Page 4 of Bad Luck, Hard Love (Heaven’s Rejects MC #6)

CHARLOTTE

The drive to Vegas is a six-hour blur of off-key singing and nonstop chatter.

It feels like we are making up for years of lost time.

I hate to admit it, but she was right—I needed this.

My marriage stole so much, including time with my best friend.

I’m not going to waste a second of this trip, even if the idea of being around so many people makes my skin crawl.

That wasn’t one of his hang-ups. That one has always been mine.

As the skyline comes into view, the mood shifts. Excitement crackles in the air between us. We’re both buzzing, giddy with anticipation and more than ready to lose ourselves in the chaos of the Strip.

“This is going to be the weekend of a lifetime,” Minny squeals.

We pull into the hotel parking lot, and she bolts from the car before I’ve even turned off the engine. I grab our bags from the trunk and trail after her, my pulse picking up with every step.

The lobby is packed. She leads the way to the front desk, where a bubbly receptionist beams at us as we check in.

“Welcome to Luxor!” the woman says, handing over our room key. “Enjoy your stay!”

My best friend snatches it with a grin and practically dances toward the elevators. I shake my head, smiling. Her joy is contagious, exactly the kind of energy I’ve been starved for.

When we reach our room, I’m floored by the view. We’re high up, and the entire Strip stretches out beneath us, pulsing with light and life.

I cross the room and yank the curtains open. Sunset bleeds across the horizon, and below it, millions of lights flicker to life. The sky glows—not quite night, not quite day. It reminds me of standing in the hills above LA watching the city refuse to sleep.

“Pretty, isn’t it?” she says behind me, already rifling through her bag. “There’s something about that view that just makes me smile.”

A dress flies through the air and nearly smacks me in the face. I barely manage to catch it.

“Time to get ready,” she grins. “Vegas waits for no one.”

“What’s this?” I ask, peering down at the scrap of black fabric in my hands.

“Your dress. We’re going out.”

“We’ve barely settled in.”

“And? It’s Vegas, Charlie. The city that never sleeps. Go put on your dress.”

I laugh incredulously. “This is a dress? It’s barely enough fabric to cover a Barbie doll!” Frankly, I don’t think it would even cover that.

She rolls her eyes at me. “Trust me, it’ll look amazing on you. Now hurry up and change… we’re going out.”

I sigh in resignation and head toward the bathroom to change. Undressing, my eyes stay glued to the floor, unable to look at myself in the large bathroom mirror.

As I slip into the dress, years of Terrance’s words echo through my mind. He had very specific ideas about what his wife’s body should look like. He hated my soft curves, the roundness of my belly and hips. The only thing he didn’t seem to mind was the fullness of my breasts.

It takes every ounce of strength I have to lift my eyes and face the mirror.

I gasp when I see myself. The black fabric of the mini dress hugs me tightly.

The hemline hits mid-thigh. I spin on my heels, peering over my shoulder to see it from the back.

The dress accentuates my curvy body. With my hair back to my natural color instead of the bottle blonde Terrance had insisted on, the dress’ color makes my blue eyes more dramatic.

For the first time in a long time, I feel sexy—a sensation that has been buried under years of Terrance tearing down my self-esteem.

Minny strides into the bathroom wearing a red dress that hugs her hourglass figure in all the right places.

With a pair of matching red heels on her feet and a second pair in her hand, she gives them to me.

I strap them on, testing out my balance.

She clucks her tongue in approval at the sight of me. “There she is! Our Vegas bombshell!”

I laugh, feeling butterflies fluttering in my stomach. The thought of hitting the town in this dress is both exhilarating and terrifying. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

She sets a hand on my shoulder. “You can and you will. We’re going to have the time of our lives. Leave Terrance and his issues behind, okay? This is about you and me and having fun.”

I nod, determination setting in. “You’re right. This is our weekend, and we’re going to rock it.”

We head out of the room and into the elevator.

The doors open, and we step out onto the casino floor.

The noise is deafening, and the flashing lights are dizzying.

People of all shapes and sizes swarm around us, laughter and excitement filling the air.

It’s overwhelming, and I clutch Minny’s hand for support.

She glances at me and squeezes my hand. “Ready to take on Vegas?”

I take a deep breath and nod. “Let’s do this.”

“Come on, let’s try our luck!” she says, grinning widely.

I follow her to a roulette table, watching her place sone bets. I take a deep breath and place one of my own. The ball spins around the wheel, and my heart races as it slows, coming to a stop on my number.

I’ve won.

Minny and I scream in excitement, hugging each other tightly.

And that’s how our night starts, with laughter, cheering, and the promise of even more fun to come.

But as the night goes on, I feel a nagging sense of guilt creeping up on me.

Terrance would never approve of any of this. Not the dress. Not my enjoyment.

“Stop thinking about him, Charlie.”

“How did you know?”

“You get this look on your face.”

“I can’t help it.”

“Yes, you can,” she reassures me. “He’s not your problem anymore. You have every opportunity at your fingertips now. Take them. Have fun, for goodness’ sake, and forget about his abusive ass.”

I nod, taking a deep breath and trying to push the guilt aside. Minny is right. I’m in Vegas, the city of sin. It’s time to let loose and forget about everything else. We dance, drink, and flirt with a few cute guys. It’s the most fun I’ve had in years.

“Let’s go dancing. One of the servers told me about a club here. Sounds swanky. You in?”

I hesitate for a moment, but the thrill of the unknown overpowers my fear, “Let’s do it.”

Minny takes me by the hand, leading me toward the casino’s exit. We walk and walk. The heels she gave me dig into the soles of my feet.

There’s a line a mile long when we make it to the club. She takes one look at it and drags me down the VIP line.

“Name?” the bouncer with a clipboard in his hands at the front of the line asks.

“I’m going to be straight with you, handsome. Our names aren’t on that list, but my girl here just got out of a bitch of a relationship and is in dire need of some fun.” She leans in closer, “Abusive asshole.”

The bouncer looks us up and down, nods, and swings open the door. We step into a large room filled with flashing lights and thumping music. People are dancing and drinking, and I feel like we’ve stepped into another world entirely.

“Come on,” Minny says, grabbing my hand and tugging me toward the bar. “Let’s get a drink.”

We order something fruity and overly alcoholic.

I take a sip and feel the buzz kick in almost immediately.

The bass of the music pulses through the floor, too loud to think, the lights flickering across the crowd.

Minny pulls me onto the dance floor, and we lose ourselves in it—laughing, swaying, letting go.

With every shimmy and shake, the tension in my body melts away.

“Another round!” she shouts over the music, dragging me back to the bar.

“I think I need water,” I say, a little dizzy now. Drinking’s never really been my thing. A glass of wine here and there, sure, but two cocktails in, and the room’s already tilting more than I’d like.

The bar is packed, but she expertly weaves us through the crowd. Somehow, we land two stools squeezed in beside a group of men deep in conversation. Their attention shifts the moment we slide into place.

“Hey, ladies,” a deep voice says next to me. I turn and meet the piercing blue eyes of a tall, dark-haired man.

Minny doesn’t miss a beat. “Hey there, handsome.”

“You look like you know how to have a good time,” he says, flashing a grin.

Minny leans in with a playful smirk. “We do.”

I feel a flutter in my stomach at the way he glances at me, and despite myself, I smile back. Maybe tonight isn’t about overthinking. Maybe it’s just about being in the moment.

The man turns to me. “And what about you, gorgeous? Are you having fun?”

I nod, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks. Maybe it’s the alcohol, but I barely answer. The room is almost moving in slow motion around me. “Yeah, I am.”

He leans in closer, his hot breath fanning my ear. “Can I buy you a drink?”

“Yes, you can,” Minny answers for me with a wink.

I feel a little uncomfortable, but she’s enjoying the attention just as much as I am. The man orders another round of drinks, and we chat for a while, laughing and flirting. He’s charming and confident.

The bartender slides four drinks down in front of us. Minny tips hers back and takes mine when I offer it to her.

“You okay?” she mouths to me.

I nod.

“Another round,” he orders the bartender before he leans in closer.

His body is nearly on top of mine now. The heavy notes of musk from his cologne waft over me.

“You guys want to come with me to the VIP section?” he asks.

“I have a table reserved.” He points, drawing our attention to the roped-off section opposite the dance floor.

“I don’t know,” I hesitate.

“How about this?” the handsome man offers, shifting off his barstool. His body is so close to mine that I suck in a breath. He notices but doesn’t say a word. “I’ll go check to make sure my table is ready, and while I’m gone, you two can decide if you’d like to join my friends and me.”

“That sounds great,” Minny answers. He nods to his friends, who follow him to the VIP section. We watch as he stops to talk to the bouncer.

“Why are you hesitating? He’s into you.”

“We barely know him. I don’t even know his name.”

“Honey, it’s Vegas. This kind of stuff happens every single day. People come here to let loose and indulge in their fantasies. If I were single, I’d have dragged him off to the nearest bathroom already.”

“I’m not brave like you,” I slur. My speech is slower and more drawn out.

Minny grabs my hand, “Look at me, Charlie. You’re in a city where it’s okay to be whoever you want to be and do whatever you want to do. You have the chance to make memories that will last a lifetime. Don’t waste it by being afraid.”

I chew on my bottom lip, mulling over her words. The brain fog is only getting worse. She reaches behind me, grabs my drink from earlier, and hands it to me, “Liquid courage.”

I draw the glass to my lips before a large hand snatches it from me.

“What the hell?” I hiss, peering up at the large man in front of me.

His long, blond hair is pulled tightly against the crown of his head in a bun. “You should watch your fucking drink,” he growls before dumping the contents on the floor next to me. The contents splash on my heels.

“Hey, asshole. You’re going to pay for that,” Minny protests.

“Your drinks are dosed,” he growls out again.

“Listen, asshole. If you think this is your in to talk to us, you have another thing coming. You can take your white-knight shit and shove it up your ass.”

“One of his buddies dosed your drinks while he distracted you.” He draws up the glass, and a white substance rings the inside of it.

He extends it out to show Minny before handing it to the bartender.

“You’re lucky I noticed before she drank it.

If that makes me an asshole for ruining your night, I think I’ll live. ”

She dumps her drink on the floor next to us and inspects her glass. A similar white ring is on hers too. “Fuck,” Minny swears.

“I think what you meant to say is thank you.”

He tried to drug us. I’m frozen in shock, and he notices.

“You feeling okay, sweetheart? How much has she had to drink?”

“A couple of cocktails,” Her hand falls to her stomach. “I’m not feeling so well myself.”

“Shit,” he swears. “You got a hotel room?”

The room spins more. The music’s pounding beat matches the pounding in my head. My vision blurs, the club lights into a mess of different hues. My heart hammers inside my chest as I feel my body start to go limp.

“Fuck!” Man bun growls before my body slumps against his. His strong arms encompass my waist as the world blinks into total darkness.