Except no matter what Dominic told himself, it changed nothing. He knew he wouldn’t allow Sammy to do it, end of story. And it pissed him off.
This… protectiveness was unacceptable. Dangerous.
“You’re very quiet,” Sammy said, leaning closer to him, his hand tightening on Dominic’s upper arm.
Dominic glanced around the deck, looking for security cameras. He couldn’t see any, but even if he missed some, it was highly unlikely that they would be overheard over the loud music played at the bar. There weren’t any passengers close enough to them. It was as safe to talk as it could be.
He looked back at the boy. Anxious green eyes were studying him.
“Something wrong?” Sammy said.
Dominic shook his head. He could hardly tell the kid what he was thinking about. Sam would likely be horrified if he found out that Dominic had been trying to convince himself to do the smart thing and use the boy’s body to get the information they needed.
On the other hand, maybe he should tell Sammy. It hadn’t escaped his notice that the kid had developed a bit of a crush on him. He should probably nip it in the bud and rid the boy of the delusion that he was some sort of knight in shining armor. The mere idea almost made Dominic laugh. He was nothing but a weapon. Some would call him a cold-blooded killer. Some would call him a two-faced, manipulative bastard. They wouldn’t be wrong.
“Okay, the silence is bit ominous,” Sammy said with a chuckle, his eyes bright with curiosity.
Christ. The boy was disgustingly endearing.
Dominic liked him. He genuinely liked him, and that was the crux of the problem. That didn’t happen to him. He’d learned a long time ago to keep emotional distance from other people during his missions. They were nothing but marks and collateral damage.
But this kid… Sammy looked at him as though he was the sun, not a cynical government agent with too many faces and bloodstained hands. It made him want to do something cruel, to wipe that look off the boy’s face.
Except… he liked it. It was nothing but a fantasy, but he fucking liked it, liked that Sammy thought he was a far better man than he was.
“You shouldn’t have a crush on me,” Dominic said.
Redheads didn’t blush prettily, but somehow, this one did.
To Sam’s credit, he didn’t even try to deny it. “I know,” he said with a sigh. “It’s annoying me, too. Don’t worry, I’m sure it’ll pass soon. I’m a teenager. I get a new crush every other week.”
Dominic chuckled, dropping a kiss on Sammy’s forehead. “Nothing to be embarrassed of, Bambi. I’m flattered.”
Sam half-scowled, half-smiled. “I’m not embarrassed. Just annoyed. Do you know how much it sucks to have a crush on a straight bloke? Why couldn’t they stick me with someone ugly?”
Dominic laughed. It wasn’t actually all that funny, but Sam’s annoyed, pouting expression was freaking adorable. Adorable wasn’t a word that had ever been in his vocabulary, but it fit this kid.
“It’s not funny,” Sammy said, glowering at him.
It was about as intimidating as a puppy’s bark.
“I’ll introduce you to Agent Quinn when we get back,” Dominic said, still smiling faintly. “He’s gay, close to your age, and he’s at least an eight. I’m sure you’ll be crushing on him in no time.”
“An eight wouldn’t do it,” Sam grumbled. “Have you seen yourself in the mirror?”
For the first time in a very long time, Dominic didn’t know what to say. He did know how he looked, of course. It would have been ridiculous to claim not to be aware of something that he often used if a mission required it. But this wasn’t a mark. This was a kid he liked. Despite making light of it, Dominic knew unrequited crushes could hurt a great deal when one was a teenager.
Sam laughed. “Stop. I can hear you panicking. I’m not in love with you or anything. I told you—I get a crush every week. I once had a crush on a priest who had been very kind to me. I convinced myself I was tragically in love with him, but then I saw a movie with Tom Hardy and forgot all about my epic love for the priest.”
“That’s reassuring,” Dominic said dryly. But it was. He didn’t want Sammy to fancy himself in love with him. He didn’t want the kid to get hurt.
This protectiveness wasn’t exactly new. He had felt protective of the boy (although, admittedly, not to this degree) even at their first meeting—when he’d seen the excitement and longing in Sam’s eyes as he asked Dominic whether he would have his own place if he accepted the job. From their first meeting, Dominic had been a little endeared by the lad, who could be cocky and shameless one moment and shy and vulnerable the next. He wanted to protect the boy, even from himself. Maybe especially from himself.