“As long as you’re sure. I’m always happy to have you. How’s Mace?” I ask the giant elephant in the room. She knows what I mean, too, not exactly asking about his sickness but in a roundabout way questioning all the things we couldn’t talk about earlier when she was clamming up on me.
“Mace is fine. Back to work. It doesn’t seem like a whole lot has changed. The only difference was him wanting more time with Von. At this point, he’s a lost cause. I need to get my heart on board with my head. Sadly, trying to tell myself that and actually believing it are two totally different things.” Ugh, I could kick Mace square in the balls for this shit. When Tyra got the call at the club, my own heart thought that maybe he’d gotten his head out of his own ass by calling her to make sure their son was getting the best care possible by calling Tyra. What she became was a certified babysitter for a thirty-five-year-old overgrown man child.
“Well, it’s a good thing I have an evening free. What do you say we go grab some dinner, let this little booger get some energy out? And you guys can stay with me tonight if you’d like.” Wylde, I know without a doubt, wouldn’t mind the two of them staying in the spare bedroom in my apartment. Maybe he might be a little put out because, well, we’d have to curb our mattress aerobics. What can I say? The things that man does to me, there’s no keeping me quiet. Though there always is another option in keeping me quiet with his cock in my mouth, or in the shower. Hmm, I’ll have to definitely think about that. Me on his face, stomach to stomach as I suck his cock exactly the way he likes.
“Yes on dinner and wearing Von out, no on spending the night. You’re in the honeymoon phase, Celeste. I remember what that was like. Keeping hands off one another is hard, needing the time to build up your relationship. Plus, I love Wylde for you, but seeing it firsthand right now, that’s kind of hard.” Okay, maybe I’ll kick Mace in his balls twice with the way Tyra states that last sentence.
“He wouldn’t mind, and neither would I. We have time. What Wylde and I both don’t want is for you to need me and not allow me to be there. We’re best friends through and through, through thick and freaking thin. You’re the sister I never had, and don’t you forget it either.” Von starts wiggling to get down. I miss the days when he loved to snuggle and be held. Now that he’s full-on walking and running, there’s no stopping him.
“Hi, can I please have a snack ?” Von asks again. I go to the small drink and food area in the corner that we have set up for clients. Von doesn’t know that there’s a basket specifically for him with all of his favorite toddler-approved food as well as a few toys. I knew there’d be evenings like that or even mornings when he’d be here. Not when we’re slammed but the times when we don’t have clients. There’s no reason he can’t feel welcomed here.
“I love you. You’re the best. How about I promise if I get down in the dumps, I’ll call you right away. Deal?” Tyra is ever the compromiser.
“I love you, and you better, or I’m going to turn up at your house in my pajamas and robe.” Tyra cracks a smile because I’ve done it before. It was one of those first days she was out on her own, heard a weird noise, was startled, and called me. I showed up in exactly what I just described, along with slippers and a baseball bat. “Good idea. Call me anytime, day or night. I’ll always be there for you and Von. Now, I’m going to let him have a snack, finish folding the laundry, and then we can go.” I tack on texting Wylde to let him know my plans, so he doesn’t worry if I’m not here and I don’t answer my phone simply because I’m chasing after a four-year-old. I already know we’ll be suckered into the park; the kid loves swings and, well, neither of us can say no when it comes to Von.
TWENTY-EIGHT
Wylde
Three Weeks Later
“Phone.”Celeste’s head is nestled against my shoulder, hand on my heart, jostling me. “Wylder, grab your phone. It won’t stop ringing.” We’re at my place tonight, where we’ve been more often than not. Unless I get sucked into a late night. Thankfully, that’s happening less and less with Pierre becoming my right-hand man, a job he was thrilled with seeing as how Monica runs a tight ship and his job wasn’t as challenging as he’d like. Obviously, it’s not the case working as my assistant; it’s also why I was able to take the night off. A Friday night. That hasn’t happened since well before I bought the casino and hotel. It was a night where Celeste and I went out, after a week from hell in her eyes. Everything that could go wrong did, including Layla walking out and leaving clients in a lurch, which had everyone else picking up the slack. As much as I wanted to step in, to make it well known just what Layla was capable of, Celeste stood her ground and told me not to blackball her in the Vegas circle. Bullshit, if you ask me, but it was her business, and she doesn’t get into mine, so it’s only fair I don’t overstep my boundaries.
“What?” The alcohol we consumed along with the amount of times Celeste had me coming tonight has me in a sleep-induced fog.
“Phone, answer the phone,” she murmurs, snuggling deeper into me, mouth on my neck, kissing me, probably not even realizing what she’s doing.
“Fuck,” I grunt. She hitches her leg over my body, opening her pussy, and my cock is all too happy to oblige if it weren’t for the fact that my cell phone quit ringing only to pick back up again. My mind replays tonight, remembering the need to have Celeste so badly that we didn’t make it back to my place before she was in my lap in the hired car on the way back, dress up around the curves of her ass, my pants undone, and her sliding down my length. It was hot. The only view the driver got was Celeste sliding up, then gliding down, rotating those sinful hips of hers. I kept her covered in all the right ways while still allowing her to take over. It was hard, so fucking hard not ripping off her dress and feeling her naked skin. It’s one thing to be on a balcony and the thought of someone watching being hot as fuck, but being within touching distance if a cocksucker got a wild hair up his ass and decided he wanted to participate, I wouldn’t fucking let fly.
“Wylder,” I answer the phone, one arm still wrapped around Celeste, the other hand now pressed to my ear. The annoyance floating through my voice is loud and clear. One night is all I asked for. That couldn’t happen.
“It’s Nico. You need to get down to the casino, man. We got problems, big ones.” Not the news I want to be woken up to. I pull the phone away from my ear to check the time. It’s six o’clock in the morning. We didn’t even make it home till well past three, which means I’m functioning on two hours of sleep, if that.
“Fuck, I’m on my way.” We don’t discuss what kind of problems it could be; anyone can tap into your phone line, and when Nico is the one calling, you know it’s something about the money laundering side of things. First, it was Terry with his line of shit, little dick syndrome to the highest degree, which wouldn’t be so bad if he could back it up. He couldn’t. Then, earlier this week, it was Layla fucking over Celeste. Now this. The shit keeps piling up. Swear to God, if things don’t mellow the hell out, I’m booking us a one-way trip out of Vegas for a month straight.
“Where are you going?” Apparently, my attempt not to jostle Celeste while I got out of bed wasn’t successful. I watch as she grabs my pillow and stuffs it under her head. Her eyes are open but not quite alert, the sleepiness showing through. The sheet slips down over her shoulder, making me wish I weren’t being pulled away from her. I’d have much rather been the one waking her up, whether it be with my hand between her legs, working her pussy, feeling the wetness I undoubtedly know is there, or my mouth, lapping at each fold, sucking them into my mouth, one and then the other, Celeste waking up when she feels my teeth nip at her clit. My favorite scenario out of the bunch would be her waking me up, already on my cock, feeling her cunt strangle my length, watching those full tits of hers bounce, head tilted back in complete and utter rapture.
“The casino is having an issue. I’ll text you when I know what time I’ll be home. No use in you getting up, sweetheart.” I watch as her hand slides out from under the covers. My thigh is within reaching distance, and I feel the softness of her fingertips wrap around it.
“Okay, kiss me, and then I’ll go back to sleep,” she mutters, attempting to hide just how tired she truly is. I don’t respond. There isn’t one necessary. If what my woman wants is my lips pressed against hers, that’s what she’ll get, and when she deepens it with a flick of her tongue across my bottom lip, it’s hard to pull back. The only reason I do is because I know what will happen: the temptress herself will keep me from leaving; not that I want to, but the sooner I get there, the faster I’ll return.
“Soon, sweetheart.” I softly kiss her lips one last time.
“Okay,” she whispers, eyes fluttering closed, and that’s when I turn towards the closet. I need a suit, to brush my teeth, and do something quick with my hair. Even if I am rushing around, there’s no good reason to appear like it, especially if there’s trouble that will require a lawyer to be present.
TWENTY-NINE
Wylde
“At least thecops aren’t here, one silver lining,” I tell Nico as we’re walking into the security holding room, not surprised in the least so see who’s sitting with his hands cuffed in front of him. Fuck, I’m really glad Celeste didn’t insist on coming in with me.
“That’s still likely to happen.” Nico strolls in beside me. He didn’t give me the full story, realizing it would be better for that to happen in front of the former employee. “I got here early for our meeting.” I nod my head even though it isn’t in my calendar and Nico didn’t clear it with me. I’m also not stupid and know what he’s getting at. It was time for a truck to be here to transport the money the casino made on a busy Friday night, knowing tonight was going to be just as busy, if not more. It’s smart to have two to three armored trucks here on weekends.
“Yeah, a little too early,” I toss out, giving him the side eye even though I’m not usually here and Nico isn’t either, so someone must have seen or heard something.
“Maybe so. It worked out in your favor. It seems Terry here was watching the money being exchanged a little too carefully seeing as he’s not even technically allowed on any and all of Wylder Hayes’ property. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, one I’m sure Celeste won’t want to hear about either seeing as Layla was in on the whole entire scheme.” Fuck, I didn’t look at the woman. Nico met me in the parking garage after I parked, telling me that it was Terry and an accomplice, not who was with him. I parked my Bugatti in the spot with a sign for Wylder Hayes Hotel and Casino Owner. Right beside me was a new addition, one that I was adamant about being installed after one day when Celeste got to work after me and was unable to find a parking spot except for the very top, her car out in the elements as well as it being far away from the elevator. That’s when I gave Pierre the task of rectifying that. There was no way that in my position I couldn’t pull my own weight a little bit. This time, Celeste wasn’t annoyed and didn’t argue when she pulled into the spot next to mine and noticed she had a sign stating ‘Reserved for Celeste Reyes’. One day, my last name will be attached to hers, and that day will be happening soon.
“Well, isn’t that interesting. Were you expecting to get away with a money heist? This is fucking Las Vegas; there’s more security than ever, guards on every fucking door now that you’re gone and you can’t put your nose where it doesn’t belong.” I stand off to the side, arms crossed on my chest, pissed off because this guy was once someone I trusted when I hired him. He came highly recommended from his former employer. It was a good thing Nico’s famiglia had better connections than I did. Security has now doubled and is better than ever, my phone calls about unruly guests have gone quiet, and I don’t have to break up fights because they’re already taken care of before I can even blink.