Las Vegas
1423 Words
"Hey, watch it! You made me spill my drink!" Alexander curses, the red wine in his hand splashing against his shirt as the car swerves through traffic. "Slow down!"
"My apologies sir, it won't happen again," the driver replies, steading the vehicle and decreasing his speed.
"Calm down Al... You told Riley you wanted to reach there quickly and when he rushes you complain about his driving?" A voice opposite of him speaks up.
Alexander's blue eyes regard his friend with a brow raised.
"He made my drink spill Ethan," Alexander says sternly.
Ethan shakes his brown locks as he looks at his friend. Alexander is in a grey suit which is now sporting a red stain on its right sleeve, his blonde hair is short and gelled back and his face holds a grimace.
"Same old Alexander, the spoiled daddy's boy," Ethan says as he fixes his black suit jacket so he can sit more comfortably.
Alexander narrows his eyes, snapping at Ethan. "... and you're the same Ethan Monroe IV that's trying to live up to his great, great grandfather's legacy."
"Touché my friend," Ethan smiles, amused before grabbing a glass and pouring some wine. "Now enough bickering, I'm getting married in three days and I want to enjoy my last days as a free man."
Alexander smiles at his friend with a glint of mischief. "... and where else to celebrate but in Las Vegas, the city that never sleeps."
They both share a look as the limo rolls into the city of Las Vegas. The lights shine through the windows lightening up the dimly lit, black interior of the vehicle.
Alexander places his wine glass in a holder to his left and stands opening the skylight window of the limo. He climbs up and looks out at the scenery in awe and excitement.
Buildings light up around him, some bearing billboards of women, drinks, and signs with the business names. The music is loud, the traffic is clustered and people roam the streets looking for fun.
His kind of place.
Alexander watches as three ladies walk by in clothing that barely covers their assets and wolf whistles at them, gain their attention.
"Looking good ladies!"
Damn.
"Thanks," they chorus as the limo passes by and he winks, causing them to blush.
Being away from the hassle of his work is what Alexander is looking forward to, a distraction and Las Vegas is the perfect place for that. Maybe he'll have a one night stand, get drunk and try his luck at the casinos... but one thing he knows, he has to make the best of this break.
He comes back down to sit in his seat, glancing at Ethan whose eyes are glued to his phone screen, earphones in his ears.
That big goofy grin on Ethan's face confirms Alexander's suspicion of who the caller is and he rolls his eyes.
Whipped.
Reaching over he tries to snatch the phone which Ethan doesn't give up without a fight until finally, Alexander sits back with the device in his hand.
He plugs out the headphone and looks at the screen.
'Alexander,' Sasha replies flatly as his face comes on screen.
"Video chatting your husband-to-be over the phone days before the wedding is bad luck you know," he says as he takes in her appearance.
A redhead with pink luscious lips and blue eyes. She's in one of Ethan's shirts and her hair is in a messy bun.
She's hot but not Alexander's type plus his buddy Ethan has already called dibs on her. He would also castrate Alexander if he places a hand on her. Not that he would he values their friendship too much.
'It's the night before the wedding jackass. Not like you'd know that seeing as though wedding bells are nowhere in your future,' she says with sass and I roll my eyes. 'Now give my Etee–wee–tee the phone.'
I laugh at her name for him, earning glares from both. "Fine I'll give your Etee–wee–tee the phone but after today please limit your calling. We'll be too busy having fun on this retreat to answer. I advise minimum texting."
'Like I'll listen to you. Give my fiancé the phone and don't you dare make him do anything stupid this weekend. I don't want my life to be a knock off of the movie Very bad things.'
"Yeah sure," he mumbles before tossing Ethan the phone.
He watches as his friend talks happily with his wife-to-be and he shakes his head. There's only one thing other than good s*x that can whip a man like that and that one thing is...
Love.
***
"Carmen! Slow down," Tanya says as she walks backstage.
They had just performed the eight o'clock dance ten minutes ago and they are still in their costumes.
Tanya walks down the brunette watching as she runs in those killer heels.
Carmen and Tanya wear similar outfits, a black monokini outfit which includes black fishnet stockings, a bow tie and a fedora. The front of the outfit looks like a suit with a printed vest and buttons on it.
"Carmen!" she yells dodging dancers as they rush to the stage for another performance.
Fuck these heels hurt.
Carmen slips through a grey door into the dressing room and Tanya follows.
She is greeted by rows of vanity tables with lights adorning the mirrors' frames. The ladies are chattering and applying makeup, preparing for the rush hours. Tanya makes her way towards Carmen's area and she wipes the sweat from her forehead as she spots the dancer.
Carmen sits in the corner of the room with a frown on her face and sweat beading her forehead.
"Carmen, what's wrong?" Tanya asks as she stoops before dropping her ass to the ground and pulling off her heels.
"It's Marcos," she says shakily, her Spanish accent deep and prominent. "He was supposed to pick up James so I can work an extra shift but he skipped town and I just heard about it minutes after I accepted the overtime. The nanny has to leave at nine and now, I have no one to watch him... a-and I can't bring him here Tomás wouldn't have any of that. I don't know what to do."
Tanya watches as her forehead creases and she starts to breathe hard. Being a single mom at twenty-one takes a toll on her and the fact that she's a showgirl without a steady schedule makes it worse.
Tanya observes the bags under her eyes and frown. She's been taking overtime for the last month, she must be tired.
"Carmen, Carmen, Carmen! Relax. Go home to James, I'll take your spot," Tanya says to Carmen causing her eyes to light up as she stares at Tanya like she's a beckon of hope.
"... but you don't know the dance moves," she says as she frowns.
"I've seen the routine, have you forgotten that I helped you practice a few times? Go home, it'll be fine."
"... but I can't ask you to do that. What about your plans for tonight?" Carmen protests.
"I was just going to watch TV and go to bed. Carmen, go home to your son," Tanya says as she places her hands on Carmen's shoulders reassuringly.
"Okay, mil gracias," she says hugging Tanya. "I'll go tell the girls about the changes."
With that, she rushes off and Tanya sighs.
The things she does for these girls.
In truth, Tanya is beat and needs to go home and rest but the predicament Carmen is in makes her look past that and offer to fill in for her.
You can call it foolish or helpful but she's stuck doing it now.
She walks to her station, sitting on the chair in front of the mirror and yawns. Her eyes sweep over her reflection. Puffy dark brown eyes, a face of dark complexion with a dab of makeup, plump lips covered with red lipstick and black glossy hair in a high ponytail.
Yup... She's beautiful and smart, yet here she is...
When her mother told her she was going places, she's almost a hundred percent sure her mother wasn't thinking about a show house in Vegas.
...but whether Tanya likes it or not this is where she's at and it's paying her bills.
A red outfit is dropped on her table and her eyes meet Carmen's.
"The costume, I hope it fits," Carmen has changed into a blue skin tight dress with black pumps and her black handbag is clutched to her side.
"Okay, it'll be fine. Now go home and say hi to papito for me," Tanya says and Carmen smiles.
"I will... Thank you again..."
After bidding Tanya farewell Carmen exits the room.
Tanya holds up the costume looking at the skimpy thing and sighs. The things we women have to do to make ends meet. She throws the garment over her shoulder and walks towards the dressing room.
Another night as a Las Vegas showgirl.
- Writer
