He’s right again. No one is off-limits. It’s how we stay on top. “Then I guess you best not give me a reason to hurt you.” I smile and tap his shoulder. “Relax. Things are changing in Mexico. My tyrant father is dead.”
It’s only half true. Things aren’t changing, not as quickly as I’d like them to anyway.
“Yeah, and how’d that go down, exactly?” he asks me.
“Better you don’t know. Like I said, I don’t want to have to kill you,” I tell him. “Now, get out of here. You look sad and you’re scaring away the girls.”
“I’ll catch up with you tomorrow. Welcome back to town.” Louie stands and walks out.
I watch him leave before turning my attention to Carlo and Sammie. “Please tell me you two fuckers still know how to party.”
“You think you can keep up, old man?” Carlo grins while refilling my glass.
“You think I can’t?” I counter.
Chapter Three
Iarrived in Vegas an hour ago, and now I’m giving Charlotte a makeover in a very luxe hotel suite. I know it’s going to make her feel like a million dollars. I’ve always loved playing dress-up with Charlotte. She’s a natural beauty, with 1950s pinup curves I could only dream of having one day. Giving someone a makeover when they’re already beautiful is easy work.
“Youknow, you’re glowing. Whatever sex you’re having, obviously it’s good.” I smirk at my friend.
“I agree.” Rachel’s voice comes through the speaker. Charlotte and I video-called her so she wasn’t left out. Rachel is a first-year resident at the local hospital back home. She can’t just up and leave as easy as I did.
“The best.” Charlotte smiles wide, and my heart fills with happiness for her.
She deserves this. To be happy. She was stuck in a dead relationship for years. Rachel and I both asked her if she really wanted to go through with that wedding and she kept insisting she did, so we dropped it and went along with her plans.
It’s shitty that it ended the way that it did for her, with her fiancé fucking her sister and all, but I’m not sorry she got out. Because now she can finally be herself. She can finally be happy.
I dig through my makeup bag until I find what I’m looking for and pull out the red lip stain I bought just for Charlotte. It matches perfectly with her dark locks.
I also hope it will be a nice distraction after hearing the news that her ex is dead. He was found in a hotel room, right here in Vegas. Overdose. Which wasn’t like him at all. Owen was an asshole,sure. But he wasn’t into drugs. Charlotte hasn’t said anything, but we’re both thinking it. This guy she’s been dating, Louie, I’m almost positive he had something to do with it.
I say good riddance, though. That asshole broke my best friend’s heart and wasted years of her youth. Do I think he deserved to die? Probably not, but I’m not sad about it either. My emotions are also easily deflected, my walls so high when it comes to caring about anyone that isn’t Charlotte or Rachel. I would do anything for those two women.
Even jumping on a plane in the middle of the night to fly across the country. It’s not as hard being back here as I thought it would be. There are loads of things to distract me. For an insomniac such as myself, this is the perfect city. There’s always something happening. I’m trying out theglass is half fullthing.
“Blot,” I tell Charlotte after painting her lips a bright red and holding some folded tissue up to her mouth.
She does as instructed without complaint. I know she’s doing it for me. She actually hates being my Barbie. It helps take my mind off the fact that I’m here. In Vegas. Again. I won’t allow my past to dictate my happiness, which is why whenever thosethoughts come up, I shove them down and refocus on my friend.
“I think this is my best work yet!” I exclaim, spinning Charlotte around so she can look in the mirror.
“Holy shit.” Charlotte gasps the moment she sees her reflection.
I’ve put her in a tiny white dress with a low-cut neck and a high-cut hem. It fits her like a glove. I packed it just for her. I’ll admit I was nervous about putting her in white. I wasn’t sure if it’d give off wedding vibes.
“You look fuckable,” I tell her. “It’s a real shame I’m not into girls.”
“I think Louie would kill you if you tried to hit on me.” Charlotte laughs and then suddenly stops. Her eyes widen. “I’m a horrible person, Evie.” She slumps onto the bed.
“Why would you think that?” I ask her.
“Because Owen is dead, and it’s my fault.” She sighs before whispering, “And… I really think Louie did it.”
“Do you want to go home? I will find a way to get you out of this city without anyone knowing.” I don’t know how, seeing as she has a fucking babysitter in the living room. But I will find a way.
“That’s the thing, Evie…” Charlotte looks like she’s about ready to burst into tears.
