"How did you manage to get in here?" Daniel spread the towel over his body, trying to cover as much of himself as possible to shield his nakedness from the predatory eyes. His cheeks burned not from heat but from irritated embarrassment – Sennoy stared at him as if ready to devour him. So much for being straight.

"Anything is possible with money and connections," Sennoy shamelessly adjusted the bulge in his groin and rolled over on the hammam stone, moving closer. The hammam was empty during the daylight hours, so there was no need for whispering. Daniel took a ragged breath and gritted his teeth, trying to calm himself. Sennoy's proximity still spiked his stress level, made him remember things he'd tried hard to forget, and triggered a conditioned obedience reflex in him.

" I signed the pass with a different name, so they won't see my name pop up here for no reason. No need to get Bystritsky's eyes on me. Did you spill to Sasha who your... your shot caller was in the zone?"

"No," Daniel gritted his teeth. "And I'd rather forget it myself. What, do you want to talk about how you destroyed me, you bastard?"

"I want to explain," Sennoy replied into his folded hands, his voice muffled and almost inaudible. "I got a wire about you from my contact - it was necessary to downgrade one cocky guy, and so he wouldn't find out who ordered it. Being a shot caller demands a lot, including doing such things. Everything is connected, you know. I only found out later that my contact was being played by Matvey Bystritsky. That fucker!" Sennoy raised his red, wet face and slammed his fist into the stone. Daniel, flinching, pulled away from him. "It wasn't enough for Matvey to put me there; he got a kick out of pulling my strings like I was some puppet. Fucking puppeteer!"

" I'm glad you got fucked over too, though it's a shame you weren't literally fucked," Daniel sat up, closing his eyes tightly as his head spun from excitement and the sudden movement. He continued once he'd regained control of his voice. "We could serve the gen pop together, as equals. Wouldn't that be fun?"

"I'm sorry," Sennoy sat up too. "I know you hate me. Anyone would. But remember, if I hadn't given the order, someone else would have. You'd still be a rooster. Blame the Bystritskys; I was just the executor. And I deeply regretted it. If I'd known Matvey wanted you downgraded, I'd have done anything to stop it. It wasn't about wanting to please you - I didn't know you then; you meant nothing to me."

"I meant nothing to you after that too," Daniel squinted at the hand gripping the edge of the stone. He remembered Sennoy's strength, how destructive his fists had been. His mouth felt bitter and dry. Daniel coughed, bowing slightly. "Let's get to the point. Did you get the information?"

"I got it," Sennoy leaned closer, peering into Daniel's weary face. "It's in your Telegram; you can check it out."

"Then why the hell did you call me here?" Daniel jumped up, shouting before hissing quietly so Marat outside wouldn't overhear. "Why did you call me here?"

"I wanted to talk, to apologize properly, to see you," Sennoy replied simply, looking directly at him. "And to convince you that I genuinely want to help you to make up for what I did in the zone. If you don't want to go after Bystritsky together, I understand; I won't insist. I can do it alone. I'm sure Sasha won't let you off the hook, with or without evidence. Judging by the reports, he's obsessed with you. And I understand why," Sennoy rose smoothly and moved toward Daniel. "There's something about you, not just your good looks, but something touching and soft. That makes one want to take you under the wing, protect you, keep you safe. You remind me of a friend I mentioned to you."

"Stay away," Daniel warned, shaking his head. His heart was racing, and his ears were ringing. "I'll call the bodyguards."

"Don't be afraid of me," Sennoy stopped, raising his hands in a sign of peace. "I won't hurt you, Daniel. Not anymore," Sennoy grinned crookedly, noticing Daniel's expression of distaste. "We're both on the outside now; there's no need to follow stupid rules. I can touch you, be on equal footing with you."

"So? " Daniel blinked, dazed and sweating, trying to clear his eyes. "Is that supposed to make me come on to you? You're such a hypocrite, Sennoy! You pretended to be straight in the zone, but you're actually just a closeted faggot!"

"I can hit you, Daniel," Sennoy whispered, almost affectionately. "And so fast you won't even have time to scream. Watch your mouth. First of all, I'm not a faggot, just a curious straight man. Second, yeah, that should push you. You'll have to choose sides in the war, and unlike the Bystritskys, I'm more predictable and reasonable."

"I won't have to," Daniel retorted. "I'll go far away from here."

"Well, well, well," Sennoy smirked mockingly. "As if the Bystritskys' reach doesn't extend that far. If necessary, they'll get you out of Papua New Guinea and deliver you in the best possible condition. I've always been amazed at your naiveté despite your great brain. I won't push you, you'll wise up in time and much sooner than you think. Sashka's headed for trouble."

"What did he do?" Daniel's alertness peaked. Fucking Sennoy was speaking in riddles, which was frantically annoying him.

"He messed with the wrong people," Sennoy said vaguely. "It's still unclear that he's behind, he's acting with skill and subtlety. If I hadn't been keeping an eye on him, I wouldn't have realized he was pulling the strings behind the shitstorm in the oil industry. He set his old buddies against each other, and they're still living by the old code. Once they start tearing into each other and dragging everyone else into it, everything will be exposed. His father's already nervous, trying to cover up the scandal, and he doesn't care that his own son started it."

Daniel went cold despite the hot, humid air. His pseudo-kidnapping was a proper way to get Sonya out of the way. Alexander hadn't just come to rage over the attempted assassination of his lover; he'd launched a vendetta. A wave of boundless tenderness mixed with shame for deception washed over him - what now? He couldn't tell the truth - Sonya would suffer, and it was probably too late.

"And once his old man finds out why Sashka went on a berserk, or rather, because of whom," Sennoy moved towards him again, athletic, sinewy, with muscles rolling under his skin, dangerous. "Someone's going to get hurt. He'll tear you to pieces, Daniel. And he'll buy his fucking son a new plaything to calm him down."

"It wasn't me," Daniel whispered unconvincingly, backing away. "It wasn't me."

"Uh-huh," Sennoy nodded. "Of course, it wasn't. My guys followed you from the hookah joint to the girl you hung out with and your other little adventures. You handled it pretty smoothly, by the way. Told Sashka you'd been kidnapped, huh?" Sennoy spread his hands in admiration as Daniel glared at him without denying it. "Smart move. You had your fun and sent Sashka on a wild goose chase, but you didn't consider one thing - that dumbass Sashka would kill half of Moscow for you without blinking an eye."

"N-no," Daniel pressed his feet against another rock but couldn't hold on and collapsed onto it. "He'll stop. I'll talk to him."

"It's too late, Daniel. Others will be having a word with him now. He'll catch some heat from his old man, but you, Daniel, better choose yourself another protector," Sennoy loomed over him, making him recoil. "I can scoop you up at any time, just give me a call."

"Stand back," Daniel dodged the outstretched hand. "Don't touch me!"

The door to the hammam opened, and Sennoy quickly withdrew his hand, pretending to stretch. Daniel swallowed, afraid to look up at him, staring blankly at the lean abs with well-defined muscles, the thin pale hairline from his navel down to the unexpectedly playful red and white polka-dot bathing shorts. He recalled with horror the times he'd seen that belly tense and quiver in anticipation, the thin veins pulsing, the hard muscles taut. He imagined himself kneeling before Sennoy again, seeking protection, but now without time limits.

With a meaningful cough, Sennoy picked up a towel from a nearby rock, threw it over his shoulder, just like he did in the zone, and stepped out. Daniel managed to crawl out much later, after pulling himself together. He vomited immediately upon exiting, expelling the remains of his breakfast along with copious amounts of bile. Marat, who had been swimming near the edge of the pool by the hammam, jumped out of the water and danced around Daniel anxiously.

"You've overheated! I'll get you some water," he rushed to the door but then hesitated, remembering he couldn't leave Daniel alone. He barked at the cleaning lady who was wiping down the pool equipment nearby. "Get the receptionist! Can't you see the man's not well?"

"I'm better, I don't need to call anyone," Daniel struggled to straighten up, blinking away the multicolored circles in his vision.

"Can I... help you up?" Marat approached cautiously, but Daniel waved him away.

"It's okay, I'm just overheated," he exhaled, wiping his lips. 'It'll be all right, it'll be all right. Sennoy's up to something. Judging by the fact that he didn't kill his hope right away like last time, he's only scaring him because he wants to lure Daniel to himself and use him against the Bystritskys.

Alexander met him in the courtyard with a scowl on his face. Daniel could see from the driveway that he was tense. His stance resembled that of someone ready to throw a punch: legs wide apart, body tilted forward, shoulders raised, fists clenched, and a sharp glare from beneath his lion's mane at the approaching car. The gray Kooples T-shirt, adorned with a frivolous skull in a bouquet of roses, seemed out of place, contrasting with his mood, which oddly pleased Daniel. Alexander had recently been trying to dress in his favorite brands, ones Daniel used to buy only at sales with big discounts.

Daniel quickly ran through everything in his mind that could have upset Alexander and found no transgressions except for his impromptu trip to the fitness center. He got out of the car slowly, deliberately stretching the moment, and looked at Alexander with wary eyes before pulling the metaphorical pin from the grenade. Alexander shouted, flaring his nostrils angrily, advancing dominantly.

"I told you: run here! Right here, not at the fitness center! There's a treadmill, a huge forest at your disposal - you can run all you want! There's a banya if you want to take a steam! But no, you had to go to dusty, gassy Moscow and curl up there right after the steam room!"

"Calm down, Sasha, I just drank stale juice and got overheated," Daniel replied fearlessly, drawing closer. The tenderness that had awoken within him urged him to embrace Alexander, to soothe the man who had unleashed an unnecessary war for his sake. He wrapped his arm around Alexander's waist, slipping his hand under the waistband of his shorts to touch his hot, sweaty skin, a sign that he had been standing outside for ten minutes, waiting for him. Silly... Daniel smiled affectionately, tilting his head back, uncaring that the driver, Marat, and the house staff were watching.

"Worried about me? It's nice."

"Nice for him, hell," Alexander, rapidly softening, his eyelids twitching excitedly, leaned toward Daniel like a magnet. "I'm sorry I yelled. Oh, what are you doing... If you don't take your hand away, I'm not responsible for myself."

"Don't be," Daniel murmured, closing his eyes and letting his tongue slip into Alexander's mouth. He scratched predatorily at Alexander's lower back, digging into the beginning of his buttock. Alexander moaned against his lips, scooping him up into his arms and pulling him higher, forcing him onto his tiptoes. Breaking the kiss, he said happily, "You know what? Forget what I just yelled. You can go there every day if you come back in that mood."

"What kind of mood?" Daniel asked, tilting his head to his shoulder.

"I'll tell you in the bedroom," Alexander said, hurrying him towards the house entrance. "In fact, I'll even show you." His tone turned serious as he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Daniel replied lightly, rushing toward the stairs. Alexander stomped heavily after him, waving his arms excitedly to grab him. He began to undress on the threshold of the bedroom, peeling off his T-shirt and tossing it toward the window. Daniel watched its flight, chuckling when the shirt flew out into the garden, and lazily pulled his own shirt up.

"Are you going to throw your underpants in the garden too? Close the door."

"Huh?" Alexander was already thinking poorly, hungrily eyeing Daniel's naked torso and tugging at the stuck fabric belt. The sturdy weave of the belt couldn't withstand the passion - it burst, and Alexander, ignoring the open door, pulled down his shorts and underwear to his sneakers, exposing his bare ass to the outside.

"What the fuck!" Daniel, unable to stand it, leapt towards him, deftly ducked under his armpit without letting himself be grabbed, and slammed the door shut, smacking Alexander's ass with it. Alexander, straddled by his shorts, balanced with his arms and collapsed to his knees, gasping slightly in pain.

"Ah, that hurt!" Alexander turned around, pulled his legs out of the clothing trap, and yanked Daniel toward him. Daniel laughed, bursting with incomprehensible happiness, a premonition of imminent freedom, and great tenderness for Alexander.

"On the bed! It's not for you to ride bareback on the floor. Wait... Do you hear? Sasha, slow down... On the bed, come on."

Alexander dragged him to the bedside rug but couldn't do more than that. He kissed Daniel's laughing face, fumbling in the locker and throwing everything aside in search of lubricant and condoms, while with the other hand squeezing his buttocks hard enough to leave future bruises, pressing into the hollow. He finally threw him easily on the bed, always impressing with his wild excitement and strength. Climbing on top, he penetrated with slippery fingers, simultaneously entering Daniel's mouth with his tongue. Daniel arched up with a mix of pleasure and slight pain, opened up more, and pressed down on Alexander's shoulders, shaking his head to slow things down a bit. Alexander jerked as if struck, his black eyes with green circling the edges filled with fear of rejection, but obediently slowed when Daniel cried out in frustration.

"Settle down, Sasha!"

"I'm sorry, Danechka," Alexander raised himself on his elbow, allowing Daniel to breathe more freely. He stared down at their straining cocks sliding against each other, then sobbed and took a nipple in his lips. Daniel stroked his perpetually disheveled hair encouragingly. Fingers slid inside confidently and gently, without the recent harshness, parting, tucking, pressing against his prostate. Daniel shuddered as each pressure sent searing waves through his body, and he stroked Alexander's broad, firm shoulders and the bulging chest with dark pink nipples. He tried to relax when the large latex head pressed into the softened opening.

A sharp thrust, a second of pain, and then it felt hot and familiarly sweet. Daniel crossed his legs behind Alexander's back, running his palms over the tight muscles of his back, over the lumbar curve that flowed into neat, firm buttocks, squeezing them hard. Alexander, thrusting continuously but gently, blurted out a smile.

"What, you want to fuck me?"

"Maybe," Daniel exhaled raggedly. "Is the offer still on the table?"

"It is. I'm ready for anything with you, Danechka," Alexander narrowed his eyebrows and opened his reddened lips, experiencing a particularly pleasant moment. He continued with a squeeze: "I'm a pure top. I've tried to be on the bottom before - it didn't work. But with you, I'm sure it will be a pleasure. Although..." He paused, letting Daniel get used to it. "Though I love taking you, I adore when you lie under me, giving yourself, like now - not writhing, not freezing. It's indescribable. Yeah."

They didn't speak again. Daniel moaned, squirming as the hot, hard shaft rubbed tightly over his prostate. He gasped with pleasure, rubbing his own cock against Alexander's iron-tight abs. He kissed greedily, choking, pulling Alexander to him by the ears - he couldn't tear himself away, wanting to drink him in completely, to give all of himself for the fact that Alexander wasn't afraid to defy dangerous people to protect him. Alexander cried out gutturally, writhing his face in agony, digging his fingernails into Daniel's thigh so he wouldn't cum too soon. He paused, pressing his soaking body against Daniel's equally wet body to let the surge of orgasmic pleasure subside. Then he began to move slowly, raising the intensity again, whipping their arousal higher and higher.

Never before had they connected so deeply in both body and soul. Daniel felt this special unity and saw that Alexander, jubilant and triumphant, felt it too. Overwhelmed by tenderness and mad passion, he sobbed and growled, swept away by the intensity of their bond.

His orgasm was equally explosive, appropriately stellar. Daniel arched, mouth open in a silent scream, disintegrating into atoms, unable to see anything in front of him. Everything went dark, swirled, and vanished, leaving behind a blinding, peaceful euphoria - a petit mort.

Consciousness returned in fragments, with intermittent glimpses of reality: the tart-musky smell of sex mingling with the garden's scents, the caressing whisper, the salty taste from a bitten lip, the ticklishly pleasant stroking of his belly. His awareness fully returned when a teasing tongue touched the burning, throbbing entrance.

"What are you..." Daniel trembled languidly, glancing down at Alexander's golden head with a chuckle. "Don't, it's dirty."

"Nothing is dirty with you," Alexander replied, lifting his head and flashing happy green eyes before leaning down. Their moment was interrupted by the phone ringing loudly. "Fuck! Goshka's here! Damn, I'd forgotten all about him. Ahh... I don't want to be away from you."

"Go, we'll continue tonight. I don't want to do anything right now anyway, I'm all disassembled," Daniel said, twiddling his fingers in the air as he tried to articulate his thoughts. "It feels like I've been taken apart and not put back together."

"I'll put you back together," Alexander promised, standing up and pulling his cell phone from his shorts pocket. "Rest for now. Just don't work, please. Or I'll come back on the wings of love and find you buried in another project."

"I have nothing for today, remember? You promised to give me a project," Daniel said, adjusting himself and padding the pillows. "Go on, I'll wait for you in a good mood, I promise."

"Wait. Yes, Gosh, I'm sorry, I'll rinse off and be right there. Five minutes, okay?" Alexander ended the call and sat back down. "Danechka, today was... I don't even know how to describe it in words. You were mine, all mine. I felt that you accepted me completely. Completely! Please be like that forever. I love you."

"I... I feel something for you too, something I've never felt before," Daniel smiled, running a caressing hand over Alexander's cheek before pushing him away gently. "Now go on, it's rude to keep your soldier boy waiting."

"And Goshka doesn't talk badly about you anymore, by the way," Alexander said, slipping into the bathroom. "He even asked on your birthday if I was overreacting or hitting you."

"I couldn't care less about his concern," Daniel grimaced. Georgy's condescending concern felt humiliating. "I don't want to hear what else he asks about me. He already knows everything about me, down to how many shits a day I take."

"Don't be angry, Danechka," Alexander whimpered, looking at him with the expression of a beaten dog. He sighed dejectedly, punched the doorframe, and disappeared into the bathroom.

Daniel retreated to the adjacent bedroom to wash up as well. His brief annoyance was replaced by anticipation. He couldn't wait for Alexander to leave so he could pull the hidden tablet out of the closet, read Sennoy's findings, and... change his life drastically. He showered quickly but only returned to their bedroom when he heard the door slam, signaling Alexander had left. He hurriedly put on fresh underwear, pants, and a T-shirt, grabbed the Ipad from his garment bag, and sat down on the floor in the dressing room. His fingers trembled with excitement, causing the app pictures to jump. Daniel took a measured breath, calming himself, and opened Telegram to access the secret chat. He downloaded the file he'd been sent, zoomed in on the text to catch every detail. Then he almost collapsed on the floor from shock.

Bingo!

Liza Ershova had bought a Ulysse Nardin Genghis Khan wristwatch for $490,000 and a villa in Santiago, Chile, for $8 million through an offshore account in Cyprus. Eight million dollars! There was no way a not particularly successful model, long out of circulation, and a former consultant who wasn't making a million dollars a year yet could afford that. Hatred surged through him like a blaring siren, making him punch the floor and growl in frustration. Daniel crawled over to his stash of Seroquel, popped one into his mouth, and chewed it quickly, bitterly. He couldn't afford to snap now, not under any circumstances.

Fucking Mikhail! He seemed so honest, so open! Daniel had only checked him out for the sake of thoroughness, not even looking into his ex-wife. And he'd missed so much! Daniel bit down on his knuckles and groaned, piecing the whole picture together. Mikhail must have started preparing long before he found the right project and the right player for the scam. He even divorced his wife to avoid drawing attention to her transactions - a clever move. He planned his future in Latin America, if he bought a villa in Chile. He played it perfectly, behaved impeccably, and continued to act modestly, with transactions that matched his income. He knew Bystritsky's security guards were still watching him. Probably, he was betting on the startup's success to get an option in the IPO and disguise his early retirement with it. If it weren't for Mikhail's vain wife, Daniel would never have caught on to him, just as Alexander's security team never did.

The pill began to take effect, wrapping Daniel in a light drowsiness and slowing his nervous reactions. He stood up, picked up the Ipad, and walked shakily toward the exit.

Time to reveal the truth.

Georgy frowned unhappily as Daniel entered the home office without knocking. Maxim, standing by the window, raised his eyebrows in surprise. Alexander, sensing Daniel's condition, jumped out from behind his desk, accidentally kneeing it. He hissed in pain but limped over, asking.

"Danny, is something wrong?"

"Yes," Daniel replied, turning to Georgy, who had started to rise. "Stay here, Georgy, this concerns you too. Sasha, sit next to him. Look!"

"What is it?" Georgy reluctantly took the tablet, flipping through the transactions. "A watch, a villa in Santiago... What the hell is this?"

"These transactions were made from an offshore account by Elizaveta Ershova, Mikhail Ershov's ex-wife, currently unemployed," Daniel said in a ringing voice, glaring at Georgy. "Mikhail Ershov, as you remember, worked with me on the project that I was accused of sabotaging. He didn't receive any inheritance; he didn't increase his official income legally. Do you understand?! Do you understand now that it's not my fault? How could you look for the culprit, Georgy, if you can't see beyond your own nose?!"

Georgy turned pale, raising bewildered eyes to Daniel, wiping sweat from his forehead with a trembling hand. He tried to say something but couldn't. Alexander hid his face in his palms.

"Well! Why are you silent?! Why aren't you reacting?" Daniel roared fiercely. "When it came to ruining my life, throwing me to rapists in prison, beating me with other people's hands, you didn't hesitate! You both destroyed me!" Daniel exhaled raggedly, rubbing his temples, trying to calm down. "Well, here's the deal: I want my life back. Now! Sasha, Sasha, say something!"

Alexander lifted his head maddeningly slowly, looking puzzled. Daniel suddenly began to understand.

"Where did you get those files?" Alexander snatched the Ipad from Georgy. "Who helped you?"

"What? Did you hear what I said? You... motherfucker, you knew everything!"

"I didn't know Ershov was involved," Alexander replied dully. "But I guessed, when you... when you tried to kill yourself, that you were not guilty of anything. A man can't lie in the face of death... Forgive me, Danechka, I beg you - forgive me!"

Georgy stared at his friend in shock, wheezing as he shoved Alexander in the shoulder with his fist.

"What the fuck?! You knew?!"

"I knew," Alexander confirmed stiffly, his jaw clenching. "That doesn't change anything. I'll punish Ershov. Don't think, Danny, that he'll get away with it. I made a cruel mistake, Danny, but I can't turn back time and change everything. I'll make it up to you. I'll do whatever it takes."

"You weren't going to let me go," Daniel shook with shock. "You planned from the start to keep me in the dark until the end of my sentence, and then what...? Set me up with some more bullshit? Is that it?"

"Danny, you need to calm down, get some sleep. You're shaking all over," Alexander stood up, took a step towards him, and froze when Daniel jumped back. "Maxim!"

Equally shaken, Maxim stammered and approached, taking in the scene.

"Max, get the sedative, now!" Alexander snapped his fingers, his eyes fixed on Daniel.

"Have you lost your mind, Sashka?" Georgy jumped up, pulling Alexander towards him. "What fucking sedative? Are you trying to drug him again like in Singapore?"

"Back off!" Alexander shook him off, still staring at Daniel, who was stumbling toward the door. "Mind your own business. I'll handle this myself. Max, hurry up! Danny, don't be afraid, you need to sleep, then we'll talk calmly and sort everything out. I'll explain everything. You'll have a completely different life; I've already opened an account for you..."

"Stay back!" Daniel jumped to the door, grabbed the handle, and struggled against Maxim, who had grabbed him. "Let go, you bastard! Don't you dare!"

Alexander rushed toward them, but Maxim growled.

"I'll handle it. Everything is under control!" He pushed Daniel into the door, clamping his arm and blocking Alexander's view. A needle point scratched Daniel's sweaty neck, but Maxim didn't stick it in. He whispered, "Pretend I enjected you. Relax. Please. Come on."

Daniel collapsed, more from shock than realization that Alexander's loyal dog had taken his side. He let himself be led into the adjoining room, feigning helplessness. Fear of the future tightened his jaw and brought nausea. And most importantly, maddening bitterness washed over him. Sennoy was right.

Pale-faced, Maxim led him into the room, closed the door lightly, and put a finger to his lips, signaling for silence. Daniel settled on the floor, listening intently.

"You're out of your fucking mind, Sashka! Out of your fucking mind!" Georgy growled, stomping. "How could you do that? We really ruined his life for nothing! And now you want to ruin it again! I can't believe it! How the hell do we fix this now?"

"Shut up, Goshka," Alexander hissed coldly, the sound of something jingling. "Have a drink and calm down. I'm in charge here, don't forget."

Georgy coughed, seemingly choking on something strong, and the sound of a glass hitting the table followed. In a calm but angry tone, he asked.

"So, what have you decided, boss? Why won't you let him go? If you think he'll make trouble, you're wrong - he's not stupid, he understands how the world works, and he won't want to..."

"Why not?" Alexander interrupted thoughtfully. "More like what for? Danny has a wonderful mole right here on his temple. You know, I never knew before him what it was like to want to give up both Samarkand and Bukhara for a mole. It's a crazy feeling, the most magical. With one look he can destroy me and lift me to the heavens. How can I let him go? I'm going to die, Gosha."

Daniel bit his lip to keep from crying out, squeezing his eyes shut. Maxim hissed warningly, kneeling beside him.

"What mole?" Georgy dropped his glass, which shattered with a merciless clink. "Sasha, what are you doing?"

"I love him, you fool, that's what," Alexander muttered. "I think that to the same extent that you love Natella. Why are you glaring? Do you think that this kind of love can only belong to straight people?"

"Don't bring Natella into this," Georgy cut him off.

"I will," Alexander interrupted. "Yes, there's a difference. You didn't throw her into a prison with animals. God, how I regret it! But otherwise, it's the same, Gosha. Don't twist things, listen to me. I know her family depends on you financially. You messed with her father's business and shifted the blame to another man. When she left you for her lover, you twisted his arm and made him send her away, all to keep her with you. Even though she wasn't in love with you, she stayed. So why are you blaming me?"

"How did you know?" Georgy fell silent immediately.

"From a little bird," Alexander snapped, then softened. "You're my friend, Gosha. I accept you as you are. So accept me as I am. Danny will stay with me, period. Damn, it was such a bad time! He was finally opening up to me today! Now I'll have to wait forever for the same thing. How did he get that fucking Ipad? You're supposed to keep track of his purchases!"

"I can't monitor everything," Georgy said. "What did he get for his birthday? I asked you, and you never answered."

"Birthday, right," Alexander mumbled. "Nastya. Of course, it was her. No one else would think of giving him something so small and cheap. Damn, what a snake!"

"I'll hit you for my sister," Georgy shot up, knocking his chair over.

"And I'll hit you. You should watch your sister! All right, calm down. Although... I could use a fight now. This is so messed up. It doesn't matter who gave him the tablet. Find out who helped to get the information on it. Find me that helper."

"I will," Georgy reluctantly agreed, adding after a pause, "Sasha, please, let him go. The man is suffering; he's torturing you too. You're about to lose it, and we've practically started World War III. You need focus now, don't you understand?"

"My focus is fine, but I'm not letting Danny go. Don't ask me again. He's my everything. You might as well ask me to slit my wrists!" Alexander hurled a glass at the wall, his voice rising with every word. Daniel shuddered violently, barely keeping from screaming.

"Let's go," Maxim whispered faintly. "You're getting worse. Please. If he finds out I didn't give you the sedative..." Maxim grimaced and repeated, "Please, let's go."

Daniel struggled to stand, leaning on his arm, then reached the couch and looked wearily at Maxim as he held out the pill. Maxim shook his head slightly, cutting off any chance of refusal. Daniel took in his features with a sense of doom: the unmemorable broad-skinned face, the pity in his gray eyes, the scars from teenage acne on his cheeks, the impeccably fresh white shirt, the modest gray suit slightly puckered at the side. Humanity peeked out only temporarily; now, facing him was a prison guard in service of a despot. There was no point in arguing or appealing to conscience.

Alexander had shown his true colors, cutting off all escape routes. Georgy, though still floundering, had already accepted his decision. The only one who could cut the Gordian knot was Sennoy. He was the only one with enough power to change everything. But he could be the next despot - there was no doubt about that.

The impending nervous breakdown pounded harder, panic constricting his throat, preventing him from taking a full breath. Perhaps sleep was a temporary solution to the problem. No thinking, no worrying, no hysteria. Just sleep.

The impending nervous breakdown grew more intense, panic tightening the throat, making it impossible to take a full breath. Maybe sleep was a temporary solution. No thinking, no fretting, no hysteria. Just sleep. Daniel took the pill, placed it under his tongue, and closed his eyes, feeling the bitterness. The bitterness slowly and inexorably spread, constricting his throat, covering him in a cottony haze, and everything faded away, disgustingly slowly, too slowly.