7. Chapter 6
Leo
“What are the girls up to tonight?” Beck questions as we enter the reception to the high roller room that I’ve booked for tonight. He’s one of Jade’s oldest friends and has formed an amazing bond with Hunter.
“I heard something about a club and dancing but I’m not sure. Trixie and Lily have been pretty tight-lipped,” Marcus answers him while he brushes his hands through his hair, checking himself out in the mirrors surrounding us.
After Papa Stone showed us all up in the desert, we cleaned up and are now ready to hit the tables.
“Babe, you look stunning.” Kai bats his eyelashes at him.
“Fuck off,” he scoffs.
“Stop flirting with me, Diaz. You’re spoken for.”
“Are they always like this?” Noah frowns next to me.
He needs this trip. His life is pure mayhem with his twin girls taking front and center of his whole life.
He’s a single dad, and to see how hard he works to make sure those little angels are never without love or all the glitter, sparkles, and unicorns any six-year-old girl needs, is fucking beautiful.
I’ve often had video meetings with him forgetting to take off the fairy tiara they made him wear that day while they roleplayed some ridiculous scenario that only a little kid’s mind can create.
He’s truly the best dad but he’s on all the time.
The man never relaxes and never takes time for himself.
“This is actually quite tame. Just wait until this one gets involved too.” Hunter claps me on the shoulder.
“I’m actually quite upset that he is flirting with Diaz. I won't lie.” I sigh. “He was just telling me how much he likes my eyes.” I pout.
“For fuck’s sake.” Noah laughs before turning to grin at me. “I’ve missed you, man.”
“Right back at you.”
“Why did I agree to this?” Thomas shakes his head as he signs the paperwork and collects our chips for the night.
“I should have just left you boys to it.” He hands out our designated chips, and I see Beck shyly place his in his suit pocket.
He doesn’t earn the type of money that means you can play at these tables.
His job as a firefighter is the most demanding out of all of us but wrongly underpaid in comparison.
I know that he nearly refused to come to this part of the bachelor party because he didn’t want the handouts.
But Thomas told Hunter he was footing the bill for the lot and told Beck in no uncertain terms that he was to be here as one of Hunter’s closest friends.
“You love it really, Papa Stone.” I shoot him a wink, and he rolls his eyes at me, but he can’t hide his grin.
“We winning big or what, gentlemen?” Deacon barks as he stalks toward the bodyguards manning the ornate doors to the high roller room. To anyone else they would be imposing, but Deacon stands at six foot five and has an aura about him that you just don’t mess with.
“You heard the man.” Kai charges on ahead. “Let’s do this.”
The top-shelf scotch is flowing, and I’ve lost count of the amount we’ve thrown back.
And it seems like Beck is on a winning streak as his chips have stacked up all evening while ours have depleted rapidly.
The smile he’s now sporting is infectious as he sways slightly on his stool.
I think we’re getting to our quota and will soon be asked to leave.
The bouncers are giving us all that look that I know well.
We’ve hit our limit.
“What are you spending those winnings on, boy?” Thomas nudges Beck from his seat next to him. He seems to have taken Beck under his wing tonight.
“I have a few ideas, sir, but I’ll be giving you your stake back first.” He slurs as he starts to count his chips, frowning when they collapse from the lopsided tower in front of him.
“Please call me Thomas, and you’ll do no such thing.” Beck goes to argue but Thomas holds his hand up. “You save that for something very special.”
“Thank you, si— Thomas. I will.” Beck seems to have drifted off somewhere pretty somber and I can’t have that.
“Right, I think it’s time we moved on. Gentlemen, I hope you’ve warmed up those vocal cords.” I clear my throat and look toward Hunter, and his slightly glazed drunken eyes go wide as he stares across the table at me.
“No, Leo,” he grits out.
“Yes, Stone.” I lose my balance slightly as I jump up from my stool. Maybe I should take it a little easier, but this scotch is going down far too well. “Tonight you’re going to be the Dolly to my Kenny.” I make my way down to where he’s sitting, a smug smile on his lips.
“You think I’m singing a duet with you?” He scoffs.
Grasping my chest and falling to my knees, I beg, “But Hunter…” I begin to belt out the first line of Dolly and Kenny’s famous duet.
Right on cue, the room erupts into a chorus of “Islands in the Stream” just as if I’d planned it.
Even Deacon has loosened up and is singing, his arm wrapped around Noah’s shoulders.
And I spot Deacon’s security give a half grin at his boss’s behavior.
He has been hiding in the background, watching and blending in, but it’s an added reminder of just who Deacon is and how different his daily life is compared to ours.
There is no wonder he hardly smiles anymore.
“Jesus.” Hunter looks at us all and bursts out laughing as the staff in the room all join in and even some of the other guests sing along.
Standing and pulling him up with me, I continue to sing until he gives in. “Come on, Dolly, I’m gonna show you the time of your life.”
“Hey, that’s mine and Marcus’s duet.” Kai is hanging off Marcus as we leave both of them definitely not walking in a straight line.
“But I’m Johnny this time,” Marcus slurs next to him.
“I’ll always be your Baby, Diaz.”