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“Weaknesses do make you less strong.”
“It’s called being human,” I counter, and then it’s me who kisses him. Soft and slow, hundreds of feet in the air, we soak up the moment and what feels like newfound closeness—a new memory of my Vegas King and me.
Giovanni lets me choose dinner. I know what to pick since we’re already on foot, exploring the Linq’s promenade. It’s time to introduce him to one of the west coast’s greatest treasures: In-N-Out Burger.
This is a treat for Louis and Dominico, too. The four of us grab a booth and scarf down some double-doubles and ice cream shakes. All of our pants feel a little tighter after the meal. Gio mentions he’ll have to do an extra hour at the gym tomorrow, and Louis belches to our mingled disgust and laughter.
Suddenly, it’s like we’re four companions out for a regular Saturday evening on the Strip rather than a girl and her mafia boyfriend with his two bodyguards.
“What’s the plan for the rest of the night, Boss?” Louis asks. He sucks down more of his strawberry milkshake.
“That’s for Falynn to decide.”
The three men turn their gaze on me. I brush a curl behind my ear and shrug. “Anyone up for laser tag?”
A second of uncertainty passes. Louis and Dominico are waiting on Gio’s reaction, though judging by their faces, the idea excites them.
Gio quirks a brow. “Laser tag?”
“It’s when you divide into teams. You each get a vest and a laser gun. The goal is to—”
“I know what laser tag is,” Gio answers, amused.
“Boss, it’ll finally be an opportunity to take out some aggression without taking off somebody’s head,” Louis jokes.
“Orother body parts,” Dominico adds.
“Good point. Only if Falynn’s my partner.” He winks at me.
As we stand from our booth and dump our trays, all hell breaks loose. We push open the door leading outside, with the guys arguing over the pairings. Louis argues he should be my partner, since he’s always tasked to guard me. Giovanni refuses. Dominico attempts to cool the bickering by offering to partner with me instead.
I can only laugh as we walk under the brightly lit promenade. Night has fallen, which means Vegas is only now waking up. They say New York City is the city that never sleeps, but Sin City definitely gives the Big Apple a run for its money.
“Boys, there’s enough of me to go around.” I giggle at the darkly jealous glare Gio shoots me.
Dominico goes off to pull the car around the block. I stand alongside Gio and Louis and listen to more of their childish bickering.
“She’smygirlfriend.”
“But I’m her personal security, Boss. You said so yourself.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“You’ve told me to protect her with my life. How can I let her get shot even if it’s a laser?”
Louis’s argument is so well-presented it draws another laugh from me. Gio’s expression reads as offense at his betrayal, as if his closest soldier and new righthand man has revealed he’s an undercover FBI agent or something.
“How about we flip a coin?” I suggest.
“No!”
“Yes!”
Even that dissolves into more bickering. I watch hopelessly. Fine, I’ll stand on the sidelines and let them bite each other’s heads off. Whoever survives will be my partner.
My gaze turns to the bustling traffic on the Strip. Cars and other vehicles mill down the lanes with impatience. Many taxis and Ubers drive their passengers to their casino destinations. Other tourists explore the famous street. Dominico rounds the corner a block away, the Audi’s pristine coat glinting even at night.
A motorcyclist emerges out of nowhere, cutting through traffic. He’s decked out in all black everything. Both the helmet and his bike look sporty and expensive. His body conforms to the sleek groove of the bike, making them blend as one. As he barrels down the street, filling the night air with the speedy rev of his motorcycle, he reaches for something inside his vest.
We catch on a second too late. The motorcyclist withdraws a large pistol and opens fire on the sidewalk—the space where I stand alongside Gio and Louis. Screams erupt as other pedestrians scatter. Glass in the store windows behind us shatter. Gio shoves me down onto the ground and ducks after me. Both he and Louis fumble for their guns and return fire.
But the motorcyclist is already halfway down the next block, weaving between traffic. With a final gloating rev of his engine, he disappears.
