by Melody Anne
“She wants the press to think she’s found a worthy man to be on her arm. The iron-clad story Brackish has made up for you is foolproof, and you’re perfect for the senator. You aren’t showing enough interest, so she threw down a couple aces on the table,” Sleep said.
“Mallory knows the game though. I shouldn’t have come on this trip. I should’ve stayed and insisted on seeing her alone.”
“She can’t risk it right now,” Eyes said. “The press is going to be watching you more than ever now,” he pointed out.
“So maybe I should just say screw it and go into the middle of a strip club and get photos with a dozen dancers all over me,” Green said with defiance. “Then the senator would dump my ass.”
“Yes, that would end the interest of the senator for sure. She can’t deal with that kind of bad publicity, but it would most likely end it with Mallory too,” Smoke said. “But I’m game if you are. I don’t mind a dozen lap dancers doing my bidding. Hell, since I’m not dating a senator I might just do that anyway.”
Green glared at the man who oozed sexuality. “You know what, Smoke? I think you’re far more talk than action. I think you make all of these comments because you’re actually a big teddy bear. We all saw how you’ve taken Jasmine beneath your wing. A true bad boy doesn’t love kids and little lost kittens.”
“It was one kitten,” Smoke said with a glower. “What was I supposed to do, leave the poor thing crying in the rain. She was right there at the door, freezing, wet, full of fleas, and starving. I can still be a bad ass and have a cat.”
The tantrum made Green and the others crack up.
“However, will Stormy survive with you gone this week?” Eyes asked. The kitten Smoke had saved two months earlier was now a member of their team, living in the operations center, sleeping with Smoke, and ruling the entire compound. She had the best toys, food, and medicine available, and all of them had heard Smoke talking sweet to her when he thought no one could hear.
“Mock all you want, but she’s better than a guard dog. You mark my word,” Smoke said.
Green had to admit he liked the little orange feline. She was full of spit and vinegar, and she could be a terror or super sweet curled up in any of their laps. And she had attacked Eyes a couple weeks ago.
“I hate that beast,” Eyes said, rubbing his hand over the thigh of his jeans in remembrance. His words made everyone laugh again.
“Maybe if you weren’t a sleeping whore you wouldn’t have been attacked,” Smoke said defensively. It had only been Eyes and Smoke in the operations center that night but Eyes’s scream had gotten Smoke on his feet prepared for battle in seconds.
“No, your demon spawn was probably taught to terrorize,” Eyes said.
“We have fifteen minutes until we land. Tell the story again,” Sleep begged.
“I hate all of you,” Eyes said, looking out the window as Vegas came into view.
“Eyes woke up in the middle of the night and stumbled to the bathroom. Apparently Stormy likes to drink from the freshly flushed toilet, so he did his business, then flushed when Stormy jumped up on the seat and scared the shit out of Eyes. He let out a scream like a little girl, stumbled backward, and slipped. The cat screeched at him, and he tried to correct himself by pushing forward. The momentum sent him flying forward, his hand landing in the toilet.” Smoke was laughing so hard as he told the story he had to stop and regain his breath.
“I ran around the corner just in time to see Eyes jerk his hand from the toilet as Stormy swatted him right in the face. He yelled again as he fell backward this time and slid in the water splattered on the floor. The cat was smart enough at this point to sense danger, and she ran from the room. I swear there was a smile on her lips as she passed by me.”
Everyone laughed again as they heard the story. It didn’t matter how many times they heard it, it still filled them with joy.
“You go ahead and laugh, but I swear that damn cat tried to kill me. She might actually be a secret spy sent to us like a Trojan horse,” Eyes said. He looked around as if afraid the kitten was going to come out of the vents and attack at any moment.
“Stormy’s safe and sound being babysat by Uncle Chad this weekend. Apparently, he’s taking her to Joseph’s house to get playtime with the kids. I told him I’d personally tear off his limbs one by one if anything happened to her while I was gone,” Smoke said.
He said the words like it was no big deal, but the team realized the man would be devastated if something happened to the cat. Who would’ve thought he’d be a cat lover?
“Buckle up. We’ll be touching down in about five minutes,” the captain called.
“Okay enough of our life in Seattle. Now, my boys, it’s Vegas time, and we all know that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” Eyes said, a gleam in his eyes.
“Oorah,” Sleep said, making them all laugh again.
“You can’t say that. Only Marines do,” Green pointed out.
“I have some bad ass brothers in the Marines, and they gave me full permission,” Sleep countered.
It didn’t matter. They landed. And the fun was about to begin.
They stepped from the jet and found a large Hummer SUV waiting at the private terminal to whisk them away to the MGM Grand. It was midmorning in Vegas, and they had three full days to get into as much trouble as humanly possible. They had another two full days to recover from getting into all of that trouble before they reported back to work. So, they were going to live life to the fullest.
The limo was large, but with the five of them inside it, the space shrank considerably. There were several bottles of whiskey lined up and Sleep was the first to reach for them.
“What time are the women arriving?” Sleep asked as he looked at his watch.
“They won’t tell us anything,” Brackish said with a growl. “They’ve left their phones off and refuse to speak to us the entire time they’re here. They said they’ve got bodyguards, won’t be going anywhere unsafe, and that this is time for them and time for us. Of course, I already know where they’re going and can follow them throughout the entire city with the cameras but I’m desperately trying to respect my wife and let her enjoy her bachelorette party.”
Brackish’s fingers twitched on top of his modified iPad even as he said the words to his team. He was a newlywed after all, and he loved being with his wife.
“It’s going to be hell for me too,” Sleep said. “I married Avery because I actually do enjoy being with her.”
“That doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun with the men too,” Eyes pointed out. He laughed but there was something in his eyes that made Sleep slap his back.
“We’re brothers to the end. No more talk of women . . . until we check in to make sure they’re safe at night,” he said, making all of them laugh.
“I can agree to that . . . I think,” Brackish said with a sheepish smile.
The limo took them to the MGM Grand, and they were whisked through check-in then rode high in the elevator up to the bi-luxury suite that towered over the strip. They had a personal butler who was willing to cater to all of their needs 24/7 for the duration of their stay. It wasn’t a bad way to start the trip.
“We have a pool table and fully stocked private bar. I’m digging this so far,” Eyes said as he wandered the huge suite.
“I like the room, but I don’t plan on spending much time in here,” Green said. “If I’m going to be in Vegas, I want to do it all.”
“I agree. We have fine food, fine women, fine rides, and even finer money to be taken from the casino. Before we grab some grub and get this party started, let’s toast our recently married brethren,” Eyes said.
“Amen,” the rest of the team added as they took out cold beers and held them in the air, made toasts, and drank to each of them. They took about an hour to unpack, shower, change and then they hit the elevators. This time the elevator took them down, and the excitement level rose.
&nb
sp; Their first meal in Vegas was at Wolfgang Puck Bar and Grill. They ordered one of each appetizer on the menu and a couple pizzas that were delicious but barely scratched the itch of their hunger. These men knew how to eat, and they weren’t ashamed of it. But they had their first activity, and they didn’t want to get sick. They were about to get fast and furious.
“Hurry up, Smoke,” Eyes yelled as Smoke stuffed the last bit of pizza in his gullet. “Our appointment is at four and we’re barely going to make it in time.”
“I thought bachelor parties were all about drinking and strippers,” Smoke yelled. “Why the hell do we need to traipse all over the city?”
“Says the man who doesn’t have a wife at home,” Sleep said with a laugh. “If I spend a three-day weekend drunk with naked women around me, I won’t be married anymore.”
“Good excuse,” Smoke said, then finally stood. “I guess that’s why I’m never getting married. I don’t want to have to choose the right thing.”
They all laughed as they stepped outside where their limo was waiting. The driver already had their itinerary, so they climbed in and were off. Their next stop was a brand new, state-of-the-art Formula One race world. The owners built a small city people could race through, then they were able to move to new locations that allowed different racetracks to be routed.
There were at least twenty different iterations, meaning a person would have a new experience every time they came to the track. Between the different tracks and the multitude of different cars to choose from, no one would ever get bored.
“Whoa, you didn’t say we were coming here,” Smoke said, his eyes open in awe. They’d finally managed to impress the man. “We all chose an activity. This is mine,” Eyes told the group. “It’s been far too long since I’ve opened something up fast and hard.”
“That sounds like a personal problem,” Green said as he patted him on the back. “I don’t have a problem with fast, hard . . . or slick.”
“I don’t know why I bother to say anything,” Eyes said as he moved forward.
“I’ve reserved the cars,” Eyes said. “I’m taking out the McLaren Speedtail; Smoke, you have the Bugatti Chiron; Sleep, you have the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera; Brackish, you have the Ferrari 812; and Green, you have the Lamborghini Aventador.” The men all looked at the cars as they tried not to drool.
“Who wants to race?” Brackish asked, the most excited the group had ever seen him.
All four of the men held up their hands. They got the rules rundown, then climbed inside their high-powered machines. As soon as the wind whipped through their windows the rules no longer applied.
They got the cars back to the office an hour late and didn’t feel a bit remorseful for it. Their bank accounts and the huge deposits they’d put down helped the manager not freak out on them. They were walking away when Eyes smiled with joy. “Beat that,” he told the group.
“It’s going to be hard to beat,” Smoke said. “But I’m always up for a challenge.”
They made it back to their hotel, changed again, then did some gambling and decided to hit the nightclub scene. Eyes and Smoke were the only two excited for the club. The other three of their group had to take a lot of ragging about being whipped.
Green didn’t know what he was. He didn’t actually have a woman, but instead two women who wanted something from him, and that left him standing there not knowing what in the hell he was supposed to do about it.
“Come on, guys, this is the Cirque du Soleil’s Light Nightclub,” Smoke said. “Do you know how hard it is to get in here? We not only have true VIP entry but can do anything we damn well please. When Joseph says he has connections, the man isn’t kidding.”
“Is this your activity for us?” Sleep asked with a laugh as they approached the loud club that had a line around the block to get in.
“Hell yah, it is,” Smoke said. “I was too afraid you guys wouldn’t come to the club if you knew about it beforehand. This, this right here is where we separate the men from the boys when it comes to alcohol consumption.”
“You’re probably right,” Brackish said as he looked up at all of the security cameras. “I can’t wait to get back and break into these bad boys. I bet it’s better than watching real television. Can you imagine the crap that goes on in places like this?”
“I’ve seen The Hangover, and I have no plans of bringing a tiger back to our room, at least like the one in the movie,” Sleep said mischievously.
They moved inside the club and Brackish’s attitude changed as he was in pure heaven. The high-tech lights, cameras, and speakers were drawing him in. He wanted to see how much money and time they’d put into the technology for the club. Of course, that’s what he was interested in.
“How long do you think it’ll be before he gets escorted out?” Sleep asked as Brackish circled around looking up.
“I’d give it thirty minutes tops if he doesn’t quit acting like he’s trying to case the place,” Eyes said.
“How long do we let him sit in security guard jail?” Sleep asked with a laugh.
“Hell, a night in their crappy holding cells would be a dream come true for Brackish. He’d have them all interrogated by morning,” Green said.
“True,” Eyes said as all of the men nodded in agreement.
They should’ve been having the best time of their lives, and it wasn’t a complete disaster, but they weren’t as young as they’d once been, and while the DJ was incredible, and the aerial acrobatics show was amazing, it was also loud, making it hard to speak, and the girls were just too young. Smoke went out there and danced, and even he didn’t look as enthused as he’d been going on about being. But the drinks were smooth and went down easy.
They stayed for three hours before reaching their limit. The five of them drank more in that timeframe than the party of ten in the booth next to them who’d been there for five hours. They went back to the casino and stayed up until dawn at a great blackjack table, tipping the dealer more than most people made in a good month, and continued downing enough alcohol to fuel a jet.
They all crashed in the early morning hours and had a rude awakening when Brackish set off an obnoxious alarm, making each of them jump up in bed.
Eyes blearily looked at the clock, finding it was only ten in the morning. “Brackish, we’ve been asleep for four hours. What the hell?” he yelled.
“The day is young and it’s my day today,” Brackish said.
“This ought to be good. Are we going to some tech fair?” Green snapped as he got up. His head was pounding. He moved to the sink and downed a glass of water and some Advil.
“I think you’ll love today,” Brackish assured him.
The men got up, showered, dressed and headed out. They hadn’t eaten much the day before, so their first stop was the buffet at the Pink Flamingo Casino. It was fun to get away from the main strip, and it had a hell of a buffet. The guys were sure the casino reconsidered all you can eat by the time they were finished.
“Hell, I could live on buffets,” Smoke said as they walked from the place.
“I’ve never had all you can eat crab legs. I might’ve cleared them out,” Sleep said as he rubbed his flat belly.
“I definitely cleared out the shrimp. Damn, that was good,” Sleep said.
When the limo took them to their next stop, all of the men smiled. “Now, this is more like it,” Green said. “This is my idea of heaven.”
They were at The Gun Store that featured both an indoor and outdoor range. Brackish had chosen the package that allowed them to shoot WWII classics, including the Thompson. They had machine guns, AKs, and tommy guns. It was paradise to each and every one of them. They had two full hours of shooting as much ammo as they wanted, yelling out quotes from their favorite movies.
“I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse . . .”
“You wanna play rough? Okay. Say hello to my little friend . . .”
“Now if
I ever, I mean if I ever, see you here again, you die, just like that . . .”
Smoke made them all laugh when he said his quote. “You don’t understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I could’ve been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am.”
They all walked from the place with smiles and high fives. Of course, Green beat them in most of the competitions, but Sleep came in for a final win with a short-range shootout. And they were all winners because they were having fun.
Their second day in Vegas went by in a blur with more drinking and more gambling. Brackish hit huge at the roulette table after placing five thousand dollars on a single number – black twenty — which hit. The payout was thirty-five to one. His takeaway was one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars. His kid was getting fifty thousand in his savings account, his wife fifty thousand to spend on what she wanted, and he was blowing seventy-five thousand on the remainder of their trip. Day two ended on a high note . . .
It was their third day when everything went wrong . . . very, very wrong, for Green at least. For the rest of the crew, it was a show that rivaled anything they could’ve imagined on the strip.
Chapter Seventeen
Mallory was beyond humiliated to be dragged to Las Vegas by the senator, who’d been pissed for two days that Hendrick had decided to go on a bachelor party adventure with his friends. The senator showed her possessive side, and Mallory felt absolutely miserable with not understanding her feeling about Hendrick and this mission.
Her job had always come first. There’d never been a division of loyalty. This time, though, it was different. This time she didn’t want to be undercover. She wanted to come out in the open and tell the world she had feelings for this man who’d managed to dive deeply beneath her cool surface without her knowing it was happening.
