I do what I’m toldto.”
“What if it’s somethinghorrible?” Seth whispered, looking at Salieri’s face in the rearview mirror andbreathing in even more smoke.
“I wouldn’t rape her,but then again, no one would ask me to do that.”
Seth clenched his teethon the cigarette butt, annoyed that his hands were trembling on the steeringwheel.Fuck, Seth, get your act together. “Y-yeah,” he uttered weakly.
“Why are you so worried?She ratted you out.” Domenico opened the window and shook off the ash outside.
“I don’t know. I justwish all of this could go away.” He wouldn’t dare look at Dom.
They didn’t talk untilSeth parked the car by the entrance to their apartment building. It was wellkept, but squarish and gray, probably built back when this part of town wasstill a district of East Berlin. Domenico didn’t wait and exited the car,rushing to get Salieri inside. They couldn’t risk anyone noticing her. Domenicohad made sure there were no surveillance cameras around before he rented theplace.