Metal and Magic (Ch. 23)

( Every character in this story is a legal adult over the age of 18 )

Metal and Magic

Chapter 23

The sun had barely dropped below the horizon, and the mansion was already alive with the scent of grilled meat, expensive Scotch, and the salty air of the Pacific Ocean. Tony stood on the patio, sipping his drink and staring out at the darkening ocean as if it were his own private aquarium.

Harry wandered in from the living room and went straight for the grill. He grabbed one of the shishkebabs and flopped onto a lounge chair, staring up at Tony with a bored expression. “You look like shit,” Harry said, which was true. Tony’s hair was sticking out in every direction, and his eyes were full of exhaustion. Harry began munching on his food. 

Tony took the jab in stride. “I was up all night rewriting Jarvis’s code so he’d stop nagging me about it. I was hoping to take a long nap today, but then I got called into the office by Pepper. The investors aren’t pleased with Stark Industries’ lack of new products on the market.” He peered at Harry over the rim of his glass. “You look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Did you get laid last night?”

Harry smirked. “No, but Natasha did give me a BJ while waiting in line in the Jack in the Box drive-through.”

Tony cackled. “I always knew she was a keeper.” He set his glass down and leaned against the railing, his eyes glinting. “When’s the last time we did something fun?”

Harry blinked. “We took down a drug lab two days ago.”

Tony wagged a finger. “That was work. You andI need a little mindless recreation. I’m talking about the real stuff. You know … booze and tits. When’s the last time we actually went out?”

Harry gave it some thought. “You dragged me to a strip club two weeks ago. I spent $3,000 on bottles and got a lap dance from a girl named 'Destiny. She spent the whole time trying to get me to invest in her goat yoga business … whatever the hell that is.”

“Exactly. We’re overdue.” Tony pushed away from the railing and snapped his fingers. “We’re going out. None of that boring, polite billionaire charity bullshit that Pepper forced us to go to last week. We’re getting trashed at the best gentlemen’s club in the county. The one with the three stages and the sushi bar.”

Harry grinned. “You really know how to show a guy a good time.”

“Correction, my friend … We’re going to have a GREAT time!” Tony clapped his hands and called out, “Jarvis, order us a car. We’ll be in no condition to drive tonight.”

“Which car would you prefer, sir?” Jarvis asked in his polite voice.

Tony hesitated, then said, “The Limo. I like to make an entrance. It shows we mean business.”

After getting ready, they found the limo already waiting for them outside the mansion. They piled in and made their way to the club. The gentlemen’s club was tucked away in an older building near downtown. The windows were blacked out, and a bouncer wearing sunglasses stood at the entrance. Harry had no idea why he was wearing shades at night. The neon sign glowed blue and pink.

Inside, the concussive music hit them in pulsing waves. The air was dense with perfume, lotion, and alcohol. A thick crowd of men in cheap suits lined the stage and scattered around low-slung tables. The moment Tony and Harry walked in, the temperature in the room seemed to jump.

Every dancer in the place seemed to notice the new arrivals at exactly the same time. There was a shift in their posture and a sharpening of smiles. Harry could tell that each girl was in it to win it. The best of the bunch made a beeline for them. Tony strode through the club as if he owned it, which, as far as anyone here was concerned, he did. Harry followed, amused to see the way the regulars shrank back when Tony swept through.

A manager in a too-tight suit intercepted them before they reached the back. “Mr. Stark, welcome back. We have your usual table. Would you like your …”

Tony cut him off. “Yes … and tell Tiffany to bring the top-shelf stuff. We don’t want that swill you pawn off on the dentists.” He tossed a casual arm around the man’s shoulders, then let him scurry ahead.

They reached the VIP area. The table was ringed with blue LED lighting and set just off the main stage. No sooner had they sat than a blonde dancer in a tiny black bikini appeared on Harry’s lap as if conjured. She wrapped both arms around his neck and squeezed her tits against his face. “Hi, Harry,” she said in a sugary sweet voice.

Tony dropped onto his seat and surveyed the menu, already ignoring the three dancers who loitered at his elbow. Booze took priority over everything. 

Harry squinted at the girl in his lap. “Do I know you?”

She pouted. “You tipped me a hundred bucks last time, and said I had the best natural rack in the Western hemisphere.” She leaned back and thrust her chest at him for emphasis.

Harry greedily examined them. “Still true.”

The manager returned with a bottle of champagne and four glasses. “Compliments of the house, Mr. Stark. Also, we have a new dancer on the main stage tonight. Her name is …”

“Say no more,” Tony said, popping the bottle. The cork hit the ceiling and bounced into another guy’s drink. Tony then began filling each glass halfway.

Harry craned his neck to look at the stage. A blonde was up there, swinging around the pole with a gymnast’s grace. She wore high heels and a pale blue g-string that was hidden between her shapely cheeks. She was in her early twenties, with perfect, white teeth and tits that were made to be played with.

Tony nudged Harry. “That must be the new girl. We haven’t seen her before.”

Harry nodded, watching the blonde bend backward. Her large breasts bumped into her chin. “She’s new,” the manager confirmed, standing way too close. “She’s from Las Vegas. We poached her.”

Harry grinned. “You poached her, huh?”

The manager blushed. “Well, she was highly sought after. Would you like an introduction?”

Tony clucked his tongue, already reaching into the trouser pocket that Harry had magically expanded. Harry’s pocket was also expanded, and both his and Tony’s were stuffed full of cash. “This is what we came for.” He pulled out a stack of hundreds and waved the manager off. “We’ll introduce ourselves.”

The blonde in Harry’s lap giggled and nuzzled her face into his neck. She then started slowly grinding against his thighs. Harry, not to be outdone, cupped her ass and squeezed, earning a delighted squeal.

Tony drained his glass and stood, his eyes locked on the blonde as she hit her bigfinale. He pushed his way to the edge of the stage, holding up the folded wad of bills like the degenerate that he was. As the song ended, the blonde strutted toward him. Her hair was messy, and her skin glistened under the lights. As she strutted, her bare breasts bounced around, drawing the eyes of every man in the club. Tony tossed the money up, and the bills flew high into the air. They spun through the air and rained down over her like a ticker tape parade. The other men at the stage stared, slack-jawed with amazement, as the dancer dropped to her knees and collected every bill. She had her eyes on Tony the whole time. Harry knew who she’d be targeting tonight. 

Harry watched from the table while his blonde dancer still ground against him, and laughed out loud at Tony’s antics. “Show-off,” he yelled. Tony smiled and gave a thumbs-up.

The manager brought over a second bottle, bowed, and disappeared. Within minutes, Harry’s table had attracted a critical mass of dancers. Two more had joined and sandwiched him on either side. One was a brunette with a perky rack, and the other was a Latina with a tongue stud. Both had clearly decided the best way to compete for Harry’s attention was a direct assault. The brunette reached around from behind and pressed her chest to the back of his head, smothering him in cleavage.

“Can you even breathe?” Tony called over, returning with the blonde, who was already twirling a finger through his hair.

“Barely,” Harry said, his voice muffled by soft, smooth flesh.

“At least you’ll go with a smile,” Tony laughed and poured himself another glass. 

Harry extricated his head just long enough to address the stripper in his lap. “Is it always like this, or do you girls just go nuts whenever Tony and I show up?”

She giggled, shaking her boobs in his face. “You two are celebrities. We argue in the dressing room about who gets to dance for you.”

“Don’t worry. There’s enough of me to go around,” Harry joked, and the girls giggled while continuing to smother his head with multiple sets of breasts. 

Tony’s blonde laughed and slid onto his lap. “The other girls warned me about you. They said you were trouble,” she teasingly purred, playing with Tony’s chest.

“You have no idea,” Tony said. He handed her a glass, which she downed in a single gulp. Harry caught Tony’s eye and grinned.

The music shifted to a slower, dirtier beat. The Latina inched closer to Harry, practically straddling his knee. The blonde decided it was time to step up her game, so she planted a kiss directly on Harry’s lips and held it there. It didn’t take long for her tongue to slip into his mouth. 

Tony banged his glass on the table. “Let’s make a night of it. Drinks for everyone.” The dancers cheered.

The manager reappeared and discreetly slid the bill for the bottle across the table. Tony didn’t even look at it. He just signed the slip and winked. “Don’t let anyone say I’m not a gentleman,” he said, then grabbed the blonde by the waist and pulled her in for a kiss.

Harry turned to the blonde in his lap. “It’s going to be a fun night,” he said.

She beamed, mashed her tits into his face, and giggled when Harry sucked on her skin. All around them, the lights strobed, the music pounded, and girls gravitated toward the two big spenders.

Metal and Magic

The morning came, and Natasha shuffled out of the bedroom in a faded tank top and pajama shorts. Her hair was tangled, and her eyes were puffy with sleepiness. Maria was already up and sitting cross-legged on the couch with a laptop balanced on her knees. The TV was on, and the sound was low. It was tuned to one of the local news channels. Natasha grunted a hello, padded to the kitchen, and poured coffee into a mug.

Maria didn’t look up. She wore black leggings, a sports bra, and a focused expression. The only sign of life was the way her bare foot jiggled at the end of her leg. Natasha took her coffee, dropped onto the couch, and set her heel on the edge of the coffee table.

The news anchor’s voice was lively and professional, but Natasha only half listened. She went through the messages on her phone, pausing once to scratch her thigh. The house was silent except for the drone of the anchor and the clacking of Maria’s keyboard. Natasha sipped her coffee, wincing at the bitterness.

“Did you see the latest incident report?” Maria finally asked, eyes still glued to her screen.

Natasha snorted. “Which one? There were four.”

Maria sighed. “The traffic citation one. Harry told me he couldn’t come to work because he and Stark were going out to buy toys to donate to needy children. Instead, they decided to take out Stark’s new supercharged Mustang and blew through two red lights.”

“Were they drunk?” Natasha asked.

Maria’s lips twitched. “It occurred at nine in the morning, but knowing them, it’s definitely a possibility. The dispatcher called it ‘exuberant behavior.’ The police chief is annoyed that the mayor made him scrub it from the records.” She closed the laptop with a slap. “I just knew that Fury would somehow blame me for this mess.”

“Us,” Natasha corrected her as she continued to look through her messages. “Fury sent me a text stating that he’s disappointed I can’t keep Harry’s reckless behavior in check. Apparently, he believes that I’m Harry’s mother or something.”

Natasha eyed the TV, where the anchor had shifted to a new story. A headline scrolled under her. “Billionaire Tony Stark Spotted at LA Gentlemen’s Club.” A grainy photo of Tony stepping out of a limo filled the screen. It was followed by blurry footage of him and Harry striding into a building under neon lights.

Natasha huffed. “Those assholes don’t even try to be discreet.”

“They never do,” Maria sighed, reaching for the remote. She turned up the volume just as the news shifted to security cam footage from the club. Harry and Tony appeared on-screen, trailed by a procession of half-naked dancers. Harry was shirtless with a tie knotted around his forehead like a headband, and he had a girl draped around each arm. Tony stumbled and nearly face planted, but he was luckily saved by the bimbo on his arm. The anchor tried to suppress a smile.

“Early reports say the two men left the club with several dancers at approximately 2:30 AM,” the anchor said, her professionalism slipping as she barely held in a giggle.

The screen cut to a video of the sidewalk outside. A black limousine pulled up to the curb. Tony opened the door, and Harry swept one of the strippers off her feet. She squealed, flung her legs in the air, and clung to his neck as he carried her to the car. He set her down, smacked her on the ass, and said, “Get your sexy ass inside.” The mic picked it up perfectly.

The stripper laughed and wriggled into the backseat. Another girl trotted to the limo and bent over, giving Harry an expectant look. Harry looked at the camera, shrugged, and smacked her on the bottom, too. Tony and the rest of the girls cheered. The whole crew vanished into the car, and it peeled away from the curb.

Maria aimed the remote at the screen and muted the TV. She didn’t move. She just stared straight ahead with her lips pressed together in a thin line.

“Charming,” Natasha said.

Maria stood, stretched, and yawned. “This is the man Fury expects us to keep in line.”

Natasha shook her head, then smirked. “Maybe Fury should give him a curfew … or a chastity belt at least.”

“Neither would work,” Maria said. She grabbed her laptop and walked toward her room. Before she disappeared down the hall, she looked back at Natasha. “We may have to work together if we want to keep up with those idiots.”

Natasha sipped her coffee and grinned. “I’ll do my part. Just try not to get in my way.”

Maria snorted. “Does your part include sucking him off in a cheap fast-food drive-through?”

Natasha flipped her off. Maria grinned and disappeared into her room.

On the muted TV, the news anchor amusedly finished her report on the two drunken morons. The camera cut away, and the next story started without fanfare.

Natasha finished her coffee, then closed her eyes and let her head fall back onto the cushion. She was already mentally drained, and it was barely 9 A.M. She groaned and stood up. She desperately needed a long, hot bath before starting her day. 

Metal and Magic

Harry Potter woke up and immediately wished he hadn’t. His mouth tasted terrible, and there was a low, steady pounding behind his eyes. For a minute, he forgot why he was suffering. He then remembered the night before, the club, and the strippers. He looked next to him and saw the two women cuddled up together. They were still asleep. He swung his legs over the side and got out of bed. 

He’d had the foresight to down three vials of hangover cure. He drank one down and checked the time. As usual, he was late for his meeting with Maria, and he was sure she wouldn’t be pleased. As fast as he could, he jumped into the shower and washed off. He brushed his teeth and ran a brush through his wet hair. Harry then strolled back into the room and put on some clean clothes. 

He wandered out into the hallway, squinting against the daylight. The house was oddly quiet, except for the whirring of a vacuum cleaner somewhere far off. He followed the sound, past the kitchen and down a step into the lounge. There, in the middle of the mess they had made last night, stood Pepper Potts.

She had one hand on her hip and the other gripping the handle of a Dyson. She wore a white button-down and a crisp pencil skirt that ended just above her knees. Her hair was pulled into a tight ponytail.

“Thank god,” he said, and his voice came out in a dry croak.

Pepper spun, startled, then gave him an unimpressed once-over. “You look like you fell out of a garbage truck.”

“I’m pretty sure I did, at some point last night.” He rubbed his face, then looked around at the lounge. There were empty champagne bottles everywhere, and at least two glittery bras hanging from the ceiling fan. “How bad is it?”

Pepper leaned on the vacuum and pinched the bridge of her nose. “It’s an all-time low, even for you two hooligans. There’s a lipstick smear on Tony’s Picasso. There’s a half-naked woman asleep in the laundry room, and Tony left a note that says, ‘Sorry for the damage. Had to show a stripper how to use the plasma torch. Will buy a new one tomorrow.’”

“Which plasma torch?”

“I don’t know,” she snapped. “There were three of them in the kitchen when I came in. FYI, the fridge is ruined. Someone welded the doors together.”

Harry grinned, then instantly regretted it when he saw Pepper’s expression. “Sorry for the mess. I’ll … well, actually, that’s not true. I won’t clean any of this up. But I’m sorry you have to.”

She sighed. “That’s the most honest thing you’ve ever said to me.” She pointed the vacuum at him. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

“Yeah,” he said. “But there are a couple of girls in my room. Can you, you know … handle them?”

Pepper rolled her eyes. “Do you want me to call them a cab, or throw them in the pool?”

“Whatever you think is best.” He started for the garage, then stopped. “I left a couple of hangover cures for them next to the bed. That should get them up and running.”

“You know … When Tony made me CEO, I thought these days would be over. I’m very sorry to say that I was wrong,” Pepper told him. Harry shot her a boyish smile, and Pepper couldn’t help but crack a small smile. 

“Nah. You’d miss us too much. Thanks a million, Pepper,” Harry said and scooped her up in a hug. He lifted her off her feet and spun her around, making her squeal. 

“Put me down, you big ape!” she yelped, smacking his shoulder. Harry chuckled and put her back on her feet. Pepper huffed and smoothed out her clothes. He winked at her, which earned him a glare, then headed for the door.

In the garage, he found his car. The windshield had been Sharpied with the words “CALL ME.” The words were followed by a phone number and a large heart. He shrugged, got in, and drove to the bottling plant.

The sun was already high in the sky and beating down on the pavement outside the factory. Harry pulled in and parked in a reserved space, then took a minute to gather his wits before heading inside. He found Maria in her office. She wore a black skirt, a light purple blouse, and her hair in a bun. There was a faint sheen of sweat on her temples, but her eyes were cool and calculating.

“Hello, love,” Harry said, ducking in and closing the door behind him.

Maria didn’t look up from her laptop. “You’re late.”

Harry shrugged. “At least I made it. That’s an achievement all on its own.”

She glanced at him, unimpressed. “Did you see the production numbers?”

“No, but I can guess from your tone.” He slumped into the guest chair and ran a hand through his hair. “Let me guess. We can’t keep up with demand.”

Maria nodded. “That’s one way to put it. Orders have doubled since last week. We’re two shifts behind, and the bottling line is jammed because some idiot dropped a wrench into the conveyor belt mechanism. Also, the health inspector showed up unannounced and wasn’t pleased.”

“What did Tony do this time?”

“He swapped out the water for alcohol in the water dispenser. How the hell did he sneak five gallons of vodka in here? The inspector was pretty tipsy when writing his report.”

Harry laughed, then coughed. “That’s pretty good.”

“It’s not. Those guys just love to shut people down.”

He leaned forward. “I’ll fix it. All these guys do is look for payouts. I’ll pay them off, and they’ll forget all about it.”

Maria stared at him, skeptical. “You don’t even know what day it is.”

“It’s …” He tapped his chin, thinking hard. “Thursday?”

She snorted, but there was a faint smile. “Nice try.”

He eyed her, then stood and walked around behind her chair. Maria pretended to ignore him as he set his hands on her shoulders.

“I’m trying to work,” she said, but there wasn’t much conviction in it.

He leaned down and kissed the side of her neck. “You’re tense.”

She huffed, “Maybe because I’ve been up since five trying to clean up your mess.”

His hands slid lower, squeezing her waist. Maria’s breath hitched, and he felt her shudder. She elbowed him, but he barely felt it.

“Harry,” she said in a husky voice. “This is not the time.”

He nipped her ear. “It’s always a good time.”

Maria exhaled, stood, and faced him. “If you’re going to make a scene, at least close the blinds.”

Harry picked her up and sat her up on the desk. Her skirt hiked up, revealing a strip of dark stocking over her thigh. He grinned, then planted both palms on her legs and slid them apart, exposing the crotch of her panties. Maria huffed. “Fine … but make it quick.”

He knelt between her knees and slid her panties down in one fluid move. They were black and tiny, and Harry spun them on his finger with a smirk. She arched an eyebrow at his efficiency.

Harry ran his tongue along the exposed portion of her thigh, then moved it up and over the slit. She was wetter than he’d expected, and he felt her shiver at the first contact. He flicked his tongue over her clit, then sucked it between his lips. Maria gasped, trying to keep quiet, but a little moan slipped out.

He alternated sucking and massaging it, keeping it unpredictable. Maria bit her lip, then reached for his hair and gripped it hard. “You’re such a bastard,” she whispered.

Harry hummed loudly, and the vibration made her squirm. He slipped two fingers into her wet pussy, curling them upward. Maria’s hips bucked, and he heard her high heels clatter to the floor. She came faster than usual. Her pussy let out a small squirt in a shuddering climax that left her nails digging into his scalp. He kept gently sucking her clit until she pushed his head away.

“It’s too sensitive,” she panted, pulling him up by the shirt. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were glassy. Harry kissed her, and she tasted herself on his tongue. Maria pushed him back and hopped off the desk, steadying herself with a hand on his shoulder.

He wiped his mouth, grinned, and said, “Feel better?”

She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “You still have to fix the production numbers.”

“I’ll handle it,” he assured her. 

“Good. Now get out. I have work to do,” she said, and Harry chuckled. Before he left, she pulled him back in for another kiss. Maria moaned into his mouth and squirmed away when he cupped her ass. 

“Later,” she said. “Now go,” she demanded, pointing at the door. Harry shook his head and chuckled. Maria was in a much better mood when he left.