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The next night at the club everyone was in on the plan, including Amanda and Dawn. Harry stood near back of the club, hoping Dave wouldn't recognize him. He needn't have worried. CJ bared her teeth at Dave and snuggled up next to him.
“She's going to blow it if she doesn't get that cut-throat look off her face,” Sady told Matt. Sady let out a breath of relief when she saw CJ tuck Dawn's necklace into his front shirt pocket.
After CJ planted the necklace, she excused herself. “I have to hit the head,” she snarled and stomped off.
Sady almost came unglued, but Dave didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Matt laughed, “Leave it to CJ. I hope she doesn't use the men's room by accident.”
Sady nodded at Amanda, holding her breath again. This whole evening was more like a bad comedy than a setup. Amanda sauntered up to Dave, wearing dark tinted glasses, and plopped down in the chair CJ had vacated. She got busy making a scene. When she had a good amount of attention, she pulled out the diamond necklace, waving it like a blue ribbon she'd won in a race.
Enter Starr LaFontaine, now re-hired by the Can-Can Club, and on stage with her dominatrix act. She spotted the necklace, and made a world class scene of her own, calling Dave a thief and Amanda a hussy.
Between Amanda and Starr, Dave didn't stand a chance. He tried to leave the table, but Amanda tripped him and he fell onto her lap. She accidentally let her chair go over... with a little help. Amanda mashed his face against her abundant cleavage and screamed in his ear to quit taking advantage of her. Then she slapped him across the face to drive home her point.
The bouncers were afraid to get between the dominatrix women, so they called the police. Dawn accused Dave of stealing her necklace. She provided a legitimate sales receipt, signed, dated, and notarized- courtesy of the pawnshop and CJ's arm twisting.
Amanda was making a scene from her position on the floor. “He assaulted me,” she accused, no longer wearing her dark glasses. Her eyes were still puffy from her allergic reaction. She squeezed out a few tears and insisted he'd been abusive. “I'll even sign one of those police reports. Helpless women need to be protected from predators like him. I want him arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” she yelled, getting into her act.
The bouncers were happy to let the police handle the situation. After getting rescued from the women, Dave thanked the officer who cuffed him and shoved him into the squad car. They hauled him to the station for booking.
In the end, Amanda didn't get to press charges. Dave had been a bad boy in other states. His outstanding warrants included various assault and battery charges, along with breaking and entering. When the State of Nevada finished with him, they would extradite him to other states to enjoy their prison facilities.
Starr went back to her act, and everyone else left the club, deciding to walk back to their hotel. “How did you talk Desiree into helping Dawn get her job back?” Sady asked Matt, hanging on his arm. “I know the manager didn't complain. He's still having his office put back together after Hurricane Amanda. But I wasn't sure about the assistant.”
Matt didn't answer. “You didn't have to kiss him, did you?” she teased.
He made a face. “Your lips aren't worn off with me getting that taste out of my mouth so, no, I didn't kiss him.”
“Did you have to prance around in lacy undies for him?” Sady giggled when his expression twisted in revulsion.
“You're sick, Sady. I'm worried about your sordid mental speculation. It's not healthy.”
“I'm not the one who got down and dirty with a man wearing sissy panties and a silicone boobs,” she reminded him.
“Well, you have a point. Let's just say Desiree and I can to an agreement on more practical terms. You remember those tips you and Amanda earned? Don't hold your breath waiting for them. Desiree is going to splurge on some new undergarments.”
“Matt, you paid for someone to get a boob job?” Sady squeezed his arm.
“No, technically you and Amanda did. Now can we close this subject?” he asked with a sigh.
“If you insist,” she replied. “Although, there's so much good material here. I could go on for days.”
“I insist. Just remember, if you decide to enjoy a few more laughs at my expense, I have pictures of you as Cowgirl. I even convinced Desiree to let me have the poster as a souvenir. She's really not such a bad guy, once you get the boundaries set.”
“Well, I'm glad we put this all behind us,” Sady told him. “If I ever see that poster I'm burning it.”
“And that's why you'll never see it,” he assured her.
At the hotel, Matt asked, “So CJ, how does it feel to be in the center of a love triangle?”
CJ looked at Harry and asked, “Didn't he make a stupid remark when we picked them up at the airport?” Harry nodded with a chuckle. CJ looked at Matt and said, “You didn't learn anything from that experience? Do you have any more stupid questions you'd like to ask, so I can take care of the answers with one fast blow?”
“Come on, CJ. You can't blame us for being slightly fascinated by the knowledge that you're a femme fatale. What's the story? After all these years? Why did Dave wait until now to act?” Matt would not be denied a good story.
“It was just a rotten coincidence. He hasn't been pining away for me all these years. He saw Harry and I having a good time out on the town the first night we arrived. I guess he wasn't having a good time and decided I would be the little woman by his side, who would make his life better. Harry only got dragged into this because we're married and Dave considered Harry an obstacle between him and happiness.”
“How about the guy who took Harry to the club and spiked his drink?” Matt asked.
“A low life acquaintance of Dave. I'm ashamed to admit he wasn't on our flight or registered at the hotel. That was just a ruse to be friendly. It's also why we couldn't get any information on him.”
“What about the email threat?” Sady asked. “Was Dave really planning on following through with it?”
“Probably not. I think he figured the pictures would do the trick, and I'd dump Harry, run to his arms, and that would be the end of it. He's going to fail his psych evaluation for logical thinking,” CJ concluded.
Matt couldn't seem to stay out of trouble. “So Harry, how does it feel to have the woman who is the object of everyone's desire?”
Harry stepped in before CJ could knock Matt down. “None of your business,” he told Matt. “But once you're all out of here for the night, I'll let CJ know.” He looked at his watch. “You have fifteen minutes to plan your evening. I recommend the hotel casino, but not this suite. The Do Not Disturb sign on the door is meant for the three of you.”
“Hey, Stubbles, looks like we're going gambling after all. And I'm feeling lucky tonight.” Amanda opened the door and waited for Matt to follow.
“I guess we're gambling with Amanda tonight,” Matt told Sady with a shrug.
They followed her, and Harry yelled, “Hey, put the sign on the door, will you?”
As they left Matt complained, “Three bedrooms, and we can't come back for the night? Are they going to play musical beds?”
“I wouldn't suggest asking,” Sady told him. “Unless you like getting owned by a woman half your size. I personally enjoy it every time it happens, so I changed my mind. Go ahead and ask. I want to see you groveling on the floor.”
They followed Amanda into the casino. She glared at the security guard who tossed her out, waving her purse at him with a challenge in her eyes. He smiled and lifted his brows. Amanda drifted over to get his name.
Then she hauled them to the craps table. “I don't usually play this game, but I like watching it,” she told them. She dumped a pile of chips on a spot and tossed the dice.
“Well, what do you know?” She won. A half hour later her winning streak held. She was downing alcohol and betting like a millionaire. She kept winning. Soon it grew serious. A crowd had gathered and Amanda had a feverish gleam in her eyes. Sady nudged Matt. “I think we may have to write down that number for the gambling addiction hotline.”
“Last roll,” Amanda announced. Sady closed her eyes when she heard Amanda say, “I need a good luck charm. Where's that security guard?” She looked for him, but he wasn't close. Turning to Matt she said, “Well, Blue Eyes, I guess you'll have to do, since Harry isn't available either.” She grabbed Matt, bent him over, and planted one on him that left him in shock.
Sady laughed when she saw the lipstick smeared on his face. She heard a roar and turned in time to see Amanda take a bow for her winning efforts. Amanda tucked a hundred dollar chip into the pocket of the security guard on her way to the cashier's window.