26. Damian

A few weeks after the showdown with Connor, not to mention exposing Jack Bouquet's treachery too, and life was beginning to settle down again. Well, as much as that was ever possible in the world of the mafia.

Damian's injuries had healed well. The scar on Damian's face remained, and would fade gradually over time. But Jake told Damian that he actually loved the scar…

‘I think it's super-sexy,' Jake said, eating a huge bowl of Frosted Freeze-Loops, his new favorite cereal. ‘You look like a real mean motherfucker!'

Damian rolled his eyes.

‘Maybe that's because I am one?' Damian laughed, casting his eye over toward the display of guns on the wall of his apartment. ‘You know, the clues are all there!'

Jake laughed and the pair of them continued eating their breakfast. As expected, Damian had invited Jake to move in with him. Although in theory it was only until Jake's apartment was refurnished and repaired after the fire, both Damian and Jake knew that it was forever.

And it wasn't only the living arrangements that had changed.

With Jack Bouquet having been ‘removed' from his role as head chef at Damian's Den, Damian had cast his net and found a brilliant new chef to lead up the operation. The new chef was called Maxim and he came with a superb reputation having worked at some of the finest dining establishments across Europe and latterly the US too.

Oh, and the fact that Maxim was a Dom too helped in Damian's decision making. Maxim was stern and strict with his kitchen staff, and he expected the highest of standards to be maintained. But where Maxim differed massively from Jack Bouquet was that he was fair. Maxim hated bullies and strived to treat everyone with respect and decency - while at the same time always being ready to kick ass when needed.

Perhaps most importantly, Damian felt like he could trust Maxim. Damian had been badly hurt by Jack's disloyalty, but with Jake's help he had decided not to let it bring him down for a second longer than was necessary.

Damian was moving on with his life.

Hitmen had no choice but to keep moving forward, that was the way of the world for them if they wanted to stay alive and in the game. Damian felt a new lease of life now that he was with his true love, and the future seemed like an endless series of possibilities.

And it was with this in mind that shortly after breakfast, Damian decided to present Jake with a very special gift.

‘Boy, get that red little butt out of the shower now,' Damian called, standing in nothing but his tight black Armani briefs. ‘You've got ten seconds, not a moment longer.'

Damian smiled as he heard the sound of the shower water turning off and then the unmistakable sound of Jake's wet feet pit-patting out of the marble floored bathroom and into the bedroom.

‘Here, young man,' Damian said, holding out the very same collar that his mentor Gianluca had given him all those years ago, ready for when Damian met his true love. ‘This is yours now.'

‘Oh my!' Jake said, a shocked look on his face. ‘Are you really giving me this? Like, truly?'

Damian nodded. He watched in pride as a wet, naked Jake put the collar on around his neck.

‘I can't believe this is mine!' Jake said. ‘I know how much it meant to you.'

‘It's always been yours,' Damian said. ‘Right from the first time we met. It just took me a minute to truly understand that. Gianluca would have adored you too. You're the best pup in the world.'

‘Ruff! Yes, Master!'

‘Now get on all fours and let's go walkies around the apartment!' Damian said, giving a delighted Jake a sharp, accurate spank right on his hot, wet butt. ‘It's time to take your training to the next level…'

* * *

The atmosphere at Damian's Den later that evening was one of celebration. With Connor Reed gone, there was a temporary peace across the city. The major crime families were all taking a moment to reflect and work out a new balance amongst themselves.

Of course, all-out war was never totally off the table in the world of mafia families and crime bosses, but at least for the time being it could be said that New York City was at peace.

‘To life, to love, and to keeping the FEDs out of our lives!' Damian toasted, a roar of approval in the room as the various mafia men raised their glasses in agreement. ‘Now let's eat and enjoy this moment!'

But it wasn't just the hitmen and gang bosses who were having fun. Jake and his friends were at the restaurant too. Wearing their smartest clothes and ready to party, the boys were having the time of their lives.

‘Maybe you're going soft,' Antonio said, now fully recovered from Connor's attack. ‘Seeing all these young guys here, having fun like this.'

‘Trust me, the boy's butt would tell you otherwise!' Damian laughed, raising his glass and smiling the broadest smile in a three state radius. ‘But seriously, none of this has made me go soft. If anything, I'm going to be more ruthless, more ice-cold, and more deadly than ever. I've got Jake to look after now. I ain't getting taken out, I've got too much to lose.'

Nico and Antonio nodded. They could both see the positive effect that Jake had on Damian. And Damian knew it too, which is why he had one more surprise in store for Jake…

‘Jake, come with me,' Damian said, his booming voice grabbing Jake's attention.

‘Awww, but Master, I was about to do another shot!' Jake said, doing his best puppy-dog eyes.

‘You can bring the shot too,' Damian said, shaking his head in mock disbelief. ‘And bring me one as well. But either way I need your ass over here.'

With that, a gleeful looking Jake skipped over toward Damian and followed him through the back of the restaurant and out into the private member's parking lot at the rear.

‘Damian? What are we doing here?' Jake asked, a look of genuine puzzlement on his face.

Damian smiled but didn't say a word.

This was the big moment. A moment that Damian had been waiting for. Damian couldn't hold his excitement in for a single second longer and took a set of keys out from his pocket.

‘Here, boy,' Damian said. ‘This is for you.'

‘But these look like… Porsche keys?' Jake said. ‘But… you don't… we don't… have a Porsche?'

‘Well you do now, kid,' Damian smiled, pointing over to the baby-blue Porsche 911 in the corner of the lot. ‘It's all yours. I know how much you love fast cars. And I know we're going to have a blast racing around together on our trips up state.'

Jake burst out into a joyous mixture of laughter, tears of elation, and sheer enthusiasm. This made everything worth it for Damian. Seeing his true love so happy was worth each and every dark deed he had to do in his life. As far as Damian was concerned, as long as Jake was happy then all was right with the world.

Oh, and the prospect of having some naughty fun with Jake in the snug confines of the Porsche wasn't such a bad thought either...

‘It was always you, Jake,' Damian said, finally embracing Jake as the boy calmed down. ‘There's one detail you might have missed though…'

It was at this point that Jake noticed the car's registration plate…

PUP 01

‘It's perfect!' Jake said, his smile beaming brighter than the Porsche's headlights on full beam. ‘I can't wait to show my friends. And one other thing I can't wait for is spending the rest of my life with you.'

Damian drew Jake in close and the perfect pairing kissed.

The night was still young, and there was much fun and partying still ahead. But as far as Damian and Jake were concerned, they had everything the needed right there in the parking lot.

They had each other.