Vegas: Bk 02 Ch. 02

CHAPTER TWO: SUGAR AND STRIFE

It was twelve noon when Katherine arrived at the Rio. She threw away the half smoked cigarette and checked with a receptionist she knew. Daniel was indeed staying there, and by a remarkable co-incidence, in a suite on the same floor as Mario. When she alighted from the elevator, she resisted a strong urge to turn left and see if he was there. That could come later if things turned out that way.

Instead, she headed left and gently knocked on the door to Mario's suite, anxious to sate her strong urge for sex. She smiled at his rugged, Hispanic good looks and threw her arms around him, pressing into his crisp, black suit.

"I thought you would have changed by now, baby," she murmured, rubbing her right knee against his crotch and creating an immediate reaction.

Katherine walked over to the large double bed and dropped her purse onto the bedside table. She sat on the edge of the mattress, letting her short skirt ride up her tanned thighs as she pulled off her tall heels. She shook out her glossy read hair and then eased herself backwards.

Mario's eyes widened as she slowly pulled her skirt higher. She wasn't wearing panties. Smiling at his reaction, she lifted her bottom up enough to let her wriggle out of the tight skirt. His tongue flicked across his dry lips as she unwrapped her top. Suddenly, she was naked.

It seemed that Mario could not decide whether to stare at the strip of red hair between her thighs or the deliciously pale and freckled breasts with their pink and proud high nipples. His eyes rotated between the two until Katherine made up his mind for him, stretching her legs wider.

"Come and get it, baby," she purred.

Her fingers slid down through her soft curls and parted her lips. Her clitoris begged for attention. Mario gave a soft, guttural moan and lowered himself to his knees beside her.

"Just what I had in mind, doll," he rasped, his black eyes glittering.

Katherine eagerly spread her thighs. She kept her eyes locked on his, crooking a finger to beckon him over. As he slid his hands slid under her buttocks, she sighed loudly.

"Damn woman, you are so ready for Mario. . . ." he grunted as his eyes devoured her moist sex.

You have no idea, she thought, wrapping her hand into his slicked back hair and pulling him in to the Promised Land. His soft lips on her impatient sex elicited a moan. He bathed her with long, slow sweeps of his tongue. He had proven himself to be an expert in previous encounters and today was no different.

He devoured Katherine with an urgency matched only by her own. There was no finesse, no slow build up.

His tongue probed deeper in time with her pleasurable moans. Her grip in his hair tightened as she lifted her undulating hips against his working mouth. She humped against him, her face glued to the concentration on his. He sucked and licked at her free flowing honeyed juices. His fingers joined his tongue, twisting in her velvet channel. His lips moved North and after several gentle strokes of her slippery nubbin, he took it between his teeth.

Katherine felt herself spiral out of control as he sucked it inside his mouth. His hands seemed to be everywhere. On her breasts. Groping the rounded globes of her buttocks. Flicking inside her.

Her hands held his head in position and she shuddered and bucked against his face. She lifted her hips and pushed herself into his mouth, her moans prolonged by his continual sucking. And just as she began to recover, the sharp pain as he deliberately dug his fingernails into her buttocks sent her over the edge again.

Eventually he began to slow the movements of his tongue, almost as if he was pacing her as she came down from her orgasm and began to catch her breath. Only then did he stand up to undress himself, kicking his discarded clothes to one side.

Katherine knew it was his turn now. She sat forward on the edge of the bed now and reached out, cupping his testicles. She softly squeezed and caressed them, watching with eager eyes as his semi-hard cock grew.

"Fuck, doll," he gasped. His words were cut off as Katherine's mouth took over.

She looked up into his eyes as she sucked hard, expertly throating him. Her mouth paused there for a few teasing seconds before she eased back, retaining just his bulbous head. She ran her tongue around the crown, his body jerking from little flicking motions before she went down on him again, sucking up and down in rapid motions. Her mouth was a suction machine and she felt him begin to throb.

"Careful, doll," he gasped, but they both knew it was too late.

With one final deep-throat she took him over the edge, his hips stating their familiar shudder. He fired his first offering against the back of Katherine's throat, the second immediately following. She eagerly took it all, her hand pumping his shaft in an effort to extract every last drop, until eventually he pulled his diminishing manhood from between her tender lips.

"We're not finished yet, baby," she murmured over her shoulder, as she headed for the bathroom. "Just lie there and regain your strength until I return. Then we can get down to some serious fucking!"

*

Katherine took one final look in the bathroom mirror. She looked hot, even if she said so herself. Her green eyes were gleaming with arousal and if her thrusting breasts looked as good to Mario as they did to her, his lips would soon be on them. Mario was in for a treat, that was for sure.

But just as she switched off the light, the knock on the door of the suite surprised her. Surely Mario wasn't going to be called away on business at her time of need?

His curse indicated that the disturbance surprised him too, and she eased the bathroom door ajar to watch him amble over to the suite door. She heard, rather than saw, his surprise.

"Desmond.... I'm kinda busy right now..."

Three men came into her view as they ignored his protestations and walked into the centre of the room.

"Kinda busy?" the chubby one responded. "Kinda busy? Big Eddie doesn't pay you to tell us you're kinda busy!"

"I... I know, Desmond," stammered Mario. "But if we could get together later..."

But Desmond just smiled, looking around the bedroom. He fixed his thin black tie and then pulled at the lapels of his checked grey suit.

"Nice room," he muttered. "You've gone up in the world, Joshua paying for a suite. I wonder why that is?"

Mario made no answer as he pulled the folds of his thin gown around him. He looked like a rat caught in a trap.

"You got company?" Desmond asked as he walked across and threw open the door to the adjoining room.

"No, no company," he said, staring around. "But it looks like you are expecting some. So we better finalise our business before we're interrupted."

He walked away from Katherine's view into the larger room. She saw Mario forlornly look around and then seem to accept the position. The two men in the ill fitting dark suits ushered him to follow Desmond and gently pulled the door closed behind them.

Damn, thought Katherine, in two minds whether to make herself scarce or wait until they finished. She skipped out of the dark bathroom and quickly dressed, but as she pulled on her shoes she heard the sound of raised voices. She tiptoed to the door. Just a quick listen. Just for a moment. And then she was out of there. Perhaps she would pay Daniel a visit after all?

"How can you deny it?" she heard a voice say. It was Desmond's. "We paid you good money for information and you doubled crossed us!"

Katherine instantly felt sick with apprehension. Mario was in some kind of trouble.

"That's not quite true," she heard him stammer. He sounded flustered.

"Oh, but it is, Mario. We both know that. We didn't ask you to work for Big Eddie. You approached us. You told us you could give us the lowdown on the Smith's. But instead, you fed us lies and you took our money. Going to try and deny it again?"

"No," Katherine heard Mario say. He sounded defeated.

"No!" Desmond repeated. "And now we have to terminate our arrangement."

"T-terminate?" Mario asked, seconds before she heard a scream of agony. Her heart threatened to leap out of her chest. Bile rose in her throat.

"Please... Please don't hurt me, Desmond," she heard him plead. "I can get you information, believe me!"

"You little shit!" Desmond shoted. "You want me to give you more opportunity to double-cross us? I'm afraid we're going to have to make an example of you! Your boss is becoming far too big for his boots and we have our reputation to think of. I mean, what would you do in our situation?"

"Don't kill me," she heard Mario plead.

She thought she was going to be sick right there and then. Kill? What the fuck? This could not be happening.

There was a sound of what seemed to be a struggle and as some object crashed against the floor the door clicked open a couple of inches. She stole a quick glance through the gap. Mario was on the floor with one of the men kneeling beside him. A lamp was on the floor beside them but it was the knife in Mario's back that caused her to retch and gag onto the lush brown carpet.

At the sound, three pairs of eyes turned towards her. She fled across the room, flinging the door open and rushing into the hotel corridor. She assumed the men would be chasing her and sprinted for her life, pressing the elevator button. It was several floors away. They would catch her!

She ran past the elevator lobby and along the opposite corridor, frantically checking the room numbers. 11115. Where the fuck was it? She found it and barely heard her fist pounding on the door. The pounding of her heart was blocking out her world. Fortune was with her. It opened instantly. She pushed past Daniel into the room, slamming the door closed behind them. She leant back against the door as she struggled to catch her breath.

"Katherine?" he gasped.

"Daniel, you've got to help me!" she pleaded, her eyes wide with alarm.

"I was just about to leave..."

She shook her head. "Three men are chasing me. They've just killed.... someone.... now they want to kill me! You must help me!"

The look on his face told her she was genuinely terrified and she almost cried when his first reaction was to pull her trembling body into his, stroking her hair in an attempt to comfort her.

"Daniel, I've just witnessed a murder!" she whimpered, pulling away from him and flopping down on the bed.

"Murder. Who?"

"I... there's no time to explain," she whispered, using the lie to protect herself. She did not want to get into who Mario was and what she had been doing in his room.

"And the less you know, the better," she added, thinking quickly.

"Katherine," he said impatiently, looking down at her. "It's been over a year since I've seen you. And yet here you are in my room, telling me you've just seen a murder. And that whoever it was, they now want to kill you. I think I'm entitled to some sort of explanation, don't you?"

"I can't," she weakly responded.

"In that case," he firmly said, sitting beside her and reaching for the phone. "If you really are in danger, we've only one option and that is to phone the police, right away."

"NO!" she exclaimed, grabbing his wrist. "No cops, please!"

He frowned.

"Daniel... there are people here who are beyond the police."

"Beyond the police?"

"Daniel, listen to me. I've seen a lot of things over this last year." She hesitated, a tear forming in her shocked eyes. "But never a murder... not until now."

She took his hand in hers before continuing. "Daniel, there are drugs, prostitution and protection money all wrapped up in this!"

"All the more reason to contact the police," he firmly said.

She yanked her hand away, her eyes blazing with frustration and anger.

"You stupid fool. Call the police and I'll end up with a knife in my back!"

As she spat out the words, the image of Mario returned to her mind and she burst into tears, covering her face with her hands. She threw herself into his comforting arms. For the moment she felt safe. She let her tears out, sobbing into his chest for a good ten minutes before she began to regain her composure.

"Oh Daniel, I'm so frightened," she whispered. "Promise me you won't contact the cops, please?"

"Okay," he quietly acknowledged. "But what next?"

"I don't know," she whispered, relieved at his reassurance.

Her mind was working overtime. If she could just gain sanctuary for a while, she would find her way back to Joshua's and explain what had happened. He would make things right, she was sure. She pulled Daniel closer, the secure feeling inside her blossoming into something more. Her aroused body still needed release.

"Katherine, I have to go," he softly said, interrupting her thoughts.

Her head shot up. "Go? Where?"

"I'm expected at the Bellagio," he explained. "You can stay here for as long as you need."

"The Bellagio? You're going to play cards when I'm like this?"

Her anger burst through again, as unreasonable as it may have been. She sat up and pulled away from him.

"Daniel... you can't!"

Her alarmed eyes focussed on his and relief flooded through her as she saw his face soften.

"You're right," he softly conceded. "I'll stay."

She leant over and kissed him on the lips. It was a soft kiss, no tongue, but she opened her mouth slightly to allow him to realise it was a little more than just a kiss of gratitude.

"Thank you," she softly said. Her thoughts danced between the rest her exhausted mind demanded and her body's desire to fuck him.

"Daniel, I'm bushed with everything that's gone on. Will you hold me while I sleep a while?"

He nodded and slipped off his jacket as he eased down beside her. She couldn't help it. She found herself grinding her buttocks into his groin as if attempting to find the most comfortable sleeping position. Satisfied at the response she felt, she closed her eyes.

*

Daniel realised that he had fallen asleep, although it had taken him some time to do so. His mind had struggled to come to terms with Katherine's appearance and story. As he came too, he realised he had been dreaming.

They had been strange dreams, of murder with a faceless body lying on the ground. Of poker cards and endless hands. Of the bright Vegas strip. And then there were images of Katherine and Grace together, just as he had seen in that video one year earlier. That imagery was never far from his mind.

But this time, he had been in bed with them, feeling himself being inexorably taken towards orgasm. As he blinked open his eyes, he realised it wasn't a dream. Katherine's lustful face was smiling down at him. He had seen that look before. She was naked and although he wasn't, he realised his jeans were around his knees and he was firmly embedded in his new lover.

His sleepy eyes began to focus on the way her freckled breasts were bouncing under his gaze, reacting to the delicious back and forward rotation of her hips. Breasts that were so familiar...

Her eyes were closed. Her head tilted to one side. She seemed concentrated on her own pleasure, fully in control as she worked herself on him, her fingers digging into his chest. At first she undulated back and forward and then in circles. She eased her hips upwards until just his crown was inside her. Just when he raised his buttocks in search of her teasing sex, she smoothly slid back down to take the whole of his hardness once more.

The red head did it again and he groaned. What a tease. She giggled and then picked up her speed. Her breasts danced deliciously to the pace of her thrusts. He reached for them, unable to help himself. She leant forward, giving him permission, her tongue flicking in his ear.

"Remember this?" she softly asked, her sparkling green eyes alive with desire. "Remember how I used to fuck you?"

He made no attempt to answer, but the way his body jerked at each touch of her licking tongue gave them both the answer. She had slowed her pace and moaned with satisfaction as he let out a soft sigh.

"Good boy," Katherine whispered, her teeth pulling down on his lobe. "You like Katherine fucking you again?"

He refused to speak, but as usual they both knew she was fully in control. He tried to pull his hand away from her breasts but she caught him and lifted them back. She raised an eyebrow as she let go, as if daring him to remove them again. But he couldn't resist and began to knead her full breasts, her nipples pushing against his hot palms.

"Such a good boy," she purred, sitting back up and resuming her fucking motions.

He was fully lost, captured in her sexual spell, and his face creased as he thrust upwards in a desperate attempt to match her motions. His eyes clouded as she plunged up and down, their fucking now raw and basic as she began to take him towards his climax. At last he pulled his hands away, but only so that he could hold onto her savagely undulating hips. She began to race them both towards the finishing line.

She threw her upper body backwards and rested her hands on the bed behind her, gripping the sheets. The sensational sight of her trimmed strip of red hair pounding up and down on his hard manhood was too much for him and he was suddenly there. He accelerated his upward thrusts as he began to release inside her. She shuddered with him as her own orgasm overtook her.

It took some time before they recovered.

"Marks out of ten, Englishman?" she teasingly asked as she looked up from his chest.

*

Holly had one eye on the door all day. She had been sure that Daniel would join her at the Bellagio. She had let her guard down yesterday and that could have been be fatal. But for a short time she had felt good about letting go and if he had been here right then, she might have immediately left the table and taken him to bed again.

She was a few thousand ahead in today's high stakes cash game, despite the fact that Brunson, Ted Forrest, Mel Juddah and Hellmuth were at her table. As usual in such games, Hellmuth was bemoaning his luck whilst donating his money to the others. In particular, Holly had benefited most from The Poker Brat's misfortune.

But for a while she had been card dead and as she folded hand after hand, she ruminated on how poker had given her a new lease of life and had provided her with the perfect cover.

Prior to establishing herself on the poker tour it had been a relatively lonely existence. Her motto had been to take what she could where she could, as it had been necessary to keep herself to herself. Whereas she was destined to live alone, she was able to enjoy a certain kinship on the tour. And at the same time, it provided the perfect cover.

She glanced again at the door that gave the privileged few entry to Bobby Baldwin's room. It seemed that Daniel was certainly not coming now. Just as well, she thought, as in the past she had made a point of only having sex with strangers. No emotional attachments that way. Daniel was the first person in a while that she had really taken to and that was dangerous.

Her glance flicked to her hole cards. Seven-Three offsuit. But she was in the Big Blind and without a raise. She was in the hand.

The flop brought the other three seven's.

Hellmuth made a small bet and Georgio Munnee, a plastic surgeon from New York, re-raised. Holly called and so did Hellmuth. Interesting, she thought.

The turn brought a ten.

Hellmuth checked and Munnee raised half the pot. Holly smiled inwardly as she flat called. Hellmuth did too. She attempted to put them both on a hand. Both with pocket pairs, almost certainly. Possibly even pocket tens? She certainly hoped so.

The river was an Ace.

Immediately, Hellmuth pushed all his money in the middle in the way he does when he believes he's ahead. Holly was sure then that he had pocket rockets. Munnee also called and she put him on pocket tens or possibly Ace-Ten. It didn't matter. When she called and showed her hand, Hellmuth exploded as he flung his pocket Aces down on the green baize next to Munee's tens.