A Life of Crime and Love

"THE MAGAZINES ARE IN my room so I'll just run and go get them. Make yourself at home." Adam said before disappearing down the hall.

Wringing his hands together Shiloh looked around the living room, his eyes admiring the beige book shelf and he stopped when a picture caught his eye. It was pretty old and he shuffled closer to get a better view. The thick-framed picture looked very expensive and as he observed it, he saw that Jaiden and Adam were standing beside each other with a few other boys who were all wearing matching uniforms. Frowning he saw two men who looked suspiciously like a younger version of Kyle and Chris. Picking up the frame he saw another boy who had his arm wrapped around a shorter boy who looked like Lucian and the kid next to him was Marcus.

This must have been taken in high school so that meant that Marcus knew Lucian?

Behind the boys in the picture was a school called Westminster Academy, the name was written in huge block letters. If they all went to the same school why did Lucian hate Marcus so much? What happened between them to cause such animosity?

Perhaps, Adam knew but wasn't allowed to tell him anything?

"Okay, I'm back!" Adam said, carrying a stack of magazines. "We have a lot to get through so I hope you cleared your calendar for the afternoon."

Hastily Shiloh put the picture down before turning towards his friend. "Yup, I'm ready."

As he approached Adam he could feel his eyes on him, calculating his every move. "That's how we all met."

"Oh?" Shiloh asked trying to pretend was disinterested.

"Yup," Adam said. "It seems like only yesterday we were all at Westminster Academy Correctional Facility."

"The what?" Shiloh sputtered.

Adam stared at him impassively. "Juvie? Didn't Lucian tell you?"

"You were in juvie?"

"Yes, briefly, not as long as the others were. Jaiden has a bad history with violence, Kyle is a computer hacker and Chris used to steal everything and anything... I, on the other hand, was known for prostitution, abusing drugs, and all that fun stuff."

"And Lucian...?"

"Oh, Lucian didn't do anything wrong."

"I don't understand."

"His Dad kept saying he needed to toughen up and stop being a fag. I don't know the specifics but I heard he got himself sent there on purpose, just so that his Dad would think he was tough. It was years before his father finally accepted him and that was after he agreed to start running the family business." Adam explained. "But it's not something he likes to share because his father is ashamed of himself now."

Shiloh nodded drinking all of the information in. "What about the other guy?" Although he did enjoy Adam's company, he didn't want to let on that he knew who Marcus was.

"Oh, that's Marcus... from what I heard he was in for petty stuff, stealing, arson those things. He always used to compete against Lucian, no matter what it was or where they got it they both had to have it. At one time they were close... Almost like brothers...Oh, well...Now, you have to look at these designs!"

Half-hearted Shiloh listened to Adam ramble on about every magazine keeping his eye on the clock.

He had three hours before he had to go home.

In three hours, he would give Lucian the chance to explain.

And in three hours he'd know whether he'd be calling the wedding off.

iIi

"MAKE SURE IT'S all taken care of."

"Sure thing, boss."

Lucian hung up walking brusquely to his apartment building. Once he got inside he could hear soft music playing in the background and a tantalizing smell coming from the kitchen. Rubbing his stomach he followed his nose and smiled when he saw Shiloh taking some chicken out of the oven.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Hi," Shiloh replied, placing the food on the counter.

Taking out some plates he set the table for both of them then shrugged off his coat and turned up the volume on the song on the radio which happened to be 'The way you look tonight'.

"Put that down for a second," Lucian said pulling Shiloh away from the counter.

"What—no, Lucian I can't—"

"Please," Lucian whined hugging him around the waist.

"Fine, but if the rice burns you are eating all of it." Shiloh laughed throwing his arms over Lucian's shoulders as they swayed.

Inhaling his smell Lucian knew it was time. He couldn't hide any longer. With every lie, he could feel Shiloh slipping through his fingers.

"You're in a good mood tonight," Shiloh commented.

"I just feel like things are going to start getting better for us," Lucian replied he knew he was being cryptic.

"Okay," Shiloh said. "I wasn't aware things were bad?"

"They aren't." He answered quickly. "I just meant that I'll be able to spend more time with you now…that...a situation has been removed…permanently."

"What?" Shiloh stopped swaying and stared at Lucian. "What's going on?"

"There's something I need to tell you." He said swallowing thickly.

Lucian was terrified of losing him.

"What is it—dammit!" Shiloh cursed running over to the stove to run off the boiling rice and luckily, he had managed to save it. Putting on his oven mitts he placed the chicken on the table, along with the rice and vegetables.

"What is it, baby?" Shiloh asked, licking his fingers, and sitting down at the table.

Lucian sat down and placed his napkin on his lap before he leaned over to hold Shiloh's hand.

"I need you to hear all of me and if you decide you want to call the wedding off…I'll understand."

Shiloh stared at him confused. "Does this have something to do with your family business?"

"Yes…I want you to listen to everything I say before you make your decision."

Shiloh took a deep breath. "Okay, I'm listening. What is it?"

"Well," Lucian said keeping his voice even. "Tell me, what do you know about the Mafia?"

iIi

MARCUS BIT DOWN HARD on his lip to stop himself from crying out.

Underneath him a thin, dark-haired boy was hunched over on all four, hands braced against the bed frame, jerking forwards in time with each of his powerful thrusts.

Almost unbearable pleasure tore through him as he grunted, body shuddering uncontrollably as he climaxed, come filling the condom before he withdrew quickly. Marcus rolled over and sighed, body glistening with sweat.

Laying there for a moment he turned over to the boy next to him and realized he didn't even know his name, oh well, just another nameless, dark-hair youth with hazel green eyes to add to his list. So what? He never bothered with them before.

He got off of the bed and headed for the bathroom, throwing the condom in the trash can on his way, the boy stood silently watching him. Marcus snorted, let him watch, he wasn't having him again. In the bathroom, he locked the door and turned on the spray before stepping in. After sex he liked to wash immediately, it was bliss while it was happening but once it was over he just wanted to forget about it...at least until the next dark-hair boy appeared on the horizon.

Putting on a terry cloth bathrobe he glanced at himself in the mirror. He was twenty-nine but no one would ever guess because he looked nineteen, tall, nicely slim with Teutonic green eyes and light brown hair. As he unlocked the door and stepped out of the bathroom, he saw that the boy had dressed, sliding into his baggy jeans and t-shirt, his back was to the room as he looked out the window.

Marcus went over to the dresser and selected two twenty-dollar bills from a small pile. He didn't usually keep so much money in the house but Fazio insisted on it for emergencies. He cleared his throat to let the boy know he was there.

The boy turned around slowly, still hard through his pants.

Marcus held up two ten-dollar bills. "Car fare." He said smoothly.

"Fuck you," the boy replied in a thick Italian accent.

Marcus felt a tremor roll through his entire body. How could he have been so stupid?

Slowly the boy reached into the waistband of his jeans producing a lethal pistol, that glinted in the light. "Yaa wanted to screw us?" He mocked. "And I'm gonna give ya one, a real heavy screwin', and this time I'm fuckin' you."

Marcus stood perfectly still by the door, his mind racing as he desperately tried not to panic. Who the fuck was this guy? What did he want? Most importantly, what did he have to bribe him with?

"Ya think you can fuck with us? We're everywhere man, yer pussy ass ain't goin' bring us down."

"Who are you?" Marcus barked.

The boy smirked. "I'm nobody yo, yet I'm everybody. By the way, Lucian Botticelli sends his regards."

Marcus's eyes widened then he lunged forward, shoving his hand deep into his dresser drawer producing a small snub-nosed .25 caliber pistol.

"Tell Lucian to go fuck himself," Marcus grunted firing six shots.

His aim was impeccable; the amateur kid didn't even see it coming before the shots rang out piercing the air and his flesh. When it was all over Marcus growled under his breath as he approached the dead boy, angry that the blood was soaking through his carpet and splattered all over the walls. Six holes bled from the boy's chest and he stared up at the ceiling with soulless eyes.

Fazio busted open the door with a legion of security guards behind him, he stared at his brother before his eyes flickered down to the dead boy in front of him.

Marcus was fuming mad, mostly at his idiocy for not being careful enough and at Lucian sending a child to kill him.

"Get him out of here quickly," Marcus snarled, hands curling into a fist.

"What happened?" Fazio asked.

"Botticelli just declared war."