Page 3 of Who Said Mobsters Were Scary?
“Someone can let you in via the side entrance,” he says easily. “So if you are going to be late, let someone know.”
Lunch carries on, but like most of the people I arrived with, I don’t linger once I’ve had some food. I haul my suitcase up the wooden stairs, find my room across from the kitchenette space that each of the two floors has, and take a quick shower, fishing out a pair of clean underwear before I pass out on the freshly made bed with nothing but them on.
Knocking at the door wakes me up some time later. I scramble into a sitting position, disoriented for a few moments as awareness creeps back into me. My room is gloomy but not pitch-black, and when I glance out the window, I can see streaks of red and pink across the darkening sky.
The knocking sounds again and I quickly toss a pair of pants and a shirt on, not bothering with the buttons. My phone shows seven when I thumb the unlock sensor as I get the door.
“Hey, there…Sexy. Did I wake you up? Sorry,” the girl with the bob cut from earlier says, flashing me a row of white teeth. She definitely doesn’t look sorry.
“You did, but…” I clear my throat, chasing away the hoarseness in my voice as I watch her bracelet with rainbow-colored beads dangle when she crosses her arms. “It’s probably a good thing, or I’d have woken up in the middle of the night, wondering how to fall back asleep.”
Movement behind her has me glancing over her shoulder. Four guys sit at one of the tables and rip open a pack of beer cans and chips.
Man, I could go for some of that.
“Oh, yeah. I totally saved you from a fucked-up sleep schedule,” she draws out, giving me a once-over.
“Did you need something?” I nudge her when a pause ensues, and she just keeps studying me with a glint of mischief in her gaze. I’m still a little out of it, but not out of it enough so I can’t manage a sexy wiggle of my eyebrows that makes her crack another smile.
“A few of us are going clubbing.” She steps back and angles her body away, directing my attention to the rooms lined along the hall on the other side of the glassed-off inner garden. The goth guy from earlier is standing in front of the third door, talking to whoever its occupant is. “Thought we’d see who’s interested. I’m Naomi, by the way.”
I shake her extended hand, finding her grip firm and confident. “Leo.”
When I say nothing further, she wiggles her eyebrows at me the same way I did. The left one is pierced. “So, Leo, are you coming or not?”
It takes my brain a second to remember her question. I didn’t realize how tired I was, but the fact that I crashed the moment my head hit the pillow should’ve clued me in on that.
I consider my options while the four guys with the beers shove chips in their mouths. Going back to sleep is a bad idea, unless I want to deal with trying to fix my hours for days. Plus, I’m hungry and not up for figuring out the logistics of food shopping. Going out and grabbing something to eat while I experience the nightlight in Nagoyawithout having to worry that someone might try to kidnap or off me, on the other hand…
“Sure, I’m in. Sounds fun,” I tell her, earning myself an amused smile. “I just…” I hook a finger over my shoulder and point at the bathroom. “I could use a shower and a change of clothes.”
Her dark brown eyes dip to my unbuttoned shirt. “We plan to leave in twenty minutes. That enough for you?”
“Plenty.”
“We’ll be in thefun room,” she drawls, turning around and suppressing a snort. I’ll give it to her—it does sound a little inappropriate when she says it with that tone. “Don’t be late ‘coz we aren’t waiting!”
I get ready in fifteen, locking my door just as goth guy comes out of the room next to mine. He somehow looks even more goth, if that is possible, like he’s spent extra time making sure of it. The chains hanging off his ripped cargo pants are quite impressive, and the way he’s done his black eyeshadow with red lines to resemble the spiderweb design of his shirt is next level.
Meanwhile, I’m in my nice black jeans that I wear when I want to leave an impression, and a navy shirt. They aren’t as impressive as his getup, but the messy, sex-tousled look I did for my hair is surely going to help me score tonight.
“You coming with us then?” Goth Guy says in a deep voice that makes me do a double-take of his slender build.
“Ye… Yeah.”
He must catch me staring, because he grins. “I’m Chris.”
“Leo.”
Introductions done, we join the others in the ‘fun room’ A.K.A. the entertainment lounge. There are seven of us, and we all look like our goal is to get laid tonight. I don’t know anyone else’s circumstances, but since the fiasco with Cindy, I’ve been too anxious to go clubbing or even chat up a girl, so I have a lot of catching up to do.
I chase away further gloomy thoughts before they can irritate me, and try not to dwell on my unfortunate circumstances. They are behind me now. I arrived here safe and sound, and tonight my life of debauchery begins.
“Alright.” Naomi claps her hands, pulling everyone’s attention to her. She’s decked out in platform heels that make her about my height even if she’s at least a head shorter, a frilly burgundy blouse that accentuates her lipstick, and black tights that might or might not be real leather. “The subway is kinda far to walk from here, so we’ll take the bus. The bar we’re going to is inSakae.It takes about an hour to get there.”
Ten minutes later, I’m sitting next to her on the bus as it joins the traffic, half-listening to her, Chris and a Spanish blond guy called Isidoro trying to work out the cocktails menu. I’m a coke and gin type of guy, so I’m not too worried as, surely, it can’t be too hard to order that even if I don’t speak Japanese.
Right?
