12. Damian

A few days passed and the heat had been gradually building between Damian and Jake.

After signing the kink and business contract, Jake was super-keen to get things moving in the steam department.

But Damian wanted to play a longer game. For Damian, just as in his life as a hitman, it was all about waiting, waiting, and then going all out when the time was just right.

However it wasn't just a case of prolonging the build-up for Damian. No, it was something else too. Damian hadn't been in a relationship for a long time. He wasn't used to sharing his life. In fact, the more he thought about it the more Damian began to realize that he had actually been living a very solitary existence for quite a long period.

Sure, Damian had his close friends Nico and Antonio.

Nico and Antonio were the most loyal, ride or die friends that a mafia man could wish for. There was no doubting that. And they were great fun to hang out with too.

But Nico and Antonio weren't there with Damian on the long, cold nights. They didn't give Damian that same intimacy that a lover and submissive boy would. That was obvious.

Antonio and Nico were friends, brothers even. But neither of these men were anything less than alpha men, just like Damian. Damian wanted someone to own. Someone to train and help realize his potential.

But was that special person Jake?

Damian still had his doubts. Perhaps this was understandable given the way that Damian had first discovered Jake. And then there was still the slight doubt in Damian's mind over whether Jake was as into him as he seemed.

They may have signed a contract. The pair of them may have been making out and getting hot and heavy. But that was biology. What Damian couldn't quite be sure of was whether Jake was truly trustworthy – and for a mafia man, that was the biggest and most important question of them all.

Damian picked up his multi-colored espresso cup and took a sip.

The music from the Whip Smart Club fun room was being piped into the entry lobby café, and while it may not exactly have been his preferred musical taste, Damian couldn't deny that the funky soundtrack was pretty cool.

Damn. He looks so damned cute.

But he's the same boy who tried to steal from me.

I can't forget that…

Damian unbuttoned his black Armani jacked and placed it over the back of his chair. The sight of Jake having fun with his friend Lyle was undoubtedly one of the most wholesome visions Damian had seen in a long time.

As the pair of boys jumped and bounced across the wibble-wobble walkway with a pair of bunny ears each and matching bunny tails, Damian found himself momentarily gasping as Jake nearly fell off at the side.

‘Careful, boy!' Damian called out, blushing a little when he realized that the other Doms were looking at him with some amusement. ‘Hey, it's my first time here, okay?'

Damian's embarrassment was short lived. One of the other men leaned over from his chair and explained that he did exactly the same thing when he first met his boy and was introduced to the Whip Smart Club.

Damian had heard about the Whip Smart Club from his other Dom friends, men who weren't involved in a life of crime and so had the time and lifestyle that made finding a boy a lot easier.

Although he had never quite been sure if it was the kind of place for him, Damian couldn't deny that he was having a good time. With the brightly colored walls and variety of playrooms, open dungeons, and even private discipline rooms, it really had something for everyone.

If only the coffee had been up to Damian's immaculate standards, then he might have given the Whip Smart Club a full ten out of ten.

As Damian watched on, Jake and Lyle were joined by their other close friend, Tommy. The three of them quickly settled on the floor and began to play a game of horny bunnies looking for fun and mischief.

Fuck. I can't deny it.

That's just adorable.

I'd know if Jake was faking it with me. Surely…

But before Damian could do any more thinking, he was joined by Nico.

‘I take it this isn't a scouting mission to find a boy?' Damian said, standing up and briefly embracing Nico. ‘Something tells me this is related to that sonofabitch Connor Reed.'

Nico kept a neutral face, not wanting to give anything away.

Damian could sense that Nico wasn't bringing good news…

‘Speak,' Damian said, turning to face away from the boys, not wanting Jake to see his face as he got down to business. ‘It is Reed, isn't it?'

‘Yeah, it is,' Nico said, scrunching his face as he sipped on his coffee. ‘Holy fuck, what is this? Muddy water?'

‘Don't get me started,' Damian said, laughing as he momentarily forgot about Connor Reed. ‘This place is… cute. But the coffee is fucking dire. Anyway. You were saying…'

‘Reed's increasing the heat,' Nico said. ‘I heard from Jimmy Vasquez that two more hitmen have been taken out. Good guys too. You probably knew them. Martinez and Rollo?'

Damian made the sign of the cross over his chest.

‘Fuck. Two solid men. Decent. Loyal, too,' Damian said, anger in his voice. ‘We all know the risks in this life. But… this shit isn't right. We have to do something.'

Nico ran his hands through his silver hair. Damian could see that Nico was worried. This wasn't just some street hustler trying to live fast and die young, this was Connor Reed. This was a man who had been in the game for long enough to know when it was time to make a move.

But that didn't explain why Reed was taking out hitmen – and Damian knew that knowing Reed's reasoning would go some way to knowing how to stop him.

There has to be something.

What am I missing?

Think!

Nico could see that Damian was feeling stressed. Nico was an intellectual guy, but also someone who liked to take risks. Many mafia men, past and present, said that Nico Luca was destined to go down in history as one of the best bosses to have lived. And part of Nico's great strength was his ability to gauge the mood…

‘Brother, I've got you,' Nico said. ‘If Reed thinks he can come for the West Side's deadliest hitman he can think again. There will be a way to beat him. But it might take us all putting our heads together.'

Damian was grateful for Nico's words.

But Damian couldn't shake the feeling of fear that was hanging over him. Damian wasn't afraid of losing his own life, that came with the territory. But life was looking like it might not be so simple any longer. It wasn't just Damian's life in danger, Jake was implicated in the situation now.

‘A snake like Reed…' Damian said, struggling to get the words out. ‘He'll come for me any which way he can. Even if that means involving someone else.'

Damian quickly turned to check on Jake as he continued to play with his friends, oblivious to the seriousness of Damian and Nico's discussion.

‘I hear you,' Nico said, knowing full well what Damian was alluding to. ‘Reed doesn't play by code of honor. We'll be extra careful. If anyone can do it, it's us. There's no way we'll let anyone lay a fucking finger on that young man.'

‘I don't know if mine and Jake's trip to the Hampton's is a good idea,' Damian said, a concerned frown on his face. ‘It's only one night. But… what if Reed makes a move on you or Antonio when I'm away?'

‘He won't,' Nico replied. ‘Reed seems to be attacking less well associated hitmen. He won't try and get to you by coming for me or Antonio. He's too much of a coward. You and your plaything have your little break. And don't you dare not have a damn good time with that sweet little ass of his, either! That's mafia orders!'

Damian laughed, and Nico couldn't help but burst into laughter too. The other men may have been casting looks over at them, but they didn't care.

‘Thank you,' Damian said, a sense of relief coming over him. ‘I'm not going soft in my old age, am I?'

‘Fuck no,' Nico laughed. ‘And to be honest, I must say that I can see the appeal. That other boy is damn cute too. What's his name?'

Nico subtly motioned toward Lyle.

Damian grinned and shook his head.

‘His name's Lyle,' Damian replied. ‘But how about we don't get another boy implicated in this situation right now?'

Nico laughed. Even in the most serious of situations, Damian and Nico were able to enjoy a lighthearted moment. It was maybe a mobster thing, but humor was a great way to settle the nerves and think clearly.

‘Agreed,' Nico said, taking another sip on his sub-par coffee. ‘As cute as this place is, I don't think I'll be back any time soon. No more boys for me for the time being. And definitely no more Whip Smart Club coffee either.'

Damian couldn't help but wonder if the point about Nico not perusing a boy should also apply to him…

Fuck. There's no easy answer.

Am I putting Jake's life at risk?

But… surely he's safest with me?

Damian embraced Nico once more as Nico left. Damian knew that he had a lot to think about. But as he looked at the big clock on the wall, he could see that he had time on his hands.

Jake's kinky playdate wasn't due to finish for another hour.

This gave Damian plenty of time to mull things over. And plenty of time to watch as Jake had the time of his life with his adorable friends.

Being a Dom was so much more than spankings and paddlings. And Damian was beginning to see this now more than he had ever seen it before.

Damian knew deep down that there was no way he could end things with Jake when it seemed like the fun was only just beginning…