Seven of Spades2: Trick Roller

Dominique put a glass of "Playboy" on the bar, and Levi gave a low moan in gratitude and relief.He took a sip of the bourbon, sweet vermouth, and Campari cocktail and savored it.Dominique introduced this wine to him at the beginning, it was really good.

"So hard, huh?" Dominique said, a playful look in his eyes.

"What a rough day," Levi said, although Dominic knew it.The two of them texted back and forth all afternoon, and Dominique offered to let Levy come to him at Devil Ray, an LGBT nightclub where he worked as a part-time bartender.

There is no such thing as "low customer traffic" in Vegas, but it is still early, and Dominic can speak a few words to Levi in ​​a normal voice while taking advantage of the gap between receiving guests.Tonight he was in charge of a bar on the second floor overlooking the dance floor below.The main color of the shiny wall is silver and black, blue spotlights flash on it, and the whole dance floor is like an underwater world.

"The Walsh case keeps me busy, and I have to put off seeing Dr. Kapoor until tomorrow." Levi clinked the ice cubes in his glass and took another sip. "Martin and I are running out of time. This meeting will end in a few days. If the murderer who killed Hensley hasn't been caught by then, we probably won't be able to catch him again."

Dominique squeezed his free hand. "You'll catch it."

Levi intertwined their fingers, but after a while, the customer at the other end of the bar called Dominic away.When he came back, Levi had already drank half of the glass in his hand, and deliberately ignored the man at the next table who was winking at him and trying to tease him.

"You just wanted to tell me about Dr. Chen." Levi said.

"Oh, yes. She can get money for selling Shu Lanxia's products."

Levi almost misses the glass. "Ah? That's against the law!"

"Of course, but you'll never be able to prove it," Dominique said, shrugging. "Pharmaceutical companies can pay doctors for consultations. I guess she gets a kickback for every prescription she prescribes, while pretending to be legitimate. She That’s why Chapman’s prescription has not been adjusted.”

"Fuck, are you sure?"

"I can't see her bank account, but I'm pretty sure," Dominique paused, "but I'm never going to, because that's illegal, too."

"Yeah," Levi said, still staring at him, "you should never have done that."

Dominique blinked and walked away to greet the newcomer.Levy only felt guilty for a second; he couldn't obtain Dr. Chen's financial situation from legal channels, but Dominic had plenty of ways to bypass the system, and he could do it with confidence.In order to catch a serial killer, he can not pursue unprofessional behavior.

Levi drank Playboy in one gulp.Within seconds, his creepy admirer came to the bar and sidled up to him.

"You look like you could have another drink," the man said.

"No, thank you." Levi said coldly and formulaically.He didn't even look at the man.

"Come on, a little wine will help you relax."

"I said no."

"Hey, I'm showing my favor." The man put his hand on Levi's knee and slowly slid it to his thigh, "You have to—"

Levi grabbed the man's hand with both hands, twisted his wrist, folded the man's fingers upwards, and at the same time pressed his arms down to his side.The man yelled in pain, leaning against the bar, half bent on Levi's lap.

"Don't fucking touch me," Levi said.

"Damn!" The man was already covered in sweat, shaking like jelly. "Let go of me, you crazy-"

Levi pressed hard on the back of his hand with his thumb, making him cry and moan.He knows how painful it is to suffer from joint locks.There was a dark, secret place in his heart throbbing with excitement, the pleasure of seeing a man at his mercy—

"Is something wrong?" Dominic asked gently.

Levi and the man looked up in unison.Dominique's size, even with his usual body language and friendly expression, is intimidating.The tight-fitting black T-shirt he was wearing was work clothes, so tight that it seemed to be painted on; the biceps that could not be covered by the short sleeves felt full of tension, and the fabric tightly fitted every inch of the strong chest and abdominal muscles.

The man shook his head frantically, and Levi let him go.The other party retracted his arm to his chest, and cursed as he retreated: "Fuck the crazy." After speaking, he ran away.

Dominic raised an eyebrow.Levy felt a little silly when his head stopped burning.

"sorry."

"Hey, he has no right to put his hands on you."

"I could have made it clear to him that I didn't need to use Krav Maga to control him." Levi laughed at himself.

Dominique smiled and said, "You said it, not me. But would you like another drink?"

"No, thank you." Levi handed him the empty glass. "I'm actually a little disappointed that Dr. Chen isn't the 'Seven of Spades', isn't it bad?"

"Of course not. If she does, the matter will be over. Now you have to continue the investigation."

Levi watched as he poured out the ice and put the glass with the others to be washed.Dominic was as cheerful as usual throughout the night, and the text messages in the afternoon were as relaxed and flirtatious as ever.But Levi knew what he must have said to Dr. Chen; it was not easy to say those words, especially when he escaped with great difficulty two days ago.

"You haven't talked about the counseling itself," Levy said in general terms, leaving Dominic the choice to deliberately misinterpret the question.

The other party did not avoid the topic. "Not very pleasant," he said, a look of gloom flitting across his face, "but I'm fine."

"I'm sorry you're going to do this."

"I didn't—I volunteered, remember? I know how much this means to you, and I'd do anything to help."

Levi sighed and folded his arms on the bar. "If only you didn't have to work tonight." All he wanted now was to go to whoever's apartment, get a comfortable orgasm or two, and fall asleep in Dominique's arms.

"Me too." Dominique imitated Levi's posture and bent down again, so that their faces were only a few inches apart. "But I need money. McBride's internship salary is not a lot of money, and it takes up my time as a bounty hunter, so I have to work overtime when I can."

Levi moved closer. "Let me tell you, I might miss saying 'I'm in a relationship with a bounty hunter' in the future."

"It's the bail executor," Dominique said.

Levi laughed, breathing on Dominic's lips.Dominique ran his thumb over Levi's cheekbone suddenly and tenderly.

"What's wrong?" Levi asked.

"I like your smile." Dominique said and kissed.

Levi groaned, leaned forward, and gave Dominic a long, passionate kiss across the bar.Someone nearby whistled teasingly, but Levi didn't care.They deserve to be jealous.

"Levi?" A familiar voice came from behind.

Levi jerks away from Dominic, throwing the bar stool backwards; it's only Dominic who grabs his arm across the bar and keeps him from falling.As soon as he steadied himself, he jumped off the stool and turned around.

"Stanton," he said.

The man standing a few feet from the bar, staring at him incredulously, was none other than his ex-boyfriend, Stanton Barclay.He was a very handsome man, with a face that recalled Hollywood's golden age, from the cleft of his jaw to his piercing blue eyes.His well-tailored suits fit his tall, lean frame like a second skin.

Still silent.Levi seemed to feel as much shock as Stanton—he had never seen Stanton in a place like this in the three years they had talked.However, Levy himself is not much of a nightclub fan.

"What are you doing here?" Levi finally spoke.

"A few friends persuaded me to come out tonight." Stanton half-turned and gestured to a table near the dance floor.Familiar faces stared back at them with gleeful expressions—they were the wealthiest and most famous people in the LGBT community in Las Vegas.They had always been Stanton's friends, not his.

They all saw the scene where Levi and Dominic showed their love just now.God, he might as well take advantage of Stanton's presence and dig out the dead relationship between the two of them.

Behind him, Dominique cleared his throat.

"Oh," Levi said startled, "well, Stanton, this is Dominic Russo. Dominic, Stanton Barclay."

Dominique reaches across the bar. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

After all, Stanton is a model of knowledge and understanding. He stepped forward and shook Dominic's hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you." Then he looked down suddenly and saw the other party's big hand wrapping his hand completely, and then slowly went up. He moved, aiming at Dominique's chest, then his face, and finally he let go.

The second round of silence was even more awkward than the first round.After a while, Dominic said, "Well, I have some guests to entertain, let's go first."

He went to the other side of the bar.Levi grabbed Stanton by the elbow and led him away a little, out of earshot.Stanton didn't resist.

"Wow," his gaze was still on Dominic, "it seems that there are indeed things I can't give you."

"Come on," Levi snapped. "You know I didn't leave you because of Dominic. Even if it were, it wouldn't be so vulgar as to be sexual. You're belittling my relationship with him by implying that. It also belittles my relationship with you."

Stanton slumped his shoulders and said, "I understand. I'm sorry. It's just that it's not every day that my ex and a man who can serve as a substitute for Dwayne Johnson [1] bite each other's faces. .”

Levi put his hands in his pockets and stared at his feet.

"Don't you miss me at all?" Stanton said quickly.

Levi raised his head sharply. "Of course I do."

"Really? Because I wake up every morning and I still feel like my heart is being run through a meat grinder. Sometimes, I can't do anything and just go through the day, and you and your newfound fire The hot boyfriend fell together and thought about life. Am I mistaken, Levi, you have only moved out for three months." Stanton paused and shook his head. "You never kiss me like that in public."

"I..." Levi opened and closed his mouth.He couldn't justify his actions. What Stanton said was true. "I know this is a bad time. I really miss you, Stanton. I think about you a lot. But getting together with Dominic is not what I expected, I can't drag him and wait for life I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you—I never want to hurt you."

They stood there for a long time without saying a word.The business of the bar was busy, and the surroundings were noisier. Laughter, drunken cheers and Lady Gaga's singing mixed in the background, and their heart-wrenching conversation was incompatible with the noise.

"Probably, I shouldn't be surprised that you accepted the breakup better than I did," Stanton said. "After all, you were the one who left, and I wanted to keep you."

"We're not a good fit."

"We could have made it fit."

"I don't think so."

Stanton closed his eyes, let out a long breath, and opened them again. "I am going home."

"No." Levi held out his hand, but Stanton avoided it, so he had to let it go. "Wait, I'm leaving anyway."

"I'm not in the mood to party—"

"Stanton, please. Don't let me ruin your night. Stay here and have fun with your friends."

Stanton wavered, looking torn.Then he nodded.

"Take care of yourself." After Levi finished speaking, he returned to the bar.Dominic must have been watching them from afar, because he immediately beckoned Levi to the bartender's entrance.Here they can stand close and talk, even if the noise is getting louder, they don't have to raise their voices to be heard by each other.

"Is everything okay?" Dominic asked.

"It's good," Levi replied habitually, and then sighed again, "No, not good. He still thinks I left him because of you."

"I know it's upsetting you, but honestly, I'm not sure there's anything else you can say or do to convince him otherwise. Or let it be."

"Easier said than done." Levi reached out his hand where no one else could see, and squeezed Dominic's hand. "I'm going home, call me tomorrow?"

"Okay."

Levi avoided Stanton's table and made a detour to the exit.He had had enough of emotionally uncomfortable conversations for the day.

[1] Dwayne Johnson, nicknamed "The Rock Johnson", is a famous American actor and professional wrestler, with a height of 196CM and a weight of 118KG.