Precious

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Nick followed Vinny, passively. The rough tight fit of Vinny’s hand enveloped over his made him extraordinarily relaxed. The rain had ceased to fall in heavy droplets. Now, a slight pitter patter echoed off the empty buildings and quiet streets.

The streets were empty. The rain had the ability to not only wash away the grim of the city, but act as mood flusher as well. Nick attributed the events of the past few days to his constant hyper sense of paranoia. The life that he led thus far taught him how to survive by not being stupid and by not just accepting anyone’s control over his happiness. Survival of the fittest was what they called it. Nick recognized it as preventing dangerous entanglements.

Vinny slowed his pace as they neared a door surrounded by a few well dressed men. The only people who happened to be on the street. Nick quickly scanned the suited men. They reminded him of the bouncers at Leo’s, except they gave off a fairly ominous vibe from a distance.

One of the group’s members looked up as they approached. “Hey Mr. Constantine!” Three acknowledged Vinny and Nicky warmly.

“Good evening, boys. How’s the flow tonight?” An arm enclosed around Nick’s narrow waist. Standing among the four sharply coiffed men, Nicky felt slightly worried that he was underdressed. The show of possession wouldn’t go unnoticed.

“I’d say the place has nice attendance tonight and your crew is already sitting in their section.” Guard two said in a gravel-like voice.

“Good. Good.” Vinny reeled Nicky closer to his side. “I’d like to introduce you all to Nick Vaughn, the love of my life--” Nick flushed from the declaration.

The three men smiled and greeted him fondly. One, the only one who hadn’t spoken, looked at Nick with a curious stare. His eyes spoke of discerning—ruminating over something. “Did you work at Leo’s…Precious, right?”

Before Vinny had a chance to answer, Vinny silenced the larger man with a fierce scowl; silencing his questions. Nick nodded with a remorseful grin. He hoped the man understood it was nothing personal.

“Well, um…I hope you enjoy the first of many visits to the Domo.” The three stepped aside. The friendliest of the trio opened the door, allowing the sultry sounds from the interior to float out to them.

“I’m sure we’ll enjoy this night perfectly well.” Vinny declared in a tight voice. His grip around Nick’s waist was tight enough to nearly carry him over the threshold into the club.

“Calm down, Vinny. He didn’t mean anything by it.” Lull his ego and save the rest of the night from any future problems. That was Nick’s strategy.

“Luke, Rico and Shelley--stop by my office in a few days. I have some business I need handled.” Vinny led Nicky inside the doors and away from the slightly cowed trio.

Nick would never have guessed that Shelley was actually a woman. So much for his sense of normal, even in this crazy world of his.
The club was sparsely filled with stylish tables spread over the lush carpeted floors. Dim lighting heightened the intimacy of the club. Couples danced to the slow jazz melody resounding throughout. Sonorous and full of the smooth rich sounds that uncurled the tightened knot in Nick’s stomach. Vinny cast a small glance down at Nick. The reaction was more than he hoped. Domo had that effect on first timers.

“Later on, we can dance if you like?” Nick felt Vinny’s chin nestled in his hair for a brief moment.

“Sure.” Eyes wandered over this strange and wonderful environment. Never in his life had Nick seen so many couples same-sex or there about. All the sets were dressed finely in suits or dresses. The patrons were polished and elegant, perfect amongst the art deco theme of the Domo’s styling.

They approached booth nestled comfortably near the club’s largest illuminated fish tank. Nick instantly recognized some of the faces in around the table. Mostly, he remembered them from the days preceding Vinny’s persistent wooing. The others he didn’t recognize, but they were nonetheless sharp.

“Hey Vinny! Didn’t think ‘cha would make it.” Sal stood up to greet the other man. Sal was a large man with cropped salt and pepper hair. From bedtime conversations, Nick learned Sal was Vinny’s cousin from his mother’s side and older than him by approximately eight years. The man was even bigger than Vinny with broad shoulders that looked like they could carry mountains and hands that engulfed Nick’s twice over.

“I couldn’t very well allow you bastards to have all the fun.” They chided each other good naturedly. “I promised Nick something special and what’s more special than this place before you all booze it up.”

Sal’s belly rumbling laugh was contagious. “Don’t listen to this sorry sack of…ha, gottcha!” Sal engulfed Nick in a big hug and Nick warmly accepted Sal’s kiss on the cheek. “Nice to see you again, Sal.”

“You look great, Nick. ‘Bout time the Old Dog let you out for a night.”

“Be nice.” Nick teased.

The other’s Nick recognized stood from the table. “Good to see you too Johnny, Benson and… Paulie.” The three men moved to hug Nick as well. Relief flooded through him as he succeeded in remembering their names. Johnny was probably the youngest of the group, while Benson was the shortest. Paulie had a long visible scar along the outskirts of his right eye socket running down to follow the line of his cheek indentations.

“Great to see you fellas--” Nick embraced each of Vinny’s friend’s quickly, exchanging just a few pleasant words.

Vinny repositioned his hand around the Nick’s waist. “Now, I’d like to introduce you to their wonderfully gorgeous significant others.” The charm was being laid on thick.
“This is Johnny’s marvelously handy spouse Peter.” They exchanged a brief hug.

“Nice to meet you.” Pete was fair, light skin and stylish cut blonde hair. He was as tall as his husband which was there about average and very attractive. He was young, but not as young as Nick himself. Seeming reasonably nice, Nicky felt no notable connection with the man. “Hopefully, we can get to know each other better when the boys go into their little meeting later.”

“Sure.” He moved down the line to face the plump, pleasant looking little man in a beautiful creamy brown suit.

“Seeing you now…I already feel like I know you!” The shorter man wrapped Nick in a tight affectionate hug. Snug enough to make Nick lose his breath. “Benny told me that Vinny was in the process of making a move on someone, but--” He gestured grandly. A small smile spread across Nick’s lips. “That was a while ago. I’m so glad to meet you…., um”

“Oh, the name’s Nick. Nick Vaughn.”

Their hands were shaking again. “Alfred Vino.” The peaceful vibes radiating from the man easily endeared him to Nick. “You need anything just give me a call.”

“Okay, thanks a lot…” A waiter approached the table with a tray loaded with drinks and one seemingly out of plate of grill cheese. Nick watched as it was delivered to the man seated at the table.

“Excuse me if I don’t get to introduce myself properly.” Paulie massaged the shoulders of the seated man. He wore a pinstripe suit with a strikingly light lilac shirt on the inside. Paulie always struck Nick as the big and scary type of guy. The type that would rip your heart out rather than give you a hand up. The sight of him being gentle with someone or something other than his well known pearl handled glock was unnerving.

The seated man pushed the chair back to give Nick the perfect view of his large rounded belly. “Michael Nostra. I’m Paulie husband” He rubbed his swollen belly. “--And this is our fourth and what appears to be our most precocious child.”

“Congratulations.” Michael rolled his eyes, waving the well wishing off. He patted his tummy lightly as Paulie stood vigilante behind him. “After the first one, there’s no need for the well wishing. Kids give you more than enough to do than makes wishes…”

“I’ll remember that for the future.” It was hard to gauge the height of the seated man, but Nick doubted there was any similarity between the seated man’s and the standing’s. Michael was younger than Alfred, but years older than Peter.



Nick hadn’t noticed Sal disappeared until he returned with a stunning raven haired woman by his side. She was a little thick, but had the classic stature of a coca cola bottle. “Let us not forget Sal’s heartbreakingly beautiful Adrian.”

The brunette shook her head. She was the perfect cross between Elizabeth Taylor and Jennifer Tilly. Breathtaking. “I’ve been with you for how many years?” She teased a grinning Sal who eagerly kissed her. “Just learn that no matter what time of day or night, Vinny here will always be a charmer.”

“Nicky, Adrian. Adrian, Nicky.” Nicky moved to give the gorgeous drag queen a hug only to be pulled into a massive one instead. “Don’t be shy.”

“I’m not.” Nicky smiled.

Adrian smirked. “Good girl.” The older queen saw much potential and shared mannerisms with Nicky, making the younger man easily ingratiated to him. Little did Nicky know that before the night was through Adrian would become his best friend and closest person resembling family that he’d had in a long time.

Vinny ordered drinks for himself and Nick. The older man stood off to the side talking to Sal mostly as Nick made some head way in the little group. He watched them with a critical eye. Vinny knew in his heart and soul that Nick was his…his Precious and in all things his one and only. It was understood that Nick would become an intrinsic part of the group with or without their acceptance, Vinny hoped for the former to make things far smoother.

Undoubtedly from Vinny’s perspective, his Nick was unequivocally the youngest and most attractive. They didn’t call him ‘Precious’ for no reason. He’d hoped that Nick would bond with Michael and become fascinated with the prospect of having a large family. Yet, he was okay with Nick’s fast enthrallment with the silver tongued Adrian. The fit was right; therefore the time was perfect as well.

Shivers rolled down his spine like ice chips on a blistering day. Nick’s head tilted up from the conversation at hand with Adrian and Alfred. It wasn’t surprising to have Vinny standing so close. The look in his eye belied the feelings that were bubbling inside, ready to spring forward and erupt as he gazed down at Nick. Thick fingers grazed along the fixed lines of his neck tempting Nick with something that only he could offer.

“May I have this dance, caro?” The others watched the pair anxiously. Peter looked on the verge of gagging. Michael continued to eat and pretended to be disinterested. Alfred and Adrian watched unabashedly real romance was taking center stage before them.

“Of course, you can have this dance.” Taking the offered hand, he found his own tugged gently forward. The momentum led him to the perfect spot on the steadily active dance floor. The music shifted to from a fast paced swing set to a shrill quartet of horns and piano blending beautifully to create an enchanting seductive atmosphere.

Their hands were clasped together uniting them in their dance. Eyes gazed into each other creating an intense and resilient connection.

“You dance so beautifully.”

“That’s what I used to be paid for.” Vinny stroked Nick’s face. He drew Nick’s hands around his neck in an effort to keep the focus of those brilliant eyes on him. The musical notes blending together formed a hypnotic cocoon.

One big hand was nestled on the small of Nick’s slender back. While the other braced him across the center of his back. They stepped lightly from side to side. The two bodies were molded together sharing a single beat; at times—a single breath.

“Nicky, this is my life. These are my people. You’ve seen everything about me, the way I live, my beliefs, my spirit. I’ve shown you my darkness…not to frighten you, but to test you. To see if you’re ready to make the journey with me.”

“You really want me, Vinny?” Nick rested his head on Vinny’s shoulder. It was easier to listen than to have the hard stare of Vinny’s midnight deep eyes on him.
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“With all my heart, Precious. With every ounce of me. If you want this older fat man?” Nick was flush against the brick wall like body. Through the layers of clothing he could feel the jackrabbit cadence of Vinny’s heart. Nick smiled at the joke.

The swell of emotion be shown by the staunchly stoic man was disrupting Nick’s internal balance. He was feeling light headed and high all in the same breath. “Vinny, what…”

“Say my name again. Please.” He didn’t do begging, but pleading was entirely in his vocabulary.

“Vinny.” It was a gasp. Airy and light, skittering across smooth skin onto stubble rough territory. He pushed Nicky back slightly. Music swam around them, making the world shrink down to just the two of them.

Vinny rolled down to kneel before the younger man. “Marry Nicky. Make me a better man and I swear to God and the hall of all the saints that I will care for you for always.”

Nick could hear the softly whispered chants of ‘yes, yes, yes’ behind him. Somewhere in the urging he found his voice saying the same thing.

“Yes.”

Then, he was breathless.


TBC/?

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