The Untouchable

Chapter 71

"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."