IT STAYS
IN VEGAS
JACK
SCRIBE
Part 9, ROUTINES INTERRUPTED
From Part 8:
The last to leave were Nick and Rod. They lingered at the
door with Drew and Bob before departing.
“You guys threw a helluva party. I don’t think that Rod and
I have had such fun in a long time.”
“We usually go to corporate or charity events in an official
capacity. Not often do we get a chance to let our hair down. Nick, we should
invite them over to dinner in a couple of weeks.” Rod placed his arm around
Nick’s waist and smiled.
“Absolutely. Drew, let’s coordinate a weeknight very soon.
It would be great to get to know you two better over a quiet dinner.”
“I’ll check things out tomorrow and give you a couple of
dates. We’d enjoy that.” Drew thought it was interesting nothing had been
said by anyone concerning the older and younger couples’ relationships. It
was just a given.
“I’m free most evenings. Whatever fits your and Drew’s schedule
is fine with me. I also look forward to developing a friendship,” Bob replied,
while placing his arm around Drew’s shoulders.
“Okay, ’til then.” Nick let Rod lead the way out as he shook
Drew’s hand and patted Bob on the back.”
“Bye.” Drew watched his boss and friend stroll away. Out
of the corner of his eye Drew momentarily saw a guy with blond hair and a
mustache standing under a streetlight across the street. ‘Must be a neighbor
out for a breath of fresh air,’ he thought, as he closed the door. The man
looked vaguely familiar. ‘Probably someone who goes to the pool.’
~~~~~~~
Nick noticed a blond guy in the distance as Rod and he walked
over to their car. He admired the silhouette of the young, fit male as the
stranger abruptly turned and disappeared into the shadows. ‘A little window
shopping never hurts,’ he reasoned. Nick Maggiano and Rod Liddy would be celebrating
the seventh anniversary of their partnership in December.
“That was a fun party, Nick. No pretense or political bullshit.”
“I found the eclectic crowd that Drew and Bob gathered tonight
unusual and stimulating.” Nick clicked the door lock remote and the Lexus’
parking lights briefly flashed.
“Your guy is a smooth operator. I had an opportunity to observe
Drew subtly mix and match the guests. Most were being socially-manipulated
without knowing it,” Rod said with a laugh, opening the passenger door.
“Yes, he knows how to draw out the best in a person. That’s
why I chose him for the resident manager’s job over others more senior. Drew’s
great with guests and his staff. I think he’s really going to excel in that
slot.” Nick slid in the driver’s seat, inserted the key into the ignition
switch and started the LS. The four-cam V8 quietly purred to life while Nick
and Rod engaged the seat belts.
“His friend, Bob, is no slouch but clearly takes the lead
from Drew…nothing subservient, though. I sense that the guys have moved into
some sort of relationship and are figuring out exactly where they complement
each other.” Rod comfortably rested his hand on Nick’s thigh as the dark sedan
pulled away from the curb.
“That’s my guess. Bob’s only been here a short time and Drew
knows a ‘keeper’ when he sees one. If they can find half the love in a partnership
that we have, baby, Bob and Drew will be together for a long time. Stability
in Drew’s personal life will only enhance what I have in mind for him in business
down the road. But we’ve just got to get this Bosco thing resolved.” Nick
sped through the apartment complex entry and onto North Green Valley Parkway.
They were only five minutes away from their home near Wildhorse Golf Club.
“Has that creep been spotted?” Rod asked. Nick had kept him
informed of the casino drama concerning the guys and Bosco.
“No. I suspect he fled town after the attempt to lure Bob
over to that vacant apartment failed. But I’ve got security on top of it.
If that asshole surfaces, he’ll be nailed. Those boys’ safety is my responsibility.”
“By the way, I did find out something very interesting in
my conversation with Bob, tonight,” Rod replied. “His sister is the woman
that Al Bromley, Jr., is marrying. He’s going to be young Al’s brother-in-law.
They were fraternity brothers at UCLA and Bob introduced his sister to Al
on a blind date. I guess they’re all very tight.”
“Wow, that is interesting news. All the more reason to keep
those guys safe. I’ve got a meeting with Big Al next week. He and his business
associates will be in town to start filing the paperwork for the project with
the state.” Nick weighed the information he had just received, as it affected
the new casino that Mr. Bromley would be financing with his friends from back
east. The new casino - tentatively named ‘Toscana’ - would open in 2008 with
Nick Maggiano its president and partner.
“I assume Big Al has everything lined up?” Rod knew that
Nick was one of the few in Las Vegas allowed to refer to Mr. Bromley by his
childhood street name.
“The details are finalized, I understand, and the registered
partners in New York are squeaky-clean.” Nick shared his dream and basic deal with Rod, but not the details.
There were certain aspects of the project that were left unsaid. ‘The less
Rod knows about the real money, the better,’ Nick thought. ‘Revealing the
actual identity of the New Yorkers would not be cool.’ The basic truth was
that the company was a NASDAQ-traded public corporation that had been cleansed
through more laundering than sheets at the Mustang Ranch.
“Buddy, for the 1.2 billion that’s being invested, they’d
be crazy not to have everything lined up for the gaming commission. The 5%
participation ‘sweat equity’ Bromley gave you is just good insurance. Toscana
will be a gold mine with you leading the operation.” Rod slowly stroked Nick’s
thigh for emphasis.
“Part of that insurance is not to draw attention to any problems
that might be associated with the new casino. If something happens to Bob
Harrington or Drew Reichardt, the whole thing could blow away faster than
you can say ‘George Bush’. That’s why I’ve got to have Bosco found and dealt
with. That fucker is a potential disaster.” Nick wound his way through the
neighborhood streets off the parkway.
“Nick, you’ve got Nero’s security watching the guys. What
else can you do?” Rod turned and stared at his lover as they pulled into the
driveway of their sprawling one-story home. After the garage door was raised,
the Lexus slowly pulled into the vacant space next to Rod’s Bimmer.
“Las Vegas Metro pulled out of their surveillance because
of the expense. Rather than alarm Big Al, I’ll call New York. The boys back
there will have a solution.” Nick moved the gear into ‘park’ and turned off
the engine. He turned to Rod and brought his lips to meet his lover’s. “In
the meantime, I’ve got a solution to that humongous bulge in your pants.”
“I thought you’d never notice.”
*****
“So that’s about it, guys. Heather will be our new director
of guest services and I’ll develop an action plan for 2007 from your input.
We inherited the budget that has just been approved but it’s pretty solid
and doable. If there are no further questions, that’s it until next week.
By that time I’ll have all the details of the big fight next month.” Drew
smiled and looked around to his managers for final comments before the Monday
staff meeting ended. Slowly the group left the front desk conference room
as Drew collected his notes. ‘All in all, a pretty productive afternoon,’
he thought with satisfaction, walking back to his new office.
He sat down at the desk and opened the email window. Aside
from ‘cc’ inter-department head notes, two others piqued his attention. One
was from Nick Maggiano inviting him for a brief meeting at 5:00 p.m. in the
Roman Lounge near the baccarat tables, and the other from Bob inquiring about
dinner and a ‘call me when you get a chance’ ending. After calling Nick’s
secretary to confirm the meeting, he dialed Bob. He noted that it was 4:00
p.m. when he glanced at his watch.
“Hey, Mr. Harrington, how’s the marketing whiz kid of Nero’s
doing?”
~~~ “Ready to ‘whiz’ on the shit load of work piled on my
desk. This middleweight fight is turning into a big deal. Everyone seems to
want to come to the event. We’ve run out of comp seats for the press and P.R.
is driving me nuts.”
“Tell me about it. The casino just requested another 200
rooms for VIP’s and I’ve got a sold out hardware convention that weekend.
The meeting planner is going to be pissed when I ‘walk’ his group to the Flamingo.
Got some real handholding to do.”
~~~ “Babe, I’ll hold your hand later tonight…or whatever
else you want me to hold,” Bob replied with a low voice and a snicker.
“Umm, I can get into that. But first we’re going to eat.
What’s your idea?”
~~~ “I thought a pig out on the buffet at the Green Valley
Casino would be appropriate. We both spent more time working than eating at
the party this past weekend and I think we should treat ourselves.”
“Great idea. But let’s go to the gym first. I gotta see Nick
about something around five and should be able to meet you around 6:00 p.m.
Why don’t you go ahead to the gym and I’ll join you in the weight room?”
~~~ “Okay, buddy. I’m going to return a few phone calls and
shove off soon. See ya later. Bye, bye.”
“Love you. Bye.” The short conversation with Bob had made
his day. ‘What a lucky guy I am,’ he considered, while imagining how he’d
expel his sexual energy at home.
Drew called his counterpart at the Flamingo and arranged
for 200 rooms for two nights to take care of the convention guests who would
be ‘walked’. He wanted to have all details under control before he met with
the hotel sales director tomorrow morning.
Shortly before five he finished some work on a spreadsheet,
shut down the computer and checked out with the manager on duty before walking
across the lobby into the fringes of the casino.
The Roman Lounge was slightly elevated and next to the fabled
baccarat room. It was estimated that 75% of all Nevada baccarat action took
place on the twelve tables sitting before Drew. He sat down, ordered a club
soda from a cocktail goddess and watched the groups of players before him.
The dealers quietly dealt the cards amongst the stacks of chips. Drew always
marveled at the amount of pink chips in play. Each pink chip was worth $1,000.00.
“Hi, Drew. Sorry to be a few minutes late.” Nick shook Drew’s
hand and joined him at the cocktail table.
“Nick, no problem. I just got here and was watching the action.
Mr. Woo seems to be on a winning streak.” At a nearby table sat a distinguished
Asian man and elegant woman with several piles of pink chips.
“Mr. ‘W’ is into us for around a ‘mil’ right now. I was reviewing
the play with the boss in his office. That’s okay. We got him for 1.2 last
night and it’s not like he has to put his office tower in Hong Kong up for
collateral,” Nick replied with a chuckle. “The last I looked, Woo, Ltd., was
worth over 10 billion…and that’s not Hong Kong dollars.”
“He’s planning on staying through the week so I didn’t book
anyone in the Emperor’s suite until Sunday.” Drew knew that Steven Woo defined
the term ‘whale’ in casino-speak and Nero’s did everything possible to make
his stay pleasant. He smiled at Nick referencing the Chinese mogul as Mr.
‘W’. This was the way dealers and casino floor executives referred to regular,
repeat clientele.
“I appreciate that,” Nick replied with a nod. The cocktail
goddess brought his usual Campari and soda and he took a sip. “How’s everything
else going? Feeling comfortable in the new job?”
“Absolutely. We all know each other in the department and
there’s a spirit of cooperation,” Drew said with pride swelling inside. “Once
we get through the fight weekend, everything will be pretty smooth until New
Year’s Eve week.”
“Drew, let’s talk about some personal issues. I wanted to
mention something about the Bosco thing. As you are aware, Metro pulled their
surveillance team last week. However, I’ve got that covered. Starting tomorrow,
there will be some private guards watching out for Bob and you. Trust me that
you won’t know they’re around but I’ll feel better knowing that you’ve got
some support just in case that fucker starts anything.”
“Um, I guess that’s necessary. I hadn’t had time to really
think about that asshole. Bob and I have been very busy and the party took
a lot of time. But I appreciate your concern.”
“You’re a valuable asset, and Bob will become one as well,
but I’d like to think that we all will become friends, in time. Rod feels
the same way.” Nick looked into Drew’s eyes and nodded.
“Nick, I’d like that, too, and I’m not blowing smoke. I guess
the big challenge is to keep any friendship and work separate.”
“Good answer. By the way, I didn’t realize that Bob’s sister
is the woman engaged to Al Bromley, Jr.”
“That’s the way that Bob and I met. Trish, Al and Bob were
over for the big engagement proposal weekend and I helped facilitate their
plans. I guess you could say that Mr. Harrington and I naturally gravitated
to each other,” Drew said with a sly smile.
“It’s pretty obvious that you two are very tight. And I imagine
that you understand that Rod and I have a great relationship. Maybe after
the craziness of Super Bowl in a couple of months, Rod and I can have a cocktail
party and introduce you two to some of our male friends. We’ve got a terrific
support group of guys from ages younger than you to a few old farts in their
50’s,” Nick said with a chuckle. “When we’re out socially, we check job titles
at the door. Our friends range from CEO’s to a cute couple who are dancers
at the Tropic. In fact, they were at your party.”
“We’d like to expand our lives socially. I’ll pass our conversation
on to Bob, if you don’t mind?”
“Not a problem,” Nick replied as he looked at his watch.
“Whoops, gotta get home to the other half. I wanted to let you know, Drew,
that we’ve got you guys’ back covered on Bosco. The extra guards will be in
place tomorrow.” He signed the check
and rose to leave.
“Yeah, getting that creep outta our hair is priority number
one.” Drew stood to join Nick and offered his hand. “I really look forward
to doing a great job for you.”
“I have no doubts, buddy.” Nick gently slapped Drew’s back
and walked away.
*****
After parking in the assigned covered parking slots, Bob
and Drew slowly walked along the paved path to the front door of their apartment.
“You musta put away three slices of prime rib,” Drew said.
Both guys were carrying their gym bags containing sweat-drenched workout clothes.
“I told you that I was ready for a pig-out. You didn’t do
too bad at the Chinese table…and, pizza…and the seafood,” Bob replied with
a laugh.
“Okay, okay, I give. We both needed an evening at the buffet
trough.” With no one in sight, Drew placed his hand on the small of Bob’s
back and kissed him lightly on the neck.
“Umm, I like. But it’s back to the training table, tomorrow.”
Bob smiled while they turned the corner and continued up to their front door.
“I got the door.” Bob shifted his gym bag to the other hand and withdrew his
keys from his pocket.
“I can hardly wait for dessert, babe. I’m going to…”
“Do what, fuck face?” came a menacing voice from behind.
Bob and Drew both turned at the same time to see the image
of a guy holding a gun. The blond hair and mustache threw Drew off for a moment.
His eyes got larger when he realized that the altered appearance belonged
to Trent Bosco.
“Whoa, Trent. Put that gun away. You might hurt someone,”
Drew said in a slow, steady tone. “Let’s talk about this.” ‘Holy shit,’ Drew
thought, ‘there is a definite crazy stare in his eyes.’ He also noticed that
Bosco was carrying a bag.
“Let’s talk inside. Open the door and be sure to turn off
the alarm. Move pretty boy…fast,” Bosco said to Bob.
Bob looked at Drew, nodded and turned the key. He opened
the door and walked inside. Drew turned on the hall light and moved further
in to allow their uninvited guest inside. Bosco closed the door and motioned
to the security keypad. Without saying anything, Drew reached over and punched
in the code. Within seconds, the green light came on.
“Well, I’m together with my two favorite cocksuckers…again.
Kind of a reunion to celebrate how you fucked up my life.”
“Bosco, come on. You brought that on yourself. You wanted
to do stuff to me sexually that I didn’t want.” Bob looked at Bosco with a
mixed expression of fear, curiosity and disgust.
“Don’t tell me that shit,” Bosco yelled. He slapped Bob hard
with his backhand. Bob fell backwards and had to steady himself from falling.
“Drew, baby, help Bobbie boy to your bedroom. Tonight we’re going to get to
know each other…very well,” he ordered, waving the handgun.
“Bosco, I don’t think that…”
“You’re not allowed to think. Now, move.” Bosco watched as
Drew turned Bob and gently nudged him forward down the hallway.
They entered the bedroom and stood in the middle of the room.
‘Now’s not the time to be a hero,’ Drew thought.
“Okay, boys, stand apart from each other, start stripping
and don’t turn around. One false move and a bullet will find its way into
your body. Throw your clothes and shoes into a pile in the corner.”
Drew toed off his shoes and kicked them away. He shrugged
and grimaced when he caught Bob’s attention. Drew nodded and started to remove
his shirt. ‘I don’t know if you can read minds, babe,’ he thought, ‘but let’s
try to string this out as long as we can. We are in deep doo-doo.’
Bob seemed to pick up on Drew’s body language. After getting
his shoes off, he slowly reached down and took off one sock at a time. He
grabbed the top button of his shirt and paused before starting the routine
of unbuttoning.
“Come on, bitches. I don’t have all night. Speed it up,”
Bosco barked as he unzipped his gym bag. He turned the bag upside down and
let the contents spill on the carpet. The clank of metal caused Drew to turn.
“Look straight ahead, Reichardt.”
Drew started breathing harder as he threw his shirt into
the corner and unbuckled his belt. Bob mimicked Drew’s move and soon his shirt
joined the pile. Almost in unison they unzipped their pants and stepped out
of them. ‘That guy is one sick puppy,’ Drew considered, when he saw on the
carpet what Bosco had brought with him. ‘Shit. Handcuffs, butt plugs, chains,
small whips…man this is not going to be a happy night.’
“Get out of those briefs, pronto.” Bosco chuckled when the
guys were finally down to nothing. “You two are hot, I’ll say that much. Okay,
turn so you are facing each other.”
Bob remained motionless as Drew rotated to face his lover.
He looked into Bob’s eyes and tried to communicate hope that someone would
come to the rescue. He heard a clank of chain below him.
“What’s this, Bosco? Your portable chamber of horrors?” Drew
asked with an icy, contemptuous tone.
“You might enjoy it. I’ve long suspected that you’re a real
leather queen slave. Each of you secure the clamps around your ankles. I want
to hear four distinct clicks of the locks.”
The two lovers slowly bent down and affixed the clamps and
locking mechanism to their ankles. ‘Fuck,’ Drew thought, ‘this has all the
makings of a bad dom-sub porno flick.’ The
three feet of chain didn’t give them too much freedom.
“Okay, here’s the deal. I’m going to give you two unlocked
handcuffs, Drew. I want you to secure one end of each handcuff to Bob’s wrist.
No funny business…I’m pretty good at firing a weapon.” Bosco gave the handcuffs
to Drew one at a time. After they were secured on Bob, Bosco silently motioned
for Drew to attach one of the handcuffs to his wrist. When that was accomplished,
Bosco attached the second set to Drew’s free wrist.
“What’s going to happen to us, Bosco?” Drew asked suddenly.
He was beginning to lose his well-trained patience.
“What’s going to happen will start in just a few minutes.
This is going to be a long evening, boys.” Bosco laughed and reached down
to his pile of toys.
While Bosco was rummaging through the equipment, Drew leaned
in and slowly licked Bob’s lips. Bob’s mouth opened and they kissed quietly.
For a moment, the tension of the evening faded as the two physically offered
comfort to one another.
They pulled back and Bob silently mouthed, “I love you.”
Drew formed the words, “Me, too,” and smiled ruefully. ‘Man,’
he thought, watching Bosco grip a large, black dildo, ‘we are screwed…in more
ways than one.’
_________________________
TO BE CONTINUED