Page 39 of Awakened by Sin

“Back?”

“To yourself. You’re not moping around like a wannabe biker chick anymore. You’re Carmen. You can’t waste that look,” he said with mock solemnity.

“What do you mean?”

“Tell me you’re not going home to watch TV. We need to go out like old times.”

Carmen grinned. “Just tell me when and where and I’m there.”

6

Carmen pulledup to a Pyre Casino and took the hand of the valet who reached in to help her out. She unfurled from the car, grabbed her silver clutch, and headed toward the casino. Her hair bounced with every step, and the skintight dress with long sleeves and an open back hugged every curve. She wore the highest heels she owned, which made her feel invincible. She knew from experience that the diamond choker would catch the light and sparkle like a fucking disco ball. She felt like a million dollars, and the stares from the men and women confirmed it.

She absorbed the energy from the crowd as she blazed a path through the throng. She was ready to dance, drink, and drown herself in Sin City delights. A night on The Strip was a gamble, and she loved tossing the dice. She would take whatever came her way. No plans or responsibilities, just impulse and pleasure.

She ignored the losers who catcalled and the ones who tried bad pickup lines. She was an Amazonian, and Amazonians didn’t bother with boys. Maybe luck would be on her side tonight, and she’d find someone who could rev her engine. Her body hummed with energy.

Shonda, Keenan, and the other stylists were standing in line to enter Ecstasy. Carmen waved them over, and they ducked under the velvet ropes.

“Girl,” Shonda said and looked her over, “you look amazing!”

“Thanks to you! Come on, let’s get drunk.”

Carmen linked her arm through Shonda and Keenan’s and led the way to the entrance. The bouncers recognized her and held up the line so she and her squad could pass. She thanked them with a big smile and ignored the slew of insults from those waiting in line.

“Oh my fucking God,” Keenan breathed.

Ecstasy was a small, intimate club. For that reason, they were extremely selective of who entered. The club was built like an amphitheater with wide stairs for people to dance on since it was standing room only. The top tier of the club had a white backlight to highlight the silhouettes of the professional dancers. The floor glowed a glassy blue that made it seem as if they were wading into a sea of exotic people. Carmen and Keenan made a beeline for the dance floor while most of the girls headed to the bar.

Keenan wore a see-through plaid button up shirt and the tightest pants she had ever seen. He wasted no time twerking and grinding his butt against her crotch. Carmen laughed as she moved with him.

“Rules!” Keenan barked. “If he’s bi, then I get first dibs!”

She ran her hand down his chest and breathed, “If I want him, I’ll have him.”

“You’re so greedy!” he protested.

“I’m starving,” she said as she wrapped her arms around his waist and bucked her hips against his ass.

Keenan glanced back at her, brows raised. “If you do that in the bedroom, no man will leave you!”

“I know!” she shouted back.

Keenan shook his head. “Damn, girl. Let’s do this!”

Keenan had energy to spare. They took turns grinding against one another before Keenan spotted a group of gay men dancing outrageously on the fringes of the crowd. Carmen headed in their direction but was redirected by Shonda and the girls who joined her on the floor. They cheered as a Beyoncé hit blasted through the speakers. Carmen downed the drink they handed her. She couldn’t decipher the complicated mix of liquor and didn’t really care since it made her feel as if she had wings.

When the girls were ready to bounce, they searched for Keenan and pried him away from his new friends. Keenan’s shirt was unbuttoned, proudly displaying his new hickey. They laughed and stumbled into Kaleidoscope. It wasn’t a Pyre club, but they breezed in anyway because they looked so damn fine. The club had neon strobe lights and a DJ who knew what he was doing. They refueled at the bar before they made it to the dance floor, which was filled with half-naked people who were having a grand time. She accepted Shonda’s dare and took a shot glass from a man’s underwear using only her mouth before she headed to the dance floor.

Around two in the morning, they stumbled into Incognito. Carmen accepted a scarlet lace mask at the door and surveyed the crowd. There was a distant twinge in the region of her heart. She would never be able to enter this club and not think of Vinny. She made a beeline for the bar. Two shots later, she was feeling remarkably lightheaded and fuzzy. She headed to the main floor and danced with a bunch of strangers she would never see again.

Even though her feet felt like they were about to fall off and her calves were cramping, she kept going. The energy of the crowd was infectious. These people were living at the moment. No one was thinking about the consequences of tomorrow, so neither would she. When she found herself in the middle of a hot man sandwich, she didn’t try to get away. Her dress was now plastered to her body with sweat, and she didn’t give a shit. The feel of two hot muscular bodies pressed against her felt fantastic.

When one man tried to lift the back of her dress, she shoved him away and boogied through the crowd. Stupid men, always ruining her fun. She was a tease, yes, but that didn’t mean she was an easy game for just anyone.

She moseyed aimlessly through the crowd in a euphoric state of bliss. The press of bodies, the liquor, and the drugging music made her happy to be alive. She didn’t take being petted and kissed personally. She understood the need for human contact better than most. Besides, that was why most people were here—to live out their fantasy of hooking up with a stranger. That was part of the club scene, and something she’d been doing since her teenage years. The night swirled with possibilities, and she loved that about Las Vegas. Anything was possible in this desert oasis.

She cast her eye over the VIP section and felt her giddy delight dip when she spotted Regal, a sleazy pimp known for his brutal treatment of his girls. He dressed all in white with at least ten gold necklaces resting against his wifebeater. He was surrounded by women who were clearly on something. Regal was all flash and no brains. How he managed to stay in the game was beyond her. A nerdy man with a sour face sat on the edge of the booth, glaring at Regal, who looked like he was getting a hand job beneath the table.

---