Trey

After having dinner and getting everyone settled at Trump Tower, I spend nearly forty minutes with Aileen and her mother trying to convince them to stay put. I understand their need to make funeral arrangements, but Bill’s body won’t even be available for at least two more days. In an attempt to appease them, I give them an iPad and pull up a couple sites where they can research vault and casket options as well as flower arrangements.

Honestly, I’m anxious to escape back to the St. Regis for some alone time with Mandy. It’s literally one block between the two buildings, but Anthony insists that he will be coming along as a chaperone. We finally make it out the door and into the common area, when we are stopped dead in our tracks by a conversation that Mom is having with Crusher.

“Can I touch it?” she is asking him, as she reaches for one of his exposed biceps. “I have honestly never seen anything so huge.” If I had simply heard her request without seeing what was going on, my mind would’ve went straight into the gutter. “Do you lift weights constantly or what?” she adds, running her hand along the top of his bulging muscle.

“Three or four times a week,” he grunts, beaming with pride.

“That’s amazing. How much do you eat?” she continues with her inquisitive line of questioning.

“Everything I can get my hands on,” he snarls, giving her a wink.

“That’s sad… I just look at food and I gain a pound or two.” She snickers and shakes her head, still focusing on his arm.

“Maybe you’ll have to join me at the gym and we can turn that around for you,” he suggests lowering his arm and taking her hand in his as if he’s going to ask her to dance.

“I’m almost fifty,” Mom replies, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. “I was never one to frequent the gym, even when I was young and in better shape.” She turns to the side and her eyes meet mine. “Trey! Can you believe the arms on this guy? I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Yeah, I thought he looked like the incredible hulk without the green makeup,” Mandy chimes in before I have a chance to speak.

“Oh, but he is much more handsome,” Mom counters, apparently trying to see if she can make him blush. “Although, I’ll bet those veins in your neck really bulge when you are angry,” she adds touching one of them. “I would never want to see that.”

“No one does, because they usually end up dead,” Anthony tells her as we proceed out into the common area. “I’m going to escort Trey and Mandy over to the St. Regis. I know they think I’m being overprotective, but I would rather be too careful.”

“That’s why I’m sticking close to Crusher,” Mom replies, still beaming. “I’ve never felt more safe and secure.”

“I don’t think that’s all you’re feeling, Mom.” I throw her a sideways glance.

“Oh stop!” she scoffs, slapping me on the arm as I pass by. “I’m just having a little fun.”

“I know. So am I,” I tell her, reaching out to give her a one-arm hug. “I’m glad Tyler is back home. He seems to be better than he has been in a long time.”

“Yeah, I think losing his memory might turn out to be a blessing for both he and Vanessa,” she says with a reserved smile. “I’m hoping they will go ahead with the knee replacement within a few weeks. I know they are nervous about having to put him on pain killers again, though.”

“Pain killers might be a bad thing in the short run, but longer term he will be much better off,” I tell her, giving her one more squeeze. “We’ll see you guys in the morning.”

I slip my arm around Mandy’s waist and guide her straight to the elevator. My goal is to get out of here before anyone else decides they need something from us. I’m no longer worried about anyone’s safety since Bolt, Crusher, Gator and Romeo are all staying here for the night.

“How do I look, boss?” Romeo yells across the room as he comes jogging toward us.

“You look like someone headed to Belize to meet with a banker,” Anthony replies with a sneer. “I’m sending Romeo down to help piece things together on that end.”

“That’s good,” I tell him, fully agreeing with his decision. “If Carly really is involved as deeply as Tommy claims, I think she might have gotten in over her head.”

“Sometimes you don’t know for sure until the last stone is turned,” he replies, giving me a thought-filled stare.

“What happened to Jules?” I ask as we step into the elevator.

“She had to go home and get some rest. She fights in Atlantic City on Friday night.” Anthony punches the button for the lobby. “We should all go see her perform some time. I know she would appreciate a show of support.”

“That would be great,” Mandy replies enthusiastically. “I’ve always been amazed by how tough those girls are. I can’t imagine taking that kind of abuse.”

I place my hands on her hips and pull her backward toward me, my growing bulge nestling between her firm butt cheeks. “I’m going to give you some abuse a little later,” I whisper softly in her ear. She moans softly and leans back against me.

“You two should know, I have excellent hearing,” Anthony tells us after clearing his throat. He looks over at us, revealing a definite smirk. “Don’t worry, I’ll go to my room and put on my headphones when we get back to the hotel.” He laughs before turning back to the flashing lights that are tracking our descent to the lobby.

Mandy

An eerie feeling washes over me as we exit Trump Tower and are greeted by a brisk breeze. It smells like a storm is on its way. It reminds me of how we used to sit out on the porch at the farm and watch the lightning when storms were approaching. I still love the smell of rain, but the sound of the wind swirling between the buildings gives me the creeps.

I’m suddenly forced into a jog as we cross the street, trying to keep pace with Anthony. It’s interesting to watch how he moves in quick bursts, keeping close to the side of the building at all times. He holds out his arm, guiding us to follow suit. It feels as if we are in a war zone and he is guiding us through a minefield. We turn the corner onto East Fifty-Fifth Street and I’m relieved to see the awning of the St. Regis hotel protruding out above the sidewalk. Anthony takes another quick look over his right shoulder and then appears to relax his pace as we cross the street and head into the entrance.

“Did you see them?” he asks after we are safely inside.

“No,” both Trey and I reply simultaneously. “Where were they?” Trey asks, looking a bit surprised.

“Look straight down at the corner, in front of the church… the second car in,” he says pointing through the large plate glass window. “It’s a black sedan with the same license plate cover that we saw earlier.”

“Okay, I’m sorry for doubting the need for your protection,” Trey gasps. “I never would’ve never noticed their car since it’s parked in front of that yellow cab.” He gives Anthony a look of disbelief.

“That’s what six years of surviving two wars will do for you,” he replies giving Trey a slap on the back. “My gut is telling me that this isn’t The Ghost,” Anthony adds as we head across the lobby to the elevator.

“Why?” I ask, surprised that he is contradicting everything we have heard so far.

“He’s called The Ghost for a reason,” Anthony says, while greeting the bellman. “By the time you see him, you are dead. Bill and Dr. Potaturri would have seen him, but neither you nor Nolan would have. And if he set out to kill Tyler, he would not be breathing right now.” Anthony pauses as if he’s in deep thought.

“I don’t even want to know what you guys are talking about,” the bellman says as he punches the button for our floor.

“Maxim Sakarov is his real name and he was an FSB legend,” Anthony continues, completely ignoring the bellman’s comment. “The FSB is the modern day version of the KGB and he was hand picked by Putin to expand its role in 2003. In 2013, he decided to go out on his own.”

“Vladimir Putin?” Trey gasps, obviously not realizing the caliber of people we have been dealing with.

“Yes,” he replies before falling silent again.

“Have a good evening,” the bellman says sheepishly, holding the elevator doors open for us. I want to whisper a smartass comment to him on the way out, but refrain due to Anthony’s proximity. It’s probably for the best, as he already seems to be way outside of his comfort zone. Instead, Trey hands him a nice tip and we proceed in silence.

“It would be like him to drive a black sedan, since there are probably a thousand just like it in mid-town alone, but he would most likely be operating alone.” Anthony continues to analyze the situation out loud while swiping the keycard and opening the door to our suite. He does a quick sweep of the main rooms, pistol in hand, to make sure no one is lurking inside. “I’m sorry to be so paranoid, but I don’t like not knowing exactly who I am dealing with.”

“So let me get this straight. Vladimir Putin recruited a guy who had spiked blond hair and a switchblade tattoo on his neck?” Trey asks with a note of sarcasm, as we have all seen how conservatively Vladimir dresses.

“Oh, God no!” Anthony bursts out laughing. “He went that route after he was out on his own. He looked like your typical Russian agent prior to the change. Officials within the Russian Federation insisted that he had suffered a mental break down, but there were persistent rumors that a subordinate had attempted to poison him.”

“So, anyway, you don’t think we are dealing with The Ghost?” I ask, wanting to stay focused on getting to the root of Anthony’s concerns.

“No. I think we are dealing with a copy cat,” Anthony says bluntly. “Someone who probably wishes he were The Ghost. Although, he has gotten away without a trace each time, so he’s obviously not an amateur.”

“Tommy is a wannabe, so it would be like him to hire one,” Trey adds as he pours himself several fingers of cognac. “Anyone want anything?”

“I’ll try a small glass of that,” I reply, thinking I should try to acquire a taste for it.

“I’ll stick to Jack,” Anthony quips, heading to the bar to help himself. “I’ll see you two in the morning.” He grabs a glass, fills it with ice and takes the bottle to his bedroom.

“What do you want to do tonight?” Trey asks seductively after hearing the click of Anthony’s door. “The bathtub and the floor again?”

“No, tonight I want the bed,” I whisper, running my fingers along his masculine jawline. “Let’s go mess up those ridiculously luxurious sheets.”

“I like how you think.” He pulls my lips to his and gives me a steamy, cognac infused kiss. I think I’m already beginning to like cognac.

Trey

Feeling my dick nestled between her ass cheeks during our short elevator ride was enough to rile my hormones. Indecent thoughts had have been flickering through my mind all throughout the day. Being so close to her, but constantly surrounded by others has taken its toll on me. I take her hand and lead her down the hallway to our Master Suite. Once inside, I turn the deadbolt to ensure our privacy and keep the rest of the world at bay.

“Long days and short nights are wearing me out,” Mandy comments, slipping her arms around my waist and pulling me close. “I didn’t even get a chance to finish getting ready this morning.”

“It was kind of nice seeing you in yoga pants all day,” I comment, tugging at her earlobe with my lips. “Although, it has been difficult to endure your teasing. You kept bending over in front of me.” I slide my hands along the firm, smooth curves of her ass and gently give her a squeeze.

“I’m sorry if I caused you any discomfort.” She giggles, pulling back to look me in the eyes. “I hope he’s okay,” she adds, sliding her hand down the length of my fly. “Hmm, everything feels all right.”

“You’re funny.” I lean forward and kiss her passionately before inserting my fingers into her waistband and sliding the pants over her ass and down her beautiful, long legs. “I could tell you weren’t wearing any underwear. God, that’s sexy.” I drop to my knees and slip my hands between her legs, grasping her butt cheeks and pulling her toward my eager lips.

“Wow, you aren’t wasting any time,” she moans as my tongue begins by exploring the length of her folds before focusing in on her clit. “Oh God, I wasn’t ready for this.”

I am more than ready. Forcing her legs further apart with my forearms, she leans back against the wall and grasps the doorknob with one hand and my hair with the other. Despite her persistent tugs, I continue my oral advance with no intention other than feeding my carnal desires.

“Oh fuck, Trey,” she cries as her abdomen begins to flex and quiver. “Don’t stop… don’t stop.” I gasp for a breath, not wanting to back off the intensity for even a second. She jerks at my hair and her legs begin to buckle, so I’m forced to brace my hands against the wall while sending her to the edge. “Okay, stop, stop…” she finally relents. I pull back, raise my eyebrows and give her a smile. “It was fun catching you off-guard like that.”

Mandy

I feel dizzy and weak in the knees as Trey rises to his feet and leads me over to the bed. I raise my arms over my head so he can free me from my top and then turn away to allow him to unhook my bra. As my bra slides down the length of my arms, Trey’s warm hands move along my sides and up to my exposed breasts. He pulls me to him and my skin tingles as he begins kissing the side of my neck.

“I want to fly off somewhere with you,” he whispers in my ear. “I want you all to myself for a few days. Nothing to do but lie in the sun, have fun and lots of sex.”

“Why are you still dressed?” I ask, after reaching back and feeling the fly of his pants instead of what I was expecting to find.

“I was focused on getting you naked,” he moans, continuing to kiss the sensitive spot on my neck.

“It’s time for you to catch up.” I turn and grab hold of his top button, popping the button free.