Chapter 18 Vegas, baby!
“Hey, boss!” Cliff shouted to Tyler as soon as he was done with his punching bag sets outside. “Another envelope like this came for you. I didn’t want to give it to Nicki with the other mail in case she opened it and it’s from…them.”
Tyler took the thin, white envelope from Cliff, labelled with only “Mr. Dorien” across the front.
“Thanks, buddy.”
Tyler stepped inside of the air-conditioned living room and looked around to make sure he was alone. He opened the envelope cautiously.
Just one photograph was inside; a close up of Nicki getting into a car, carrying a grocery bag and Sasha closing the door for her.
Tyler flipped the photograph over.
“Tick Tock” was written on the back, with the cursive L stamped on it. Another reminder to stick with the plan. The Leemans were getting impatient with the stalling of the third and final delivery.
Tyler’s phone rang, breaking him out of the homicidal thoughts in his mind.
“Hey ese, gotta PtoP, brother!” Lorenzo said on the other line.
“Yeah, buddy, when?” Tyler asked.
“This weekend. Driving up through Surrey just to the Vancouver airport, bro, then we are out of your turf. Flying after that. One way pass-through.”
“Yeah, bro, you got it,” Tyler confirmed.
“Hey, uh, Dorien, I need to ask, bro. Is it true we won’t be asking you for these permissions to pass for much longer? There are rumours going around that the Leemans are taking over, man.”
Tyler clenched his jaw.
“Yeah, well don’t believe everything you hear, bro. That territory is still mine,” Tyler said.
“Alright, ese. Let me know when you’re popping down to Mexico, my brother, there’s a special bottle of tequila waiting for you,” Lorenzo offered. The Mexican Cartel kingpin was always generous with hosting his allies. A true family man.
“Thanks, brother.”
Tyler hung up the phone. Even his agreement with the Mexican Cartels was hanging on by a thread. He went back outside and took out his frustration on the punching bag, again.
Tyler’s birthday weekend in Las Vegas came around just in time for Tommy’s face to heal.
Up until then, Tommy focused on getting back to work, getting back on Boon’s good graces, and filling the rest of his time at the lake, since Tyler banned him from ever owning another motorcycle again.
He ignored practically all the girls on his roster that tried to see him, abstaining from as much female distraction as he could. Getting his heart in order.
The sun roared in the mid-July sky as the brothers, Nicki and Tiffany boarded the jet. A celebratory weekend double date which happened, never. Nicki was ecstatic to celebrate Tyler’s birthday but also to spend some time with Tiffany who was always a good time.
“So, I don’t see any corsets on either one of you ladies; they better be in your suitcases!” Tommy shouted as he sat down. “Tiff, does yours come with those little ribbon bows that you know I like?”
“Maybe! You’ll have to wait and see!” Tiffany teased flirtingly.
“Nicki, what color is yours?”
“Shut the fuck up,” Tyler quipped at Tommy.
Sarah handed out Champagne on a tray, and the girls gladly indulged. The brothers stayed true to their whiskey on ice.
“So, Tyler, how many candles will this be?” Tiffany asked.
“35, I’m getting old.”
“You’re not old, that’s the sexiest age for a man!” Nicki countered and threw her arms around Tyler, kissing him, curling the Champagne glass into her.
The four continued their pre-Vegas drinking in the sky before landing at America’s playground.
The two pairs checked into their side-by-side penthouse suites in one of the most lavish hotels on the strip, and got ready for the Friday night dinner.
“I can’t believe this room! It’s like a whole luxury apartment!” Nicki exclaimed, in awe of the tall windows with the spectacular view of the lit-up strip.
She turned around and ran to jump on Tyler.
He caught her like a feather into his arms and kissed her passionately.
“I know your birthday is not technically until tomorrow, but can I give you your gift now?” Nicki asked excitedly.
“No! You’re my gift! I don’t want anything else!” he said, tapping her on the bum.
“Too bad, I have a little one for you as a warm up to your birthday.” She climbed down him onto the lux carpeted floor.
She walked over to her suitcase and took out a flat box with a bow on it.
“Happy birthday, my love,” Nicki said, presenting him with the box.
“Baby, really, I don’t want anything from you. Just you.”
He sat down on the massive king size bed and pulled the ribbon from the box on his lap.
Inside, was a silky red lingerie set, as thin as the tissue paper it lay in, and almost as see-through.
“OK, I changed my mind, I want this!” Tyler exclaimed, setting the box on the bed and grabbing Nicki, pulling her onto him.
“Aaaah!” she screamed, laughing.
“See? I know what you want!” she managed among the tickling.
“Come on, let’s go, we’ll be late for dinner.”
“I’m sorry? You expect me to go to dinner, after I pictured you in that thing just now? Go put it on and let me enjoy my birthday early!” Tyler yelled.
“Haha, now who wants to celebrate his birthday, finally! I knew it would work! Muahahaha!” Nicki said with a devilish smile.
She took the box back and headed to the bathroom to change.
“I should have known better, you evil genius,” Tyler said, throwing off his clothes.
A few moments later, Nicki came back out wearing nothing but the thin red silk and high heels.
“Oh fuck, yes, happy birthday to me,” Tyler said from the bed, wearing nothing but a grin.
Nicki walked over to him slowly like a vixen and climbed over on top of him, letting him feel the silk on her with his hands. Her skin glowed and her scars were such a part of her now, that they started to compliment her body.
“You’re so fucking beautiful, baby,” Tyler whispered, seriously now. His eyes mesmerized, sparkling.
She kissed his lips softly and then proceeded further down, to give him the best birthday head he’s ever received, making them late for dinner, of course.
The waiter collected the plates from the two couples at the exclusive steakhouse restaurant overlooking a lit-up waterfall.
“That was delicious,” Nicki said.
“It really was, that truffle was the best,” Tiffany agreed. “I’m going to go to the bathroom.”
“I’ll go with you!” Nicki said and slipped out of the booth.
“Wait,” Tyler said, standing up and looking around. “I don’t want you going by yourself,” he said to Nicki.
“I’m not! I’m going with Tiffany! Relax, baby,” she said, brushing past him, and touching his side.
Tyler watched the girls leave, heading to the bathroom, not too far away.
“Bro, sit down, guy, you look crazy,” Tommy said.
“Shut up,” Tyler quipped, sitting back down.
The two brothers looked fierce in their all-black tailored suits.
The waiter returned to the table.
“We’ll take another round, please,” Tyler said, looking back over in the direction of the bathroom.
“Of course, Sir,” the waiter said.
“Bro, you know chicks go to the bathroom together all the time and take pictures. They’re probably combing each other’s hair; it’ll be at least another 20 minutes,” Tommy said. “You need to chill, birthday boy!”
“Yeah, fine,” Tyler grumbled. “We should have brought Sasha with us. To stand by the door. Or I should hire a female security guard to take her to bathrooms.”
“Yeah, cause that’s not excessive at all. What’s with you, bro? Why are you so fucking uptight, man?”
Tyler shot back his whiskey and ignored his brother.
“Oh, I know. You’re gonna do it this weekend, aren’t you?” Tommy asked quietly.
Tyler looked around again, then nodded his head.
“And you’re afraid she’s gonna say no? Fuck, I would if I were you, bro, it would be fucking torture being married to you!” Tommy joked.
“I’m gonna fucking kill you, bro,” Tyler whispered through his teeth and choked Tommy with both of his hands. The tussle in the elegant booth didn’t match their custom suits.
“Tyler!” the girls yelled simultaneously upon their return to the table.
He released Tommy from his grip and retreated back to his seat.
Tommy coughed, red faced, rubbing his neck.
“Thanks girls, I owe you one,” he said with a rasp.
“Ok guys, we’re ready to go to the casino! Let’s play some Black Jack!” Tiffany offered playfully.
“One more drink,” Tyler countered just as the waiter returned with a tray of another round.
The ladies sipped on their martini’s, the boys chugged back their whiskey and both brothers indulged in naughty teasing of their dates under the table.
The casino floor was electric, as the two pairs walked through, switching from a successful few rounds of Black Jack and now trying their hand at the Roulette table.
“You’re my lady luck,” Tyler whispered into Nicki’s ear. He kept his hand on her waist beside him as he sat and watched the little white ball tumbling round the Roulette wheel.
“Black 26!” The dealer shouted, to a roar of cheers around the table, and Nicki and Tiffany jumping up and down.
“Woohooo! Baby, you got it!” Nicki yelled out.
Tommy caught a quick glance at her joy before patting his brother on the back.
“Good job, bro,” he said, as the dealer moved Tyler’s winning chips to him. $10,000 of winning chips to be exact.
“You’re on the hot seat now, baby,” Nicki whispered.
She clinked her glass against Tiffany’s behind him.
Tyler bet again, this time all on red.
“Like your beautiful dress, baby,” Tyler said, pulling her to lean into him. “And that gorgeous lingerie you got, and that perfect fucking cherry between your legs that I’m going to devour later.”
“Baby, you’re going to make me blush,” Nicki whispered back.
“Red 23!” the dealer announced.
“Yeah!” the group shouted.
Another quick ten grand in hand.
“Hold these for me, baby,” Tyler said, and gave her a pile of chips to put in her purse.
“Alright, one more, buddy, you gonna do it?” Tommy encouraged.
“I don’t know, bro,” Tyler said, as the dealer released the ball onto the wheel.
Just as Tyler was about to bet, a man walked up behind the brothers.
“What’s your secret, my man?” he asked loudly.