Chapter 18 Vegas, baby! #3
Nicki looked over at Tiffany. “Oh, I know he can be a little intense, but he’s just protective. Maybe too protective sometimes, sure, but it’s only because he loves me and doesn’t want anything to happen to me, that’s all.”
“I think he is way too jealous; it borders on obsession, don’t you think? It’s not healthy!”
“No, I don’t think he’s jealous in that way. He trusts me. You know that they had a really rough upbringing and he just wants to protect the things he loves. He doesn’t…want anyone else to leave him. And I guess I give him some leeway with that. But I mean, I can go wherever I want—”
“Yeah, with security! That’s weird!”
“Yeah, but look, we don’t have security here! That’s good, right? And, I can wear whatever I want! He’s fine with me at the pool in a bikini, he never tells me to cover up!” Nicki countered.
“Yeah, that’s because no one would hit on you if you…uh…I mean—”
“No one would hit on me if my scars are exposed? Cause they’re that ugly?” Nicki asked, her eyes suddenly misting.
“I didn’t mean—"
“You know, it really is not like that, Tiffany. He tells me all the time that he loves me for me and my scars as well. He just doesn’t want me to be ashamed of them like I have been my whole life.
I’m sorry if they look bad, but I’ve come a long way in accepting them and it’s Tyler I have to thank for that.
And I really don’t care about the way he is.
I love him and how protective he is of me.
No one has ever protected me the way he does. ”
“Oh, sweetie, I didn’t mean it like that. And I’m sure you’re right. Of course, he loves you no matter if you have these scars or not. Honestly, it’s beautiful to watch you two together. It’s like, the ultimate love. I’m sorry if I upset you, I didn’t mean it.”
Tiffany tilted her head and slid over the drink menu.
“Come on, let’s order us a nice sangria jug and enjoy this pool day without those crazy protective brothers, huh? We’re in Vegas, baby!”
A smile crept back on Nicki’s face.
“Alright, that does sound pretty good. Let’s enjoy the freedom while we can,” Nicki teased.
The girls enjoyed their boy-free pool day giggling and snacking in the sun. Nicki even splashed around in the shallow end of the pool a little.
The hotel security guard with a wad of hundreds in his pocket looked on dutifully from a distance and updated Tyler every 20 minutes as per his discreet instructions.
The adrenaline soared as the engines roared and the brothers completed several laps around the Las Vegas race track, testing out different super cars. They had one more round left to ride out after a light lunch break.
Tyler checked his phone.
Still all good over here, boss. Girls keeping to themselves. No sharks bothering them. But they’re on their second jug of sangria, the text from the security guard read.
Missing you, sexy birthday boy!!! Can’t wait to celebrate tonight! XO, the text from Nicki read, attached to a selfie of her and Tiffany, sipping sangria with long straws out of the large shared jug.
Tyler exhaled loudly with a satisfied smile across his mouth.
“God, you’re so obsessed!” Tommy teased.
Tyler put his phone away to prove how carefree he was. Unsuccessfully.
“I’m just making sure no one is bothering them. How are you so relaxed?” Tyler asked.
“I’m relaxed because one; Nevada belongs to the Mexicans not the Leemans. There is no chance in hell they would step foot anywhere close to here. And two; we’re ten times more jacked than any of those little frat boys by the pool,” Tommy explained.
“Wow.”
“Just do it already so you can take a chill pill, bro!” Tommy added, shaking his head, looking out at the track. The race cars zinged by.
“I will. But what if she says it’s too soon?”
“I can’t, Tyler. With this bullshit. Nicki is the only thing that has ever made you a pussy, do you know that? I wish you’d just be married already so that you can chill and I won’t have to listen to this insecure bullshit anymore.” Tommy scoffed in frustration.
“I just want to be sure she’ll say yes, man,” Tyler said quietly, leaning beside him along the ledge in the lounge, overlooking the track.
“She will, bro! There’s no fucking chance she’ll say no. You should have heard her rambling on about you in Montana. How she would drown in your soul or burn in your fire, or some bullshit like that. It was so gross.”
“Well, then, so are you good with everything? Me and Nicki getting married?” Tyler asked his brother seriously.
Tommy looked over at him.
“Yes, bro. You deserve the best girl, even though you’re an asshole. And I hate you. She’s a lioness. So go get her, Alpha, and lock that shit up. You won’t find a better girl.”
Tommy looked back at the track, pretending to be interested in the race cars zooming by, trying his best to swallow his tears and accept the fact that he was about to lose her forever.
“Thanks,” Tyler said soberly. “Then I have a question for you,” he added.
“What?” Tommy asked, still looking away.
“If she does say yes, will you be my best man?”
Tommy darted back at Tyler, with a surprised look on his face.
“Wait, why is that even a question, bro? Don’t tell me you had other options like Jake or fucking Trevor. DO NOT say Trevor. I would’ve fucking sabotaged the whole wedding if you asked any one of those fuckers instead of me, man!” Tommy jumped to grab Tyler in a chokehold.
“Alright! Alright!” This time Tyler conceded to Tommy’s attack.
Some other race car enthusiasts in the lounge looked over, puzzled at the brawl.
“I mean, it’s kind of funny, you telling me to stay away from her for all those months, and now I’m asking you to be my best man.”
“Yeah, and I was right, wasn’t I? Look where it got us! Giving up our whole tin operation, man! I told you that you were playing with fire! I hope she was worth it, bro,” Tommy quipped jokingly, shaking Tyler’s shoulders.
“She was. She was worth everything.”
Tommy looked at his brother, knowing it was true. He would have done the same thing and given up more things to be with her.
Tommy nodded.
“Of course I’ll be your best man, bro,” Tommy confirmed, offering his brother his hand.
Tyler ignored it and gave Tommy a hug. The longest one they’ve shared in as long as either one could remember.
“I love you, brother. Don’t fucking forget that. And I need you by my side. On my wedding day and every day,” Tyler said, before releasing the hold and slapping Tommy on the back.
“Thanks, brother. I got you.”
They shook hands hard.
“We need a drink.”
“Fuck, there’s no drinking at the track. Let’s do our last round and get the hell out of here, join the girls,” Tyler offered.
“Fuck yeah. But I’ll win this round, birthday boy!” Tommy quipped.
They put their helmets on and pushed each other all the way to their cars, only for them to tie at the finish line.
The excursion ended with laughter and a much-needed clean slate between the brothers whom the other couldn’t live without, no matter how much they pretended that was not the case.
The brothers walked down their penthouse hallway, approaching their suites.
“Yo, do you have an extra razor, bro?” Tommy asked, scratching his scruffy chin.
“Yeah, man,” Tyler said, motioning for him to stop by in his room.
As soon as Tyler opened the door, both girls were in the middle of getting ready for the night, and they seemed to have turned Tyler and Nicki’s suite into a beauty salon.
A serious make-up station was set up on the bathroom counter and a whole arsenal of straighteners and curling irons ready to be used. Music blasting.
Towel-wrapped Nicki gave Tyler an excited kiss hello.
Tyler grabbed the extra razor for Tommy, then took a quick glance around at Barbie’s Dreamhouse and then grabbed his whole shower bag and suit. It was clear he had no choice but to leave the girls be and get ready in Tommy’s room instead.
He bumped into blow-drying Tiffany on the way out the door.
“Why aren’t you doing that in the bathroom?” he asked loudly, across the blow-dryer.
“This is where the good mirror is!” Tiffany shouted back.
Tyler shook his head playfully.
“We’ll be in the men’s room next door then,” he said with a wink to Nicki.
She kissed the air back at him.
“OK. So, how should I ask? I mean, what should I even ask? Just simply, will you marry me? Or, will you be my wife? How should I say it?”
“You’re so gay,” Tommy quipped, throwing on his blazer over his crisp white dress shirt.
Tyler opted for his typical all black suit, but his anxiety didn’t match his mafia, dangerous exterior.
He looked at the yellow diamond ring in his fingers, sparkling brightly.
“Aaaah, I just want her to be wearing it already! And for me to skip it all together. Like maybe I can just slip it on her finger at night and then she’ll wake up and we’ll be married.”
“You’re a loser. Here’s what you should do: after dinner, order dessert for the table.
We’ll do the whole gay candle thing in yours so she’s distracted.
But instead of dessert for her, you should get the waiter to bring her potato chips and Champagne.
Then, slip the ring in her Champagne glass. Done. She’ll love it.”
“What? Are you high on something?” Tyler asked from the couch.
“Never mind,” Tommy grumbled, gelling back his grown-out mullet in the bathroom.
That’s how I would have done it.
His hair was now just touching his shoulders and his amber locks and natural highlights made him look like a European soccer player rather than the other half of an international arms dealing empire.
Tyler studied the ring further and smiled to himself.
Please say yes, baby, he prayed to himself.
Tyler texted Nicki.
Are you ladies ready yet?
Nicki was all done getting ready, wearing the black, red striped casino dress from Dominik’s take down. The one she knew would make Tyler even crazier. Her hair and makeup were freshly done and she stood in her red-bottomed heels to spray the last of her strawberry body spray on her neck.
Just then, her head spun and she stumbled back a couple steps.