I rose from the bed. “What’s that?”
“It’s getting in the damn way.” He stormed into the bathroom but didn’t close the door. The shower sounded next.
Naked, I walked over to the desk and looked at the image. Apparently, the Xecutioners had taped the message to the window. I read the words out loud, “Mosquito, shut it off at 1:00 pm our time. Hiro.”
Who is Mosquito?
I headed into the bathroom.
Water ran down Misha’s body. With his eyes closed, he leaned his head back and took the spray of water to his face. Steam rose in tendrils along his muscular legs. It was a delight to simply look at him. Almost erotic and spiritual at the same time.
I stepped inside the glass shower, grabbed a black bar of soap, and smelled it. Surprisingly, a musk cologne fragrance left it. I picked up the washcloth on the side, lathered the cloth, and smeared bubbles across his back.
A long sigh left his mouth. His eyes remained closed. Moving his head away from the spray, he raised his arms to the side and placed each hand on the side of the shower. “You spoil me.”
“You deserve it.”
I ran bubbles along his neck and on his holy cross. Then, I slid the cloth down to his waist and continued until I was lathering his hardening cock with the fragrant soap.
He grunted. “Perhaps I have some time for sex this morning.”
“You don’t.” I left his cock and lathered his thighs. “Turn around.”
He did as I asked. “I want to be inside you.”
“You will be after you’re done for today.” I smeared suds over his firm ass and then turned my attention back to the wide expanse of his back. “Who is Mosquito?”
“You looked at the picture?”
“I did. If I’m going to be the cause of somebody’s death, then I’ll know all the details around it.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“We can’t have a relationship if I’m in the dark.”
“Many of my fellow brothers have girlfriends or wives that remain completely in the dark. Most of their women chose that.”
“The scariest part about a dark room is that you don’t know what’s lurking and hiding inside it. I like the light.”
He stepped into the spray. Warm water washed away all the soap I’d painted on him. He turned around, took the cloth from, and leaned down to kiss me.
I backed away. “Who’s the Mosquito?”
He scowled.
“Misha?”
“I am. It’s a nickname that Valentina started when I was a kid. Others began to whisper it behind my back. As we grew up, more outside of the circle would hear it and assume that it was my official label.”
“Why the Mosquito?”
“Valentina thought it was the best animal nickname to piss me off with.”
“Did it?”
“At first, then I put it on like armor.”
I smirked. “Good. I don’t like her.”
He frowned which shocked me.
I blinked. “What’s wrong?”
“In all the madness, there’s other things that I have to deal with. It concerns. . .Valentina.” He soaped up the washcloth and began to lather me with it.
I waved him away. “You don’t have the time to wash me, Misha.”
“But this is what I want to do.”
“I can wash myself.” I took the cloth back from him.
Frowning, he left the shower and grabbed a towel. “I see you’re going to be the one person that makes me deal with all my shit this month.”
“Terrific. I’m on break from ballet. I want to do something useful. Managing you may be fun.” I washed myself.
He wrapped the towel around his waist. Instead of leaving the bathroom, he leaned back against the wall and ran his gaze up and down my naked body.
Remembering what he’d just said, I asked, “What’s the problem with Valentina?”
He crossed his arms in front of his chest. “It’s not the type of news to deliver in a bathroom.”
“Bad news?”
“Complicated news.”
“Tell me.”
“Later tonight when I have more time we can talk about it. I hope. . .it won’t be a problem for us.”
“It won’t be a problem.”
“How do you know?”
“Well, is it more death?”
He gave me a sad smile. “It’s about life.”
“Tell me now.” I rinsed the soap off my body.
He ran his fingers through his wet hair. “Let’s wait for dinner.”
“You shouldn’t have brought it up.”
“Actually, I should have brought this up long before. The problem is that too much has gone on.” He left the wall and walked out of the bathroom.
Hurrying, I shut off the water, took a towel, and rushed out. “Now I’m worried.”
“Don’t worry.”
The picture from the desk caught me. I remembered my other question as Misha dressed.
“What does this Hiro want you to do?”
“Shut off all the power in Japan.” He put on his boxer briefs.
“Holy shit. The whole country. You can really do that?”
“I should be able to.”
Terror hit me. I swallowed through it. “When you do it for them, you’re done?”
“With the contract for you.”