Page 22 of Seth
Hands in his pockets, Loco looked at the canvas with an odd estrangement. Gustavo had seen the same expression on the faces of people condemned to death for crimes of outrageous cruelty. It was a lonely look of unrepentant acquiescence.
What on Earth are you thinking about?A dark attraction brought Gustavo closer, his chest nearly brushing against Loco’s back. A faint scent of myrrh, leather, and smoky sandalwood filled his lungs. Rich, dark, intoxicating, the scent was powerful yet refined.
Just like that night, Gustavo wanted to touch Loco’s hand and learn the temperature of his body, to squeeze his wrist and check his pulse. The longer he stood behind the beast, the warmer his body grew.
Gustavo had always had a propensity for beautiful people, for masterpieces in the flesh, but his attraction to Seth was almost nonsexual. Whenever he’d met another living masterpiece, he’d always had the immediate, overpowering urge to possess them, to explore every inch of their bodies.
With Seth, this need was incipient. Maybe watching him slay had closed that door, but even now, standing near one of the most beautiful men Gustavo had ever seen, he realized the heat he felt had nothing to do with lust but emotional excitement and adrenaline.
To stop himself from staring, Gustavo dragged his attention to “The Last Judgment”. Hieronymus Bosch’s works had never fascinated him, and this triptych wasn’t any different. Three paintings in the same frame—three biblical scenes describing the doom of humanity that began with its creation.
As a collector, Gustavo couldn’t deny the value of this work, yet he didn’t like it. It mirrored his thoughts about the vanity of humanity which made him like it even less. Tearing his gaze away from the juicy green of the Garden of Eden on the left, he examined the Last Judgment in the middle.
Dramatic colors, portraying scenes of misery and pain, spoke volumes about the sick mind of its creator. The surreal monsters tortured sinners, and above the grotesque inflictions of agony, Christ sat on the clouds reigning over this vivid anguish with merciless serenity. Most of his disciples kept their gazes on him, turning a blind eye to the chaos beneath. It made sense. Why would they look down if they were already saved?
The choice of colors, the play of shadows and light created a transparent bubble around Christ and his disciples as if invisible glass separated him from the filth and noise coming from Earth.
To Gustavo, it didn’t look like judgment but condemnation. And at that moment, he couldn’t tell who the real monsters were: those who tortured or those who refused to watch.
He wondered if Seth thought the same. Stealing a glance at the murderer, he noticed him inching toward the last panel where Satan reaped souls. Seth’s head tilted as he examined every little detail. His expression changed and now mirrored the one Christ wore.
For some reason, Gustavo loathed it. Wanting to wipe the serenity off Seth’s face, he said, “Fascinating, isn’t it? Is it where you draw your inspiration from, Loco?” Seth flinched and slowly turned around. Meeting the forever haughty expression, Gustavo continued, “Or are you looking for a warm place for yourself?”
The light semblance of a smile touched Seth’s lips but didn’t reach his eyes. Drawing his hands out of his pockets, Seth ran his fingers over his belt, drawing them closer to the buckle.
Gustavo stepped back, sharp hairs on his nape bristling. He couldn’t see any weapon yet, somehow, he felt the danger the murderer emitted and read his death sentence in the stormy-blue eyes. Step after step, he installed a safe distance between them, appropriate for self-defense, then clicked his tongue.
“Nah-ah, Loco, thou shalt not kill.” Watching Seth’s fingers tensing around the buckle, he pointed to the security camera in the corner. “Oh, sorry, that’s too late for a warning. I guess you are going to hell, after all.”
The hard slapof an insult whacked Seth’s face toward the man. The unmistakable notes of scorn, rattling in Gustavo’s voice, flooded his core with darkness. In his life, he’d heard it too many times not to recognize it. It wasn’t the mockery that threw Seth out of his comfort zone, but rather the deep-seated, clinical curiosity of a scientist cutting open a freaky insect. Even the insulting nickname, Loco, spoke volumes about his opinion of Seth.
This was not how Seth had predicted their second meeting. He’d expected to hear demands or propositions, not insults. Somehow, that disappointed. If the man only sought him out to mock and taunt, there was no point in communicating. Seth knew this type. People like Gustavo always began with verbal assaults wanting to stress their victims, degrade them, make them lose confidence, and therefore submit to the authority of a bully. If Seth complied once, he would have to bend over time after time, and in the end, there would be no promise of anything. No body, no freedom, no dignity.
I should have understood that sooner. Gustavo never intended to return Justin. He wants to fuck me over in the most painful way. Whatever his reason, he wants to degrade me, humiliate me.
Seth could have dealt with reasonable blackmail, maybe even with a smart manipulation, but not with an open insult. He’d already received too many of them to find the game amusing.
He glanced at the camera again, then at the few people scattered around the room. The punch daggers embedded in his buckle burned his hands, yet he wasn’t in a hurry to draw them out.
He’s right. I can’t kill him now no matter how good it would feel. His people and the police will never leave me alone. I have to force him to return Justin, and for that, I have to take something from him. Something of great value.
Gustavo’s lover came to mind. Seth regretted not sticking around Gustavo’s mansion for longer, not following the blond man home. Then again, he wasn’t sure that man was even remotely important.
Gustavo took another step back before speaking in a low, commanding voice. “I appreciate the passion, but in case you’re thinking of doing anything stupid, I have to warn you, I’m armed. I have no desire to hurt you, but I won’t hesitate to shoot if you force me. Please, don’t end this game so soon. I just started enjoying it.”
Seth tilted his head,leveling an acute glare at Gustavo. His shoulders relaxed, and he lifted his palm with regal grace as if allowing Gustavo to talk. The superior gesture both irritated and fascinated Gustavo.
Cornered, Seth behaved like he was the one in control.Why? Does he rely on his money this much? Or, perhaps, he thinks he has nothing to lose?
“Thank you for the card. I was touched,” Gustavo murmured. Seth’s brow quirked. “I heard you were looking for me and figured you must have a lot of questions.”
Plump lips parted then closed, and Seth’s chin moved from side to side. On his face, rage slowly gave way to faint amusement.
“Well, I do.” One hand in a pocket, Gustavo circled behind the murderer, assessing him.
Lazily, Seth twisted around as if permitting him to do so, yet he never let Gustavo out of sight. “You see, I’m an extremely curious person. You can even say you stole my sleep. So, I think you already know what I want, don’t you?”
Whatever Seth thought, it didn’t reflect on his face.
