He gave me a knowing look. “She’s fuckin’ awesome. If someone had told me when I was your age—how old are you?”
“Just turned twenty-six.”
He winced. “Fuck. Twenty-six? Really?”
Gabriel came over, slinging his arms over both our shoulders. “Who’s twenty-six?”
Nick jabbed his thumb at me. “This fresh-faced dude here. Do you remember being twenty-six?”
Gabriel’s lip curled. “That was an embarrassingly long time ago. Damn. Twenty-six, huh? I guess I see why they call you Young Mo.”
“I’ve been trying to kick that nickname,” I said.
“Nothin’ wrong with being young.” Nick rocked back on his heels. “Like I was saying, when I was your age, if someone had told me in eleven years I’d be in Vegas, looking forward to a quiet night with my wife, I’d have done a runner. Turns out, the quiet life isn’t too bad. ’Course, life isn’t too fuckin’ quiet with Dalia.”
Gabriel laughed. “With Jen either. I used to look forward to being out on the road for months on end. My bandmates would force my ass to stay home. Now, I’m all about the home life. Got my girl, my kids, life is good.”
I groaned. “You’re not selling me. Don’t even try it.”
Gabriel shook his head. “Yeah…well, you’re twenty-six. You’ve got to get a few more years under your belt before you’re looking to settle down.”
I wasn’t convinced, but I wasn’t trying to yuck on their yums. If they were into the domestic life, more power to them. Some of us weren’t cut out for that, and it was all good.
“Hey, I’m going to head out. Want a ride back to your hotel?” Nick asked.
I shook my head. “Nope. I’m staying here. Think I’ll probably wander around for a while.”
Gabriel grimaced. “Wander? Are you trying to kill your security? You step out in that casino, you’re going to cause a damn riot, man.”
I waved him off. “I’m no Nick Fletcher or Gabriel Sotero. Think it’ll be fine.”
“Are you dumb? You just played a massive show in this very hotel.” The lines between Nick’s eyebrows were miles deep from how hard he was scowling at me.
“Guess I’m dumb.” I pulled the well-worn ball cap from my back pocket and shoved it on my head. “Plus, I have a disguise.”
Gabriel wiggled his fingers in front of me. “Oh yeah, it’s magic. You’re utterly unrecognizable.”
I nodded toward the inconspicuous guy in the corner, quietly watching the room. “I’ve got Mac over there. Stop worrying about me like a pair of hens and go get your wives.”
With reluctance, they left, their own security surrounding them. As I moved to the exit to get on with my night of wandering, a woman in a dancer’s costume made her way toward me. She didn’t have a backstage pass around her neck, but I figured she didn’t need one since she was a dancer. Still, something about the wild look in her eyes had the hairs on my arm standing at attention.
“Hey, sweetheart,” I said, eyeing Mac. He was on alert.
“Hi, Mo. What did you think of the show?” She had a soft accent, Russian maybe. She stood closer than I wanted her to with the intense vibes she was giving off.
“Ah…” I adjusted the bill of my cap, “it was a bit crazier than I’m used to, but it was cool as hell.”
She got even closer, brushing her shoulder against my arm. “I hope you didn’t mind the way I touched you. I’ve never done that before, but with you, I felt a connection.” Her small hand cupped my balls through my jeans. “Don’t you feel it?”
I jumped back a good foot or two. “Whoa. Not cool. Not cool at all.”
She came for me again, tears pooling in her eyes. “But...I just want to—”
Mac was on his feet and in front of her in seconds. “All right, time to leave, Miss.”
He removed her from the room, gently, but with determined force. Her sobs and protests echoed off the walls while I stood there, not even sure what had just happened.
Holy shit.