"Why don't you want to come to me?" Sennoy asked, puzzled.

"Because I don't trust you," Daniel replied sarcastically.

"You can't trust anyone," Sennoy agreed. "All right, I'll be there. Don't be silly, Daniel. If you've decided to set a trap for me..."

"We'll do without threats," Daniel said dryly. "I don't have the money or the means to set a trap for you, Sennoy."

"Well... who knows? You're a smart kid," Sennoy said. "I'll drop by tonight."

Daniel disconnected the call, wrinkling his nose. He licked his parched lips, examining the room to see if he'd forgotten anything. He adjusted the curtain jerkily, rubbed his face - he didn't want to meet Sennoy! But there was no choice. It was necessary to go through this abominable step to protect himself. From fatigue and tension, his whole body trembled, his armpits were soaked. By evening... well, there was time to sleep. He had been preparing so early for nothing - he was accustomed to Alexander's impulsive behavior. Sennoy did not intend to rush at the first call; he showed that he was not that eager. To hell with him. Daniel collapsed onto the bed, the sofa's springs rattling pitifully. Sleep, sleep, sleep - he needed rest. Sleep came instantly as soon as he closed his eyelids. His exhausted body overpowered his nervous system, demanding rest.

He woke up as if someone pushed him, opening his eyes and immediately jumping up in fright. Above him stood smiling Sennoy, while two sturdy men silently walked around the room, peering into corners and opening cupboard doors.

"Sleeping beauty," commented Sennoy and shot a look at the two men. "Well?"

"No weapons, everything is clear," reported the taller one.

"Good. Damn, what a room. You stay at the front door, and let Dima wait with the others at the entrance," Sennoy shrugged, taking off his dark gray coat with a thin brown stripe, and raised his eyebrows in surprise when Daniel sat up on the bed. "Where are you going?"

"Outside to talk to you. I don't want to stay here," Daniel stood up, brushing off the sleep. "I told you to come alone, but you brought the whole army with you."

"Sit down," Sennoy pushed him back onto the bed. "I liked you better when you were asleep - meek, humble, not all scowling and ranting like now. I couldn't come alone; you got a grudge against me, might've set me up. Don't worry about my guys. No one's gonna hurt you. They're just here to watch my back.."

"What guarantee is there that they won't drag me into the car on your orders?" Daniel, flustered, smacked his hand away. "Do not touch me, Sennoy!"

"Call me Andrei, why do you keep using the prison handle," Sennoy pushed his legs with his knee, making himself more comfortable. "They ain't gonna haul you off. But I'm hoping you'll come with me. You'll be way better off at my place than stuck in this dump," Sennoy looked around the shabby interior disdainfully. "How much do you pay for this place - thirty rubles?"

"Fifteen for a room," Daniel cut him off, throwing his legs over the side and rising again. "No, I'm not going with you. I'd rather live in a kennel than in a gilded prison. Been there, done that, didn't like it."

"I'm not Sashka; I won't keep you on a leash," Sennoy closed his iron fingers on Daniel's elbow. "Why are you being so stubborn? I'm not going outside to get wet. We'll talk here," and he licked his lips hungrily, glaring from head to toe. Daniel shook off his elbow, rubbed the spot his fingers had gripped, but sat down obediently on the bed.

"When are you going to take Matvey Bystritsky down?"

"In a week," Sennoy answered quickly. "And Sashka's gonna be buried under lawsuits; he'll be too busy to bother with you. Before long, he'll start offloading his stuff cheap just to get out of trouble. Then you'll be outta here too. Deal?"

"Why not before?" Daniel lifted his head, gazing into the hard face. It was warming, softening, turning a faint blush with each passing moment. "You said he wouldn't have time for me."

"If you bounce right after they whack his old man, you're gonna draw too much heat. They'll be hunting you down all over. We need things to cool off first," Sennoy slipped his hand into his pants pocket, where Daniel could make out some objects, shamelessly jutting out the lump in his groin. Daniel grinned unhappily, turning away: Sennoy was obviously hoping for sex, lube, and condoms brought along.

"How exactly are you going to kill him?"

"This ain't the '90s, don't worry. You can't just plug someone's Mercedes with a Kalashnikov these days without stirring up trouble. But I've got it all figured out. Matvey's gonna kick the bucket like it's from old age. His family might dig into it if they get the experts involved, but they'll be too swamped with other problems to bother. The Bystritskys are getting squeezed from every angle. Matvey's oldest daughter's already set up shop in London with her family, and the middle one's offloading her stuff in a hurry. It's just Matvey and Sashka left floundering," Sennoy picked up Daniel's chin, forcing him to look at him.

"Listen, Daniel, you'd be better off sticking with me right now. It's safer, and you'll be more comfortable. And by the way, that blond hair of yours suits you. Didn't even recognize you at first."

"It's safer for me to wait it out, away from everyone involved," Daniel gently withdrew his fingers, opened his lips invitingly, and slowly fluttered his eyelashes. The new color undeniably suited him, made him look soft and youthful: naturally light blond, costing a lot of money in an expensive salon, contrasting with his dark eyebrows and eyelashes, but still harmonious. "I'm not coming to you. I'd rather meet here occasionally."

"I don't want to see you every now and then. I want to see you every day," Sennoy said, biting his lip and breathing harder. "And I don't want to risk you either. Stop arguing, Daniel. Let's make it better..." Sennoy pulled off his thin blue pullover and started unbuttoning his shirt. Reacting instantly, Daniel rushed to the foot of the sofa, deliberately provoking him. Sennoy growled and lunged after him, slipping a greedy hand under Daniel's t-shirt and then down, under the elastic band of his pants. He turned him over, whispering hotly in his face, "Are you playing with me, Daniel? I like it, go on." He tried to kiss him, but Daniel shoved him away with a spread hand.

"Stop it! We haven't finished!"

"We'll talk later," Sennoy growled, ripping open Daniel's cotton pants with a single movement. He reached under his underpants, squeezed his buttock fleetingly, and fumbled for his entrance, laughing in amazement. "Mm, so you were getting ready. Hold still, Daniel, I don't want to fuck you like you're in prison, let's do it right," he tried to catch his lips again.

Daniel punched him in the jaw briefly, shuddering at the rage in his gray eyes, and cried out, which was immediately answered by a slap that made his head rumble. He shook his head, muttering sluggishly, "Don't, Sennoy."

"Andrei, I told you - Andrei! You like to play, Daniel, so let's play," Sennoy snarled, sucking on his lips while pulling down his underpants and fumbling with his fly. He pulled away from his mouth, breathing heavily. "But only for tonight. Then I'll take you gently. Sasha broke you, that little bitch. It's okay, I'll fix it."

Daniel fought back weakly, pushing away in a feminine way, further enraging Sennoy with his weak resistance, writhing against the possessive kisses and strong hands clutching him. Suddenly, Sennoy pushed him away sharply as he pressed the base of the plug in his anus. Sennoy hit his back against the wall, didn't fall because of the proximity to the couch, pulled his underpants and briefs down to his knees, and lunged back up. He flipped Daniel over onto his stomach, grabbed his neck with his elbow, breathing raspily into his ear, and took hold of the ring of the plug. He wiggled it back and forth, enjoying the squelching sound, and whispered, "What, like you didn't prepare to meet me? Didn't stretch your ass for me? Turns you on when you are taken you by force? No, I'll fuck you differently later," he found Daniel's flaccid cock and began to jack it. "With commitment, Daniel, with full commitment. You're gonna cum under me tonight, don't pant."

"Get your hand off me, asshole," Daniel tried to free his neck from Sennoy's grip. "I can't breathe, Andrei! I don't want it any other way! If you want to fuck me, do it this way! Don't touch..." and he groaned when Sennoy pushed inside, stretching his walls with his hot, large shaft. The painful heat flooded in, flashing iridescent splashes under his eyelids, and a familiar heaviness filled his lower abdomen.

Sennoy wiggled his hips, slowly thrusting deeper, kissing Daniel's shoulders, thrusting and continuing to whisper, "Tight... damn, that squeeze feels good. It's been a while, hasn't it? That's good. I'm the only one who's gonna fuck you, okay? No Sasha, no one else. You're capricious like a girl, but I like it, I really like it," he reached the end and stopped, letting Daniel get used to it.

Blushing with exertion, unable to take a full breath, Daniel felt how tightly Sennoy's throbbing cock was filling him, how the dry, wiry body of Sennoy was pressing down on top of him. He tried desperately to imagine his tropical crevice, to escape into it, not to feel, not to be aroused against his will under the hated man. A drop of sweat rolled ticklishly from his forehead, hung on the tip of his nose, and broke off in a sharp long movement outward and inward. Dust specks danced in the sunlight, a gap between the rickety boards slithered into memory, and all was lost in the frantic speed of the jolts. The couch creaked mercilessly with old springs. His lungs vomited with hypoxia. The heat below swirled faster and harder. His own cock hardened in someone else's fingers. His head was spinning. His mouth was dry. Sennoy was already wheezing, reaching for the peak, nibbling sharply on his shoulders, adding to the flurry of sensations of danger. And Daniel exploded with a violent jerk and tumbled into the darkness.

He came to his senses from the careful patting of his cheeks. He opened his heavy eyelids and stared at the worried, pale Sennoy. He breathed a sigh of relief, relaxed, making himself comfortable. He stroked Daniel's painfully hot neck affectionately.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was strangling you. You blow my valves, Daniel. How are you feeling?"

Daniel tried to say something and coughed, clutching at his throat. His throat was sore, and between his legs. And in the shower, a gloomy twilight was settling in. He barked hoarsely, shoving Sennoy away, "I wish you were strangled and fucked too, asshole! Everything hurts. Get out of here, will you?"

"I apologized," Sennoy said meekly, smiling. "You've changed, Daniel. What do your family and friends call you, by the way?"

"Why?" Daniel looked up, wary.

"I want to call you by a short name," Sennoy stood up, stretching and crunching his bones. "I suppose Sasha had a sweet nicknake for you, and you don't want to be called the same. So I'm asking."

"Call me Daniel," Daniel demanded sullenly, striding out of the room. "And get out of here, man. You got what you wanted. Now I'd like to rest."

" Hold up. I brought some food; it'll be here any minute. I'll make it up to you for roughing you up, and we can have a proper talk," Sennoy followed him and stroked his wet back. Daniel shuddered - now, after his orgasm and temporary blackout, Sennoy's touch caused an almost animal-like rejection. His fingers balled into fists, his muscles tensing - a moment more and he'd be thrown into the fray. Sennoy snickered shrewdly, turning toward the bedroom to get dressed.

Daniel quickly rinsed himself off, disgusted as he cleaned the slippery passage slick with lube and cum. He rubbed himself red, examining the swollen skin on his neck and shoulders from the biting and squeezing, and stepped out in just a towel. Sennoy was already smoking out the kitchen window, and the stout man who had been putting out the food containers was embarrassed to see Daniel almost naked. Daniel didn't even raise an eyebrow - he didn't care about the bodyguards, as always; he had learned to ignore them. But Sennoy's insolent desire to stay irritated him. He dressed in the bedroom intentionally tightly, covering his body completely - if Sennoy was counting on the continuation, let him fail.

"I won't eat," Daniel said, coming into the kitchen and resting his shoulder against the doorjamb. "The roommate will be home from work soon, so it's time for you to leave. And take your handout with you."

"Dima, leave us," Sennoy sipped his mineral water, looked at silent Dima, and spoke assertively. " Dan, knock it off. I've got some patience, but I ain't dealing with your fits. I'll let you mess around in this dump for a bit, but once Matvey's handled, you're coming back with me. I might be under watch, so I am setting you up when I come around here."

"So don't come," Daniel gritted his teeth at the self-righteous tone. "Leave me alone, Andrei. I thought you wanted to help me, so help me! You make me sick."

"Don't lie," Sennoy tossed the empty bottle carelessly into the sink and began to approach. " When you moaned and came under me, you didn't puke. You ain't disgusted by men, so don't try to play me like you are," he reached out a hand to his cheek, but Daniel dodged it, backing away. "I haven't changed my mind about helping, don't worry. I'll help you get out of here and get your life back to normal. But I want you to stay with me for a while before you leave. Think of it as an unresolved gestalt."

"You mean that friend I remind you of? What, you wanted to fuck him, and he said no?" Daniel grinned lewdly and then wheezed as he was slammed into the wall, his throat in a vise grip. Cold, menacing Sennoy whispered against his lips.

"Clever boy, you almost got it. But it was the other way around. He wanted me, and I turned him down. I was a fool, scared I'd mess up our friendship and end up a fag. Never got the chance with Lyon'ka; he got killed. Don't you dare badmouth him, got it?" and let go as suddenly as he'd grabbed him.

Daniel slid down the wall, gasping for breath, his vision darkening with fear. His whole body trembled, the brief moment reminding him of the terror of prison. Sennoy squatted down, patting his head like a puppy, and said affectionately.

"Don't piss me off, Dan. Yeah, you remind me of him a bit, but you're different. Softer in some ways, tougher in others. And I want you more. Just looking at you sleeping tonight got me hard. I'll be gentle if you don't push my buttons. You get me? Shit, don't freak out; I'm not gonna hit you. Hey, Dan, chill out."

He picked Daniel up off the floor, sat him in a chair, and let him drink, sitting across from him. Daniel closed his eyes, calming down - the danger had passed. His thoughts ran steadily. He needed to eliminate this threat before it became permanent. Why did these predatory freaks get so hooked on him? He needed to understand and eradicate these traits in himself. It wasn't just his looks - Moscow was full of beautiful people.

Sennoy suddenly pulled him close, hugging him tightly, and began to rock gently.

"Dan, everything's gonna be fine. I'll make up for what I did. I'll help you get back to your old life. Just stick with me for a bit, alright?"

Daniel buried his nose in his shoulder, allowing himself to be comforted. The brief flash of fear and preceding tension had exhausted him. Sennoy, seeing he was no longer shaking, pulled away and peered into his face, then reached for his lips. Daniel responded, signaling his acceptance. The kiss became more intense, but Sennoy stopped after a few seconds, realizing the desired response wasn't there.

"Alright, you're tired and on edge. I'll head out. Eat and get some rest. Oh, and I left you some cash in the bag by the sink. Don't get all riled up. It's just money to get by since you're obviously not working."

"Why not?" Daniel said dryly, wiping his lips. "I've been living on something, so I must have found a source of income."

"How do you earn it?" Sennoy, already stepping toward the exit, stopped, raising an eyebrow.

"Selling my asshole," Daniel spat out, savoring the stormy shadow on Sennoy's face. "I'm now used to it. It's either you or Alexander."

"Don't piss me off," Sennoy warned menacingly, showing his fist. "You're too clean for that. You must've swiped some cash from Sasha to get away and now you're living off it. Anyway, I left you some money. Get yourself some decent clothes, have some fun. Just stay out of downtown."

Daniel was silent, turning away from the window. There was no point in picking a fight: Sennoy had gotten what he wanted, and now it was time to part. Sennoy bent down, kissed his neck, sending goosebumps over his skin, and grumbled.

"You should find a middle ground, Dan. You growl, then you don't say anything."

The door slammed. A gust of air rushed through the apartment, smashing the window shutter. The window pane cracked, distorting the gray sky with joyless clouds. Daniel, shivering, stood up. He checked the contents of the bag and grinned sadly - Sennoy had given him a lot of money, the kind you don't usually pay for sex.

Well, the money would come in handy. Why freak out - he'd sold out before for protection, then for a future free life, and now for a chance to see his mother. For a moment, he felt self-loathing but suppressed it, recalling the faces of Baba Songolik and his mother.

In the bedroom, he checked the cameras and turned off the garland of lights, leaving only the red lights of the cameras. It was going to be a show. Now he just had to work on the editing. He pulled out his laptop, flipped off the bed, and sat down, rubbing his fingers together. It was going to be an unpleasant spectacle with himself in the lead.