N HAMMER’S HOTEL, I took the elevator up to Hammer deLunghi’s suite. A family of tourists and two businessmen were in the car with me. It frustrated me. I wanted to hold out my hand, see how steady I could keep it. Perhaps I was better off not knowing.
When I got out, I saw deLunghi’s bodyguard from along the length of the hallway. He must have been one of the biggest men I’d ever seen. None of us had heard from Gunner since I left him in the restaurant. It wasn’t surprising. But it was pretty scary.
We had made a backup plan. Liam had. For if Gunner didn’t or couldn’t show up. Even I thought it was a risky plan, and I knew nothing at all. When Liam laid it out, Horst and Declan and I nodded. I avoided thinking about reasons for why Gunner might appear.
The walk down that hallway felt long. Like the longest walk I ever took. That huge man watched me all the way. Every step. White teeth gleamed bright. His heavy brow hid his eyes. Eventually I stopped in front of him. My heart was in my mouth.
The doorway was filled by him. He just looked at me. After he’d looked, he lifted his chin.
My voice cracked a little. “I’m here to see Mr. deLunghi.”
“To see?” his grin spread slowly wider. “Is that what you’re calling it?” With a slow blink, he rapped on the door. DeLunghi’s voice called out from the room. The bodyguard opened the door and stood aside. When I stepped in, he closed the door behind me. Whatever confidence I had slipped off me like cold water.
Hammer deLunghi looked about as angry as he had last time I saw him. Maybe he was always angry. He seemed the type. As he ushered me in, I heard the elevator bell again.
He had a tumbler with a big measure of dark amber spirit. He didn’t offer me any. He didn’t offer me anything. He waited until I was in the center of the room, then he lifted his hand high. Pointed a finger down and made a turning motion. I thought of something Declan said, ‘Must’ve truanted out of charm school.’
It should have been enough to make me laugh. It wasn’t. He watched me turn around. His eyes flashed from my ankles to my face. Then trickled back. Whatever he was seeing made a grin light his narrow eyes and pull the insides of his cheeks.
My lips were dry. The inside of my mouth, too. What got me into this was my showing him authority. Disdain. Power. I didn’t feel any of it now. Now there were only the two of us in the room. And his huge bodyguard outside. Maybe Liam was right. That this was way too dangerous.
He made a step toward me. My overpowering instinct was to step away. I didn’t. I put my feet apart. Turned to face him.
“My driver is supposed to be here,” he looked at his watch. “Maybe we should start without him.”
Without a word I lifted my chin. He shrank back. It gave me confidence in my instincts. I knew what to do. It was just the struggle to do it. And to fight the negative impulses.
“You didn’t know he was my driver, did you?”
He was just stalling. At that moment, I was sure that I’d read him right. He had a fixed idea of how things were going to happen and it was like a fetish. The ritual had to follow the steps. All in order.
That’s what I hoped. And I hope that he missed the flinch I made. I knew that Gunner was his driver, of course I knew. But I wasn’t supposed to know. And my face had nearly betrayed the whole operation. I hoped that it was only nearly.
His eyes narrowed. There was a rap on the door. This time I was in control of my reaction. The impulse to relax would have shown my relief. Instead, I remained still. Steady. The door flew open.
Gunner came in. No, I’d spotted a fine difference. Horst’s eyes were harder. More guarded. It was a tiny distinction, but I knew this was Horst. Again I felt like I didn’t know what was going on. Like I wasn’t in control.
This was my plan, I told myself, trying to talk myself down. Liam and Declan are running it and they’re outside. It’s fine. Horst gave me a look that I took to be reassurance. Straight into character, he strode up to me, cutting halfway in front of Hammer. Horst seized me by the chin. Held my face. Looked at my clothes.
“You’ll do.” He pointed to the floor. Between his feet. I knelt. He turned to Hammer.
“I’m starving.”
Hammer shrugged like he didn’t care. He handed Horst the house phone. “Call room service.”
Horst looked down. “Are you counting the threads in my pants?” He slapped my face. “Open your dress, woman. And suck my fucking cock.”
The thrill that trickled down the inside of me told me that I was going to enjoy this. Assuming I survived. Well, I thought, I’ll enjoy however much I do survive. Finally, that thought gave me a chuckle that I did have to suppress. And then, if only for that moment, I felt like it was all going to be all right.
Horst growled into the phone. “Champagne. Cold.” His eyes narrowed as he looked down at me. “Be quick about it.” He was hanging up when he shouted, as an afterthought, “And cherry pie.”
Deliberately, I unbuttoned his black pants.
With a question in his voice, Hammer said, “You could have ordered in German.”
“They can understand me perfectly well,” Horst told him, “But it would be rude to my boss to speak in a foreign language, Sir.” That seemed to please the big man. He came closer to watch as I freed Horst’s massive member out of his open pants.
The scent, the heat and the rigid thickness of it made me want it. Even though I could have done without Hammer practically drooling a few inches away. It was a wonderful specimen of throbbing heat. The sight made my stomach flip.
I always wondered how porn actresses get their scenes done. How they perform like they’re lost in a dream of ecstasy while there are God knows how many people in headphones circling them, with cameras and microphones, or staring with tablets of notes. So, I guess I found out. Like I did with my husband more than once. You fake it.
Fake it when you’ve got your fingers and your lips wrapped on a huge hunk of hot cock. After you fake it for a while, the taste and the fat hardness of it will make you start to make it. And it was a fabulous cock. Feeling the tangy heat of it press along the roof of my mouth, I almost did get lost in the moment. In a number of moments, in fact.
He reached down to stroke and grip my throat. He held my head and half pulled, half caressed my hair. He raised my chin and looked into my eyes. His eyes flashed when I got him over the back of my tongue. He slid his hand into my blouse. I swallowed him way deeper when his fingers slipped into my bra.
He squeezed. I sucked. The sweet, dark taste of precum made me shudder.
Then Hammer moved nearer. I kind of wanted someone to shout, ‘Cut!’ But that didn’t happen. There was a bang on the door, though. Hammer grimaced. Horst caught my relief. His tenderness was in the gentle stroke he made on the side of my face.
“What is…” Hammer was standing and turning. The door opened and a man in the hotel’s uniform came in with a tray. I couldn’t see him around Horst, all I could see was his smart black pants with the hotel’s scarlet piping down the seam and his white gloves.
“Shall I set it down here, sir?” I recognized his voice. It was Declan. Still I couldn’t see him but an “Mmmm” ground up through my chest and along my throat. Horst’s cock stiffened as I gripped his ass.
“I don’t care where you set it.” Hammer as saying, “Just give me what I have to sign and get out.”
I could hear Declan’s grin as he said, “The lovely lady looks to be having herself a damn good time.”
“Here. Now get gone.”
“Thank you for the most generous tip, Sir.” Declan’s sarcasm did make me chuckle and I didn’t think I needed to hide it. Horst’s cock was enough camouflage. Anyway, Hammer was busy being angry at Declan. Declan left and Horst said,
“Let’s have some of that champagne.” He grabbed the bottle. He expertly pulled the cork. One hand stayed on the top of my head as he reached over to the tray and poured it into tall glasses.
He and Hammer took glasses and drank. Horst put one on a shelf nearest to me. “You can have some when you’re done.” He was enjoying the part. Then he asked Hammer, “Would you reach me a piece of the cherry pie, please, boss? That piece there. The nearest one. Thanks.”
“This piece?”
“Mm. Yup.”
“I’m having that piece. You can have this other piece.”
“Oh… um… okay…”
Hammer handed him a piece and grabbed the slice that Horst had pointed to for himself. He ate it greedily. “Damn good cherry pie.” And he rasped at Horst, “Eat yours.”
“Mm.” Hesitantly, Horst took a bit out of his.
“Finish it.” Hammer’s voice carried a menace.
Horst ate the piece of pie. Slowly. Nervously. The door was flung open. Gunner came in and slammed it behind him.
“What? Are you fucking twins?”
Gunner came around and behind me. “That’s exactly what we are, right, buddy?”
Horst nodded. “We’re fucking twins.” He grinned at Hammer. “We’re fucking twins and we’re both going to fuck her.”
Gunner leaned down to slide his hand down the back of my dress. Down to my ass. Down to lift my skirt. Hammer was red-faced and confused. He put his hand in his pocket and called out. “Bruno!”
The door opened again and Declan came back. “So sorry. Bruno’s taking a break.”
Hammer hauled a gun out of his pocket but his wrist was loose, like he hadn’t the strength to point the automatic. It just drooped. Still, I got up quickly. I backed away to the wall.
“The fuck… what’s… ” Hammer’s speech was slurred.
“I came in to check,” Declan said, “That everybody got the right piece of pie.”
“Yes, we’re all fine.” Horst smiled. “What Courtenay said worked perfectly.”
“Oh, yes, it must be right. I can see that the piece has gone from the dish.” Declan went to look in Hammer’s drooping face. “If one of the others had gotten it, they’d have keeled over by now.” Hammer’s jaw sagged. “It’s because you’re so much bigger, see,” Declan told him patiently. He patted Hammer’s cheek. “That’s why it’s taking a little longer.”
Hammer sounded woozy, “Maybe there wasn’t enough.” And he tried again to raise the gun. Declan lifted it out of his hand. “You’ve no need to worry there, Mr. deLunghi.” He smiled mischievously, “There was enough in that piece to wipe out half of Sicily.”
Hammer sank to his knees.
The door opened again. “Will some of you come and give me a hand, for fuck’s sake?” Liam sounded out of breath. He was trying to move the bulky figure slumped at his feet. It was clearly too heavy.
It took all four of the men to drag Bruno into the room.
Horst shook his head and looked at Gunner, “You can’t have shot him. What he’s wearing is practically armor plate.”
Gunner said, “Don’t look at me. I didn’t even see it. I was downstairs adjusting the CCTV. I switched it off before the last time he walked in here. The image will continue to be a still shot of the empty hallway,” he looked at his watch, “For another seven minutes and twenty seconds.”
Declan had on his modest face. “Throat punch.”
Liam stood amazed. “One punch?”
Declan grinned and lowered his eyelids.
Liam blew air. “You fucker.”
Hammer made a choking sound.
Declan leaned down to talk to him. “Ah, you’re still there?” and shook his head. “The last phase must be going pretty slowly.” And he tutted. “Probably quite nasty for you.” Hammer groaned and clutched at his stomach. Declan said, “Pretty painful too, I’d imagine.”
Hammer grunted as he nodded.
Declan stood back up. “That’s all good, then.” And to Horst and Gunner, “The idea was to hold your man, the bodyguard, up against a wall and put one of Mr. deLunghi’s bullets through his windpipe.”
Gunner’s eyebrows went up.
“Very neat,” Horst said, “The shot obliterates the injury from the throat punch and that becomes the cause of death.”
“You people are tremendous,” Gunner grinned.
“Well,” Liam cut in, “Maybe not so tremendous. I think what my friend is saying is, he’s too fucking heavy. We won’t be able to hold him steady to make the shot.”
Declan said, “We’d have to take off all his fucking armor, prop him up, shoot him and then put his clothing back together. It would be a snowball of fuckups.”
Everyone was quiet. I said, “Why not do it while he’s on the floor?”
Gunner shook his head, “They’re right for sure. The bullet would be in the wrong place. It needs to land in the wall.”
The only sound in the room was of Hammer’s weakening coughs.
Horst said, “Sit him up. Shoot from low down.”
Liam nodded and his bottom lip pushed up, “Could work.”
Declan nodded. “Good thinking.”
Horst said, “It will look odd if ballistics people check all the angles carefully.”
“But when they see the gunshot wound,” Liam said, “And then they find the powder in the bodyguard’s pocket.”
“He was called ‘Bruno.’” Declan said. “Apparently.” And he raised his eyebrows. He and Liam were snapping on thin rubber gloves. “No, it’s a cracking idea, fellers, I think it’s going to work.”