Ian
“It’s my belief that the partnership of our two companies could bring us both very lucrative business. Looking at what happened when we joined forces with the Brown family in Miami, well, I don’t have to tell you the billions we made. You can see it on our quarter reports for yourself.”
I flash my most charming smile. Do you know how many years it takes even a good looking guy like me to develop a smile that can charm the habit off a nun? Exactly eight. That was my age when I had finally wound my nanny around the tip of my index finger. I gorged on ice cream that night, much to my mother’s chagrin—and then I convinced her that she should join me. Since it was her third time breaking up with my father, she was easy to convince!
Charming women is easy, anyway. Charming three men in black suits isn’t as easy, especially when you’re trying to charm three of Vegas’s most winning real estate developers. This is definitely the big leagues. These guys here? Looking at me from across a formal dining table in one of Vegas’s nicest restaurants? They want my blood. Kinda literally. We Mathers are known for our awesome, somewhat rare blood type.
“Look, Ian,” says Simon Lackey, the second-in-command of the JKL Group. “It’s not that we don’t trust your family’s track record when it comes to these things. You and your father have proven time and again that you can flip any piece of crap and turn it into a million-dollar-listing, at least. Your billion-dollar hospitality enterprises ain’t bad. Miami ain’t bad.”
I lean back in my seat, carefully crossing my legs and giving Simon a hard look. “But?”
“But it’s a risky time for any of us to be making big business decisions like this. Pegg and Brewster had a total flop down at the other end of the strip. They lost millions. It’s a trying time to build new casinos.”
“We know. That’s why we want to take all the work out of hospitality for you. My father and I...”
“Are renowned all over the world, we know,” says Frisk Johnson. He’s had a lot more impatience for me over the course of this dinner. If you ask me, this guy wants to go see the fight that starts at nine. It’s seven now. “Look, if we start seriously thinking about going that route, we will definitely call you. As it is, we’re not going to take any chances as long as people are struggling on the business end.”
Across from him, a delicate hand freshly done with French-tipped nails sways in his direction. “Gentlemen, we understand the nature of these deals.” Kathryn, my partner in all things, has a more charming smile than I do. That’s what happens when you’re a beautiful blond goddess who could make the cosmos bend at her will. God knows she’s made me bend a time or two. Ugh. I better watch it. This is still a business dinner. As soon as it’s over, though? Well, let’s say Kathryn and I plan to stay in Vegas a few more days to enjoy the sights, if you know what I mean. It’s Sin City, and we definitely plan to sin, ahem.
Simon is the first to respond to my girlfriend. “I’m sure you do, Ms. Alison, and that’s not what we’re debating.”
“Oh, I know. You don’t have confidence in us, that’s all.”
“Now, I didn’t say...”
“A man of your fantastic means doesn’t have to say anything.” Kathryn keeps smiling as she pours herself more water and takes a tentative sip. Her pretty pink lips smack delectably. Never let it be said that a woman doesn’t know what she has and how to work it. Kathryn isn’t the kind to use sex to sway votes, but she knows when it’s time to go into “I’m fucking hot and I know it” mode and make some dicks hard in the room. I can speak from experience that a guy with a hard dick is more likely to enter business deals with a pretty lady. No, not that kind. (Okay, yes, that kind.)
“It’s not that we’re not interested,” Frisk continues. “It’s the numbers...”
“Look here, men. Let’s not waste any more time than we already have.” Kathryn sits up straight, the scoop neck of her dress dipping toward her cleavage. Every one of our eyes go straight there. Yes, even mine. I may have seen her tits a hundred times by now, but I still get excited by every promise of more. Is this what it means to be in love? By hell, I will take it. Again and again. Hmm. Where are we? “You want to build a new hotel and casino. We want to move into the Vegas market. How can we come together so we are getting the best of both of our worlds?” She opens her palms as if she can find the answer to her question there. “We don’t have to break ground tomorrow. We don’t even have to make a deal tonight, but we can make a few promises. Let’s start with this: an exploratory committee, taking what we both bring to the table and what we can improve on—together. You gentlemen will be coming out east soon enough, right? That would be a perfect time to reconvene with our findings and go from there. Let’s not let go of the idea quite yet. I am sure that Ian and I will come up with a proposal that will blow you up.” She wraps her tongue around a straw in her iced tea and sucks, eyes not breaking contact with anyone.