Wanted by The Mafia [Bxb]

Fifty-Four

Nathaniel stared at the revolting painting on the wall. He had forgotten about it since the first night he had stayed over at Valentino's, but now that he had noticed it once again, he couldn't simply ignore it. It was ugly, it was beastly, it was horrendous, and he knew that he should've replaced it when having won the last Hide and Seek round they had played.

He glared at it, observing the ugliness of it. It was a colorful picture of a seemingly ugly boy, with his eyes wide open and nostrils flared, and his messy hair stuck up in all directions. Nathaniel could only stare at it with hateful glares, hoping that Valentino would get the message. Not only was it ugly, but it was also somewhat creepy.

The boy in his own world jumped when he felt a vibration in his pocket. Taking his phone out, he looked over the message Valentino had sent him.

Get ready; I'm taking you out tonight. Dress fancy and be ready by seven.

Nathaniel frowned, sticking his tongue out at the message. It was so blunt and too bold, not very affectionate like their usual messages. That didn't mean that Nathaniel didn't jump up from his seat and rush to get dress though.

Smiling as he entered the bathroom, he stripped, putting his clothes in the hamper. With a nervous smile, he turned the shower on, washing his smooth and delicate body with a body soap made for sensitive skin. Humming a sweet tune, he washed his adorable curls, letting the water drops hit his body softly. He had decided to take a long shower and enjoy the hot, steamy water for a long time - about twenty minutes.

Once he was about to finish, he turned the water to cold for skin-care purposes. Grabbing a huge, fluffy towel and wrapping it around his freezing body, he sat on the floor until his body dried off, admiring the modern bathroom like he did every time he used it. Honestly, every room in Valentino's apartment was more beautiful than the other. If Nathaniel had to pick a favorite, he would've chosen the bedroom. The decor had never failed to amaze the small boy.

He tried his curls, making sure that his curls were soft and styled perfectly. Usually, he didn't care, but he had a feeling that tonight would be unique. He walked out of the bathroom naked timidly, looking around to see if the maids had come. Not seeing anybody, he marched into the closet like he owned the place. After all, he had gotten used to staying in a closet for all those years.

He found a dark blue button-up shirt Valentino had gotten for him in his size. He hadn't worn it before but quickly tried it on, liking the way it showed off his small waist. It was a tight fit but wasn't too small for his size. He pared the button-up with black pants and a belt. Knowing that the long sleeves didn't suit his baby boy-ness, he quickly rolled his sleeves up to his elbow.

He smiled, admiring his reflection. He had to admit; he looked very nice for once. Nathaniel looked around for shoes to set aside for when he was going out, surprised to see that a fancy pair of shoes had already been bought for him. He grinned, silently thanking Valentino in his head. He'd thank him directly later.

Returning to his cozy corner on the sofa, he checked the time. It was almost six-thirty, and he was starving. Groaning, he sat on the couch and began to look through the channels one by one, nearly dying from boredom.

Nathaniel decided to text Valentino for further details about their date, like who would be picking Nathaniel up. Maybe a driver sent from the company? He didn't receive a reply until a few minutes later, which made him shoot straight up from his comfortable seat.

I'm outside, waiting.

Nathaniel turned the television off, biting his lip as he ran to the bathroom, checking his appearance once last time before grabbing the keys and his phone. He had placed some cash into his back pocket for emergencies.