12
I woke up with a start to a clattering from the little living room area of Mona's hotel. My eyes had sprung open and I sat bolt upright in a panic. I could imagine William kicking the door in, quickly striding through the room and coming slamming into the bedroom. Mona's side of the bed was empty. Panic started to creep into my heart and I crept quietly from the bed, making my way to the door and opening it slowly to see what the noise was. The singer was near her little bar, sopping something off the floor with a rag. A little metal can lay nearby, the remaining droplets of milk clinging to it and slowly sliding down into the carpet.
Mona looked up and met me with a warm smile, it met her eyes and made them crinkle up at the corners. My heart soared and I knew I was instantly smiling like an idiot back at her. "I hope you didn't want any milk with your breakfast." She looked down sheepishly at her meager attempt to clean up the spilled brahmin milk.
"Who needs it anyway? I can't honestly remember the last time someone made me breakfast, Mona. This is awfully kind of you." Joining her at the bar, I took in the assortment of items that were laid out there. Hashbrowns, pancakes, eggs, and bacon. As well as two bottles of purified water.
The blonde gave a laugh, I relished the sound. "Please, I didn't cook any of this. The Tops restaurant is to thank, but I will admit they do a very good job with their room service."
Rising from the floor and tossing the dirty rag off to the other end of the bar, Mona joined me and started loading up a plate with the breakfast dishes. She had put on her robe again, and for some odd reason I was disappointed. There was no logical explanation to any of this; for me to be here eating breakfast with the woman I buried, after spending the night with her. Even though nothing had truly happened between us, my brain was reeling from the wantonness of it all.
I gathered my own meal, and found myself struggling to eat. I had a pounding headache, I could feel the hangover deep in my bones and my brain wouldn't stop showing me Mona's body in a shallow grave. I prayed that the other woman wouldn't notice it, but damn her for being so sweet and attentive, she noticed almost immediately.
Arching an immaculate eyebrow at me, Mona turned to me and I knew I was had. "You're quiet today, what's going on in that pretty head, Honey?"
"Feeling a little hungover, that's all." I gave a weak smile, but it seemed to placate her. It wasn't completely untrue, but I couldn't exactly blurt out the full truth right now.
The singer gave my back a reassuring rub, her touch gentle across my shoulders. Just her touch damn near sent shivers down my spine, the way I turned into putty around her was almost pathetic. And oh so wrong. "That's probably my fault. Sorry for that. I did have a really good time with you last night though. Means a lot to me that you stayed with me after all that shit with the psycho stalker."
"Of course. I wonder if the Chairmen ever found him. I'm sure Swank didn't take too kindly to his shit either, once that guy finds out then your little stalker is banned for life."
She smiled and took a sip from her water. "That's true, he's a good guy. But I can't hang around this casino forever, this was supposed to be temporary until Benny showed back up. I'm honestly starting to think that maybe he got his stupid ass killed out in the Wastes."
Maybe that wouldn't really be such a bad thing. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that Benny would recognize me instantly. I would have to wear a disguise as well, and I would have to find a way to justify that to Mona. If I could find out what her plan was however, I might have an easier time building my own plot around it. It felt almost like manipulation, and it didn't feel very good. "So what exactly are you planning to do when Benny comes back? If he ever does."
The blonde gave a devious smirk before humming in false thought. "It is going to be easy honestly. I'm Lana Leigh, right? The headlining act at the Tops, let's face it, no one wants to see the Rad Pack do the same dances night in and night out. I mean a bunch of tap dancing guys, that gets old before too long. Everyone loves a pretty face, especially a pretty, sultry lounge singer. I guarantee you that Benny is going to want to meet the woman that is making his business so much money. He's apparently a notorious womanizer, go figure, so I'll just play up to the dumb blonde act. Act impressed with his money, his looks, etc. I'll be able to get him alone before too long."
The idea of her seducing Benny made me sick, maybe even a little jealous. The fact that I was already having such feelings made me mentally chastise myself. I was really starting to fall for Mona, and it made me want to run out of the room right now. It felt horrible that I wasn't owning up to what I did, not being honest with her, and yet I couldn't fathom the idea of leaving her now. "So, what about when you get him alone? Are you actually going to sleep with him? Or just execute him immediately?"
To my shock, she burst out laughing. "I have no idea why you think I would actually fuck the guy. I mean, come on, he shot me in the head and buried me in a shallow grave. Not exactly what you want in a lover, right?" Mona paused, gently giving my shoulder a playful shove. "What, you jealous or something? I mean, I'm leading the man to his death regardless."
I laughed, more nervously than anything. The line about the grave hit a little too close to home, for a second I thought I had been figured out. But her flirty follow up seemed to calm and simultaneously excite me. I couldn't help but flirt right back at her."Maybe that's not so bad, if you're the killer."
Mona started laughing again, and I joined in effortlessly. "You're an odd one, Honey; in the best way. I like your company, hopefully you don't have to leave too soon. I got another show tonight, maybe we can do this all again?"
I felt a blush creep over my cheeks. There hadn't been a connection so electric between me and anyone since Clover had left. There were little flings here and there, but nothing that was serious or concrete. They always ended in a stupid disagreement, or even after one night; never had someone wanted me around this long. "I think that sounds like a good time, just don't let me get that piss drunk again please. My head will never forgive me for this."
Smiling widely, Mona looked completely content, her mismatched eyes were softer than ever and they traced over my lips for a moment before darting back to meet my own eyes. "I don't think I've asked you, where are you staying at? Do you live around here?"
I had been expecting questions about myself eventually, and I knew I had to tread carefully. "I don't really live anywhere, to be honest. I let the road lead me, and wound up here not too long ago. Didn't plan on staying too long, but I can't seem to stay out of the casinos. Vault 21 has been nice and quiet though, a good place to unwind after a long day of robbing the house blind." That was entirely the truth however. I always had luck in the cards; caravan, blackjack, poker, even roulette. No matter the game, I seemed to win a majority of the time.
My luck had gotten me into some hot water in Freeside, the folks I was sharing a blackjack table with were fed up with me winning every other hand. Deciding to claim I was cheating seemed a better option than sucking it up and realizing it just wasn't your day; and so I was tossed out with none of my winnings redeemed and the news that I was to be banned from gambling there. That well dried up, and now here I am in Vegas. Hopefully the same thing won't wind up happening here.
Mona gave me an appraising look. "Lucky gal, huh? I never was very lucky, not that I can remember anyway. That bullet mixed things up in here a little bit, there's really not a whole lot that I remember before he shot me. Hell, maybe I have a whole mansion out in the wastes that I don't even know about. It's kind of exciting in a way, the whole mystery of it. Things are starting to come back in bits and pieces, though. Maybe some of your luck will rub off on me, I could use it." She smiled that winning smile at me and I felt myself blush.
Before too long, she had polished off her plate and mine only had crumbs left. It was nice to have a hot meal first thing in the morning, even nicer to have it with such grand company. The singer sat back in her chair and sighed in satisfaction. "You know, I've been thinking. Why don't we just go get your stuff from Vault 21 and you can just stay here? That way neither of us are alone in case William decides to retaliate. Plus you can save some of that for gambling money."
Staying the night was one thing, but now she wants me to check out of my hotel and stay here with her? That was an interesting idea, with interesting implications, and it made me nervous as hell. How long was I going to keep up this charade of being some kind stranger? Was it already too far gone? "That sounds good to me!" The words were out before I had even considered them. No going back now.
Mona squealed a little and clapped her hands excitedly before pulling me into a bone crushing hug. "Oh this is just fantastic. You're my new favorite person, Honey. How about we get dressed and head over to Vault 21?"
I nodded as enthusiastically as I could muster, but all I could see in my head were my old Great Khan getups. Had I left them in the suitcase? Or were they hanging out where she might see them? If she saw that damn vest with that goddamn eye catching logo, I would be caught out instantly. And what would she do when she inevitably caught me? Kill me? Depart without a word? It was hard telling, but Mona had a fire in her that I didn't care to be on the receiving end of.
After we finished breakfast, I slipped back into my alcohol soiled dress for the short walk down the strip to my hotel. No point in dirtying more of Mona's clothes when my own would be here shortly. She emerged from her room a moment later, wearing some old cargo pants, and a cut off T-shirt. It was odd seeing her out of her whole sultry singer getup, but adorable to see her dressed so laid back.
Mona caught me staring, and she blushed slightly, adjusting her hair to cover her face a little. "I told you, Mona Sinclair is no Lana Leigh."
My heart sank a little when I realized she must have thought that I was judging her. "I like Mona Sinclair a lot more actually," feeling daring, I brushed her hair back away from her face. Those mismatched eyes looked at me, saturated with melancholy, but a genuine smile pulled across her full lips. "You're beautiful, Mona."
That smile widened and she flushed a little deeper. "You're not so bad yourself, Honey." For a moment, the air felt electric, I caught myself staring at her lips and pondering what they would feel like against my own. Something in her eyes told me she was thinking the same thing.
Next thing I knew, we were leaning closer and closer together. Mona was so close I could feel her minty breath fanning over my face, our lips skimmed lightly together. And then, a boom boom boom, insistently at the door caused us to jump apart. Our eyes locked and twin smiles were exchanged. The singer swore quietly under her breath before she spoke. "Hold that thought."
She strutted over to the door, giving me a glance backwards and another little smirk when she saw my eyes following her. The door was swung open, and she stuck her head out into the hall. No one was to be seen, not our mountain of a bodyguard either. "So much for security." I rolled my eyes.
Bending down, Mona scooped something from the floor. A little note. She shut the door, slid the deadbolt into place, and unfolded the paper. She read aloud, "If I can't have you, no one can." Our eyes met and I arched an eyebrow.
"Sounds like your little admirer is still steaming about last night. What are we gonna do about this guy?" The note scared me a little, but it also pissed me off. Who the fuck did this guy think he was?
Mona looked even more enraged than me somehow, she started shredding the paper up and letting the bits fall to the ground. "I don't know, but I'll come up with something. I would love to know how the asshole got back in here anyway, and where the fuck my security is," she stormed past me over to a satchel that sat on a desk nearby. Tearing it open, the singer pulled out a 9mm handgun, checked the chamber to make sure it was loaded, then tucked it in the back of her pants.
All my weapons were back at Vault 21. I had the little switchblade I smuggled in with me, and nothing else. "I'll have a little chat with Swank. See what the hell is going on. Maybe William sent someone to do his dirty work for him."
Mona nodded weakly, her eyes were far off now. The singer lead us from her hotel room, out into the hall, whipping her head every which way to make sure no one was around. Once we got into the elevator, she relaxed a little, leaning back against the wall and sighing loudly as she closed her eyes.
In that moment she looked very tired, despite us just waking up. It was more than tired, it was exhausted, beat. "Are you okay?" I looked over at her with concern evident on my face.
She smiled weakly and beamed at me. "You're so sweet, Honey. And I'm okay, I'm just tired of feeling like someone is always gunning for me. I mean, I'm constantly looking over my shoulder for Benny, and now this dumb asshole too. Maybe I need to get out of Vegas after this all. Go somewhere far away from people."
"Miss Lana Leigh is tired of her fame?" I said it jokingly, trying to lighten her mood a little. She gave a short laugh and a smile.
"I think so. Maybe I should have come up with a more low key persona. At least if I was posing as some random gambler I would be less likely to attract rabid stalkers."
The elevator reached the ground floor and we exited out to the casino floor. The Tops was eerily quiet in the morning, only a handful of gamblers hanging around giving their money to the one armed bandits. It was oddly peaceful, I found I was kind of enjoying the silence.
Mona spotted Swank from across the room, and I saw a fire blaze in her eyes. "You're gonna talk to him, right?"
I smiled and rubbed her arm lightly in a soothing way. "I will, take a breath sweetness. I'll be right back."
As I strutted up to Swank, he got a shit eating grin across his face. "There's my Honey baby," he spotted Mona hanging out behind me, scowling, "After spending the night with someone like you, you'd really think she would be happier." He laughed obnoxiously. Oh Swank, sometimes you're so simple minded.
"Okay, one, nothing happened. And two, she's pissed because our security dipped out sometime overnight and she got a creepy note this morning." I tried to keep my voice gentle and friendly, but a little bit of irritation had bled through. It was a little ridiculous after what had happened last night that our security couldn't even stick around.
Swank looked genuinely puzzled. "So that means the asshole got too comfortable and left. That's going to be dealt with, I can assure you. But, I can promise you that the asshole from last night didn't leave that note. He's banned, I've been here all morning watching the door." He gestured to the front door as he spoke; Swank spoke with his hands a lot when he got riled up. Very animated indeed.
Seeing that he was as upset about this as I was gave me a sense of reassurance. It felt like someone had my back, or rather mine and Mona's. "Who was that asshole anyway?"
When Swank spoke, his face twisted up like he bit into something sour. "That cat is bad news, Honey. Slimy as they come, he's one of the Omertas."
"And what, he's high up, got a little power so he thinks he can do whatever he wants?"
"I mean, yeah. He's in deep with Cachino, the other slimiest Omerta there is. But William, he handles a lot of their "recruiting." I think you can imagine it can't be a very legit process. Not like here at The Tops, baby. Everyone here, wants to be here." Somehow Swank managed to make himself sound like a walking advertisement for this casino constantly, even when he was speaking of something deadly serious. It amused me more than anything.
Swank being Swank aside, this was troubling information. "Has he tried to steal acts of yours before?"
With a shake of the head, Swank laughed a little. "I don't think he would be interested in stealing away Tommy Torini. The Rad Pack was our bread and butter for years before people started to want something new. And then comes Lana Leigh. Glamourous, gorgeous, mysterious; who wouldn't be intrigued by her? I understand being a fan, but this guy? He's obsessed. Not very ring a ding, baby. We don't do that here. So he's out."
That was a little reassuring. Part of my mind was fretting though. The Omertas certainly had the men and firepower to come knocking on The Tops; but House would surely step in if it came to that, right?
I barely had time to process before Swank was speaking again. "Listen, I got a message this morning. Benny is coming back tonight. How do we deal with the murdering thieving fink?"
That was unexpected. My stomach twisted uncomfortably. As if dealing with one psychopath wasn't enough, here comes another one. I couldn't help but sigh. "I don't know honestly. I have to talk to Mona about this all. Thanks Swank, you're an angel with greasy hair." I shot him a smile and he smirked back to me.
"I try baby. Don't worry, ol' Swank has your back. We got more than enough evidence to nail the rat bastard."
I waved Mona over and she gave Swank a long burning look as we departed. He smiled, almost sheepishly; her looks could kill and I knew he was feeling that heat.
Stepping out onto the Vegas Strip, I found myself almost immediately breaking a sweat already. Swelteringly hot, just how I liked it. Call me foolish, but I liked the Vegas heat, even though I knew damn well it killed about as many people as any fiend gang or cazadore. "So what did that asshat have to say?" Mona sounded a little irritated, I couldn't blame her honestly.
"The security will be dealt with. Two pieces of bad news though; William is high up in the Omertas, and your favorite asshole is coming back tonight."
Mona's mismatched eyes nearly popped out of her head. "Benny? Tonight?"
I gave her an apologetic look. "I know, it's horrible timing."
The singer laughed, and shook her head. "No, this is perfect. I can take Benny out tonight, then I can get the stalker tomorrow. Won't be that hard. When Benny sees Lana Leigh, he's gonna cream his pants. I'll get him to his room, then I can splatter the asshole across the walls." Her voice was venomous, dripping with a dark excitement. It chilled me to the bone.
"What can I do? I want to help, I can't let you do this alone."
Mona's eyes focused on me, softening significantly. A small smile pulled across her full lips. "You're sweet, Honey. I think I can handle him though. Let's say if I don't come back within an hour, then you can come knocking."
I nodded a little. I didn't doubt Mona's abilities, but I had never seen her fight. Well, truly fight anyway. When we had helped Benny get the drop on Mona, the poor thing was asleep and Jessup had quickly hogtied her. She woke up confused as hell and more pissed off than a feral Deathclaw. Once she realized she was screwed, that's when the tears started. Poor woman didn't even have a chance. And now, her odds were certainly better, but I was still concerned for her.
The Strip was quiet as ever, there were never many people out this early. Most people were still busy sleeping off hangovers or waking up in a stranger's bed. A silence fell over Mona and myself as we made our way down to Vault 21. My eyes lingered on the NCR Embassy that lay just across the street. A helmeted grunt patrolled the gate, his service rifle propped almost lazily up on his shoulder. He looked bored as ever, but his eyes settled on the two of us and he wolf whistled loudly. "Why don't you come chat with an American hero, ladies? I get leave tonight!"
I shot him a glare. "Fuck off, pendejo!" It came out without a second thought, laced with venom.
I half expected him to get angry and fire back, but he laughed it off and continued marching around in his slow, bored manner. Mona looked at me and laughed a little. "Down, Honey."
"I really, really do not care for the NCR."
By some grace of God, she didn't further prod about my history with the NCR, and I was immensely grateful for that. We stepped into the lobby of Vault 21 and the sudden change from sweltering heat into the cold processed air conditioning made goosebumps raise along my arms. Sarah Weintraub looked up from her spot behind the front desk, she was reading some book about a vault no doubt.
I gave a short greeting, then quickly made my way past her before she started gabbing. Sarah was a nice enough woman, pretty no doubt, but she talked entirely too much for me. On top of that, she had a loud, grating voice.
"You dodged her like a toxic ex. What's up with that?" Mona's voice was curious, holding a little playful mischief as she fell into step beside me.
I decided to toy with her, to gauge her reaction. "Maybe she is, maybe not." I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively and Mona laughed her musical laugh.
"Well if she was, she was lucky."
I felt myself blush a little and I giggled nervously. "Honestly? She's just…annoying. I hate to say that, but she will go on and on about Vault-Tec like they were a bunch of gods or something. I mean, I guess the vaults were a good idea, but if I came across one out in the wastes, I wouldn't go inside. All it takes is for that door to seal shut behind you, lose power, then you're trapped in an underground tomb. No thanks." My fear of random vaults was founded. Back in the Khans that had happened to friends of my parents. Into a vault they went, disappeared for days. When our people found the vault, they couldn't even get the door open. The panel to control it was as dead as a door nail.
"I've been in a few vaults when I was exploring the wastes. Most of them are hellholes. This one though? I don't mind it at all." She marveled around at the spotless walls and floors, the air smelled of some sort of lemony cleaner.
We made our way down to the rooms, and I hesitated outside of my own as I fumbled for the key. I gave a silent prayer that my Khans vests were hidden, and finally let the pneumatic metal door slide open. To my shock, Mona barged in right away and my stomach pitched nervously. Relief hit me as she turned to face me, then fell backwards onto the bed with a loud sigh. I paused, looking at her sprawled out on the bed for a moment, her blonde locks fanned out around her head. An image of her in a compromising position flashed before my eyes, and I flushed as I turned away to my dresser to grab the little duffel bag I had been living out of for years now.
The first drawer I opened, I came across my vest, the wild looking skull on the Khans logo staring up at me. My breath caught and I quickly piled up some shirts and put them over top of it, before shoving the whole bundle to the bottom corner of my bag. By some stroke of luck, I seemed to have gotten them all in that one swoop, because the rest of my clothing held no hint of my precious affiliation. I picked out a simple outfit for the day, some shorts and a tank, before heading into my little bathroom to strip out of the alcohol soaked dress from the night before.
I re-emerged moments later, seeing Mona still lounging. My eyes traced her arms for a moment, they were splayed out near her head. The little dip of her inner elbows were both bruised from her drug abuse, and it made my heart ache a little. She seemed off from her cheerful mood earlier. "You doing okay?" I asked hesitantly.
She opened her beautiful mismatched eyes and looked up at me with a sad smile. "I'm okay, maybe feeling a little sick. Withdrawal sucks."
"I'll hurry and we can go back to The Tops." I smiled a little, feeling somewhat guilty. I wanted to help her, get her clean, but who would I be to deny her a fix? I grew up around many drug addicts in the Khans, somehow being lucky enough in my own dalliances that I had never gotten hooked. Whenever I saw someone going through withdrawal, I couldn't help but feel bad.
Gathering my things up quickly, I had everything packed up before too long, and we were heading back up to check out. Hopefully Sarah didn't offer to give Mona the full tour. As we ascended the stairs and returned to the lobby, Sarah looked up and caught sight of my bag.
"Checking out, please."
The blonde pecked around on her terminal for a moment. "Here we go," she typed rather fast, "Carmen Salvatoro, checking out."
Any time someone called me by my birth name it felt strange, almost too formal. Mona looked at me and smiled. "You have a beautiful name." I loved her flirting, but it reminded me of my own guilt. I giggled nervously and Sarah's eyes darted between the two of us.
"So, you met a…friend, huh? That's nice." She seemed uncomfortable. No doubt she thought that Mona was my lover, especially after I basically came in doing the walk of shame in last night's dress like a hot mess.
Mona seemed to pick up on this, and a smirk pulled over her lips. "Good friends. Isn't that right, Honey?" Her lips were at my ear, her voice low and husky; her arm had snaked around my waist, holding me close against her side. I blushed hard. Sarah scowled.
"Fifty caps and you're good to go." The hotel keeper clearly couldn't get us away from her fast enough. I forked over the caps and she bid us adieu.
As we walked out the door, Mona gave me a firm swat on the backside and a dramatic growl. "Bye Sarah!" She called back in a singsong voice. The blonde furrowed her brows and stuck her nose back in her book.
Once we were outside, the singer broke out into guffaws of laughter. "Did you see that bitch's face? She about shit a brick. Fuckin' homophobes. I love to watch them squirm."
I relaxed a little once we were out in the sun, and joined in Mona's laughter. "That was pretty funny, I will agree," I paused for a moment, for some reason already getting anxious about tonight. "So, Benny. Tonight. I'm nervous."
She looked over at me and cocked a carefully groomed eyebrow. "Why are you nervous? I'm the one that has to seduce and destroy his dumbass."
"Just worrying about what could go wrong. I have no doubt he's gonna be heavily guarded. What if he screams for help and they come bursting in while you're doing the deed? Or what if he recognizes you?"
We were just coming up to the front door of The Tops when the singer suddenly stopped walking. She turned to me and lightly took one of my hands in her own. "What if is a question with enough answers to drive you mad. Trust me, Honey, please. I can handle myself, he's not gonna get me twice. Let's just follow the plan, come get me after an hour."
I smiled weakly, and nodded. I was hellbent on protecting her; I couldn't figure out if it was due to my guilt or my blossoming feelings for her, but either way, I felt like I couldn't handle losing her. I'd lost everyone I cared about already between Bitter Springs and Clover abandoning me those years ago. It wouldn't happen again.
…
13
The needle hit my vein and I felt my eyes nearly roll back in my head. Med-X raced into my body, icy and warm all at the same time. I sat there for a moment, savoring it, letting it absorb into my system. My earlier dose had burned off around dinner time. But now, it was showtime, and that meant I had to be good and high to play my character of Lana Leigh. Especially if I would be facing down Benny.
Some part of me was hoping that he wouldn't show, that he got held up somewhere or someone else splattered his brains in the dust of the Mojave. And yet, that bloodthirsty part of me was thrumming with excitement at the thought of killing him.
I hummed quietly to myself as I did my makeup carefully. I had already carefully covered up the track marks on my inner elbows, done the foundation on my face, now I was onto my eyes. For my performance, I'd selected one of my more scandalous dresses; a knee length little black number, strapless and with a slit up the side that exposed much of my long legs and a bit of my hip. With matching heels and my signature makeup, any man would be putty in my hands; especially a whore hound like Benny.
The Aces Theater was buzzing, I could hear all the chatter from backstage. My stomach did a nervous little flip as was its routine when I was about to walk out on stage. But this was no normal night, this could very well be my last night as Lana Leigh, depending on how taking care of Benny worked out for me.
Swank had sworn amnesty for whatever may happen. He didn't want me taking the law into my own hands, but if it was "self defense," what else could he possibly do? House didn't give a shit about Benny; I was almost certain the vindictive part of him wanted the checkered suit wearing asshole dead just as much as I did.
Beyond killing Benny, I didn't have much of an interest in the whole affair. I would deliver the platinum chip, collect my payment, and then…what? There were plenty of options. Stay here, keep getting paid. Or leave, back to the wild freedom of the wastes. Far away from any sort of responsibilities or obligations. However I had a strong inkling that delivering the chip wouldn't be the end of it. House needed a new lackey now that Benny would be removed from the equation. The idea wasn't very appealing.
Tommy Torini had suddenly emerged behind me, I hadn't even realized I'd zoned out until I saw him in my vanity mirror. His single dark eye met my own, that sleazy yet businesslike smile pulled across his lips as he put his hands on my shoulders. "Showtime pussycat. You've got a full house, and the big man to boot. Break a leg out there, huh?"
I could really feel the Med-X hitting me by now. My confidence was starting to creep up on me; Lana Leigh was taking control. "I'm gonna blow him away Tommy. Benny is never gonna forget Lana Leigh."
"That's my girl!" Ever the hype man, Tommy smiled widely at me in the mirror before heading out to introduce me.
I stood behind the curtain, the last little bit of nervousness leaving me as I heard his voice. "Ladies and gentlemen of New Vegas, it is my absolute pleasure to introduce the Siren of New Vegas. You know her, you love her, you can't get enough! Miss Lana Leigh!"
Applause exploded in my ears as I strutted my way out onto the stage in my six inch heels. Goddamn neck breakers, but I wore them well. The stage lights were momentarily blinding, but my eyes adjusted quickly. The first person I spotted was Honey, sitting in her usual spot near the bar, wearing a grin. She had dressed down a little tonight, wearing a more simple blue dress that wasn't so eye-catching; yet she still looked stunning to me.
I tried not to let my eyes linger on her, searching for my true target. He wasn't hard to spot. Front row, right before the stage in that ugly ass checkered suit. Benny's eyes locked onto my own, and I shot him a little wink. "This song is for a very special man," I put a little extra huskiness into my voice, really trying to get the maximum sexiness that I could out of this whole act.
"The minute you walked in the joint," I paused dramatically, letting the old pre-recorded instrumental do its blaring trumpets, "I could see you were a man of distinction, a real big spender."
I strutted towards Benny, one foot in front of the other, heel to toe carefully in my heels. His jaw had quite literally dropped, and his eyes were bugging out of his head. I thought of some old cartoon wolf with his eyes popping out and steam coming out of his ears. That made me smile as I squatted down before him and continued to sing. "Good lookin', so refined; wouldn't you like to know what's goin' on in my mind?"
I felt a little ridiculous, but I had to really sell this. As I sang the line, I ran my fingers from his collar down to his tie, then pulled him slowly towards me out of his chair, before shoving him back down into his seat. He had a shit eating grin, his eyes wide. My act was definitely working.
My eyes darted to Honey, gauging her reaction to all of this. Her poker face was in place. Surely she was jealous, it was obvious that she was just as into me as I was her. I felt a little pang of guilt when I looked into her caramel eyes, but I did well to not let it show.
As the set rolled on, I danced, I strutted, I shook my ass and made sure Benny was eating every bit of it up. He was transfixed by me. It was like the only time he even partially looked away was to mumble something to the chairman seated beside him, and even then he was straining his eyes to keep watching me. It was doing wonders for my ego.
By the time my set was coming to a close, I knew I had him. As my final song ended, the audience exploded with cheers, whoops, and whistling. Someone threw a few roses, fakes of course, it's too hard to find live plants in New Vegas, and someone even threw a little satchel of caps. I did a little curtsy and started to make my way off the stage, down behind the curtain and then out the performers door to the bar.
I had to sign a few autographs, some older man bought me a drink, and then finally I was left quietly at the bar. On perfect cue, just as I was drawing a cigarette from my battered little metal case, Benny had appeared to light it for me. The lighter he had left behind was in my bag up in my room, proof of his crime. This was a new one, golden with his initials monogrammed on it. He wore a cocky grin, and he smelled like freshly applied cologne. The asshole must have freshened up to come meet his biggest moneymaker.
"That performance. Wow, pussycat; that was the most ring a ding performance I've ever seen here. How did our humble Aces Theater get blessed with a gal like you?"
I smiled an enchanting smile, exhaling smoke slowly through my nose. "I came all the way from New Reno just to work here. I needed a change of pace, you know? Plus, I heard the cat that owns this joint is a really handsome fella." God, if I could pluck the words from the air I would. Talking like these chairmen idiots made me want to claw my eyes out, but Benny's smirk got even wider with my words.
"Rich too. I can make all your wildest dreams come true, baby. I'll make you the biggest star Vegas has ever known. Hell, you're gonna be bigger than Vegas! Everyone in Nevada is gonna know your name if you stick with me, doll." His eyes raked over me lecherously for the umpteenth time of the night. I caught Honey, sitting near the corner of the bar, glaring daggers into the back of Benny's greasy head. It made me grin a little, although I still felt somewhat bad for having to do this in front of her.
I placed my hand over Benny's where it was sitting on the bar top. "I bet you will. Listen Benny, you know what it's like at the top, don't you? It's lonely, especially for people like us. It's hard to find a fitting match when you're so successful." I traced little patterns on the back of his hand, flicking my eyes up to him, trying to give him the most seductive look I could muster.
"That's true. Lucky for you, the Benman is here now. Say, I have a private bar up in my suite. Biggest suite in this whole little slice of heaven. Lots of ladies would kill to go up there with me." His tone was low and smooth, he thought he was being slick. In all reality, he just made himself out to be an even bigger douche than he already was.
And yet I swallowed my disgust and played along. "I think I'd do anything to show my gratitude if you'd take me upstairs." I shot him a wink, and his jaw nearly dropped. Maybe he wasn't used to ladies actually wanting that.
"You don't have to ask me twice, pussycat. Let's get outta here." I stood and looped my arm through his, letting him lead me out. I glanced back at Honey, giving her a discreet thumbs up. She returned a barely perceptible nod. Her face was mask like, and I felt that little pang of guilt again.
Benny led me down to the elevators, and hit the button for the top floor. We didn't say much during the ride up, he was staring at me, devouring me with his eyes really, and I did my best to make it look like I was enjoying it. I was a good actress however, and I could tell he was eating up all my little motions. I would eye him up and down, bite my lip, anything I could to make it seem like I was eager.
The elevator stopped at the top floor, and to my shock the doors didn't open until he slid a little key into a lock on the door. "Can't be too careful." He muttered to himself.
"Expecting less pleasant company?" I smiled innocently, batting my long lashes coquettishly at him.
He chuckled nervously. "The Benman has lots of enemies. Not everyone can appreciate such a cool cat like myself, dig?"
"Dig." I wanted to gag. Playing this role couldn't be over fast enough.
The doors slid open and we emerged into a suite that blew my mind. Bigger than anything I had ever seen. The living room alone was damn near the size of my entire suite, and the western wall was dominated by a fully stocked bar. Dead ahead was the bedroom.
Benny started heading to the bar. "What's your poison, doll? The Benman has it all. Everything you could possibly want."
While his back was turned, I opted to cut to the chase. It was time for the big guns to come out. Reaching down to the hem of my scandalous dress, I had it pulled up and over my head in seconds. The switchblade at my lower back felt heavy in my skimpy panties, and I carefully adjusted it so that it wouldn't be visible. My heart was already pounding at the mere thought of burying it in his chest.
Benny turned to look at me when I didn't respond, and sure enough his jaw dropped again. I spoke lowly, as husky and seductive as I could manage. Why the hell was I getting nervous? "Let's cut to the chase, Benny. Why don't you show me where the bedroom is?"
His eyes raked lecherously over my fit body. My skimpy little underwear already had his arousal visible at the front of his dress pants. "I like the way you think. You're a real wildcat, you know that?"
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. If I never had to hear him speak again, it would still never be too soon. All I could do was smile in response, but like a good boy, he led me into the bedroom, unbuttoning his shirt and loosening his tie as we went. "I'll be right back, don't you worry." He called over his shoulder as he dipped to the right and entered his bathroom. I had no doubt he was going to freshen himself up, and I thanked whatever god might be listening as he did.
My eyes darted around the room, looking for a secondary weapon in case my blade failed me. The only thing I could come up with was the bedside lamp. Tucking the blade under one of the pillows, I stripped from my underwear and tried to arrange myself as sexy as possible on the bed. I could hear him spraying something in the bathroom, more cologne surely, as if he wasn't already dripping with the stuff.
I lay with my head propped up on my fist, watching the door expectantly. "I hope you're built sturdy, you crazy broad. Benman is gonna show you the Tops!" God, please make this guy shut the fuck up already.
When Benny emerged from the bathroom, there were two things that immediately caught my attention. Number one being that he had stripped completely naked and his body was completely chiseled. Number two being that he was hung. I couldn't remember much of my previous sexual history since being shot, but I definitely hadn't been laid, and I was sure that it was the biggest I had ever seen. It was my turn for my jaw to drop now. Maybe Benny wasn't so disgusting after all.
He joined me on the bed and immediately commenced kissing me aggressively. He definitely wasn't a very good kisser, but I could ignore that. We wrestled for dominance and I wound up on top before too long. When he opened his mouth to say something, I couldn't take it anymore, so I slapped him hard open palmed right across his face.
His eyes went wide in shock for a moment, and I lightly took him by the chin. "I'm in charge, got it?"
To my shock, he nodded eagerly. "I knew you'd be a kinky broad."
I knew exactly where the knife was, right under his pillow, and yet now it was the last thing on my mind. Maybe a quick round with him first, then sweet revenge when I buried the cold steel in his heart. I assured myself that is how it would go, and started to take him in.
He groaned low, and opened his mouth to say something as I started riding him. I clamped my hand over his mouth, muffling his words. I shut my eyes, and tried to block out who I was screwing. I settled into a good pace before too long, his hips meeting mine eagerly. My hands couldn't stay at his mouth forever, and I rested my palms against his firm chest. On its own accord, my mind started giving me thoughts of Honey. That helped considerably, until he finally spoke again.
"Pussycat, you know how to swing." The words broke through my reverie like a hammer smashing a glass window. I froze as a horrific image flashed before my eyes. It was a memory, I knew it was; and it was the worst I'd had yet.
It was a completely different lifetime it felt. There were two men holding my arms down on a table, another behind me with his hips pumping away at me. Pain. Pain in places no one should ever feel pain. And when the first man was done, another took his place. "Look at this bitch. She knows how to swing, she just wanted to act innocent. You both knew we'd come to collect our payment." I could see his face clear as day, I knew him, I just didn't know how or where from. I had no idea who else he was talking to however, just that he had looked over to someone who was also being held down. This person wasn't being violated, but forced to watch as I was. I couldn't make out their face.
I didn't even realize I had started screaming bloody murder until Benny was suddenly in my face. "What's wrong? Am I hurting you?" The concern in his eyes almost made me feel like he actually cared about me. Yeah right. On autopilot, I forced him back down onto the bed and drew the blade in one fluid motion. He didn't have time to speak before I was hilting the blade everywhere I could see. His chest, his throat. He choked on his own blood as I stabbed him, the crimson fluid pooling from his mouth.
Benny was dead. His eyes stared wide and blank at me, almost asking Why? Why me? I fell off of him with a start when I realized he was now dead, and still inside of me. I rushed into the bathroom quickly as my stomach twisted, and I voided my guts into the toilet until I could barely breathe. When I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I was disappointed in myself already. Covered in blood and sweat, I looked a complete mess. I'd uncovered some horror from my past, and now to make it all worse, I didn't get to exact my revenge in the way I wanted.
I had a whole speech prepared for Benny. I was going to reveal myself to be the courier by wiping off the foundation that hid my forehead scar. And just as he realized who I was, I was going to sink the blade in. So much for that. I cleaned myself up a little in the sink, but now a different panic was going to set in. How the hell was I going to make this look like anything other than cold blooded murder?
Benny still had the blade sticking out of his chest as he lay in his final resting place. I ripped it out and held it tight, my hands shaking hard. I pulled back on my underwear, then my dress. Time for the next part of my show. Carefully, I rolled my dress until it was gathered above my hips. Next, I braced for impact, then socked myself hard in the mouth. Licking my lip, I tasted blood. Good. It wasn't too hard to pretend to be hysterical, I already was. Here we go.
I grabbed the Platinum Chip from his coat and stuffed it into my bra. Soon after, I climbed back into the elevator and rode it back down to the casino floor. As the doors trundled open, I came rushing out, streaked with blood and clenching my bloody knife. I allowed myself to fall to the floor on my knees, this area was carpeted so it wasn't too horrible. "Somebody help me!"
The first two on the scene were some random chairman I hadn't seen before, and sweet Honey. Bystanders flocked behind them before too long, and then I was being mobbed by chairmen. "Miss Lana? Are you okay?" The first guy, a big brute with a square jaw, seemed genuinely concerned. Honey looked completely panicked when she saw that I was bleeding.
Pointing dramatically to the elevator with my hand clasped around the knife, I stammered and spat out my answer. "He…he…" I let a sob break my chest for dramatic effect. Goddamn I shoulda been an actress. "Oh god. He attacked me!"
There were a few gasps in the audience, lots of chatter. "Who attacked her?" A portly man asked.
"Didn't she leave with Benny?" A card dealer queried.
Part of me was eating the attention up, but I also knew I wasn't home free. "Please. I'd rather talk about this without a crowd." I sobbed some more, I buried my face in Honey's shoulder. Her hands dipped lovingly into my hair, stroking it gently.
"Alright people. Move along, get out of here." Square jaw was coaxing people away. A few other chairman had joined us, creating a loose circle around Honey and I.
Swank emerged from seemingly nowhere, crouching down beside us and looking at me with concern. "Lana? Doll, what happened?"
I met his eyes, letting my tears trail my makeup down my face. "It was Benny. He was telling me in the Aces Theater, he was gonna make me a star. But I had to do what he said. So when he wanted to go upstairs to his private bar for a drink, I said okay," I paused, wiping my snotty nose on the back of my hand. "When we got up there, I thought he was going to make us some drinks, but he just led me into the bedroom. He started taking his clothes off. And when I told him I wasn't that kinda girl, he went nuts. He hit me in the mouth and pushed me on the bed! And he…he…" Trailing off into loud sobs against Honey was how I really sold it.
Poor sweet girl. Honey was shaking hard, holding me close. I would have to tell her the truth ASAP, guilt was already nagging at my mind.
"You don't have to tell me any more, Miss Lana. Please, we can handle things from here." He went to rub my back comfortingly, but paused, and retracted his hand. Maybe Swank wasn't so bad after all; I had been harsh to him earlier.
Honey helped me to my feet, and carefully pulled my dress back down into place. Her caramel eyes were wide and full of concern, framed by her careful little winged eyeliner. I had to fight the urge to smile at her, instead keeping my careful victim persona in place.
We started a slow gait to the elevator, Honey put my arm through hers and led me carefully the whole way. Once the doors rolled shut behind us, I couldn't help but let a shit eating grin spread over my face. I latched onto Honey, hugging her tightly. "We did it! We did it!"
I pulled away and she looked at me, stunned. Her arms were still out to her sides like she was frozen, the bloody knife folded up in her left hand. Damn, I had gotten blood all over the poor girl. "Ay dios. What the hell just happened?"
"I just won my first goddamn award for best actress, that's what." I beamed. I couldn't help but feel like I should celebrate my victory. The disturbing memory was certainly something I had to deal with at some point; but right now, I was starting to come up on a sort of high. The way Swank looked at me let me know all I had to. He would sell this story, even if he knew it wasn't true.
Honey looked shell shocked. "You sure as fuck did. Scared the hell out of me."
"Aww, you were worried about little ol' me?" I smiled, lightly running my fingers down her arm.
She didn't look amused. "Perra loca. You're something else. I didn't expect you to make a whole scene."
"I call that hiding in plain sight. You gotta admit, it's a good plan. I mean, someone like Benny is used to always getting what he wants. It only makes sense he would snap when he can't get his way." I tapped my temple lightly with a grin, satisfied with my own cleverness.
The elevator gave its little ding as we arrived at my floor and the doors rumbled open slowly. Honey led the way, she walked purposefully and quickly to my room. I watched her hips sway as she walked, trying to suppress everything that I had just gone through. I was playing it cool, but that disturbing memory wasn't done with me yet. Shoving it aside was hardly working, but there was no way I would let it ruin this for me.
I let the door click shut behind us, and for good measure I turned the deadbolt. The blood had started to dry on my skin, giving it a sticky feeling. The apex of my thighs still held wetness, and as I thought about the fact that Benny had been inside of me I wanted to retch. Hot body or not, I was more than a little disappointed in myself for giving in so easily. Suddenly, I felt disgusting.
"Why is it that every time we come up here, at least one of us is covered in something gross? First the booze, now this." I said it almost sarcastically, hoping to lighten the air a little.
Honey didn't laugh, but gave a little amused grin. "Feel free to clean up. I need a drink." Her caramel eyes were far off, and my brain started screaming at me She knows she knows!
"I'll be right back, don't go anywhere." I smiled at her, knowing I must have looked deranged with the blood sprayed across me, but still trying to make an effort. The Spanish woman's face was unreadable, and that made my stomach do a nervous little flip.
I kept my Med-X and bath ritual short tonight; I needed a drink and I really didn't want to spend much time alone. The drugs helped ease my mind a little bit, but I knew the alcohol would really hammer it home.
When I emerged from the bathroom, Honey had already slipped into her pajamas and sat at the bar. Two glasses of amber liquid sat before her, one already half empty. She smiled weakly at me as I sat beside her. "What's wrong, Honey?" I took a swig.
Her eyebrows furrowed a little, like she was mulling over her words before she committed to them. "What really happened up there, Mona? I can't shake this feeling like something is off." Those honey eyes met my own, and I felt my cheeks start to burn. Oh boy.
"I didn't expect things to go the way they did. I mean, the whole time I was performing, even the elevator ride up, all I could think about was what it would feel like to finally end this bastard. To stab him until I couldn't anymore," I shook my head a little and took a big gulp of my drink. This would be embarrassing as hell to admit to anyone, let alone the chick I've been crushing on. This could be the event that destroys it all. "I didn't expect to be…attracted to him. Not at all. It was stupid I know."
Those beautiful golden brown eyes shot wide. "You guys fucked?" There was the emotion, she couldn't hide it now. Her voice was shot through with shock and even envy. She looked shell shocked.
I felt my cheeks go dark red with embarrassment. "Just a little! I mean, we barely started and then I freaked out."
Honey dropped her eyes back to her drink, frowning noticeably. She composed herself rather quickly, and I was a little impressed with how easily she could control her emotions. Surely she must be thinking what a fool I am, weak enough to give in to someone as slimy as Benny. "You freaked out? What happened?" Her voice was genuinely curious, the hints of jealousy and outrage gone from her tone.
A little sigh escaped my lips. As much as I didn't want to think about the vision, I knew talking about it would help. I was never very good at bottling things up. "He said something and it triggered a memory for me. From before I got shot in the head. I was getting held down while these assholes took turns with me. Someone was being forced to watch, I don't know who. They were talking about how they were "collecting their payment." So I don't know. Could have been a boyfriend or maybe just someone I used to run with. I guess we had fucked these guys over."
Honey looked horrified. A heartbeat later and she was hugging me closely, tightly to comfort me. "Mona, I'm so sorry. There was a level of realness to your scene downstairs that didn't sit right with me; I knew something had to have happened. Panic like that isn't easy to fake."
We stayed like that for a moment, and everything else fell away. Her touch was gentle and loving, and she smelled like something sweet and warm that I couldn't quite pinpoint. When I pulled back I gave her a genuine smile. "I'll deal with that later though. We should be celebrating! The asshole is finally dead!"
"And the chip?"
I fished it out of the pocket of my robe and plonked it down on the bar. The platinum chip was heavy and oversized, certainly no average poker chip, but I couldn't see what was so special about it. The damn thing just looked like an expensive paperweight to me. "Safe and sound. I don't even want to think about it right now though. I'm sure House already knows what happened to Benny, so he will be expecting me at some point."
Honey picked it up, turning it over in her delicate hands and examining it carefully. "I don't see what all the fuss is about this thing. It's kinda beautiful in a way, but for all this trouble? There has to be more to it." She ran her thumb along the Lucky 38 that was embossed on it before sliding it back to me.
I shrugged a little and drained my drink. I grabbed the bottle of whisky and poured another. "Maybe I can talk House into paying me more for it. Seeing as I damn near died for it."
"Maybe." Her eyes lingered on the chip before flicking back to her drink. There was still a sense of melancholy about the Spanish woman, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.
"Honey, are you really that upset about the Benny thing?" I kept my voice gentle, not wanting to come off as offended or accusatory. I lightly placed my hand over her own.
She laughed a little and shook her head. "No. I'm relieved he's gone actually. I guess I'm just worried about what's to come. We still have to take care of William, and I want the men from your memory to join him and Benny in hell." Her eyes were suddenly very intense, angrier than I had ever seen them.
My heart swelled at her expression though. "Look at you, wanting to take revenge for me," I smiled warmly and let my fingertips trace little patterns on the back of her hand. "It feels like I have so many enemies. I'm sorry I've got you tangled up in this whole mess."
Honey's warm eyes met my own, like liquid caramel. "Mona, there's no one else I'd rather be in a mess with. You're," she paused, choosing her words carefully, "You're my best friend."
I smiled widely. "You know, I've been horrible. All this time everything has been about me. I want to know about Honey, tell me about yourself."
Her expression was thoughtful. "Well what do you want to know?" Her drink was tossed back, drained easily. I poured her another and she thanked me in Spanish.
"Where are you from? Where's your family?"
"I'm from the west," she paused again, looking sheepish before continuing, "I grew up in a tribe. They got wiped out by the NCR some years ago."
She said it without too much emotion, but it still took me by surprise and made me feel sympathy for her. "That's terrible, Honey. How did you survive?"
"I wasn't there when it happened. I was away on a hunt with friends, came back to see the buzzards circling our camp. After that I headed East and didn't look back. So here I am in Vegas now." Honey took a big drink and avoided my eyes. I felt bad; this was likely the reason she hadn't talked too much about herself.
"I'm so sorry. I see now why you hate the NCR so much. They just run over anyone who gets in their way; no different than the Legion in my opinion." They were two sides of the same fascist coin, and both were vying for Vegas. It made me wonder how exactly House was going to protect the Strip.
Honey went quiet and nursed her whisky until it was gone before pouring another. She seemed to be drinking a little faster than usual, and anxiety was rolling from her in waves. Something was still wrong. I felt bad for bringing up her past, maybe she was thinking about her lost family.
"Honey, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried, I didn't mean to upset you." I frowned a little, and her eyes met mine finally.
A melancholy smile pulled across her lips. "You didn't upset me, love. I'm sorry, I'm miles away tonight."
Figuring it was best not to pry, I gave her a warm smile and went on to a more light hearted topic. "What can I do to bring you back? Maybe I need to go redo tonight's performance just for you."
That made her laugh, a genuinely amused sound. "That would definitely bring me around," she paused thumbing her glass thoughtfully. "So, what made you want to be a courier anyway?"
"It's all a little fuzzy, but I know I was trying to turn over a new leaf. I remember bits and pieces; I know I was an addict. And I had a boyfriend, who I watched overdose. So I threw the drugs down and took the Mojave Express job before I wound up like him. Guess that wasn't the right move," I laughed lowly, a little bitterly; then a memory struck my brain like a lightning bolt. I could see his face clearly, dark circles around his eyes and handsome features. "Niner. That was his name, or nickname anyway."
"That's awful, Mona. I'm sorry you had to go through that. I lost someone I loved too, or rather she just up and left one day." There was that melancholic look in her eyes again. Maybe this was who she was thinking about quietly.
"Did she leave a note or anything?"
Honey shook her pretty head, loose blonde curls tickling her shoulder. "No. She was from another tribe, and they got wiped out by the Legion. I think that was what got us so close; shared trauma is a hell of a bonding experience. Her name was Clover, and god was she terrified of Caesar. She wanted to go East, as far East as she could; but I didn't want to leave. I should have expected it really, didn't mean that made it hurt any less."
I couldn't fathom the idea of leaving Honey all alone without so much as a goodbye. This Clover had already gained my distaste. "That's really shitty of her. Even if she was scared."
"Can't argue with you on that. Yet, I can't find it in my heart to hate her or even be mad at her. It just hurts occasionally, like an old wound, you know? I still think about her from time to time. Hopefully she found what she was after, and didn't get herself killed in the process."
It was my turn to have a little taste of jealousy now; I found myself envious of Clover for the mere fact that she had someone like Honey pining for her."Well, her loss honestly. You're the total package, Honey. Anyone would be lucky to have you." It came out sounding just as flirty as I wanted it to, and her cheeks colored slightly.
Honey gave a hefty sigh, seemingly mentally preparing herself. "Okay, I have to ask you; are you really flirting with me? Or is that just your personality?" Her caramel cheeks went darker, and those caramel eyes locked with my own. "It's so hard to tell with you sometimes, I don't want to misinterpret anything."
I laughed a little and felt my own face grow a little hotter as I thought about blurting out how I felt. "How have you been interpreting it?" It couldn't help to toy with her a little more however.
The giggle that came out when she was nervous slipped from her full lips as she struggled to compose herself. "I've been hoping it's genuine. Mona, I've been drawn to you since that night I saw you in the Aces. If this isn't what you want, I get it; I don't even know if you like women like that or-"
I didn't need to hear any more, those words gave me all the information I needed to make my next decision. Taking her cheeks gently but firmly in my grasp, I pulled her close, finally doing what I had been thinking about this whole time. My lips pressed to her own finally, capturing them in a firm kiss that I didn't want to pull back from. And yet I did so slowly, to gauge her reaction. "Does that clear up any doubts?"
Honey nodded, her pupils seemed to have doubled in size, those pretty eyes tracing back to my lips. She leaned back into me hungrily, kissing me again. I didn't pull back this time, I deepened the kiss, pulling her close to me and letting our lips meet with passion. From our position on the stools, it was a little awkward, and so I stood as she stood with me, not breaking the kiss.
That made things much easier, I had her pulled flush against me as we consumed one another. Honey pulled away first, breathless with her chest heaving, her hair a little mussed from my hands running through it. I still held her close, trailing kisses down her neck and across her collarbone. She was panting hard, "Do you think this is a good idea?"
"I think this is the best idea I've ever had," my words came out a little muffled against her soft skin. I could sense some apprehension in her, maybe she was scared this would ruin the good thing we had going.
"I just don't want you to regret it." Her voice was gentle, but clearly shot through with her arousal.
I felt bold, riding my high, I stepped back a little so she could really look at me; and once I had her eyes locked on my own, I slowly pulled the tie on my robe until it came billowing open. Her eyes went right to my intended targets and I smirked. "How could I regret something I've been wanting since I met you?"
That was all it took. No more words needed to be exchanged. Honey couldn't resist anymore, and we collided with beautiful passion.
