What Happens in Vegas

✨Chapter 2: The Morning After

POV: Sebastian "Bash" Harrington

Sebastian stood in silence, staring blankly through the floor-to-ceiling windows of his penthouse suite as Vegas awakened below him. The sunlight felt cruelly bright, stripping away the easy anonymity darkness had given him just hours ago. Everything was exactly as he left it—except him. Something felt strangely different, unsettled within his chest, a lingering ache he couldn't explain away.

He rubbed his forehead roughly, hoping to erase her from his memory. Yet each time he closed his eyes, Aria’s delicate face returned sharply, teasing him with memories of her laughter, her warmth, and the trust that had made him feel undeservedly whole. Frustration tightened his jaw, because that night should've been meaningless. He had a rule—no attachments, no complications—and Aria Bennett was rapidly becoming both.

Checking his watch, Sebastian knew he needed to leave. His flight back to London was waiting, a sleek jet ready to whisk him away from Vegas, from impulsivity, and most importantly—from her. He packed quickly, methodically ignoring the bed still tangled with sheets that smelled distinctly of her perfume. He forced himself to stop wondering what she'd think waking up alone; surely, she'd expected nothing more.

Yet his stomach twisted uncomfortably as he left the room. Sebastian hated feeling guilty, especially for doing exactly what they’d agreed—leaving Vegas as a hidden secret, nothing more. But Aria had felt different. One reckless night with her had stirred emotions he wasn't prepared for, emotions that were dangerous for someone like him.

Sebastian stepped onto the waiting jet, sinking into soft leather seats, trying to erase her smile from his mind. Vegas shrunk below, quickly replaced by clouds that blurred into grey skies. London waited ahead, cold and serious—the exact opposite of everything Aria symbolized. His jaw clenched again; he couldn't afford to dwell on this. Emotions complicated things, and complications were never welcome in his life.

Landing in London felt like a return to chains he knew all too well. The rain softly drummed against the limo windows as he rode silently toward Harrington Tower. Each drop seemed determined to remind him that his life wasn't truly his own; he was bound by family obligations, wealth, and expectations. Sebastian straightened instinctively, his mask returning—the poised billionaire's heir with no weaknesses, no regrets, no distractions.

Yet Aria still haunted him.

He barely noticed entering the impressive lobby of Harrington Tower, nodding absently at the employees who greeted him with practiced smiles. His mind was tangled elsewhere—back in Vegas, trapped in that suite where he'd felt briefly free. Sebastian’s fists curled at his sides. Freedom was an illusion; he knew that, but she'd made him almost believe otherwise.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed insistently, snapping him from his thoughts. Seeing Camilla Royce's name flash across his screen felt like a splash of cold water—jarring, unwelcome, yet impossible to ignore. Sebastian exhaled sharply, his mood darkening immediately. Camilla, beautiful, manipulative, always scheming—his former fiancée who still believed she held some claim over him.

Her text read simply:

"I know exactly where you've been. Call me. Now."

Sebastian’s pulse quickened with irritation and dread, a strange mix he always associated with Camilla. He dialed quickly, ignoring the bitterness building in his chest. The familiar, syrupy-sweet sound of her voice instantly grated against his nerves. Camilla spoke softly, delivering threats wrapped neatly as concern, each word calculated precisely to unnerve him.

She knew he'd spent the night with someone in Vegas, though not yet the details. Sebastian felt an instant rush of protectiveness toward Aria, even if he tried to suppress it. He hated the idea of Camilla’s manipulative fingers reaching into this brief moment of happiness he'd allowed himself. Anger surged within him, bitter, raw, and dangerous.

Ending the call abruptly, Sebastian stormed into his office, heart thundering with anxiety and rage. His composure cracked just slightly—enough to remind him how easily Aria had slipped beneath his armor. He glared at the grey London skies, frustrated at how helpless he felt against Camilla's interference. He hated himself for being reckless, for giving Camilla ammunition to hurt someone he barely knew but inexplicably wanted to protect.

In that moment, he realized Aria had become more than just a secret—she was now a vulnerability. Sebastian wasn't used to vulnerability; he didn't know how to protect himself from something he couldn't control. Anger welled again, aimed not at Camilla but himself. He shouldn't have let Vegas happen. One impulsive night had opened doors he couldn't shut, and Aria was the one person he knew could slip past every barrier he'd ever built.

Deep in thought, he failed to notice Leo stepping cautiously into his office, a question lingering in his curious eyes. Sebastian shook off his brother’s inquisitive look, unwilling to admit even silently how one woman had turned his carefully crafted world upside down. Leo said nothing, but the knowing glance he gave Sebastian revealed he sensed the disturbance beneath his brother’s careful mask.

As the door closed softly behind Leo, Sebastian let out a weary sigh. He knew returning to London would be complicated, but he'd underestimated how much Vegas—and Aria—would follow him home. The billionaire life, controlled and predictable, suddenly felt hollow. Now he yearned irrationally for the chaos he'd experienced with her, the reckless freedom that left his heart racing.

Sebastian stared blankly ahead, conflicted. He knew she would fade eventually. Everyone faded, eventually. Yet, he wasn't so certain this time. Aria Bennett wasn't like any other woman he'd known; she’d slipped into his bloodstream, dangerous and unforgettable.

Below, unnoticed by Sebastian, a sleek black car pulled away from Harrington Tower. Camilla Royce sat inside, her expression darkly satisfied, eyes narrowing dangerously. She held photos—candid shots of Sebastian and Aria from their night together in Vegas. Her carefully planned vengeance was just beginning, her jealousy simmering beneath layers of ice-cold determination.

Sebastian Harrington had unknowingly awakened a storm, and Aria Bennett was now trapped at its heart. What had started as a reckless night was quickly becoming a twisted game neither of them could escape. And as rain began to pour harder, Sebastian unknowingly stood at the center of Camilla's dangerous plans—unprepared for just how tangled their lives had already become.