Around the World in 80 Men Series: Boxed Set 21-30 (28 page)

“I
have a business to run, girls to train, and Felix is meeting me in
two days. I'd like to be awake while he's there.” Angel
called her a naughty girl, and Morgan giggled. “If you two can
stop acting like school children..,” the giggles grew louder,
“stop it..,” louder, “fine! I'll take a cab by
myself and you two adolescents can stay here on your own.”
Morgan and Angel fell onto each other laughing.

“No,
we'll take you.” Morgan wiped the tears from her eyes, but
started laughing again when she saw the smile on Julianne's face.

*****

Morgan
leaned back in the tub and smiled to herself at the day's events.
Julianne had been seen off at the airport, and the rest of the
afternoon had been spent with Morgan trying to find something to do
while Angel and Cedric asked for a little time alone at the bar. She
couldn't blame them, it was their time together as well, but she
hoped that the rest of the week wasn't going to be her, feeling like
a third wheel.

Her
plan for the night, as per Angel's request, was to get dressed up and
meet the men in the lounge in an hour from then. From there, they
planned a night of casino hopping, and bar cruising, all of which
Morgan greatly looked forward to. “Except for these freaking
cramps!” Her stomach tightened, and she breathed through the
pain until they subsided enough to enjoy her short soak.

In
the lounge on the main floor, Angel and Cedric were enjoying their
second or third drink, when Angel's phone rang out loudly.
“Fuck-in-a-kilt!” He pressed the green button and spoke
loudly into the phone. “Finster! What's up, Boo?” He
waited for Finlay's voice, but the connection was horrible, and Angel
yelled into his phone that the big Scot should call him back later.

“What
did he want?” Cedric watched Angel tuck his phone back in his
pocket.

“Fuck
if I know.” Angel really didn't care, he'd had enough of the
payback as he could take, and if Finlay wanted to gloat on the phone,
then it was fine with Angel if the connection was bad.

“I
get it, you don't want him laughing at you.” He nudged Angel's
shoulder with his own, and Angel nodded.

“True
shit. But it's better than Play Doh laughing... that big bastard put
her up to that shit.” It wasn't that he actually hated Clay,
he just wasn't in a hurry to ever speak to him.. or see him... or
ever hear his name again.

More
than an hour later, because Morgan wanted to give the men more time
together, she was just putting the finishing touches to her face.
She had chosen a white cocktail dress with thin straps, one that
stopped well above the knee. She had purchased it while she and Clay
had gone to lunch through the week, and it was certainly sexy enough
for a night out on the town. She also put in white gold and diamond
dangle earrings, since her hair was piled loosely on her head in a
gorgeous array of large spiral curls. “Well guys, I hope
you're ready to have fun!” She blew a kiss at the mirror, then
laughed at herself as she walked out of the bathroom, and gathered
her bag.

Morgan
was leaving the elevator when she saw Angel sitting at the bar, then
Cedric came into view a few seconds later as she walked closer to the
lounge. They were giggling about something, and Morgan couldn't wait
to hear what the joke was. “Hey!” She called out to
them when there were still twenty feet between them, and Angel called
back.

“Oh
shit! Baby Girl! Look at you!” She nodded in thanks, and sat
next to her Angel. Cedric leaned across Angel's front, and gave her
a wolf whistle of his own.

“Okay,
thanks.. you guys are just being silly now.” She laughed and
put her hand up to get the bartender's attention, but Angel grabbed
her wrist and brought it back to the bar.

“Boo,
how about you have a drink up in the room? CiCi asked me to have
dinner with him, and... ya know... like a date and all that shit.
Would you mind?” Morgan felt her cheeks begin to warm at
realizing that her fears of the week might just be happening after
all. She was also torn between knowing that they needed their time
with one another, and getting the brush off by both of them. She
nodded slowly, then forced a smile. Then, her damn cramps hit again.

“Yeah...
sure. You guys have a nice dinner, I'll just, order room service..
or something.” Angel leaned in and thanked his best friend for
understanding.

“I
love ya, Stick. Thank you.” She nodded and hugged him, then
told them both again to enjoy their night. “I'll call you when
we're done, then we'll get this shit started right!” She
smiled again, and left the lounge, heading straight for the elevator
to take her back to their room. The laughter from three young women
that passed behind, made her stop before pressing the button.

At
least they're having fun.
She shook her head, and turned to
watch them leave the casino.
Why the hell am I not having fun?
Suddenly, there was no way that she was going to go to her room
and sit out the chance to have a great time on the town.
I was
always alone, why stop now?
She put her shoulders back, and
walked straight past the lounge entrance again, not noticed by Angel
and Cedric, then left the casino on a mission for some serious fun.

She
waved for a taxi, and one stopped right in front of her. “Shaw
Casino.” The driver nodded, and pulled into traffic as Morgan
marveled at the spectacular view of lights in all directions.
Perhaps seeing Clay wasn't the best idea, but if she planned to start
her night alone, she would do it with someone that she knew.
Maybe
I'm a walking contradiction too.

When
the cab pulled up to the familiar building, she couldn't help but
smile. Even if her best friend was busy having date time, she still
had a friend in Vegas and that made her feel so much better. Again,
with her head held high, she walked right into the casino and to the
bar.

“Something
sweet, something strong,” she told the bartender as she sat
herself in one of the tall red stools. She loved her wine, but that
night, she was ready to have fun and forget her cramps. The quickest
road there was a strong mixed drink.

Chapter
Three

“
Fuck
me, Fin. Can't two bitches eat a meal in peace?” Angel looked
to Cedric and rolled his eyes dramatically. It was the fourth time
Finlay had called in an hour and each of the prior three times, the
call had been dropped because of a bad connection.

“Angel,
can ye hear me, mate?”

“Yes.
Speak words. Three. Two.” Angel pulled the phone away and
hovered over the end call button, making Cedric giggle loudly.

“I'm
in fookin' Vegas, I need tae find the place yer staying. What was is
called again?”

“Wait
a flaming hot muthafuckin' second. In Vegas?” It seemed to be
the question that just kept repeating itself. “Like your kilted
brick ass is in Las fuckin' Vegas?” Cedric's eyes grew wide as
Angel repeated his question and he shook his head back and forth, as
if to say they weren't there. Angel shook his head. He couldn't do
that. Morgan really would ki... “Boo, I'll call you back.”

Angel
hung up on Finlay. Left him hanging like the worse case of wet
underoos, as Fin sat in a cab with no idea of where he was going. He
tried to immediately call Angel back, but Angel was already in panic
mode. “He's coming. He's here and...oh shit! CiCi, go tell
Morgan. She needs a minute to register this shit first!” Cedric
nodded and headed right for the elevator. There was no way that
Angel would try to call Morgan right then as he had an incredible
fear of talking to one person when he was trying to avoid another.
The last time he hit buttons and messed everything up, was the last
time he'd tried it since.

While
he waited for Cedric to return, Angel ignored three more calls. He
needed to talk to his Stick first and see how she felt. Maybe she
didn't want to see him. When Cedric came out of the elevator alone
though, Angel was confused. “Where is she?”

“I
don't know.”

“You
fuckin' lost Morgan!” Angel went back to the bar and sat down.

“I
didn't lose her. Just call her,” Cedric suggested and slapped
the back of Angel's head as he sat back down.

“
Just
call her,
” Angel
mocked in a voice that sounded nothing like Cedric's. “Fine.
But if you lost her... I will cut a bitch and I ain't even playing.”
Angel had to do it, he had to call. But he touched his phone
lightly and tried not to make any mistakes.

“Why
would it be my fau...?”

“Shhh.
I'm on the phone!” Angel put his finger up to Cedric's lips and
hit the button to call Morgan. “Butter Buns, where the fuck is
your ass? Morgan?”

“Shaw's.”
She gave him a one word, curt answer. She was still acting butthurt
about being ditched, but it really wasn't that big of a deal.

“Morgan!”

She
turned toward the familiar voice. “Clay! Oh... uhm... hold
on...” She held her finger up at Clayton, but kept her eyes on
him as she talked into her phone again.

“Are
you with the Play Doh man? Morgan fucking Holland!” Angel
clearly heard her most recent client in the background, even without
the help of Morgan stating his name. Also, he heard the jingle of
slot machine winnings in the background. He didn't bother
explaining
anything else to her. Angel had the information he needed and he
planned on using it in the best way possible. He hung up the phone
and called Finlay back. He was immature, and he knew it, but Clay
had set him up, and Finlay would be Angel's way of getting the last
laugh with the cocky Vegas prankster.

“Listen
to me, Boo. Go to Shaw's. That's all your ass needs to know.”
He hung up the phone again, very proud of himself.

Finlay
started to thank him, but the wee man was already gone. “Fookin'
Angel.”

“You
shouldn't keep fucking with her life, Angel.” Cedric wasn't as
thrilled.

“Baby
Boy, I ain't fuckin' with her life. I am honestly just thinking that
Finlay and Clay-Clay could be best fuckin' friends. They've got
something in common already.” He tipped his drink toward
Cedric, then took a big swig. Cedric still wasn't happy about it,
but he relaxed in knowing that he had nothing at all to do with
Angel's current scheme. Pinning the big Scot against the big shot
was dangerous, and he shook his head at knowing that Angel was
playing with fire.

Shaw's
was busy that night, especially busy, but Morgan hadn't paid much
attention to the growing crowd. She had been spending her time
between the bar and the multitude of slot machines, and the world was
a very happy place for her right then. She had already put her phone
back in her bag, and started to stand so that she could greet Clay.

“I
thought you were staying with your friends?”

“I
am...” She looked down at her hands. She didn't know why it
bothered her that they wanted time together. It really shouldn't
have. “I just wanted to go out on my own tonight.” Morgan
turned and gave Clay a large smile. He wasn't buying any of it.

He
let it go for the time being, but he'd figure out what was up, sooner
or later. “How many of those have you had?” He nodded
toward her large fruity glass, which was half empty.

“That's
the first one... I just needed something to take the edge off.”
She meant with her cramps, but he was still wondering what troubled
her. Morgan swirled the straw back and forth, watching the ice bob up
and down. It had certainly eased the cramps and got her mind to calm
a bit and that's all she needed. Drunk Morgan wasn't scheduled to
arrive that night. “I'd like a coffee though, if you don't
mind.”

“Those things are potent,” he laughed, nodding toward the
glass once again. He told her that one of them was usually enough for
most people, then stood and walked a few feet down the bar. “Jimmy,
get the lady a coffee, will ya?” The young man behind the bar
nodded, and a coffee was put in front of Morgan within seconds.