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  “Carlo, please. Let’s go.” Shae whispered.

  He glanced over to her, and she had a sincere plea in her eyes. The two men at the table got up. One tall. The other short and stocky with a protruding belly. They walked through the security guards, pushing them out of the way with bumps from their shoulders. Carlo tracked the men as they went to a room to the left. Another man of interest sat at a table playing cards. He had three blondes with him. Mr. Chipped Tooth went to the man and whispered something in his ear. The man looked up. Chipped Tooth pointed at Carlo.

  “Please! Let’s go now!” She pulled on his arm.

  “Sir, place a bet or leave the table.”

  Carlo leaned over and kissed Shae’s cheek. He flipped the dealer a hundred-dollar coin and took her hand. He pulled her away. “Who are those men?” he asked her.

  She walked quickly at his side. She didn't answer. When they turned the next corner, he stopped.

  “Who are those men?”

  “They’re Armenians. They call the one in the poker room Tahvo. In Armenian, it means man with the crown. Nasty men. And I don’t want any trouble. The tall one with a chipped tooth is called Spyder. I don’t know the other man. Ignore them.”

  “How do they know about me?” Carlo asked.

  Shae frowned. “Huh? They don’t.”

  “You sure about that? That man with the chipped tooth was toying with me.”

  “He’s a bully. But he doesn’t know who you are, or Giovanni. I swear. I didn’t say anything,” Shae said. “I would never say anything.”

  Carlo touched the side of her face. She may not have said anything of importance, but those men knew exactly who he was. And that bothered him. “You going to tell me what’s going on with you, Shae? Why you are worried about a missing girl? Why those men are so dangerous that the hotel security arrived before I finished placing my bet. I can help you, sweetheart, if you need me.”

  “I’m fine. I can handle it. Now. You ready for some fun?”

  He chuckled. “Yes. Let’s have some fun.”

  “Cool!” she took his hand and pulled him with her. Carlo glanced back twice. He had the feeling of being watched. “We need to go up to the room and get my purse and call for my car. We can exchange your money too, here in the hotel.”

  Carlo removed his hand from hers and dropped it around her shoulder. When they returned to the room, there were many girls there. He counted twelve. Some of them were topless; others dressed as if they would spend the day in bed watching television. None of them were shy. They smiled at him and each time he looked at one she met his stare. Shae had women of all races working for her. All shapes and sizes.

  “Behave,” Shae warned the girls and went into her room.

  Carlo sat on the bar stool near the kitchen area. A slender redhead with big breasts for her size came over. They must have been fake. God didn’t inflate them that large and perky.

  “Hi! I’m Samantha, but my friends call me Sweetie.”

  “Ciao, bella,” Carlo said.

  Sweetie blushed. “So you’re Shae’s boyfriend?”

  He nodded.

  The girls became quiet. All of them were staring now.

  “And you’re from Italy?” she asked.

  “Sicily. I live in Italy.”

  “Oh, yeah, wow, I love Italian and Sicilian food. Pizza and pasta,” Sweetie grinned.

  Carlo chuckled. Another woman walked over. A black woman with a shaved head. She was quite beautiful with her dark skin and nose ring. She had large almond eyes with long lashes. “So you are the reason Shae kept flying out of here to Italy. That girl doesn’t go anywhere that isn’t paying for her time. You must be special.”

  Carlo didn’t answer. He sensed three more women coming over. They now circled him. He held the stare of the one speaking. But the one to the left touched his arm. He didn’t react. Women always tested boundaries. It was why he never trusted many. If he responded, reacted in the slightest way, someone would say he was interested. And that would give him a headache he didn’t need.

  “Shae is special. If you hurt her, you got us to answer to,” the redhead said.

  "Oh, he isn't going to hurt Shae. My girl is tough. He better be the one that is careful. She'll break you in half," chuckled the woman with the shaved head.

  “How tall are you?” Another asked.

  “How long are you in Vegas?” Another asked.

  “Leave him alone,” Sweetie said. “I think it’s nice that you came here for Shae. She was really upset and depressed on her birthday. We took her to get her piercing.” Sweetie’s voice, build, and look made Carlo guess she was the youngest in the room. The other girls seemed like predators, but this one had an air of innocence to her.

  “I plan to make it up to her. Excuse me, ladies,” he said and got off the stool. The girls parted and stood there staring, while the others watched from the sofa as he went into Shae’s room. He found his lady on the phone. She put up a finger to signal that he give her a minute. Carlo went to his suitcase and got some money. He picked up a nice stack and stuck it in Shae’s purse.

  “All set!” Shae hung up. “Did they attack you?”

  Carlo shrugged. “Where are we going?”

  “To eat, to see Vegas.” She walked over and hugged him. He hugged her back. “I want to spend the day with you.”

  “Are you sure you’re okay, Shae? I got a sixth sense for these things. If you need me to do anything for you, sweetheart, help you, just tell me.”

  “No. I’m not in trouble. I have a friend missing. And we’re looking for her. It happens in Vegas. This is a town many people come through. Now let’s go.” Shae grabbed her purse. He swatted her on the butt as she walked out the door. He followed. The women were gone. Some of them. The rest were still gathered by the bar stool where he was seated, talking.

  “See you girls tonight. We’re going to knock them dead!”

  The girls laughed and cheered. Shae smiled happily, and they left. Carlo noticed one person who wasn't smiling, who hadn’t spoken, and who never took her eyes off him. The one named Marissa. He glanced her way before he walked out and she smirked.

  Chapter Four

  Shae had a car. She loved her baby, too. It was a 1994 convertible Mustang GT, and only six months old. The engine purred with muscle and power when turned on. Carlo hopped in the passenger seat, and she put on her sunglasses. It was hot as hell today, but she had a remedy for that. Once they were on the open road, it wouldn't feel so bad. She cranked up the air conditioning to full blast and pushed in Dr. Dre’s ‘The Chronic’ CD.

  Carlo smiled at her. She didn’t know if he liked rap music, but he bobbed his head to the raunchy lyrics as soon as it played. She sped away from the casino and left her troubles behind. Lucky for her one of the girls who worked for her had seen Carlo sit down at the table with Tahvo’s men. Spyder of all people was there. Sweetie came and got her and warned her of trouble. Not because Carlo would be looking for it. Spyder had been thrown out of Ceasar’s Palace and welcomed back into the casino more times than she could count. He lived for drama.

  Carlo seemed unaffected by the heat rays blazing down on them, and the cool air blasting from her vents. He seemed perfectly at home. He said Dietrich knew him. That made no sense. She talked to the girls about Carlo often, but they were a team, a close knit group. She didn’t think any of them would tell her business to the likes of Spyder.

  “I’m hungry!” Carlo yelled over the music.

  “I got chu, baby!” she said and swerved around cars, speeding along the highway. She knew the perfect place for burgers and fries. Carlo may or may not get a kick out of it, but she loved to tease him.

  Shae exited the freeway and came to a light. She turned down the music. “Burgers and fries okay for now? I got us another dinner reservation at Spago. So we can go there tonight.”

  “Feed me anything.”

  “Anything?” she asked with an arched brow.

  Carlo nodded.
/>   “I might just do that.” They sped out from under a green light, and she drove a few miles before she cut across oncoming traffic into the parking lot of Maxine's. The supercharged engine of her Mustang made her a daredevil behind the wheel, and Carlo never flinched. The girls working on Tuesday were some pretty good impersonators. And the lunch crowd was out. To keep her seat and steering wheel from melting, she raised the roof on her Mustang and fastened it.

  “Here we are. We got Cher, Tina Turner, and Diana Ross performing.”

  Carlo frowned. “Here? Right now?”

  “That’s right baby. All for you. Told you, you’d like it. Come on.”

  Carlo threw open his door. He wasn’t some pussy hung up on celebrities. He’d seen plenty guarding the Donna at her Milano fashion shows. But he was always working and relegated to the shadows, while the boss brooded over his wife being taken away from him to do her celebrity business. Now he was in America. And he could do, go, and play anywhere he wanted. Shae waited for him. He took her hand. They walked inside to a deafening blast of blaring music. The song sounded familiar. It took him a minute to place it. Then he recognized it to be Cher.

  “She performing now?” Shae asked a man with far too much makeup and a blonde wig.

  “Yes, girl! Sheba just took the stage. Oooh, honey, who is the tall, dark, and sexy, you got with you?” she said and batted her eyes at Carlo.

  Shae laughed. “This is my boyfriend. Carlo, say hello, baby.”

  Carlo frowned.

  “Welcome to Vegas, sweet thang. I’m Celeste, but my friends call me Cee-Cee.”

  Carlo glanced to Shae unimpressed.

  “Oh, he one of them,” Ce-Ce rolled her eyes. “No worries, honey. By the time we done with you, you’ll shake my hands and let me sit on your lap, too.”

  “Behave, Ce-Ce,” Shae laughed.

  “Let me get you the best seat in the house.” They were escorted inside. The diners clapped and sang along with a woman who looked just like Cher. Carlo stared trying to understand if she was or wasn’t the real thing.

  “On the house, honey. Enjoy!” Ce-Ce said and sashayed away.

  Carlo sat, and Shae sat next to him. Cher spotted them and came down the runway to serenade Carlo. After a few looks at her Adam’s apple, long fingers, and feet he realized this was the best Cher impersonator he’d ever seen. He wasn’t sure what to say. Shae got up and started dancing at the table. Cher was finally distracted from him and pointing at Shae. She pulled Shae up on the runway, and the two sang into the microphone. The old Carlo would have walked out, or at the very least choked a few of the men in dresses for even glancing his way. But that had changed. He’d met Jamie. A transexual who could drink and smoke with the best of them, but would put the rest of these impersonators to shame. Jamie taught him to be respectful of differences, and Shae taught him how someone different could be good for him. She danced for him on the runway and slung her pink and black locks while she worked her hips. He smiled and nodded that he liked her performance. And then it ended. Two other men came and helped Shae down, as many applauded Cher before she ended her performance.

  “What you drinking, sweetie?” A waiter asked. She was a dead ringer for Janet Jackson.

  "Give me the Rolling on the River with no tarter sauce for the fish, and he will have the Upside Down U Turning Me classic cheeseburger medium rare, with bacon. Oh, and I want a salad and not fries. And bring us a bucket of Coronas with the lime.”

  Janet Jackson winked and then puckered her lips at Carlo before walking away.

  “Why did you bring me here?” Carlo asked.

  Shae came over and sat in his lap instead of her chair. She kissed his brow. She was panting and grinning. He liked when she smiled. “For fun. Hey? Do you remember our first date, Carlo?”

  An MC came out to announce Tina Turner was in the house and got the diners all worked up into a frenzy. He ignored the melee and stared into Shae's large brown eyes.

  “Do you?” she asked.

  “Yes, our first date I took you to dinner and dancing in Milano.”

  “Yeah, to an African restaurant and blurs club because I was black. You did it because you thought I’d have fun, loosen me up.”

  “And this is supposed to be fun for me?” he asked.

  “Not really. I think it will loosen you up though. This? This is me, all of it. The lights, the people. The freedom. Me. And it’s my way of having fun.” She touched his face. “You’ve been through a lot the past few months. But you’re still my tough guy. Now relax and have fun with me. Okay?”

  “Va bene,” he said and kissed her. Shae wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. Her tongue swept through his mouth and rimmed his teeth before grazing the roof of his mouth and flicking over his. The little ball in her tongue wasn’t felt. Just the taste of her. And she was so soft and curvy in his arms. He squeezed her to him and felt his erection stiffen.

  “Down, boy,” she pushed back. “Later, I promise.”

  She tried to get up from his lap. But he stopped her. “My dick is hard. You sit right here until Tina Turner finishes her performance so that he won’t think he’s the one that gave it to me.”

  Shae laughed. She roared with laughter and hugged his neck. “Okay, sweetie. I’ll sit right here.”

  Carlo dropped his forehead to her breasts, and she stroked the back of his head as he too let go an embarrassed laugh. Tina Turner was six foot six in high heels, and a shimmering skirt that shook with the tassels as she did Proud Mary across the stage. And she was good, too. The beer and burgers came. Shae ate her salad leaving the burger untouched. Carlo ate hers and his and drank four of the six beers in the metal bucket.

  By the time Diana Ross came on stage, he was cheering and whistling like Shae. It felt good to laugh and play with her. He felt good. He looked over to his lady and saw the best of her. How could anybody ever see anything different?

  ***

  The Mustang drove up and parked before a sign that said helicopter rides were a hundred dollars per person. “Have you ever been up in a helicopter before?”

  “Giovanni had one once. But his permit was taken. He wasn’t allowed to fly it for fun. I’ve been up in it twice.”

  “This one is great. It fits six people. We’ll see the canyon. You’ll love it.”

  Carlo wasn’t in need of any more tours. What he really wanted was to return to the hotel and her bed. But Shae was out the door and walking toward the guy in the safari hat before he could get out of the car. He sighed and left the vehicle.

  “Pete, this is Carlo. My boyfriend,” Shae said.

  “Lucky man. Hi!” The man extended his hand. Carlo shook it. “You ready to see Vegas from the clouds?”

  “You’ll need to sign this contract. Pete here can’t be held responsible if we fall from the sky and go tumbling to our deaths.” Shae grinned.

  Pete shook his head and smiled. “It’s just for your safety and mine.”

  Carlo scribbled his name on the contract and smacked his girl on the butt. She laughed and stuck out her tongue. They were taken to an impressive black helicopter with large blades at the top. She got in and he got in beside her.

  “You do this often?” he asked.

  “For the girls. Each time I hire a new one Pete takes us up and I show her the city. The good and the bad. Tell her we will always be above it. Always be on top. Give them confidence. You have to have a lot in this business,” Shae said.

  They were handed large headphones with mikes. Carlo put his on, and Shae put on hers. Pete at the front had one, and they could hear each other clearly over the whirling sound of the helicopter blades. Pete, the pilot, told them to fasten in and be ready. The blades at the top of the copter whirled and whipped up into a frenzy. The bird lifted off the ground and swayed before going straight up in the sky. Shae pointed. "That's the old strip. Back when the mafia owned Vegas. See. They are tearing down a lot of the hotels and building up the strip. Carlo leaned forward and nodded. />
  “I can see you back in the day. Vegas would have been your city.” She reached over and touched his hand.

  He squeezed hers. “Our city.”

  Shae nodded. The helicopter swept over the city and out across the desert. Carlo looked out the window at the rocky cliffs and small mountain ridges as they flew toward the sun. Pete gave him the history and talked about some of the famous deaths and burials that were believed to be out in the desert. Carlo let go of Shae's hand. He ran it over her thigh and then down. She parted her knees so he could touch her. Pete was focused on being a guide. Carlo was focused on being a man.

  Shae tried at first to resist his stroking fingertips grazing her private area by grabbing his wrist, but he was much stronger. So she let him continue uninterrupted. Even if she had tried to stop him, Carlo believed that deep inside she wanted to be brought to full capitulation with his hand through her pink jeans. Why else would she sit her sexy ass so close? She was breathing harder and softer into the microphone. Maybe Pete noticed, he didn’t stop speaking. Carlo glanced back at her and gave her a sly smile. Shae’s head dropped back as she slipped completely under his control. Carlo reached up and unbuttoned her jeans and lowered the zipper. The helicopter veered right. Shae slid closer to him. With her jeans unbuttoned and zipper down he was able to push his hand inside. It was a tight fit. Still, his fingers found the plump lips of her sex, and rubbed and stroked until her clit swelled and her panty seat dampened. Shae began to breathe harder and faster through her nose. And her ass moved on her seat. She gripped his hand to stop him before she climaxed, but they had reached the point of no return. She gasped a small cry of pleasure and Pete, the pilot, stopped talking about the Spring Mountains that ranged from Nevada down to the border of California. If the old guy didn't know what was happening behind him before, he had to now. Shae breathed out a slow hiss of breath in satisfaction, and Carlo removed his hand.

  She buttoned and zipped her jeans while scooting away from him.