TS 2 Part VI Chapter 18 B

Chapter 18. Second Part 

“Hey kid, no oral sex while I'm driving. I don't understand a single road sign,” John chortled as Guntram ducked down when he saw Constantin and his men standing at the harbour exit door, hiding Konrad under his body.

“I'm holding the baby, I thought he was falling down,” he said, clinching his teeth so hard that he felt some pain in his jaws. He kept his crouched position till the van speeded up and crossed the gate.

“Yeah, right. I'm irresistible and you know it. Wait till the hotel and what about the “never in front of my child” part?”

'Asshole thought Guntram, but kept his lips firmly closed.

“You see? Why don't you call me 'asshole'? You're dying to do so. Or is that word not included in the “posh prince” dictionary?”

“As I said there is no need to be vulgar,” Guntram answered as he sat upright once more, putting Konrad against his chest.

“Tell me one single word that has the same “emotional power”,” John smirked. “I can think of asshole, shithead, dickhead, ass, wanker and my grandma was smashing my head against the wall every time I used them.”

“Idiot,” Guntram blurted out as he was becoming irked with the man.

“That's for ladies!” John gloated. “Come on! You can't be always “speaking conscious”, kid.”

“You must understand that I'm not an English native speaker, but dunce, blockhead, lime-brain, dime-wit or simpleton would do very well in this situation. Please, refrain yourself from using that foul language in front of my son.”

“All right, I'll do that,” John said earnestly and glad that the “prince” was holding his ground. 'This is going to be certainly fun.' “Can you read the f... signs and tell me how to get downtown to the most modern and posh hotel this city has?”

“Do you mean the Nobis?” Guntram asked mind absently as he started to program the GPS.

“Yeah, that one.” 'How the fuck do you know about it? You're supposed to be here for the first time,' John mused but kept himself quiet, focusing on the driving and the soft voiced instructions he received from the young man.

* * *

'I need to play low if I want to get out of this alive. Constantin must be furious and he will take Konrad away from me. His men must know about my escape from the ferry and they should be looking for me in all the train stations, bus stations or airports. They have confirmation that I was there so they are in the right track. If I start to run now, I don't think I could evade them. All of them a KGB and I have no chance of outwitting them.”

He smiled at the receptionist at the hotel desk and asked her to change Mr. Althorpe's reservation for a suite with two bedrooms. Under the astonished look of John, the woman did it immediately and rang for a bellboy to take the suitcases.

“I thought we were going to sleep together,” he growled quite loud as he signed the registry book and the woman fixed her stare in a far away point in the classical style lobby.

“You are going through a divorce process. Do you want to add some millions more to the final tab? Under no circumstance my son will sleep in a living room as it was your original idea.”

“F.... prince,” John snarled but kept the rest to himself. 'Maybe, just maybe, he's fucking right about fucking manners. The fucking woman changed the reservation in two seconds and was very nice to us.'

* * *

“Ever been to something this big, kid?” John asked with a smirk. “Good old decadent Europe.”

'You should see the Ritz in Rome to know what decadent is,' Guntram thought. “It's very nicely decorated. Excuse me, I have to put my child in his crib.” He walked into the room where a chamber maid had just finished to set a crib.

'The living conditions in Uruguay must be incredible. He didn't even look at the things,' John thought. 'Well, time to see if he's up to what he offered. I never thought he'd come with me. What a weirdo.'

He poured himself a whiskey from the minibar and looked through the window to the view over the busy street bellow.

“Conor is finally asleep,” Guntram announced briefly as he rejoined John in the living room. “It's a breathtaking view,” he added softly. “I was never here,” he said without thinking. “The lights over the square give things a magical aura.”

“You were never anywhere. This is your first time in Europe, right?”

“Yes, of course,” he said very nervous. 'Stupid, Guntram! Say less and fuck more! He won't care.'

“You're very strange, you know that?” John said and left his glass over the window's parapet. “But I swear I never saw someone as beautiful as you.” His hands grabbed Guntram's head and he pulled him closer to lock his lips with the ones who had been driving him mad all the morning.

The kiss was not as disgusting as all his other previous encounters with the gangsters had been, but it was nothing that could be considered as romantic or reminded him of the past. Even his kisses with Constantin had meant more for Guntram than what he was doing now. 'I can fake passion. I've been doing it for three years now. I only need to stay with him for two or three days till the Russians go away.' Guntram deepened the kiss as he opened his lips, inviting the man to enter in his mouth. His body glued to his companion's and the tall man reacted by grabbing him stronger than before, almost crushing the air out of his lungs, and loudly made his back hit the wall as he kissed him fiercely.

Without even thinking, John slid down his hands to Guntram's buttocks and lifted him to level his head with his, not noticing that the young man had locked his arms around his neck and continued to kiss him, closing his eyes, hoping that the size of this man would at least remind him of Konrad.

Guntram slightly moaned with pain when John placed him brutally over his hips and continued to kiss him almost brutally, hitting his head against the wall in his eagerness. “Slow down, please,” he whispered. “We are going to fall to the floor.”

“Right. Bed.” Without letting Guntram go or even get off from the position they were locked in, the American walked to the large modern looking bedroom and threw him on the double size bed, watching Guntram with desire ignited eyes. “You drive me crazy, boy,” he mumbled as he removed his belt and trousers at full speed. “I can't wait to taste you.”

Guntram gulped and cracked a weak smile as he started to remove his clothes under the hungry eyes observing and measuring each one of his movements, feeling very uncomfortable and in a way worse than when he was offering himself to Constantin. There was no love at all involved, only lust but his partner wanted to disguise it as love whereas Constantin had loved him madly, hurting him in the process, but loving him to the point of risking his life for him.

“You look really hot, but don't tease now,” John said, mistaking Guntram's shyness and slow, morose moves by a show. “I love lean boys, just like you are,” he added with lust before he yanked the youth to the bed and trapped him with his much heavier body.

Relaxing as much as the could, Guntram let his mind wander far away as John kissed him all over his chest and he automatically responded his ministrations with customary caresses to keep the man happy and satisfied. 'The sooner he comes, the sooner it's finished,' repeated the litany once more has he had done all over the years of captivity. 'Be nice and submissive men become more eager and finish sooner. I have to get this one satisfied so I can stay out of the streets for a day or two. If Constantin finds me, he will kill Konrad or the boys.” He felt the excited man abandon his body for a brief instant and watched how he was frantically looking for something in his wallet. 'That's really tasteless,' Guntram thought. 'Will he give me the money upfront when I didn't ask for it? Speak about Freudian!'

The condom landed on Guntram's chest and he couldn't hide his annoyance at the vulgar gesture. He tore the envelope open and slid it over the erect member.

“Can you do it with your mouth?” John asked eagerly.

“I missed that lesson in school,” he answered dryly, but his hand lightly massaged the scrotum and John poured like a satisfied cat, letting Guntram please him.

“Stop now. I want to have you now,” John said, putting the man away from his manhood and pushing him down on the bed to mount him again, tearing the lube tube cap open with his teeth.

Guntram whined when he was penetrated. “You can scream, if you want. I know it's big.”

'Asshole!' Guntram thought, but faked to be in pain. 'Another 'I'm the super macho' asshole.'

“Come on babe, I know you like it,” John moaned, feeling in bliss as he pounded over the frail body beneath him. “You're so tight and hot,” he mumbled increasing the speed of his moves, loudly panting due to the effort and the pleasure he was receiving as Guntram's passivity made him feel that he was in charge once more and his light touches all over his back were driving him mad. His orgasm numbed his senses and remained inside the body for some minutes once it was over.

“Fuck, one of the best ever, kid,” John groaned exhausted, feeling all his bones dissolving into the pleasure.

“You were good to me,” Guntram preferred to answer diplomatically, only willing to leave the bed but the man had decided to use him as a pillow, and remain sprawled over his body.

“I was almost mad with desire for you. That prince attitude of yours is very sexy.”

“I'm not a prince. Just a normal person,” Guntram said softly and delicately pushed the man away to leave the bed and walk to the bathroom to take a shower. Before he closed the bathroom's door, he took one of the towels and gave it to John and he used to clean himself, still lost in his post-coital lust.

Once showered, Guntram took one of the robes and returned to the master bedroom, drying his black hair mind absently. He sat on the bed, next to John and smiled at him tiredly. “I'll go to check on my son, now.”

“You are very beautiful, do you know that?” John said seriously and caressed his face lovingly. “I never saw someone as beautiful as you.”

“You don't need to say such things,” Guntram answered. “I'm glad you had a good time. I also did,” he lied for the other's pride sake.

“It's true. I mean, what is a kid like you doing alone? You should have hundred of men at your doorstep, fighting for you. Fuck, I would be on the line!”

“What did I tell you about swearing?” Guntram asked, hoping to evade the question by starting an argument.

“I do want to emphasize my meaning,” John answered with a smile. “What is a kid like you doing alone in Europe?”

“Tourism, as I said. My wife died and I wanted to go away.”

“This is not the first time you are with a man and even though you are playing the high class whore here, you're not one. I know. I paid hundreds.”

“All right, you caught me. I liked you and wanted to go with you. You were what I needed at that point. I want an adventure, that's all. We are both free, if I see correctly. No one will get hurt by this, right?”

“No one,” John said slowly. “An adventure,” he added sourly.

“Is that not what you are also looking for?” Guntram asked softly, feeling oddly bad for the man. 'I would have never done this if I would have known he could have feelings for me,' he thought, guilt biting his heart once more when he caught John's momentary look of defeat.

“Yeah, that's right. An adventure.” John said, returning to his old self-confident self. “I'm in holidays too. So, let's have a good time and no regrets of reproaches when we split.”

“That's the attitude,” Guntram imitated John's accent and returned the caresses with real friendly affection. “Fuck buddies,” he laughed and John rolled his eyes, feigning to be horrified by the words.

“Where did you learn such a vulgar, unfitting expression?” He said, also mimicking Guntram's soft English accent and the youth truly laughed with another man for the first time in years. “But you still didn't answer my question and honestly, I don't believe you were married.”

“Yes, I was!”

“Fedia. I was there before. Married to a woman and having affairs with boys and you don't look like someone in my select club,” he smirked. “I know the signs, so don't bother to lie to me.”

“Telling that I'm a widower is easier to explain than saying that I used a surrogate mother to have my child. Are you happy now?” Guntram said defiantly. “I'm really coming out of a very bad relationship and that's all what you need to know. We broke up some time ago and I came here to think and restart my life.”

“The guy must be hitting his head against the wall. Why did you leave him?”

“He was too absorbent and jealous. He didn't give me any freedom and was like obsessed with me. Excuse me, but I don't want to speak about it.” Guntram answered very nervously and feeling a knot in his throat. “Conor is legally only mine.”

“OK, I didn't want to make you upset. Sorry.”

“I overreacted too, I'm sorry,” Guntram said and escaped to the living room as John looked at him dumbfounded.

* * *

'He's certainly weird,' John thought for the tenth time during that afternoon. 'Didn't he tell me he wanted to go shopping? Normally that's what people do after they meet and are in a city. Brendan and Carol could destroy several credit cards in an shopping spree, but this one preferred to stay in the room “knowing each other a bit better”. I was joking about the fucking 500 dollars and he surely knows it. I'm a rich guy and that's nothing for me. Hell, a good fuck like today's costs me several thousands.'

He contemplated the young man on the floor, playing with his son and how the baby was literally brimming as his father shook a battered plush rabbit in front of him and was telling him a story in English. 'Why does he speak English with the baby? He should use Spanish! And the kid clearly said “water” to me!'

“Fedia,” John called softly and Guntram didn't turn around. He repeated the word louder and Guntram turned his head looking at him surprised. “Is that not your name?” John joked “Or are you deaf?”

“I'm deaf,” Guntram giggled nervously, “Fyodor Tarasov is my name,” he mechanically and carefully repeated the name, finding some reassurance in the words.

“Yeah, I saw your papers and bribed the cabin boy to get it,” John replied amused.

“Did you bribe him?” Guntram asked dismayed and feeling the terror rise inside him.

“Yeah, but save me the scold. How I do business is my trademark and no one will tell me how to do it. Don't you want to go out? It's getting dark.”

“Yes, maybe,” Guntram said mind absently. “We have to go to bed early.” He rose from the floor and walked toward the big window to watch the city broken by many canals, admiring its serene and pure beauty.

“You're quite naughty and I love it,” John retorted with a huge grin lighting his gentle giant's face. “I can also go to bed early tonight.”

“Yes, it's a seven hours by car trip to Copenhagen,” Guntram said and hugged his boy when he walked on his own some steps toward his father.

“Copenhagen?”

“I think we can take turns to drive there,” Guntram said.

“I thought we were going to stay here for two or three days more. See Museums and all that s..., I mean all what tourists do here. This city is supposed to be one of the top destinations in Europe!”

“Copenhagen is very beautiful,” Guntram argued nervously.

“Yeah, but we are not in a hurry. How about if tomorrow we walk around the town in the morning, get something for you and the baby, have lunch and go to a museum? I'll keep myself quiet and don't yawn in front of the security guards.”

Guntram looked at John as his mind raced, looking for an excuse but his brain went blank He looked at the man and gulped. 'Probably Constantin is looking for me. Shit! He could be staying in this hotel. It's so his style! I have to get out of here!'

“I looked at the tourist guide and we can take a boat to do some sightseeing. Looks fine and saves me the walking. I bet Conor would like it. How about taking one of them after shopping? Royal Palace and National Museum also look fine. Were you not an artist?”

“I just paint sometimes. I'm an economist.”

“Sure,” John snorted and handed the tourist guide to Guntram. “The Aquarium also looks great for a kid. There are lemurs and those are funny guys. This King Julian reminds me of many guys I met during my marriage.”

'The last place in this earth Constantin would look for me is in a tourist boat or in an aquarium.' “We could do that, John.”

“Great, we go shopping in the morning then. I need a pair of Viking horns for the living room.”

“Scandinavian design is one of the best in the world. I'm sure they can offer you something better. We should try the shops at Österlman,” Guntram said quickly, remembering where Heindrik used to tell that was the best place to be. “There are good antiquity shops too.”

“Could be handy. Wife will keep the house,” John said bitterly. “I'm homeless now.”

“Shouldn't you be there?” Guntram asked in shock. “She could get everything you have.”

“What for? Lawyers can handle it better and I have a good prenup. I didn't go to college but I learned a lot on the way to the top. I started to work when I was fourteen in San Francisco while my hippy mother was literally out in the skies the whole day. I opened my first store when I turned eighteen and worked like seventeen hours per day. Before my thirties, I had like forty stores around the country and thought that a high class bimbo was what I needed in my life. Married one and she was happy as long as I was providing her with several platinum credit cards and paying several trips to Europe per year. Can you believe the cow paid twenty-five grands for a stupid coat and it was not even fur? She never loved me but my bank accounts.”

“What happened?”

“I met Brendan and went mad about him. Elegant, aristocratic, funny, educated, ten years younger -I was thirty five at that time-, and he liked me.”

“Was he your first lover?”

“That's an odd question, but no. I grew up in San Francisco, remember?”

“Isn't that a cliché?” Guntram asked ironically.

“Nope, love is in the air, boy. No, he wasn't my first lover but he certainly made a difference. We were together for five years, doing it in the backroom after checking the inventory,” John chuckled and Guntram looked at him dumbfounded. “It's a joke. He was more VIP than my blasted wife. Old New Yorkers and probably got first class tickets on the Mayflower.”

“Making a name for yourself is not a shame. I would be very proud if I could have built so much with so little,” Guntram said with a warm voice. “Why are you so... at odds with people with education and old money? Your manners leave a lot to be desired, but it can be fixed in no time.”

“Boy, you have never seen real rich people. If you're not born there, you're trash with money and they remind it to you all the time. They're a bunch of elitists and you're just the new snob they can laugh at. Ever been to the Hamptons?” Guntram shook his head negatively. “You miss nothing. All uptight mother... sorry. All uptight little men, coming out of Gossip Girls TV Show.”

“That's a TV series, it's not true.”

“Yeah, you're right. Those girls are Mother Theresa compared to the ones I've met. I know there's a hole for people like me, rich and snob but I don't want to be there. I want to see beautiful things and be part of them, but everyone laugh at me. Living in Boston is also a bad idea.”

“You are not a snob, John,” Guntram told him softly and the man looked at him quizzically. “I've met a few and you don't fit in that category. It's true that when I met you I thought you were socially challenged because of your rudeness, but you're not a snob. You have been listening to me all the time even if you don't take me seriously. If you respect people, then you're a real gentleman. All the rest is none but social conventions.”

“A gentleman knows how to listen?” John joked.

“And how to match his ties with his suits,” Guntram added with a smile. “As Oscar Wilde would say.”

“I had to read two books from that witty Irishman,” John retorted, rising his eyes to the ceiling. “I took, well, my wife sent me, some protocol lessons and there was a list of hundred fifty books you should read to speak classically. I read them all but knowing who this dude Raskolnikov is, doesn't help much.”

Guntram looked at him marvelled. “Did you read all that because it was in a list?”

“Yeah and bought a dictionary too. Coming back to the Irishman, all his plays were trash till De Profundis. Should have paid more attention. Look how everything ended for him after chasing young lords. Same story here, but I was too blind to see. I was kicked out to avoid a scandal with his family and replaced with a Tobacco plantation owner in less than three weeks. The problem is not being gay, hell no! The problem is that I'm not a Vanderbilt. I'm nothing more than a brute with money, good for paying restaurants or hotels but not good enough to introduce to your Harvard pals. It really hurts, you know? I expected more from him. I was ready to move in with him.” John confessed, unable to hide his pain any longer.

“Maybe you asked too much from him. Forgiving an infidelity is very hard.”

“If you love, you do it. Period. Besides, he knew how I was! I never lied to him!”

Guntram remained silent and fixed his eyes in little Konrad playing with a toy on his own. “Long time ago, I was in Brendan's shoes. I really tried to make it work again but the doubts are always hanging over your head, ready to stab you. Trust isn't easily mended. Like a broken porcelain vase, you can always see the cracks if you look in the inside, no matter how good the restoration was. Don't be so hard on him, forgive him and move on. The river doesn't stop to flow for any of us.”

“You're right, Fedia,” John said looking very sombre. “I loved him even if he reminded me every two seconds what a brute I was.”

“And stay away from young lords. They only cause havoc,” Guntram said lightly and playfully punched him on the shoulder.

“Why? You don't make me feel uncomfortable or preach. That's what I call a real prince.”

“I'm a normal guy from Uruguay.”

“A normal guy with handmade shoes and a watch worth a house in your country?”

“It's made in China,” Guntram said nervously, pulling the jersey over his watch. “Pretty good imitation, don't you think?”

“Please, I'm a discount supermarket tycoon. I know what China can produce and what not. This one is real. Was your boyfriend a rich man?”

“No, this is a good copy made in Paraguay. It was my graduation present. From my parents,” Guntram explained at full speed. “It's not stolen!”

“Never said it was! The watch looks more like yourself than your clothes. Were you kicked out of your family because you're gay?”

“Yes, that's right. My father didn't approve my lifestyle. He's a conservative prick. Happy now? I studied Economics to make him happy, but I paint nowadays and I lived with two different men. I'm a single parent and don't have a fixed income. A real disaster. ”

“You had it hard but you lived to tell. Nothing wrong with that.” John said and decided to leave it as Guntram was becoming restless. 'Shut the fuck up, John. The prince obviously hides something but if you press him, he'll run away.'

* * *

Guntram clutched his son as he walked toward the boat, followed by a huffing John. The young man only waited for him till, he could rejoin him and show the tickets to the cabin boy. Against all odds, Guntram disappeared in the covered deck.

“Hey, outside it's more exciting,” John slightly complained, still annoyed that his morning cuddling was cut short at 6:30 a.m. by Guntram himself and he was dragged out of bed at that ungodly hour to “take the first boat as it's not full with tourists”.

“It's a bit cold for Conor, but don't miss it because of me.” Guntram answered. 'The windows are tinted, should be sufficient and no one would see us.'

“Yeah, you're right. It's f...reezing out there. Shouldn't be surprised. It's 8 a.m.” Guntram offered John a real smile as compensation for the early wake up call and started to remove Conor's thick coat. “I thought you were going to spend the whole morning in shops and destroy my credit but you bought only a few things in only one place in less than forty minutes. I could marry you only for that.”

“Stores drive me nervous. I dislike shopping.”

“Really? What do you like to do then?”

“Not much. I'm happy with painting, reading and maybe going to a theatre.”

“Discos?”

“I have a heart condition and can't have so much excitement. I like walking and just watching people.”

“Well, you don't require much maintenance, that's for sure,” John joked and Guntram laughed knowing that the man was not truly insulting him and that was his only way he knew to communicate with people. “Is it true with the sickness?”

“Wait till we have to cross a security check point at an airport,” Guntram replied him with a soft smile. “I'm much better than before after my surgery. It's like living again.” John looked at him intrigued and he supplied the rest of the information. “I carry something like a defibrillator in my heart.”

“Do you have enough batteries?” John asked and Guntram laughed and nodded.

“Like the Duracell bunny,” Guntram answered and fell into one of his silences, looking through the windows at the city.

* * *

At sunset, John couldn't carry his body any longer. “Hey! I'm not so young as you!” he shouted as Guntram had started to run once more toward the hotel, like a horse coming back to the stable. He stopped and Conor laughed at him when the man caught up with them, out of breath. “I would like to buy one of those tourists guides for Scandinavia. There's a book store around the street. We just passed it.”

“I'll return to the room,” Guntram said.

“No, why don't you come along with me? Maybe there's something nice for the baby.”

“It would be in Swedish,” Guntram replied, feeling a pang of longing as he remembered Heindrik making fun of him because he couldn't pronounce the furniture names at the IKEA.

“Conor is very intelligent but he can't read so far. Most baby books are only pictures. Why don't you get him a nice bedtime story and he goes early to bed?” He asked winking. “Last night was very funny for me,” he added in a low voice and Guntram blushed.

“All right,” he answered curtly and started to walk toward the bookstore.

'For a second, I thought I had him, but here we are again. He's running away once more. Didn't he tell me he was an artist? He turned down the National Museum in less than a frigging second. I never saw him drawing or having papers or pencils around,' he wondered as he followed the young man entering the shop.

'What is he afraid of? He looks like one of those abused children, trusting no one but willing to please you to get your protection. Maybe it was really bad when he said that he had troubles with his former boyfriend. The prince is a fucking riddle, but I'm gonna solve it.'

The brightly illuminated ample bookstore hurt John's eyes but he welcomed the warmth wrapping him up. His gaze travelled across the many tables filled with the latest best sellers and found Guntram standing by the tourist section, holding his son, struggling to be put down, emphatically saying “down!” John watched his two days lover and felt himself drawn to the soft voice hushing to his son to quiet him. 'I could be very happy with someone like him. He has been lying to me since he saw me, but I don't think he would cheat on me.'

John made great strides and his large hand played a bit with the baby as he tried to steal the leather glove wriggling in front of him. “Hey, you're quite the young rascal. Never thought seeing you so formal at the table,” he joked as Konrad had caught the desired item. Guntram lightly rebuked his son and returned the glove and John sighed defeated; the invisible wall was present as ever.

“Why don't you look at the children's section?” I'll be done soon.”

Guntram nodded and went to the backside of the store where there were several stands with books, a small table with pencils, games and a wooden castle where two toddlers were playing. He left Konrad on the floor and he was immediately interested in the scattered toys. Guntram sighed, feeling terribly exhausted. He moved his neck to both sides and heard it crack and winced. 'Five minutes of normalcy,' he thought as his son was making faces to a slightly older little girl.

He approached the central table, where two mothers were looking at the books and without much interest he started to circle it. He gasped when he saw a well known hardbound red cover book and took it from the pile. He closed the eyes in pain when he recognised the first volume of his children stories illustrations translated into Swedish. With trembling lips he opened it and started to turn the pages very slowly, felling something inside him fall into pieces.

'Was I ever this person?' he wondered. 'Will Klaus and Karl still read it? Can I come back to them as I am now? I'm nothing but a crippled, bitter whore. They deserve so much better.'

“It's in Swedish, Shakespeare,” John said with a grin, “But you're right. It's very beautiful, indeed.” he added as he took a volume from the table and browsed through the pages. “Can't read a word, but I can perfectly follow the story with the images. Perhaps, it's in Amazon.”

Guntram shut the book with a thud. “No, this is for older children. Not for Conor. I'll look for something else.” He tore the book from John's hands to loudly left it in the pile and said visibly disturbed, “can you keep an eye on him?”

“Sure,” John said. 'What the fuck is wrong with him?' He watched Guntram looking the toddlers stand and waited till the young man was distracted with the books to take back the book. 'Maybe, I could give him a copy in English. I can check if it's in Amazon and have it delivered to Copenhagen.'

He opened the volume and turned the first pages till he found the author's name: Guntram de Lisle. John memorized the name and turned the book around, looking for a biography or any clues that could help him to find if the book was translated into English, and his blood froze when he saw the small picture in the backcover.

'What the fuck?? This is Fedia in blonde!!' As if he would have touched a snake, he dropped the book over the table and looked at Guntram, now totally oblivious of him as he showed a book to his son.

John picked the volume up and compared the young man with a soft, shy, boyish and contagious smile with the man who was sleeping with him. They were almost identical, but the face in the picture was a bit more round and had soft features while Fedia were more angular and interesting. 'Hot little thing this Guntram too, and looks like a brother.'

Once more he discreetly checked what Guntram was doing and John felt at ease as the young man was speaking with one of the mothers. John took his iPhone out and looked for the name in Google.

His eyes wandered across the long list of results till he found the Amazon website and enlarged the book's images till he could read the small biography in English.

“Guntram de Lisle is a self taught artist born in New York in 1982, but lived all his childhood in Buenos Aires. He holds an MBA in Economics from the University of Zurich, where he resides. His artistic career began in 2002 and since then, his works have been presented in several collective exhibitions as well in individual ones. Some of his creations are in the permanent exhibition of Vatican Museums or in the hands of well known private collectors. He's the author of “Traditional Children Stories” Volumes I and II and “Love and Deception” with Eberhard Guttenberg Sachsen as co-author.”

'It can't fucking be!' But Fedia was born in Uruguay, studied Economics and he told me was an artist! Both look as almost the same person, but this is impossible!'

'Is he in troubles with the police? That could explain why he came to me. Is he trying to get money out of me? No, he paid for his baby's things from his own pocket. He's not a professional at all. I know he's using me but for what? Maybe this Guntram de Lisle is his pen-name but that doesn't explain why he wanted to hide the book or why he's so on the edge all the time.'

Why does he hide from people all the time? He didn't want to go to the hotel's restaurant or being for too long in the open.' John's mind raced but he couldn't find any answers and once more looked at the strange boy 'you picked up all by yourself' and saw that he was having troubles with his own child.

Konrad had officially fell in love for a large teddy bear and was clutching it with a determined face, not crying or pouting but not willing to let it go. “Come on, Con, be reasonable. You know we can't take this along,” Guntram whispered trying to remove the dark brown Steiff teddy bear from the tiny hands. 'Of all things, you had to choose one almost looking exactly as my Jacques,' Guntram thought miserably. “Con, this is leading us nowhere,” he said more sternly.

“It's leading you nowhere. He's happy with the situation,” John pointed out with a smirk. “Thought little player, uh?”

“We go out in a minute,” Guntram said and jerked the plush animal from his son's hands, who looked at him astonished, his lips quivering as his eyes became bigger and watery.

“Not now, Con,” Guntram admonished with a low voice. “You have your bunny at home. You don't need another one.”

“That thing that looks about to fall in pieces? Let me give it to him. He behaved so well today.”

“Please, don't interfere with this, John,” Guntram said with an even tone. “He has to learn he can't have everything he wants. Otherwise, he will turn into a brat.”

'Fuck with the prince.' “OK, give me the books you chose and I'll pay them while you deal with little Napoleon.” 'Enjoy the tantrum, prince.'

Guntram continued to reason with his son in a very quiet voice and finally he released his prey, pouting, but not crying, not truly convinced that a kiss was enough reward for his sacrifice. Guntram picked him up and walked toward where John was standing.

“You managed that well.”

“Con is a good baby,”

“Yes, he is. How about we get that baby sitter from the hotel and we go out for dinner?” John asked casually and noted how Guntram paled.

“Wouldn't you prefer to go to bed with me?”

“Let me feel this is a date.”

“There is really no need for romance.” Guntram said dryly. “It was on the terms. No strings attached.”

“Are you a lawyer now? It's just going out for two hours and do adults stuff,” John rebuked sounding very irked. “To your information, all high class professionals prefer a dinner and a talk before going down to business. We, the customers appreciate they don't make us feel that we are only picking the tab up, unless we are in a hurry and that's not my case tonight.”

“I offer you my apologies if my words offended you. It was not my intention. Please, understand that I'm too tired to go out tonight and I don't like to leave my son alone in a foreign country,” Guntram answered with real remorse.

“All right, but we can at least go to the restaurant.”

Guntram's mind was in turmoil and the only excuse he could utter in the middle of a street was “maybe the place is not children friendly. It's so expensive to have it ruined with a crying baby around.”

“If someone complains about Conor, they can send me the dinner's bill. We go out tonight. I'm not staying in my f... room! What's next? We cuddle and watch TV?”

* * *

Still upset and nervous Guntram entered in the room and rummaged through the new clothes, looking for something. John switched on his Ipad, determined more than ever to solve the mystery. “We go out at eight.” he announced sharply and locked himself in his room, leaving behind a shocked at his reaction Guntram.

First he googled the name that was obsessing him and found around of 6.000 results. 'Well, whoever is this guy, he's slightly known.' Most of the results were entries for his books or art critics about Art exhibitions. 'No Facebook account. That's weird. Everyone has one!' John realised, frustrated that most of the material was not written in English but in German or French. A short piece from a local newspaper in Zurich about “Record for living artist in charity auction” from 2007 caught his attention and he clicked on the link.

“Yesterday night, A piece from a young artist, Guntram de Lisle, whose name is sounding with more and more intensity in the artistic circles, set a new record for living contemporary artists in a charity auction organized by the Lintorff Foundation in Zurich. The “Portrait of an Unknown Lady with Diamonds and Cat” was sold for over 99.000 Swiss francs to a private collector. Mr. de Lisle's work has been steadily gaining a sound reputation because of its style mixing social critic with elements of magical realism. The Lintorff Foundation Annual Charity Auction is well known for its tireless contribution to many charities all over the world with an annual budget exceeding the 7.8 billion dollars.”

'He really killed the bitch with that thing. Shit! I should hire him to make one of my fucking wife,' he thought after inspecting Stefania's portrait. 'Like this Goya guy. All the royal family looked like the real morons they were. Fuck! It's really funny but this woman can't show her face in any society mambo for at least ten years.'

Still chuckling, he returned to Google and began to surf the pictures, mostly Guntram's books' photos, the books, his paintings, till he found some coming from a Hello magazine, depicting Tita von Olsztyn, a Miró and Guntram at an opening.

'Fuck me if that one is not Fedia. They look like twin brothers.' He readjusted his position in the bed and removed his shoes with his feet, wincing at the loud noise caused by the fall. 'There's something amiss. Hot guy like this artist, selling like crazy, meeting the jet set and he has not a single exhibition or book since 2009?'

'This is weird. Maybe he has a creativity crisis or troubles with the authorities or drugs, but he doesn't strike me as the type. Shit, I think this one never stole a chocolate bar from the supermarket!' Readjusting his position over the pillows, he searched if there was any exhibition or press article about him after mid 2009, but there was nothing at all.

'If you are among rich people, you attract rich people and a boy with this face should have had a queue of suitors. What if his boyfriend was a rich freak and he wants to keep distance? Maybe the baby is his, but the other paid for the treatment and wants him back.'

'That makes sense, but why was he almost jumping on top of me?'

'How did Fedia get phoney papers? This is very strange.'

* * *

John watched the slender figure on top of him and relaxed his back so his hips could meet each one of the sensual moves. His hand only touched his partner's hip and his body immediately readjusted his position to where John wanted to have him. 'He's so fucking hot!' he considered as he felt dissolve into the pleasure of his release.

The older man couldn't help to feel a bit disappointed when Guntram customarily kissed him on the lips as all answer to his praises and jumped away to get cleaned and bring a towel for him. 'Fuck,' he cursed as he cleaned himself and looked how the boy was getting into his pyjamas.

“Should I stay here or do you prefer to be alone?” Guntram asked.

“I thought I said you sleep with me,” John answered back.

“Yes, sleep like we have sex,” Guntram replied cruelly and for some reason John felt that this wasn't what he wanted.

“Stay here. Leave the door open if you want to hear the baby,” he said as he fumbled with his own clothes. “You know what? Maybe we could take him to the Zoo.”

“That is very thoughtful of you,” Guntram answered and slid under the covers.

“Yeah, that's me,” John mumbled and captured the young man in his arms. “Hey! Let me hold you. I said I needed a teddy bear,” he protested when Guntram tried to escape. He remained very quiet in his arms and John wondered once more how bad his past relationship could have been if he was giving up so easily.

His arm slowly slid over his waist to feel better the youth's breathing rhythm and he closed his eyes with content, snuggling his body against Guntram's back. “You're pretty amazing, Fedia,” he mumbled in his ear and slightly played with the earlobe. “I could spend more time than this trip with you,” he added.

Guntram's breathing came to a halt, but he did his best to pretend nothing had happened. “My life is quite complicate as it is. Don't mess yours too, John.”

“You're really something worth keeping, kid,” he pressed. “I don't care if you're an artist or have a small child. We could find a way so we all get along.”

“John, this is a convenience relationship and you know it. There's no future for something like this.”

“All not relationships created out of convenience but disguised as love?” John smirked. “We all get something from the other part.”

“No, it's not like that,” Guntram denied the thought quietly. “That's not love.”

“Why are you here? You know what I want out of this but I don't know what you want.”

“Do you always talk so much to your escorts?”

“Do you always run away from personal questions?” Guntram remained silent and John came closer than before. “Come on, prince, a bit of honesty won't kill you,” he coaxed him. “You know about me but I know nothing about you.”

“There's nothing to know about me. I live in Uruguay, I'm holidays and you are my ticket to upgrade them.”

“Sure!” John snorted. “First, you almost hit me with the baby glass jar and two minutes later you were getting horizontal with me.”

“So? Welcome to the XXI century. People have sex and it means nothing.”

“Maybe for some people, but not for people like you and I,” John growled and stopped talking, much to Guntram's relief. The accumulated day stress weighted over his shoulders and he only wanted to sleep and feel secure.

The man preferred to change his tactics and started to softly pet the raven hair and whisper tender loving words, checking how his lover was lulled into sleep and relaxed his guard.

“Guntram?” John whispered, leaning over Guntram's body.

“Yes?” a partly asleep boy mumbled distractedly.

“Nothing. We'll talk later,” John said softly and restarted his caresses, deeply absorbed by his musings.