No Quit

Chapter 16

Zeena burst into the room laughing, with Gabe right behind her grabbing at her bottom. She dove onto the bed and let out a huge breath. Gerald looked on in disbelief. This was his mistress for the past three years. He pulled at the bindings on his wrists but they wouldn't give. Gabe walked over and waved the money order in his face.

"Nice, huh? All I had to do was ask."

"Gerald looked past him. "Zeena what the hell are you doing?"

"Gabe promised to let me go along on his next job."

Gerald's mouth fell open.

"Never mind old Zee, Gee. She seemed to get off on my description of the action at the diner. Right, Zee?" Zeena licked her lips and wiggled on the bed. "I told her about some of the others and she actually started to sweat, didn't you, baby? Zee's a violence junkie, Gee, did you know that?"

"Zeena, how- how could you—"

"It's exciting, Gee." The mere suggestion of Gabe's actions made her squeeze her knees together along with her shoulders.

"Pay attention to Gabe. First of all are you comfortable in that chair?

"No I'm bloody not."

"Too bad. Second, are you up to some entertainment?"

Gerald just stared furiously.

"That's too bad too. Old Zee and I are gonna give you a show, right, Zee?"

She sat up, leaning back on her hands. "I don't know. What kind of show?" Her smile was weak and puzzled.

Gabe laughed and tucked the money order in his shirt pocket than walked to the bed. "This kind." He grabbed her by the hair and yanked her face into his groin. When she screamed he pushed her back and punched her hard on the jaw and she collapsed limply on the bed.

"Good God, what's the matter with you? You could kill her!"

"Not just yet, Gee." He undid his belt and dropped his pants and then stripped off the rest of his clothes. "I'm gonna show you how to get the best out old Zee first."

******

Ted wandered through the lobby and over to the desk where he began his approach to the stiff clerk with a pleasant smile.

"Did your guest get his car lights out?"

"We never connected but there are no lights on now." The clerk said officiously.

"Missed him, eh? Ah well, a good deed well done then anyway." He turned and went to the diningroom where a young lady with several piercings, a brilliant red shock of hair on one side and who looked too young to be out of school, greeted him with a bored, flat voice.

"Just one, sir?"

Ted looked around. "Guess so." And smiled. "Can I get the breakfast menu still?"

"Probably yes, but I'll ask. Depends on our prima donna, chef." She led him at a slovenly gait across the dark patterned carpet to a small table under a heavily framed painting of some royal court figure wearing britches and a brocaded vest. So wrong considering the help. "Lunch is served until four."

"And breakfast?"

"I said I'd check."

Not a great career choice, dear, and definitely not old enough to be out of school.

He sat and sipped the water from his glass until it was almost gone and then checked his watch. Fifteen minutes since Miss Manners said 'she'd check' and he was getting annoyed. Finally he got up and went to the bar and banged on the counter.