Snafu

Five Hundred - Part 1 [nsfw]

Outside, a driver waited by the customer's shiny black Expedition, ready to open the door for Cole. The man sat inside with one ankle propped up on the other knee, arm across the back of the seat so that his thumb was right behind Cole's neck when he sat back. The driver shut the door, and then he and Elijah climbed into the front.

"Sweatpants?" The man asked.

Cole scrunched his nose up and looked around for the seatbelt. "I didn't expect you tonight, honey. I'll be sure to have my stilettos and trench coat ready for next time.

"So long as you don't have anything on under the trench coat."

"Naturally."

Up front, Elijah sighed.

As they rode along, Cole peered up at the streetlights flashing by. The man was wearing a nice cologne. He also stashed a bar under the seat, from which he withdrew a bottle of gin, two glasses with ice, and a bottle of tonic water. "Would you like a drink?"

Elijah's eyes darted up to the rearview mirror. Cole met them for half a second before looking away and shrugging. "Okay."

The effects of the daquiri had settled out, so he doubted another drink would hurt at this point. The man mixed up their drinks and then handed one of the glasses over.

"What's your name?" Cole asked as he accepted it.

"Gideon." The man held up his glass for a toast, and Cole played along.

They pulled up to a nice hotel. Cole felt more than a little ridiculous under the bright lobby lighting, where everyone spoke in hushed, polite tones. It made his ears ring after the loud music at the club. The hour was late enough to be mostly empty, but a family was checking in at the desk, luggage sprawled around them, and kids tapping at games on their phones. He pulled his jacket tighter around himself.

Gideon must have already set all this up beforehand because they passed the check-in desk and went straight for the elevator. Elijah accompanied them all the way to the hotel room, where he would wait outside the door, listening for the first sign of anything going wrong. Before the door shut behind them, he looked Gideon dead in the eyes and warned, "You have one hour. I have one of the keys. Do not put the chain lock on. If I think anything is going on that I don't like the sound of, I will come inside."

Cole hoped the walls were thick because Elijah never liked the sound of anything that went on.

"Logan runs a tight ship," Gideon said once the door was shut.

"He just likes to protect the merchandise," Cole pulled off his jacket and slung it over the armchair in the corner by the door.

This hotel was fancy enough for there to be more floor space than areas taken up by furniture. The bed was a California king, with a scattering of rose petals across the mattress and two chocolates on the pillows. Cole wandered over to it and brushed his fingers over the satin petals, bright spots of red against the white duvet.

"What is this, the honeymoon suit?" he scoffed.

"Hardly," Gideon said, shrugging out of his own peacoat. "Valentine's is tomorrow, so maybe it's that."

"Oh, right." Cole shook his head and sighed. He had managed to forget that for a couple of hours.

"Still into this, baby?" Gideon asked, as if Cole had a choice. But he honestly had been into it earlier, so it was no chore to put aside his ire at Valentine's Day and focus. He made his posture a little sultry and his voice a little syrupy.

"I'm into you, honey."

Gideon smirked. "I'd like to tie you up."

Logan said to give the guy whatever he wanted. But Cole shook his head. "No can do."