The Art of Learning to Love

13

He knew he was asking for trouble. But he couldn't stop himself as he strolled to the boss' office, nodding at the people who passed by him.

Some seemed surprised, Hiroshi never came willingly to see the boss. He never considered himself important enough and he had always tried to lay low.

"Hiroshi-san... what a surprise! Are you in trouble?"

Hiroshi shook his head, unbuttoning the black suit jacket he wore before bowing. The boss motioned to the chair available, frowning as Hiroshi took his time in sitting.

"I came to ask you a question. Possibly offer up another worry to your already full plate. For that I apologize in advance..."

"Oh? Spit it out!"

"Do you know there is a foreigner running a prostitution ring in one of your territories? I'm sure that doesn't sound even remotely interesting but he's keeping these women drugged up and-"

"So the rumors are true. This foreigner, American man, his clients are cheap sadistic bastards. How do you know?"

Hiroshi told him the truth, omitting as much as he could about Annabel and what had transpired between them.

"And this girl, what does she know about you?"

Hiroshi shook his head, keeping his features void of any interest and his eyes leveled at his boss.

"Nothing. I gave her my cover story name and she thinks I'm an investment banker. I helped her get her friend back and she's not going to involve the police. It was all she wanted, was to get her friend back. I had her watched for a few days, and she didn't go or meet anyone suspicious, so she's good."

The boss nodded, sighing as he opened a drawer and pulled out a cigar. He examined it before he smelled it, inhaling deeply with a small smile on his face, placing the cigar between his lips before reaching for his lighter.

"What shall we do with the foreigner?"

"Now that you ask..."

****
It hadn't been easy, but the boss was convinced. His plan would work, Hiroshi knew because he'd thought about it for hours.

He waited with baited breath for his guys to bring him in. It had taken him some time- 3 months- to be exact, to be able to pull this off. Tom had been paranoid and it gave Hiroshi a measure of satisfaction when it was obvious the man couldn't sleep, eat right or even use the bathroom without double checking everywhere he went.

With a sigh, he checked his watch, biting his lip as an unexpected thought came into his mind; Annabel. He wondered for a brief second if she was doing well, if she was eating and taking care of herself and her friend.

Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, he sat up straight and shook his head, trying to rid himself of the memories that assaulted him. Mainly of Annabel's tears. The anger that surged in him when the visuals started replaying behind his closed eyes made him smile darkly to himself; he was going to enjoy hurting Tom slowly. Making him suffer for every little bruise he remembered on her body.

Her soft skin had been marred by several bruises, her delicate wrists and her beautiful face, along with her plump lips, her ankles and her ribs. A serene calm came over him as he exhaled, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck before his phone vibrated with a text.

Show time.

He nodded at his guys as they sat a struggling Tom in a metal chair, ensuring to tie him up just as he'd done to Hiroshi. With a black hood over his face, his mouth duct taped shut, Tom could only whimper.

"Should we take the hood off?" One of his guys asked once they'd finished, slapping Tom hard in exasperation, shaking his head in disgust when the other man quieted down.

Hiroshi shook his head silently, chuckling before he pulled a metal chair, dragging it across the cement flooring, mainly for the effect.

Tom shuddered and shivered, his whimpering resuming until Hiroshi made sure to slam the chair down before sitting down and roughly tugging off the hood.

"Surprise" He said with a benevolent smile, tugging at the gray vneck sweater he wore before he pushed up the sleeves and leaned back. Tom's eyes had widened in panic, looking around the room.

"Now now Tom, be a good boy...and sit still for this part."

It was almost 3 hours later, but he walked away with a pep in his step, metaphorically of course, as he couldn't even be bothered to show how he really felt. It had drained him to deal with Tom, but it had been something he needed to do for his peace of mind. Covering a yawn with the back of his hand, he headed towards his car and then home, for a quick meal and some rest before he was scheduled to go on the grind again.

He'd done some remodeling and installed some security cameras once Annabel had left, hating how he felt whenever he walked into his own place. He felt sad and dejected, unsure of what he was going to do next with himself now that he'd lost her.

Running a hand through his hair, he shook his head, reminding himself that he belonged where he stood while she- she belonged right where she was, back home.

His phone buzzing from its spot on the kitchen counter had him looking up from where he stood. If he remembered correctly, he'd told them not to disturb him for a few hours. Unless of course it was an emergency.

To his surprise it was his personal phone and not his work phone that kept vibrating, half a dozen messages popping up on his screen.

All from one number.

Annabel.