Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 51803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 173(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 173(@300wpm)
“Listen, partner, don’t forget out there -- we’re a team. Whatever we have to do, it’s all part of the game plan to bring Conrad down -- got it?”
“Hey, Sean, spare me the pep talk. I know what we’re doing and why,” Valenti protested lamely. But his partner’s eyes wouldn’t let him go.
“You sure about that? Because we can’t let anything they throw at us divide us, Nick. Us against them, partner. Right?” He put one hand on Valenti’s cheek, tilting the taller man’s facedown to make his point.
“Always, partner. Us against the world, and I’m betting on us,” Valenti replied sincerely, loving the warm touch of his partner’s hand on his face. Loving O’Brian with his whole heart. He hoped the emotion didn’t show too much on his face.
“Good.” O’Brian peered at him intently and then did something that surprised Valenti, although not as much as it might have a day ago. He leaned up and kissed Valenti very softly on the mouth, taking his time to let his partner know how he felt with the sweet pressure of his lips.
It was as though O’Brian had flipped a light switch somewhere inside his body. Valenti felt his cock grow rigid and heard himself groan low in his throat. Then he was opening his lips and welcoming his partner’s tongue inside, relearning the taste of Sean O’Brian all over again. At last the blond man pulled back, and he still looked as serious as he had before the kiss.
“Love you, babe,” he said shortly. “Don’t forget it out there.”
“Back at you, partner,” Valenti said in a low voice, caressing the smooth cheek briefly before letting his hand drop back to the doorknob. O’Brian gave one final nod, and then they headed out to do their jobs.
* * * * *
Lunch was a quiet, informal affair, and Valenti knew without being told that today was their day to case the joint, to mingle and reinforce their image as a gay couple. Not until tomorrow would they attempt to buy any coke unless the perfect opportunity came their way. But after catching a glowering glance from the blond security goon, whom he supposed had to be Thad, Valenti didn’t think that was likely. They finished their food and got up from the table, pausing briefly to wave at Paul and Remy before strolling out of the dining hall together.
“What now?” Valenti muttered, staying close to his partner as they walked down the opulent expanse of hallway. Parquet wood floors were polished to a high gloss, and every room they passed was decorated with impeccable taste.
“I think we should check out the Basement.” O’Brian jerked his head in the direction of a long flight of stairs descending into gloom at the end of the hall. “That’s where all the action in this place is going down -- I’d bet my badge on it.”
“Yeah?” What kind of action? But Valenti didn’t say it out loud. As O’Brian had said, they would do what they had to do, regardless. He eyed the ominous stairs with a sardonic eye. He supposed the dimmer lighting and darker colors were meant to make the stairs leading to the Basement seem dangerous -- risky territory. Ambiance was everything in a place like this, and the RamJack certainly didn’t disappoint.
“C’mon.” O’Brian started down the stairs, trailing one hand along the cool, gray marble banister, heading for the small black door at the bottom. The door was simple and unadorned except for letters stenciled in white on its black surface: The Viewing Room, The Dark Knight, and The Minotaur’s Lair, Valenti read as O’Brian reached for the silver knob. He was beginning to get a really bad feeling about this part of the RamJack. At least two of the names on the door sounded familiar, and all three sounded ominous. Didn’t Twonnie warn us about some of these areas?
“Hey, Sean, you sure about this?” he said, casting his partner a worried look.
“Sure. Long as we stick together, we can’t go wrong.” O’Brian nodded with a self-assurance Valenti wished he felt and pulled open the door. Behind it was a short stretch of dark hallway leading to a round room with a high, vaulted ceiling. The walls and floor were made of gray stone that sweated moisture and echoed the least noise back to them. The impression of being in an underground labyrinth was completed by the dim lighting from medieval-looking wall sconces and the three arching doorways leading off in separate directions from the round central room.
Standing guard at the center of the round room was the black-haired goon with the gravelly voice from yesterday. From the look on his side-of-beef face, his disposition hadn’t improved any in the interval since they had seen him last.
“Back again, twink?” he asked O’Brian with a nasty grin. “Just can’t get enough, can you?”