She says, “Maybe I should try the thing that people really come to Vegas for. I don’t think it’s my kind of thing, but who knows? Maybe I’ll discover what I’ve been missing out on.”
“Right. Theme park rides. Great idea. Where do you want to start?”
“No, idiot. The thing that was here long before there were theme park rides.”
“Excellent. You absolutely will feel it’s worth the trip. A helicopter is the fastest way to go, and there are views you’ll only get in a chopper. But they’re noisy and bumpy. If you want my recommendation, you can’t beat a small plane.”
“What?”
“I’ve got a pal who can take you. I’ll call him up. I wouldn’t say a night trip gets you the best experience, though.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The Grand Canyon.”
“I’m not interested in sightseeing.”
“Oh! Oh, well I do know what you mean, then. And I’ll bodyguard you, obviously, but that’s as far as I’m going, okay?”
“What? Sure. Whatever.”
“I mean, if you really want me to I can help you make the arrangements, but I won’t participate.”
“I don’t care. You can just watch.”
“I might pass on that, too. You’ll definitely need to find someone else to do it with.”
“Okay.”
“Elvises or not?”
“I don’t care.”
“A lot of people like the Wee Kirk O’ the Heather. Some prefer the Little Vegas Chapel. They get a lot of repeat business, or so they say. But do you have someone in mind, or will you just grab a guy out of a bar?”
She’s red in the cheeks. “Shut up!”
“Hey, we can go back and you can ask the guy with the tool belt. You liked him, didn’t you? And he’s already seen your ‘O’ face.”
It gives me a perverse satisfaction when she punches my arm. I’m not proud of it, but there it is. “I want to go and gamble you moron. Take me to the casinos.”
“Oh. Okay. Do you want your driver to pick the room for you? I mean, he’s never been here before either, right?”
“Where would you suggest, roadrunner?”
“I think I preferred ‘desert boy.’ Though probably not by much.”
“Yeah? Well, I preferred you when I thought you were Richard Madden. Does that make us quits?”
“Only if you’re about to turn into an attorney or a tech whizz.”
She looks me in the face. “You’re saying I’m dumb? You think I’m shallow and stupid, just because some of my friends are soap and reality stars? There’s more to people than what’s on show, roadrunner.”
Her color is up. She is fantastic when she’s angry. “What was the last book you read?”
“I don’t get a lot of time to sit around and read.”
“This just in; reading is the food of wisdom, Mr. Desert Storm. If you want to be smart, read smart people. Always be stretching yourself.”
“Stretching myself like you were stretching your ass around my cock, back in the Astra Bar?”
“I can see there’s no point trying to talk to you.”
I tell her driver to take us to Spades Royalle.
And I tell her, “You can knock yourself out on the slots. Oh, but you’re the big thinker. Maybe you can out think the video poker machines.”
Then, as we’re driving, she asks me, out of the blue, “You and McQueen have some history?”
I don’t feel like sharing secrets with her. What I do feel like, I can’t say.
What I did in the club, I did it to teach her a lesson. I wanted to show her that if she plays games with me, she’ll get a lot more than she bargained for.
Maybe she did, I don’t know. But somehow I think I did.
I can’t stand her, and I can’t wait for her to fly back to the land of sun-bunnies and me-me-me. But I want to fuck her first. No. I really don’t want to fuck her.
But my cock wants to fuck her. My mouth wants her. And all my muscles want to grab her and rip her clothes right off and dive into every part of her silly bouncy gorgeous plump flesh. My hands want her. And my tongue really wants her.
I tell her. “McQueen and I know each other. Have done for a while. Since he came to Vegas.”
“You’re avoiding my question.”
“Okay. McQueen is married to JoJo O’Malley. My family has some history with the O’Malleys. We’re only beginning to get straight now.”
“Liam O’Malley is who Daddy is meeting, right?”
“Sure. Why?”
“I sure hope they know what they’re doing. Daddy is not a man to be trusted.”
I’m wondering what made me think of Spades Royalle. Another O’Malley joint. First time I set foot inside one in more than a year was Kings & McQueen’s. Now Spades Royalle makes the second time today.
The casino is plush. Classier than I remember. When Lily sees the roulette wheel, she makes straight for the table.
While she plays, I stand off. Call Dad. I get his voicemail.