Chapter 14
The alarm turned out to be a robbery at the casino two building’s down from Bessie’s Lounge. Four culprits on souped up Segues fitted with huge, intimidating spikes on the wheels whizzed through the casino floor, grabbing money from game tables, snatching purses, and wreaking havoc while three others cleaned out the casino cage.
Together, he and Aiden were able to take out the entire gang before the police arrived on the scene. With his glasses accurately focusing his beams, Mike knocked the thief on the far side of the room off his Segue without causing damage to anyone or anything else in the vicinity. He left the thief to be cuffed by one of the casino guards and rushed to the money cage. Feeling confident in his new tech, he aimed more blasts straight through the hole the robbers had blown into the wall to take them out as well.
Within minutes they had all seven casino thieves apprehended. He and Aiden high-fived each other. “Nice work.”
“You too.”
Back on the street, the cacophony of slot machines dinging, the gang members whooping and hollering as they merrily stole, and casino patrons yelling in fright was replaced by the noise of traffic and the mutedthump-thump-thumpof bass from the club next door. Mike walked with Aiden a few paces away from the casino.
“Now that we’re true-blue partners and all we have to follow tradition,” Aiden said.
“And that is?”
“Go back to my place, chill and eat while we get the report together for Caleb.”
“That’s going to be our tradition too?”
“If you want it to be.”
With the mask in place, Mike couldn’t see Aiden’s expression. But he heard the smile in his voice, noted the relaxed vibe to his body language. Aiden’s entire demeanor was welcoming and Mike was one hundred percent on board with the new attitude.
“I’m in,” he said without hesitation.
It started to rain by the time they made it back to their vehicles. A cold, wet spray to remind them that fall in St. Louis wasn’t only pretty leaf colors and golden sunsets. Mike looked at his partner through the spitting rain drops. “I can drive us so you don’t have to ride in this.”
“Sounds good.” They worked together to retrieve Aiden’s bag from beneath the bike’s seat and quickly tie the cover over it. Then they both hopped into Mike’s SUV.
Mike mostly remembered the way to Aiden’s and only needed a few directions after they drove across the Eads bridge and back to the Missouri side of the river. After about fifteen minutes, they reached a community where the houses were set far back from the tree lined road, the driveways disappearing behind tall gates. He turned into Aiden’s drive, and pulled up to the small access booth.
Aiden popped off his seat belt. A second later, a warm palm landed on Mike’s thigh and Aiden leaned in close.
Not expecting the intimate contact, Mike went completely still. “What are you doing?”
“Relax, Beefcake. I have to put in the entry code. Roll down your window.”
Mike hit the button to lower the driver’s side window without taking his eyes from Aiden. Those full pink lips curled in a small grin before Aiden braced himself with the hand on his thigh and half-crawled over his lap to lean out the window and punch in numbers on the lit key pad. While Aiden was occupied, Mike cast a quick glance at the gentle curve of his bare back, admiring the smooth skin leading to a round, latex-covered ass. He got his eyes back on the windshield in front of him as the keypad beeped. Aiden slowly eased off his lap while the gates swung open on silent, well-oiled hinges.
“You could have told me the code,” Mike pointed out. “I’m sure you have one for guests.”
Aiden’s smile was smug.
“I know and I do. But where’s the fun in that?”
He settled back into his seat and Mike drove up the long, curved driveway until he reached a cream brick mansion. The home was a graceful beauty, with arched windows and multiple wrought iron balconies. Manicured rose bushes lined the front of the house and stood on either side of three wide steps leading up to a robin’s egg blue double front door. A fountain with a rearing Clydesdale at its center stood where the drive widened into a circle. His first time here he’d been surprised to see that Aiden came from such wealth since he never gave any indication of it. But now that he was aware, he could see it in the confident way Aiden interacted with everyone around him and the effortless grace in which he moved.
Mike followed the softly glowing path lights around to the guest house at back of the property. At the end of the drive, he parked the SUV and turned off the engine.
Aiden opened his door and got out. “Come on.”
Mike exited the truck and followed Aiden into his home. Inside, the lower level all flowed together on an open floor plan. The kitchen was bright and spacious, with balcony doors leading to a patio. A large living room had multi-paned windows looking out onto the pool, and a massive white brick fireplace. Across the room from the front door was a short staircase leading to the second floor, where Mike assumed the bedrooms were.
“I didn’t mention it the last time I was here, but this is really nice,” he said, looking around while unbuckling his vest. He removed it, laying it on the bench in the small foyer.
“Thanks,” Stardust said as he led the way into the kitchen. “I’m lucky. My mom is the chief financial officer at one of the big beer companies and my dad is from family money. They’re both good people and it’s not exactly a hardship to live on this property. So, when most people would have moved out, I decided to stick around.”
“Do you pay rent?”
