#trade show booths las vegas

[triumfous]

event booth design & exhibition booth design company

Triumfo Inc. specializes in creating eye-catching, functional displays that attract attention and engage visitors. They focus on custom designs that reflect a brand's identity, optimizing space, and incorporating the latest trends to make a strong impact at trade shows. Their commitment and consistency in delivering high-quality booth designs have made them a highly sought-after exhibition booth design company.

[builderdeckexpo]

5 Tips to Design Exhibition Stands on a Budget | Exhibition Stand Builders Las Vegas.

Creating an exhibition stand that draws in visitors and conveys your brand’s message doesn’t have to cost the earth. Partnering with Exhibition Stand Builders Las Vegas, such as BuilderDeckExpo, enables you to power-pack as and when needed within budget. Read on for five key tips that can help you create a stand that visitors will remember, which is cost-effective to design.

[exhibitsstudiollc]

Exhibits Studio LLC offers custom booth design, manufacturing, and installation with global reach, ensuring quality, timely delivery, and transparent pricing. Exhibits Studio LLC offers custom booth design, manufacturing, and installation with global reach, ensuring quality, timely delivery, and transparent pricing.

[ksmexhibits]

20x20 las vegas trade show booth rentals

KSM Exhibits acknowledges the significant impact of trade shows and events. Our 20×20 trade show booth rentals provide a spacious and adaptable solution for enhancing your presence at any event. These events, occurring annually or biennially, present an excellent opportunity for your business to stand out. It's your chance to engage an audience and differentiate your brand from competitors. We specialize in creating custom trade show exhibits designed for these important occasions, ensuring that your business makes the most of this valuable opportunity.

[aarsexhibits]

CES 2025 - Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas USA - AARS Trade Show Booth Builder

CES 2025 Las Vegas USA - AARS Trade Show Booth Builder

CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is the world’s premier gathering place to meet people involved in the consumer technology industry. Held annually in Las Vegas, CES 2025 promises to be a hub of innovation, networking, and growth opportunities. For exhibitors and attendees alike, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to make the most out of your CES 2025 experience. https://aarsexhibits.com/ces-2025/

CES 2025 is also an unparalleled venue for businesses seeking direct contact with C-suite representatives from global tech giants, including Qualcomm, Google, Intel, LG, Sony, and many others. This year’s edition will continue to underscore the significance of fostering sustainable practices within the tech industry by highlighting the Sustainability & ESG Zone, where visitors can gain a comprehensive understanding of how sustainable innovations are shaping various technologies, including mobility, digital health, content, gaming, and agrifood tech.

CES is the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace. With over 170,000 attendees and 4,500 exhibiting companies, participating in CES is a golden opportunity to showcase your products, meet industry leaders, and gain invaluable exposure.

The next edition of the CES trade show event is going to be held in Las Vegas is going to be held in January 2025 from 07 to 10. Showcase your brand and products extensively with one of the top trade show exhibit rental Las Vegas. Contact us at Aars Exhibits LLC. today and let’s get started.

CES 2025, the International Consumer Electronics Show, will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada from January 7–10, 2025. The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) produces the event.

Aars Exhibits LLC Custom Booth Design Company in USA

Aars Exhibits LLC is the most famous trade show booth builder working since 2014. We build immersive brand experiences by providing complete exhibition stand management.

Planning Your Participation

Set clear objectives for product launch, brand awareness, and lead generation.

Allocate funds for booth space and design.

Plan pre-event and on-site marketing.

Secure booth spots early for discounts and better placement options.

Booth Design and Setup

Get booth design by partnering with the best Exhibit booth builders which reflect brand identity.

Offering functional, visually appealing designs optimized for engagement.

Provides modular booths for flexibility and setup ease.

Incorporates interactive elements like touch screens, VR experiences, and live demonstrations.

On-Site Strategies

Train staff to be welcoming, knowledgeable, and engaging.

Schedule regular product demonstrations to draw crowds.

Highlight unique product features.

Participate in networking events and sessions.

Post-Event Follow-Up

Prioritize and follow up on leads to convert them into customers.

Send small gestures to build lasting relationships.

[tjankinson]

Trade Show Booth Rental Displays Company in Las Vegas

Since 2013, we are experts in creating trade show booth designs, trade shows displays, exhibit rentals or booth builders in Las Vegas. We provide world-class service and customer support on site. Contact us for more information on our trade show booth rental in Las Vegas at +1 (945) 284-3055, or email us at info@chronicleexhibits.com to enjoy a hassle-free booth rental.

[boothbuildersusa]

Trade Show Booth Design Companies Las Vegas | Exhibition Booth Suppliers Las Vegas.

Exhibition Stand Builders Las Vegas provide a range of services to clients, including design, logistics, transportation, and installation. They specialize in innovative booth design, ensuring visual appeal aligns with the client's brand identity. They also offer turnkey solutions, interactive technology integration, audio-visual setups, and strategic spatial planning. Client-focused services like project management and post-event dismantling contribute to a seamless experience for exhibitors.

[nldisplays]

What Makes Las Vegas a Top Trade Show Booth Destination?

Las Vegas has established itself as a premier destination for trade shows due to a combination of factors that make it an attractive choice. Its central location, well-connected airport, and a wide array of world-class convention centers and exhibition venues offer convenience to exhibitors and attendees. The city's vibrant entertainment, hotel options, and dining experiences add a unique allure, making it a destination attendees look forward to. Furthermore, the city's reputation for hosting successful events and its welcoming atmosphere contribute to its status as a top trade show booth destination.

What Are the Key Elements of a Successful Trade Show Booth in Las Vegas?

Crafting a successful trade show booth in Las Vegas requires attention to key elements that can make or break your exhibition. First and foremost, an eye-catching and on-brand booth design that incorporates compelling graphics and a clear message is essential to capture attendees' attention. Interactive displays, knowledgeable staff, and engaging presentations can create memorable experiences. Effective pre-show marketing, lead generation strategies, and follow-up plans ensure that your presence in Las Vegas results in a return on investment. Furthermore, having a backup plan for any unexpected issues can help maintain a smooth and successful exhibit.

What to Expect When Exhibiting in Orlando Trade Show Exhibits.

 Exhibiting in Orlando offers a unique experience characterized by a family-friendly, vacation-like atmosphere, making it appealing to a diverse range of industries. Attendees can expect well-designed and spacious exhibition halls, with a focus on hospitality and customer service. Orlando's reliable weather allows for both indoor and outdoor exhibits, providing flexibility in design and setup. The city's accessibility, with a major international airport, ensures that attendees from around the world can easily reach the exhibits. Orlando's reputation as a leisure destination also means that you can anticipate a more relaxed and enjoyable trade show experience, with opportunities for post-show relaxation and entertainment.

How to Choose the Right Trade Show Exhibit Orlando.

Selecting the right trade show exhibit design in Orlando hinges on several factors. Consider your target audience, industry, and branding. A design that aligns with your company's message and values is crucial. Furthermore, the layout should maximize space while allowing for traffic flow and interaction. Think about incorporating interactive elements, multimedia, and technology to engage attendees. Ensure your design complies with any specific venue rules or restrictions. Collaborating with a professional exhibit design team can help create a custom display that captures the essence of your business and resonates with the Orlando trade show audience.

How to Attract Visitors to Your Trade Show Booth in Las Vegas.

Attracting visitors to your trade show booth in Las Vegas requires a strategic approach. Begin with a visually appealing booth design that stands out on the crowded exhibit floor. Incorporate eye-catching signage and graphics that clearly convey your value proposition. Engaging staff members who are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about your products or services is crucial. Interactive elements, such as product demonstrations, contests, or giveaways, can draw attendees to your booth. Utilize pre-show marketing and social media to generate buzz and attract a targeted audience. Additionally, fostering personal connections and offering valuable takeaways can help make your booth a must-visit destination amidst the excitement of Las Vegas trade shows.

[houseofsigns]

The Role of Trade Show Signs in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV in Building Brand Awareness and Customer Loyalty for Businesses

​Trade shows are one of the most effective ways businesses showcase their products and services to potential customers. In a city like Las Vegas, where trade shows are a significant industry, it's essential for businesses to make a strong impression on attendees. One of the most important tools for achieving this is trade show signs. Trade show signs in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV, play a critical role in building brand awareness and customer loyalty for businesses. They are often the first point of contact between a business and its potential customers, and they can help businesses stand out in a crowded and competitive environment. At a trade show, businesses have only a few seconds to capture the attention of attendees. Eye-catching trade show signs can help businesses make a strong first impression and draw people in. They can also help businesses communicate their brand message and values clearly and memorably. Trade show signs can take many different forms, from banners and posters to digital displays and interactive kiosks. Whatever form they take, the key is to create signs that are visually appealing, informative, and easy to read from a distance. When designing trade show signs, businesses should consider their target audience and the message they want to communicate. Signs should be tailored to the specific needs and interests of the attendees and should be designed to capture their attention and engage them. In addition to attracting new customers, trade show signs can also play a crucial role in building customer loyalty for businesses. By reinforcing their brand message and values through signage, companies can create lasting impressions on attendees and build relationships with them over time. Trade show signs can also be used to promote special offers, discounts, or promotions that are only available to attendees. This can create a sense of exclusivity and urgency that encourages attendees to take action and become loyal customers. By using trade show signs to build brand awareness and customer loyalty, businesses can also create a competitive advantage for themselves. When attendees leave a trade show, they may be overwhelmed with information and forget about many of the companies they encountered. Businesses that have made a strong impression through their signage are more likely to be remembered and sought out in the future. Trade show signs can also be a powerful tool for generating leads and driving sales. By using signs to showcase their products and services, businesses can attract potential customers interested in what they offer. By using signs to promote special offers or discounts, businesses can encourage attendees to make a purchase or sign up for a service on the spot. Trade show booth installation in Las Vegas, NV, and trade show signs play a critical role in building brand awareness and customer loyalty for businesses in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV. By creating eye-catching and informative signage, businesses can make a strong impression on attendees, promote their brand message and values, and create a competitive advantage for themselves. By using signage to generate leads and drive sales, businesses can see a tangible return on their investment in trade show participation.

[exhibition-stand-builder-dubai]

Trade shows can be a great way to attract new customers, make new contacts, and launch new products. Exhibiting at trade shows means you must exhibit to attract attention and present your company and products. As each show comes and goes, the timeline of the show changes, and the cycle of life begin anew. A little dramatic? Surely! The benefits of trade show booth rentals in Las Vegas rather than buying one can be multiple for small businesses or start-ups attending their first trade show and for larger companies looking to generate interest at their next trade show. Below are a few reasons why opt for a rental booth from a top trade show booth rentals in Las Vegas:

[triumfous]

Discover innovative trade show displays in Las Vegas, featuring eye-catching designs and customizable options to showcase your brand effectively. Our expert team specializes in expo booth design, ensuring your presence stands out and attracts attendees. Elevate your marketing strategy with stunning visuals and strategic layouts for unforgettable events.

[ksmexhibits]

Trade Show Booth Design in las vegas

Exponents, the premier booth design and construction company in Las Vegas, offers comprehensive services with transparent pricing and quick turnaround times. At KSM Exhibits, we understand the unique impact of trade shows and events. These occasions, which occur just once or twice a year, provide an excellent opportunity for your business to stand out. It's your moment to engage an audience and set your brand apart from competitors.

[sadhours]

neon lights pt. 1 | b.h & reader

18+ minors dni. - next chapter contents: adult themes, friends to lovers LAS VEGAS - 1989 Billy didn't realize it had happened until it did, two months of being in Vegas without a dime to his name, living in his Camaro and driving up and down the strip until any opportunity came along. He'd left Hawkin's after finishing courses at the trade school, a promise he'd made to his father but once he was certified for a handful of manual labor jobs and Neil insisted Billy join him at his job, he couldn't hang. He bit the bullet, dealt with the fight and told him he was going home. If only Neil could see him now, homeless with a bit of gambling habit before he'd even made it to California.

The constant party of this town had drawn him in, burning through his wallet and his ambitions. To be totally fair, he didn't even have a plan for what he'd do once he eventually got to San Diego. Finding his mom was about the only thing he really wanted to do but he didn't even know where to start. So he figured, this place was fun enough. He could stick around as long as this town would let him. He'd need a job though. And wouldn't you know it, the strip club seemed like the perfect place of employment.

Billy walks into the Rosy Cheeks on a Tuesday afternoon, asking for the manager and he's introduced to the house mother, which in his luck. She flirtatiously guides him to a booth after offering him a complimentary cocktail, which he takes graciously. "We don't actually hire male dancers," she says to him, an eyebrow raised.

"Oh, thank god, because I'm here for the bartending position," Billy teases, giving her his best fuck me eyes. He really needed this job so what he does to get it doesn't bother him too much, he'd been doing this for years now. Summer's spent working at the Hawkin's Community Pool were practice for moments like this, using the way older women treated him to get what he needed. It caught up to him when he was alone with his thoughts, so he made it quite the mission to never be alone.

"Have you ever bartended before?" she asks.

Billy smirks, "No but I'm a quick learner."

"We'll see about that," she says, "You start this Thursday."

When he's on his first training shift, you're walking in fifteen minutes late to your shift, not letting it bother you when you see the place is empty. You sigh out loud, heading to the dressing room, "I don't know why I bother showing up to this shift." The girls in the room laugh, applying their makeup in preparation for the rush you all hope is coming. You light up a smoke after changing into the set you'd picked out for your first stage dance, slipping your robe on over it but not yet ready to put the platform shoes.

"Ladies!" you hear the house mother Didi call as she struts into the dressing room, a man trailing behind her with an unruly mullet. He looks as if he hasn't had a haircut in months. "I want you all to meet the new bartender," she motions to him. "Billy, ladies."

"Hi Billy," the room rings and he waves adorably back.

"Hello, Ladies," he purrs and Didi pats his bottom as she's ushering him out of the room. Ah, there it is. During your time of the exotic dancing circuit, you had never seen a male bartender. It didn't seem to be good for business, at least at the places you've worked. You cannot help it when your eyes follow his ass as he walks away, his jeans were incredibly tight and he kind of bounced when he walked. Goddamnit, he's hot. You cannot mess around with a coworker again, though. The last time you'd hooked up with a bouncer didn't go so well.

Billy's remarkably well at his job, he keeps track of how much he's served the girls and he gets along with the regulars. Didi points out he can double as security which he does for you. He's leaving from his shift and you're leaving from yours so it made sense to walk out together anyways.

"Jesus Christ, that's a beautiful car," you spew, looking at the gorgeous midnight blue Camaro parked next to your beat up Volkswagen rabbit, which at one point had been your dream car. Unfortunately, you weren't the best driver and you struggled to keep up with regular oil changes or engine services.

"Thanks," Billy muttered, leaning against it as he lights up a cigarette. You peer inside and see the blanket and pillow thrown in the backseat.

"Are you living in it?" you ask, eyes widening.

Billy scoffs, "When I can't find somewhere else to sleep."

"Oh, Billy... Have you been looking for an apartment?" you ask, snatching the pack of Marlboro's from his shirt pocket to light one up for yourself.

"Sometimes I can get lucky and there's some vacancy at the 66 Motel," he shrugs.

"Well... my roommate actually just moved out three weeks ago. I've been looking for someone to take over the space," you say, "if you wanted, you could move in?"

"I couldn't," he tries, "I don't want to impose." but he does follow you home and crashes on your couch for a week until you insist he buys a mattress and takes over the empty room.

Slowly but surely, the room becomes Billy's and it makes you sad that he didn't have anything besides a suitcase full of clothes and his car. When you ask why, he admits he had a lot more things but he pawned them to pay for nights at the casinos.

"Ah, not a local then?" you'd asked, while the two of you watched TV and partook in a couple of drinks after a particularly boring dayshift.

"No, I'd never even been to Vegas before six months ago. I'm from San Diego, lived in Indiana for a few years and decided I wanted to go back home, got kinda trapped here," he explains.

You had been born and raised in this place, never knowing of anywhere else in the world. "The best of 'em get stuck here," you say in an effort to cheer him up, his story being a sad one. You don't ask him much else about his upbringing, learning that it could be a touchy subject and if people wanted to tell their backstory, they would. Billy never talked about his life before the short six months he'd been here. You didn't mind, he was always respectful and gave you space. Billy never comments about girls at work but he'd brought home a string of your coworkers, along with strangers. You two had a good thing worked out and after a while, Billy became your closest friend.

____________________

a/n: hi!! just something i threw together this weekend, I'll still be focusing on Wicked Sensation but sometimes i just get an idea and if i dont write it that instant, i wont at all. hope you enjoy!!!

[corleonecaretaker]

♥ 𝕐𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝔾𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝔾𝕚𝕣𝕝'𝕤 𝔾𝕠𝕟𝕟𝕒 𝔾𝕠 𝔹𝕒𝕕 ♥

Image sources: One | Two | Three | Four

Summary: Michael takes Kay to a swingers club just to shock her, just to show her that she can’t handle the kinds of debauchery in his world. But when they encounter the seductive, spellbinding John and Helen Wick, Kay isn’t as shocked as he expected. All of Michael’s plans are about to go awry…and the strength of his marriage is about to be tested. This story is a response to a request from a guest on AO3!

A few historical notes: “Swinging” as we know it today began in the 1960s, and The Godfather is set in the 40s and 50s. At the time, they probably would have called this “wife-swapping,” which began during the 1940s among Air Force pilots according to everything I can find, and it wouldn’t have been as common. But for the sake of the story, let’s just pretend that Michael knows some people who are very ahead of their time.

CW: swinging, digital and oral sex, crying during sex, internalized homophobia from Michael, discussion of Kay's fear of domestic abuse

Your good girl's gonna go bad I'm gonna be the swingin'est swinger you've ever had If you like'em painted up, powdered up, then you ought to be glad Because your good girl's gonna go bad - Tammy Wynette

“You really want to know what my world is like? What men like me do at our leisure?”

“Yes, I do,” Kay replied defiantly, a challenge burning in her eyes.

So Michael let her dress to the nines in a pleated red dress and wide brimmed evening hat, and took her to the Syrup Saloon, one of the many clubs that pulsed to the neon heartbeat of Las Vegas. But this one was VIP only. “Fifteen years ago, this was a speakeasy,” Michael explained, as the bouncer swung back a hidden door in the mahogany wall panel of the decently furnished but otherwise inconspicuous foyer through which they’d entered. “But it still has its secrets today – thank you, Joey,” he said, interrupting himself to let the host put a drink in his hand. As they fell into conversation, he watched Kay out of the corner of his eye. She was glancing around the dimly lit room with all the open curiosity of a wide-eyed doe who had yet to realize it had just stumbled into a pack of wolves.

In all honesty, he thought it would scare her. He thought they’d walk in and she’d realize what was happening only to demand that they walk right back out and not ask him anything about his business or his private life again for a month.

“It’s so good of you to finally persuade the missus to join us,” said Joey, and he kissed her hand. “It’s a shame that I’ve already made my reservations for tonight. If I had known, I sure would have saved myself for this doll.” For a second, fear swept through Michael. He laughed awkwardly and said something without knowing what it was. What if they got in too deep? What if Kay was too polite to insist on leaving – or worse, called his bluff? What if another man actually fucked his wife?

“Michael, what was that gentleman talking about?” she whispered, as they made their way to a velvet booth in the corner. The room was heavy with smoke and bluesy with the sounds of saxophone pouring from the phonograph, creating a soft haze that was only punctuated by pink and yellow neon strips along the ceiling.

“Well…you see, I’ve never come to the Syrup Saloon before, even though Joey’s invited me more times than I can count. Only couples can come here, and I wanted to keep you out of places like this. But if you say you can handle it...” He leaned back, watching her gaze follow a group of four at a nearby table. Her mouth fell open as they traded places, giggling, and made their way off to two separate rooms.

“Oh my – Michael, they’re…they’re swingers?”

He frowned. “How do you know what swingers are in the first place?”

“Connie told me,” she said indignantly. “Michael, this is NOT what I meant.”

He bit his tongue before he could ask how Connie knew what swingers were – he probably would rather not know that much about his sister. “Listen to me. You want to know about the ugly parts of my world? Okay. It’s this or letting you watch Al Neri blow a man’s brains out.”

Her lips pursed. Anger. But she didn’t have a chance to reply. A woman’s voice cut in, a sonorous, confident, casual sort of voice. “Is this seat taken?”

She was standing over them with her head tilted in playful curiosity, maple brown hair tickling her collarbones thanks to the scandalous off-shoulder gown that hugged her torso. A man in a suit towered next to her, with dark hair almost as long as hers. It fell forward to obscure deep, black eyes. From one look at him, Michael could tell he wasn’t a civilian. He was pure muscle, and stood like a soldier or a bodyguard, placing himself between his wife and the rest of the room as if by instinct.

Michael opened his mouth, but Kay had already answered for him. “Not at all. Please, join us.”

The woman slid into the seat next to her, and the man next to Michael. He felt suddenly trapped. Kay was looking intently at this sculpted, vicious…thing sitting next to him. If someone distilled masculinity in human form, it would look like this. Just kill me already.

“I’m Kay.”  Her words filled up Michael’s stunned silence. She offered a hand to the woman.

“And I’m M,” Michael broke in hurriedly, realizing just how much he didn’t want to be seen here for long. “We’re going by first initials, see.”

The woman shrugged. “Doesn’t matter to us. We’re from out of town, and we stay out of the spotlight these days anyway. My husband’s retired.” She shot him a wink before turning back to the Corleones. “I’m Helen.”

The man spoke then, and if the woman’s voice had been sonorous, his seemed to vibrate straight through his firm handshake to the inside of Michael’s ribcage. “John. Sorry for barging in. It’s just that you two caught my wife’s eye and well…what she wants, she gets.” He smiled across at the table at the woman, with a genuine warmth that told Michael it wasn’t a hardship to give her everything she could ever ask for.

Michael managed to claw his way back towards composure. Flattery was at least something he was used to. “Well, I appreciate the compliment, Helen. You’re a rather eye-catching pair yourself. Wouldn’t you say so, Kay?”

“Oh, I would. I hope you’ll do us the honor of spending the evening together.” Michael shifted in his seat. No. Absolutely not, this has been a mistake! Let’s leave. But the words were caught in his throat. He found himself paralyzed. Yet again, his attempt to unbalance her had been instantly turned back on him. Her voice had a sultry lilt to it that normally only showed up in their own bedroom, and she was staring at John, letting her eyes wander over his biceps, over the enormous hands resting on the table. Michael felt his heart skip dizzyingly.

“We’d be so glad to! And tell me Kay,” said the wife, her voice dropping to an intimate near-whisper, “Which of us do you like better?”

Her lips parted in a wordless inhale as Helen’s hand slid over the top of hers, resting there without pushing between her fingers. Kay blushed fiercely. “Oh, I don’t – I could hardly – “ Her words came out breathy and overcome at first, but the next were spoken with a kind of wonder at herself. A dawning awareness. “You, Miss Helen.” She spread her fingers, letting Helen’s sink between them to clasp their hands together.

Michael exhaled in relief. “Splendid! I think we have ourselves a plan for the evening.” Good. This was an image he could handle – Kay holding hands with another woman like two innocent girls, not showing the slightest interest in this John…oh. John.

Under the table, John’s hand was on Michael’s thigh. He couldn’t breathe. “Yeah,” John said.

───•⋆⋆ʚ♥ɞ⋆⋆•───

Kay let herself be led to one of the bedrooms in a trance. Led by the hand, in a way completely different than any hand-holding she’d ever experienced.

They had to get there as fast as possible – she needed Helen, needed her now. She’d been wet since the moment the woman’s soft skin had rested against hers. All she could think about was the softness of Helen’s lips, and of her…oh god. She was burning, throbbing inside. She’d never touched another woman like that before. Her mind went to the nights when she’d sinned, when Michael was away on business and she’d let her fingers slide down the silk of her nightgown and feel the curves of her own hips and and lift the hem and…and…oh god.

It was a beautiful little room, lit by a stained glass lamp adorned with pink and yellow roses. The bed was covered in pink sheets...satin like her own nightgown…and it was shaped like a heart. A scandalous bed. A sex bed. Kay realized she was trembling.

“Are you nervous?” Helen stopped in front of her and tilted her head again in that absolutely sweet way. “Is this your first time with a woman?”

“I am. It-it is.” She swallowed. “But that’s not why I’m shaking. I…”

“Go ahead. Say it.” Helen’s face was moving towards her and she let her eyes flutter closed. Her insides pulsed maddeningly and she realized her underwear must already be soaked through.

“I just…want you…so much. It’s so…physical.” A kiss. Helen’s lips, every bit as soft as she had imagined, devouring hers. The blood was rushing violently in her ears and they hadn’t even taken their clothes off. There was a screaming urgency, the way there was on the edge of orgasm, that this moment couldn’t slip away, it must not stop, it had to reach its conclusion, please…a fantasy she didn’t even know she had was right within her grasp.

In a flood of adrenaline, she grabbed the back of Helen’s head to deepen the kiss, tangling her fingers in her hair, pressing into her tongue, rubbing down the soft curves of her body, squeezing her breasts, making out like crazed teenagers at a drive-in movie. At some point they tumbled onto the bed. She let her hat be swept off and her own dress be forced off the shoulder to give access to her breasts. Helen’s teeth on her neck, hers on Helen’s nipples, their hands sliding over every part of each other’s bodies in shameless hunger.

Helen threw back her skirts and Kay realized in a flash of panic that she was about to touch the soaked mess of her underwear. “I – Helen – ahhh!” Helen’s hand was already rubbing against it vigorously, right over the clit. All the could do was arch her back and fight not to scream. Every moment between them felt more scandalous than the last and yet more right. How long had it been since she put her own pleasure first this way?

The woman laughed good-naturedly, watching her face in admiration. “Does it feel good, honey?”

“Yes, mmm... Yes. Yes. Oh my god…”

The underwear and her tights pulled suddenly away and she felt cold air against her burning labia. She moaned in frustration, wanting it to continue, and then had a better idea.

“Wait. I want to feel you too.”

Helen stripped obligingly, right down to the skin. Only a thin gold necklace adorned her perfect body as she sank back down at Kay’s side, entwining their legs and humping at her momentarily before resuming the handjob. This time, Kay put her own hands to work. She gasped hard at the wetness pouring out of Helen’s opening, at the breathless way Helen sighed when Kay’s fingers explored the bulb of her clit and at last plunged inside her. There was so much to feel, the heat, the curvature…

But the feeling of Helen’s rhythm was so distracting. She’d gone inside Kay too, and in a minute, Kay found that she couldn’t move, she could only focus on the way her muscles were starting to clench and the way her hips wanted to thrust up into Helen’s palm. Helen was hitting some delicious spot over and over and over and her own fingers were still deep inside of Helen, massaging her like such a bad girl and… “Ahhh oh my god, don’t stop, don’t stop, I can’t, I think I’m going to…”

And to her embarrassment, she flooded over Helen’s fingers with her head thrown back and a wild moan wrenching itself from someplace deep and ecstatic in her chest. She expected her to stop after that like Michael did, but the pounding continued right through the orgasm, and within seconds she was cumming again, even harder.

And Helen nuzzled into her neck, kissed her sweat-drenched forehead, and whispered, “Don’t worry sweetheart. I’m not going to stop until you’re dry.”

───•⋆⋆ʚ♥ɞ⋆⋆•───

Leaning against opposite walls on either side of the bed, the height difference between them was apparent. John must stand at least six feet to Michael’s 5’6”. Michael wondered idly whether God would permit him to sink into the floor and straight to hell in the interests of escaping this situation.

He was hard because the women had looked so pretty together. That was why. That squeeze John had given his thigh just before they stood up had nothing to do with it.

He pulled out a cigarette, grasping for some semblance of normalcy. And a second one with it, for John. “You want a smoke?”

The man just shook his head. So damn silent. Michael lit up and tried to focus on the sensations hitting his lungs and then his veins.

A long, awkward moment passed. Maybe he could just sit there and smoke for as long as it took and not do a thing.

As if in answer, the man finally spoke. “We don’t have to do anything.” He was fixing Michael with those dark, soulful eyes, the same way he’d looked at his wife. With that devastating gentleness, like he wanted to serve Michael. Wanted to give him everything he might desire, whether that was the most exhilarating night of his life or just peaceful silence. It was so damn…comforting.

Michael shook himself and paced back and forth for a minute, trying to dissipate the ache between his legs. “I’ll be frank with you, John. I don’t know what men even do together.” He found words spilling out of him. “I’m no upstanding gentleman, but I’m a man. I’ve never practiced sodomy. I brought my wife here tonight to shake her up a bit, to show her what kind of shocking debauchery goes on in this world. Better she see the sex than the blood and the death and the things men do to one another in wild betrayal or vengeance. Better she see it and never ask to see any of it again. But then your wife came along and…” He laughed hollowly. “You know what, maybe she’ll come around and be alright with the business after all. She’s alright with walking into a place like this. Who knows what the hell else is just fine with her.”

“I see.” Was he amused? Michael couldn’t tell. He stared at John, waiting, demanding some further response to that monologue. At long last, he continued. “She’ll know the difference between sex and violence. And she’ll never be just fine with the violence. At least my wife wasn’t.”

“Hmm. You’re retired, she said?”

“Yeah. For her.”

He nodded, looking away into the corner and struggling with the hopeless feeling that was starting to tighten his chest. “Well aren’t you a goody-two-shoes. But that would be an impossible task for me.”

A smile seemed to flicker over his lips, and then it was gone just as fast. “You feel trapped.”

Michael stopped pacing. He must look like a nervous fool. Now he was the one who was silent. What was he supposed to say? Yes? That was the truth, wasn’t it. He was trapped, always trapped. Trapped between the violent protection people needed and the gentleness they thought they wanted, trapped between driving his family away and letting them die. Trapped in Kay’s all-knowing, accusatory gaze.

He tilted his head backward, willing the tears to sink back behind his eyes and down his throat where he could swallow them unseen. This night had become an endless disaster. The last thing he needed was for this infuriatingly handsome man to see him crying.

John was at his side before he realized it. “Hey. I won’t lie, it’s not easy. But it’s possible. You can live a normal life if you want to. Just you and your wife, kids if you have them. Safe.”

The image, the thought of it…it was too much. Something inside of him broke and he collapsed against the warm body in front of him, horrible, pathetic noises clawing their way out of his throat. “No. No. You don’t – you don’t understand. The things I’ve done…the things people will do to me…” John just stroked the back of his head and held him gently. His head barely came up to John’s shoulder. He felt more fully embraced than he had in years.

“You can be forgiven. But not if you never confess to her. You have to trust her. And you have to make up for it the way she says.”

He spoke through the ragged waves of despair flowing out of his lungs. “I don’t trust her. She’ll leave me, John. She’ll run, because she doesn’t forgive me for anything. And I can’t – I can’t live without her, I can’t let her go, I can’t - ”

“I can’t speak to that. But I forgive you. I know who you are. You’re The Godfather, right?”

For a second, Michael’s sobbing stopped in shocked fear.

“It’s okay. I won’t tell anyone. You’re in a bad situation. The organization could collapse under you if you make the wrong move, and then the whole family’s dead. You’re trying. I forgive you.”

And Michael’s face slowly rose to meet John’s, wet and broken and suddenly feeling the compassion behind those soulful eyes. Maybe that was why he kissed him. Long, and hard, and grateful. Maybe that was why, when he pulled away, he said, “Show me what men do together.”

───•⋆⋆ʚ♥ɞ⋆⋆•───

“It’s not that he doesn’t care about my pleasure.” It was sometime past midnight. Helen was laying side by side with Kay, playing with her curls and listening in rapt attention. “It’s that he cares about it the wrong way, you know? He thinks he can buy my happiness with pretty gifts or go dancing once in a while. And I like to go dancing, believe me, but I want…I want things to be the way they were between us in the beginning. No secrets. I want him to trust me, I want his respect. That’s what would really make me happy. I want to – I want to merge with someone. Like we just did.”

Helen frowned. “So he keeps secrets from you?”

“He doesn’t just keep secrets, Helen, he outright lies. He lied to my face and said he’s not in the business anymore and then what do I find out? …Well, nothing I can safely tell a stranger, unfortunately. And as if that weren’t enough, there was this time in Sicily that none of his guards will talk to me about.” She tsked in frustration. “I know I’m being horribly suspicious, but I’m sure he had a girl there, I know he did. And if it wasn’t that, I’m sure it was something even worse.”

“Wait, go back. Let me get this straight. You asked him to quit the business, and he lied and said he did? But in reality, he never quit?”

“Exactly.”

Helen whistled. “Listen. My husband and I come to these places for a good time for everyone involved. We’re not in the habit of homewrecking. But if you want my honest advice…you can do better. I would never settle for a husband who hid his darkness from me. You know what John did for me? He left everything behind. At the risk of his own life. I can’t tell a stranger about that either, but just know that he did the right thing. And if he’d failed, he would have told me honestly. That’s what I love about him. He’ll do the right thing no matter how vulnerable he has to be.”

She let her hands continue stroking along Helen’s arms absently, deep in thought. “I’ve thought about leaving. But he’d never let me go. I’m afraid of what he’d do sometimes.”

“Oh, honey. If that’s really true, it’s even worse than I thought. You have to get out of there. You have to run.”

The idea was too much to confront. She sighed miserably, blinking at the ceiling. “How? I feel so trapped. I think I’d have to do something drastic. Something that would make him hate me. If he didn’t want me anymore…that’s the only way.”

“You’ll find a way. I believe in you. You can be safe. You and your kids. They won’t live a life like his, they’ll be good to other people and you’ll teach them what matters. They’ll be free.”

Free…the thought of that possibility just made it all worse. It was so far out of reach. Her breath was catching on every word as her voice pitched up into sobbing. “You don’t understand, Helen. He’s a violent man. He just wants to possess me like a trophy. He just wants me to shut up and not ask questions and do as he says and I’m scared – I’m so scared…I think… sometimes I think he doesn’t even love me…” There. She had said it. And there was a triumph to saying it. Something felt permanently decided.

“I don’t know. I don’t know him, I can’t say if he loves you. But I can say that he should. You deserve to be loved. You deserve happiness.” Kay curled into her, letting Helen shower her with forehead kisses and wipe away her tears. Helen would be gone in the morning. But how could she return to Michael after being held like this?

“I’ll do it, Helen. I’ll run.”

───•⋆⋆ʚ♥ɞ⋆⋆•───

There was a man between Michael’s legs.

He had a beard, and Michael loved the texture of it, the roughness. He smelled like a man. The musk of their sex crazed bodies mixed in the air, overpowering even the cigarettes. It was intoxicating. It made him feel drunk and animalistic and completely in the power of lust. He was losing himself, leaned back against the headrest with one leg dangling off the bed and the other splayed out across the sheets with John’s arm wrapped around his thigh. He was rutting into John’s mouth, giving himself over to pleasure in every way. John wanted that for him. John wanted him to feel good. John cared so much for him, for a stranger, adored his body, respected his heart. “Hhhh…fuck.” His fists closed on the sheets at the thought of it.

John was a man. And he was between Michael’s legs, and it wasn’t debauchery, and it wasn’t violence, and it felt…right. He moaned yet again, feeling tears spill from his eyes. He kept crying, damn it. This was the third time tonight (for him at least – he’d already taken John twice as well) and John was just so. Fucking. Good at this. He almost never came three times in one night, but he could feel it building up in his pelvis, so close. Could he really be this turned on for this long? Was it even physically possible? He thrust upward into John’s mouth, a hand on the back of his hair, using his head without remorse.

He was babbling, pleading without knowing what he said. “Come on, come on, give me more, please, faster, I need it, I need…”

And John’s enormous hand squeezed down on his inner thigh.

He almost screamed through the orgasm, unleashing down his throat. John swallowed all of it like it was nothing, rose up, and pulled Michael’s shaking body into a hug. “You okay?” He’d asked that every time.

Aftershocks of pleasure were still sending him twitching. It was better than being drunk, better than being high. He could barely talk but he managed, “Yes. I’ve never…I’ve never felt this good before.”

A wordless grunt. Michael was already learning to read him and that one sounded like disapproval of Kay. That disapproval translated right into more protective affection. Just about everything seemed to bring out protective affection in John. He slid into bed behind Michael and hugged his torso from behind, nuzzling the back of his head. Spooning him. Michael would be blushing as soon as his blood could make its way back from his pelvis to his cheeks. John’s hand closed over his above his heart. Why was he so sweet?

For the first time in years, Michael felt safe. He sighed, feeling his breathing slow. John would be gone in the morning. But how could he return to Kay after being held like this?

“John?”

“Hm?”

“I think…I could let her go.”