Cloud Riders (Lord of the Planets)

by Debbie Behan

  United Amusement–Day Two

  The trip to another fun park left them exhausted and looking forward to a little time out before they had to leave for the airport.

  Back at the motel, the gang were all going for a bite to eat but Cassie was far from feeling hungry. ‘I want a nice soak in the spa and that’s where I’m heading.’ She grabbed a towel and kissed Kayden. ‘Unless you’re hungry too? I can relax later if you prefer something now.’

  ‘Your idea sounds just perfect. We can eat later on tonight when we get to Sydney,’ he said, following her out.

  ‘Sounds good to us too!’ Woody and Ella joined them, only they were more prepared, bringing down a couple of bottles of wine and some glasses. After pouring them all a drink, Woody sat back to relax in the bubbly warm liquid with the rest of them.

  Not being able to resist annoying Kayden and Woody, Jason came down as well and slipped in between Ella and Cassie. ‘A thorn between two roses,’ he said as he held up his glass for Woody to fill. ‘As if I’m staying there with those giggling chicks,’ he said. ‘You’re not getting rid of me that easy.’

  Cassie giggled at him. ‘We might as well enjoy you now because when we get to the Cross I doubt if we’ll see you for dust.’

  ‘You’re on the money, honey but definitely not for your eyes or your ears, little sister. I can guarantee that K will keep you as far away from there tonight as he can get you. But hey, I still want to catch up with you guys tomorrow morning. Aren’t we all going sightseeing?’

  Cassie suddenly felt nervous for him if he was going to go to the Cross on his own. All the rest of them had partners so it looked as if he would be unaccompanied. ‘Surely you aren’t thinking about heading out by yourself in a wild place like Kings Cross?’ she asked, alarmed that with all the stories they had told her, he would be game enough to go into the untamed jungle on his lonesome.

  ‘Don’t look so worried, Cass. The guys would never allow me to go and enjoy all the nightly spoils and booty on my own. No, Ethan and Conor need some time out from the girls, so they’re feeding them now. When we touch down, us boys are going down to the Cross for a boys’ night out. Woody’s gone to the light, like Kayden, so my guess is you guys will probably hang out together.’

  ‘Great plan, shit head. What about their girls? I’m not frigging babysitting,’ Woody drawled and rolled his eyes.

  Jase laughed. ‘No way! They’ve already planned to go to some male strip club they know of. So there, sweet, it’s all organised.’

  Woody grinned with a sly dog look on his face. ‘Good! Because me and my man K are treating our women to a bit of indulgence and taking them to the revolving restaurant in the city before showing them a little of the nightlife from the comfort of a limo.’

  ‘Are we?’ Cassie hugged Kayden. ‘Cool,’ she sat back, happily thinking about what they were going to do and was wrapt that they weren’t just going to be sitting in a motel room like she had thought was going to happen.

  ‘No doubt about our Cassie, she’s easy pleased. Why don’t you come with us, K and let her go have a real treat? She’d have a blast at the strip joint with the girls,’ Jason said, trying to stir Kayden up.

  Kayden stiffened and Cassie could tell it made him annoyed that he’d even suggested it. Jason knew how easily led Cassie could be but not tonight. What Kayden had planned sounded just perfect to her.

  ‘I can’t answer for Kayden.’ Cassie took another sip of wine. ‘But for me, there is no other man worth looking at after seeing my man naked,’ she giggled. ‘There are five men around me constantly with buff, fine-tuned bodies. Why would I then bother to go to some sleazy little hot spot? Looking at something that doesn’t come close to you lot or to my hunky man?’ she asked, closing her eyes. The image of her husband doing his own little strip tease couldn’t stop her from grinning.

  ‘I’m stunned! You’ve never complimented any of us before. I just had to take a second to see if you were being serious or having a lend of me!’

  Cassie sighed lazily. ‘Ella, tell him! Are they or are they not, all drop-dead honeys?’ She grinned.

  Ella took a minute. ‘My Woody is my perfect vision, as yours is Kayden but yes the rest of the boys do look well above average on the who’s-hot radar.’ She smiled as Cassie clinked her wine glass together with hers.

  Kayden grinned from ear to ear. ‘Right back at you, beautiful! There’s nothing at the Cross for me any longer either.’

  Jason was still gob-smacked and sat quietly sipping his drink. Cassie could see his mind going over something. ‘Whatcha thinking, Jason?’ she asked.

  He sculled the rest of his drink, pouring another. ‘Remember when we were on the island and I was canoodling with that cutie? Well, she said exactly those words and that’s why I dumped her. I thought she meant that any one of us would do. I really liked her too. Had feelings for her, straight up, enjoying her so much I even took it slow.’ He looked at them and smiled. ‘I know, not me at all. You know I still think about her every now and then. She really pressed the right buttons for me. I must have been crazy to let that one go. Too bad now though. I don’t even know her name or where she comes from.’

  Cassie thought about the one he was with that day. ‘Which one? Do you mean the one with the girl-next-door look and hazel eyes?’ she asked.

  He nodded. ‘That would be the one but I would hardly call her the girl next door. She was a real hottie.’

  ‘Well hottie lives in MargaretRiver, our last stop, and her name by the way is Sonia McMasters.’

  Jason slapped the water with excitement and drenched them accidentally. ‘Your power to remember names! I forgot about that. We could look her up!’ His grin spread over his entire face as he lay back and sculled his drink. ‘Sonia … that’s right … that was her name,’ he said quietly to himself and the boys both grinned at each other.

  ‘The boy’s got it bad! Who would have guessed our man Jase would fall for a real woman?’ Woody commented.

  Jason smiled again. ‘Little Sonia! The name just rolls off your tongue, don’t it?’ he said again and they all laughed at him going all gooey over a girl at long last.

  ‘Is this going to spoil your fun tonight?’ Cassie inquired.

  ‘Hell no!’ he said, sitting up so fast that he almost spilled his drink, making them laugh. ‘My little Sonia may tell me to rack off yet so I better not go loaded,’ he laughed.

  Cassie slapped him. ‘You’re disgusting, Jason, stop it,’ she giggled with him.

  With the booze gone, they decided to get out of the spa and go have showers before heading off for the airport.

  The flight was barely an hour’s trip so it was exciting to be stepping off the plane and seeing a brand new city. Looking down from up in the plane, the city looked awesome with all the lights mapping out just how dense the population was, expanding out over the land for miles.

  Kayden asked the driver to drop them off at a luxury hotel called The Observatory. Cassie followed Kayden and the porter up to The Observatory Suite, the most opulent and expensive of all the suites, luxury at its finest, the décor elegant and filled with charm.

  Kayden put his arms around her. ‘Living in a castle most of your life I thought you might like somewhere a little bit special to make you feel like a princess for a night.’

  ‘You know you never have to be so lavish with your money to please me. Just so long as I lie next to you, I’m happy staying anywhere. However,’ she spun around in a circle with her arms out. ‘This is exquisite and definitely does make me feel so very, very special,’ she said, stopping and hugging him.

  ‘Special, is that all? I hoped I would get maybe great sex for being so thoughtful.’

  ‘You, my husband, will get more than that if you do a little strip later to make up for me not going with the girls. I want to experience everything Sydney has to offer. That being said, I’d sooner it was you that showed me what I may be missing, not a stranger.’

  ‘Strip? You don’t have
to ask me twice,’ he laughed, grabbing her and sitting her on the bed. Turning up the music from the surround sound system, he began entertaining her, throwing his clothes aside and then attacking her. ‘Now it’s your turn, gorgeous and if you strip as quickly and as impatiently as I did to get to you, I’ll have to smack you.’

  She went to get up.

  Just thinking about gently smacking her sexy tush, he grabbed her. ‘Stuff it, cutie, I’ll take your clothes off for you!’ he said impatiently, wanting her now.

  She giggled and wiggled out of his grip, giving him a show that would make up for him staying at home with her too. That is, of course, if he had let her finish. He snatched her half-naked body up in his arms and carried her to the bed. ‘My girl, yum! Come here so I can have some dessert before dinner,’ he chuckled before kissing her into submission.

  Later—much later—they met the others downstairs. Jason, Ethan and Conor had a look in their eyes spelling a night of pure hell-raising. The sweetie twins cabbed it to the strip club and their three mischievous team members left just after them.

  As for us—well Kayden and Woody never do anything in halves . The longest limousine Cassie had ever seen pulled up for them. She stepped into something close to a nightclub on wheels, excited to get to the restaurant where they would be eating one thousand feet above the city and as the restaurant revolved, they had promised her a spectacular view.

  The restaurant was known for its selection of freshly caught, delicious seafood and the meal lived up to her every expectation. Overindulged in explode-in-your-mouth sensations, Cassie declined dessert when handed the menu although when Kayden’s dessert came out it looked so delicious that she weakened and let him feed her a spoonful. As he pulled the spoon away he kissed her mouth, sending her into a delightful spin. ‘I didn’t know desserts could be so dreamy to eat,’ she grinned as he let her go.

  When they left, she turned to take in just one more look out the glass walls. The restaurant was entertaining and as promised, the view, stunning. ‘I just want to lock it in my memory to have always.’

  Kayden slid his hand in hers and walked her out. ‘It pales compared to you, my beauty,’ he said sweetly.

  Relaxed after seeing the Cross at night in the comfort and safety of the limo, they went back to the hotel to have a drink in the Martini Club. The room was unusual for a drinking lounge. With the waft of the rich leather and mahogany furniture mixed with the books that lined the shelving, reminded her of her father’s library. Somehow, it was so comforting to feel a part of him with her tonight.

  Kayden had only had a few sips of a Martini when they received a distressing call from Jason. The boys were in a situation and needed help. He never explained, just gave the address and hung up.

  Arriving at the destination, they found only a big old green door. Standing against the door was a huge obese man who had a sumo wrestler look about him. After getting permission for them to go inside, they entered, going up the darkened stairs. Coming to another door, it opened into a games room. It was full of cigar smoke mixed with the odour of expensive leather. The lounges flanked a large round table that had huge comfortable leather chairs pushed up against it. Here a dark-haired man sat, his expression unreadable. Jason was in a chair over by the far corner, held by the shoulders by two oversized goons. One had scars and a patch on his eye, the other had so many piercings on his face and ears that Cassie was surprised he could even hold his head up straight.

  Goddamn, they look bad arses .

  Conor and Ethan both had men standing over them with weapons drawn. It looked like Jason had tried to stick up for the boys and was being subdued and kept away from them under tighter security.

  It was obvious without asking that the guys had been playing cards and had become over-confident and lost, not having enough cash to cover their debt.

  Woody crankily asked what they owed.

  ‘Ten G,’ the man sitting at the end of the table said with an accent. Maybe South African, Cassie thought as she eyed him, coming to the conclusion that he looked like a mean sucker and not one to be stuffed around. His eyes alone held a tone of impatience, showing them that even having to bother with this situation was an insult. He looked about two seconds from giving the order to take the lot of them down and with this firepower someone was bound to be shot or worse. His men looked very trigger happy, especially the one with the eye patch.

  One of the armed men finished counting the money Woody and Kayden emptied from their wallets. ‘Still five G short, Mono,’ he said to the man at the end of the table.

  The man they now knew as Mono sat eyeing Cassie with a steady gaze as if he was trying to work out if she was someone he knew. He looked a mean mother and yet he was from a world she knew so well. With his jewelled watch and gold chains, down to the expensive suit and brand of shoes that her stepfather used to wear, everything about him screamed money and worst of all, arrogance. He had dark hair, an olive complexion and eyes so black with annoyance that they were just glistening pits within sockets.

  Kayden stepped closer to him and the guard beside him pointed guns at him. ‘Look, man, we have the money. We can double it if you wait until the bank opens in the morning. Let’s just calm down and I’m sure we can come to an arrangement. What do you say?’ Kayden knew his boys were in trouble and was trying to defuse the situation.

  Mono seemed calm on the outside but underlying anger was showing in his eyes. ‘I won’t be here in the morning. I’ve given them long enough to come up with what they owe me.’ He summoned his guards to take it out of their hides and the guards moved toward them. Cassie could see this was not going to end nicely.

  ‘Wait!’ She put her hand up and sexily walked over to the table, lifting her tight skirt slightly so she could lean on it, looking Mono directly in the eye. The split was up to her thigh and her boobs spilled teasingly from her top, showing just a little lace from her low-cut bra. His eyes roved over her body without expression but certainly not with distaste.

  ‘How about you and I play a real game of cards, sugar and if I win, my friends and I all walk out of here owing you zip,’ she said with a rather sleazy drawl.

  ‘And if I win?’ He seemed slightly amused.

  Cassie moved her hands gently off the table and ran them slowly over her hips and down her thighs, straightening her dress and talking quietly. ‘Then all bets are off, we take you down and you walk out of here with nothing but a headache from being thrown against that back wall,’ she said, smiling sweetly. She looked sideways at Kayden and he winked so she knew he was okay with it.

  ‘And who, may I ask, out of you lot, will be tough enough to throw me against the wall?’

  She walked a little closer, slowly, so as not to startle him and as she did she ran her finger on the table then put it in her mouth and sucked it sensually, closing her eyes as if she were enjoying more than just the finger. Seductively pulling it from her lips she opened her eyes and grinned. ‘Um—that would be me,’ she said again, so honey-smooth that it even surprised herself.

  He threw his head back and laughed. It was a truly amused laugh so her plan to seduce him into a game felt inevitable. ‘Because you amuse me I will play the best out of three hands,’ he gestured to his guard who pulled out a chair for her. ‘Drink?’ he said, clicking his fingers to the bar person who practically ran to him to see what he wanted.

  Cassie smiled back. ‘Shot glass, rum, straight up,’ she said.

  He sat back in his chair and she was thinking that maybe the guys had better get ready for plan B. This one was a challenge and so far with his poker face she had been unable to read him. But she still had a few tricks up her sleeve to thaw out Mr Freeze. She pulled the clip out of her hair and shook the long locks out, letting the curls fall sexily around her shoulders. Still there was not an expression she could pick, yet as she shook her head slightly, there was a definite glint that flickered in his eyes. Gotcha, she thought as she searched his poker face for anything else.


  He leaned back, watching her antics. ‘This may be the conman getting conned. I’ll be watching you, lady, so no tricks.’

  ‘No sleeves,’ she said, lifting her hands up. ‘Are you telling me a little five-foot nothing female has you running scared?’

  ‘Not at all. I’m amused that you’d think you would even be good enough to play against someone like me but it is your boys’ funeral not mine if you lose.’ He shuffled the cards.

  ‘I would like to request a new unopened pack, not that I don’t trust you but neither of us then have reason to believe the other has cheated.’

  ‘Fine,’ he said, annoyed again as he summoned a new pack that he quickly pulled the wrapper from. ‘Any other requests before we start?’ he asked sarcastically.

  She sculled her drink and put the glass in front of him, at the same time gesturing for him to drink his. ‘Yes, one last request. Keep them coming unless of course you’re unable to handle a couple of drinks with your opponent.’ She smiled, angel-like.

  He looked at her for a minute and must have decided against what he was going to say and downed his drink, knocking on the table for two refills.

  Cassie won the first hand, tossing another shot down and gestured for him to do the same. He was a bit moody and so she thought she would lull him into a false sense of security and let him beat her in the next round.

  ‘Mono,’ she smiled. ‘You have an extremely pleasant accent, South African isn’t it?’ She tried to sweet-talk him.

  ‘Shut the hell up. Your pleasantries won’t get those impudent fools from getting what’s coming to them,’ he said, concentrating on his cards.

  ‘And your sweet-sounding voice will not stop what is coming to you,’ she said gulping down yet another, motioning for him to keep up. He drank and slammed the glass against the wall. It shattered as it hit the tiled floor, the sound breaking through the deadly quiet room.

  She shook her head. ‘Temper, Mono. I imagined you as a much better adversary than this.’ Cassie motioned for another drink as he dealt out the last hand.