Read In Love by Christmas: A Paranormal Romance for Free Online

gun.
    “Oh, Jeez. I guess I’m out of date.” Doug pulled a wad of cash out of his pocket and fanned out some hundreds. “What will it take to get in?” His speech was slurred, but intelligible. “We just want to get laid. What’s wrong with that?”
    “Plenty, if you ain’t right. And you ain’t. You’re not on the list for tonight.” He waived at a clipboard on the desk.
    “Wait a minute, tha’s not fair. I been thinkin’ about this all day.” Leroy weaved forward and banged his fist on the reception table. He looked as drunk as Doug. “I can’t wait no more. I never been to New York City an’ I want to get laid . Here. Now.” He lurched forward.
    When Leroy bumped into the security guard, he grasped his neck and the man collapsed, unconscious. Doug and Leroy dragged him behind the reception desk.
    “You will sleep until I tell you to wake up,” Leroy said to him.
    “That’s nifty, Leroy. I didn’t know you could do that. It’s on the seventy-fifth floor.”
    Leroy’s stomach lurched.
    “Don’t worry, it’s just like fear of flying. Do it once, and you’ll be over it forever …”
    Doug stepped out of the elevator, head turned back toward Leroy as he spoke. A thug in a fancy suit leaned around the door of the elevator, in his face.
    “Who are you?” The thug had a New York accent, the most pronounced Leroy had heard. It sounded like, “Whoer uze?”
    “Just here for a good ol’ hunky dory time.”
    “Things ain’t been hunky dory around here for a year.” Leroy could understand what he said, but would not be able to repeat it to save his life. He grabbed Doug’s jacket by the front and hauled him out of the doorway. “What is this? Did you do this?” The hood nodded at the screen mounted along the wall. It flashed black and white sparkles. “That happens and uze show up? Who sent you?”
    Leroy swung out of the elevator box and grabbed New York City by the shoulder. He gasped and collapsed the way the man in the lobby had. They dragged him to an out of the way corner and Leroy ordered him to stay out until told otherwise.
    They waited until Hannah and the others arrived in one of the other elevators.
    “What now?” she said in that voice like a dozen cigarette rasps.
    “No more ‘hunky dory,’ that’s for sure,” Doug said.
     
    Doug took the floor plan out and they made their way to the condo. Hannah and the commandos followed closely, taking positions on each side of the door when they reached the suite. They had that fine Numenon tech gadgetry geared up, sensing everything. All they needed were the two starring actors. Leroy faltered, hanging back in the hallway.
    “I know you don’t want to do this,” Doug said, “but you’re the beefcake. When they see you, they’ll stampede. Whores aren’t shy, Leroy. They’ll grab you and want to fuck you. Go with it. If they want to kiss you, kiss them back. If they want to grab you anywhere , let them. If they drag you into the back, good. That’s where Cass is. I know you’re a spirit warrior and this is against what you believe. But if you end up fucking some girl and save Cass as a result, that’s OK. Let’s go.”
    Leroy lagged. This is what Grandfather had warned him about, and told him was all right. Maybe with his grandpa, but not with him. But he’d do it, if he had to. He and Doug wore cashmere sweaters with soft wool jackets over them, Italian shoes. Top of the line, all the way. Will had stocked their apartment with every conceivable thing they could need for anything they might do.
    Doug grabbed his elbow and whispered viciously, “ Leroy , smile. You’re supposed to be out for a wild night with your old buddy.”
     
    Leroy heard the girls’ intake of breath when he entered the living room. He hadn’t known what Doug meant when he said, “You’re the beefcake.” Then he did. There were a bunch of them, but four focused on him. They were dressed in little bits of tight stuff like swimsuit material