Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 65054 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65054 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
“I don’t think my body is meant to be in the air,” she groans.
“There’s a bathroom just there,” I say, pointing behind her.
She nods, quickly unfastens her seatbelt, and rushes to the bathroom. I watch her go and can’t help wondering if she’s really sick or just wanted to get away from me.
11
SOFIA
The second we deplane in Vegas, I start sweating. My blouse sticks to my back before we even make it to the car, and I instantly regret everything I packed for this trip. I was going for New York chic, not Vegas hot. Now I’m praying to whatever god will listen that my setting spray holds my makeup together.
“Jesus,” I mutter as we slide into the town car waiting for us, mercifully freezing inside. “Is this the tenth circle of hell?”
“Depends on who you ask.” Dominic chuckles, looking down at his phone, thankfully, and not at my sweaty, frizzed-out mess.
“Please tell me all of our meetings are inside,” I beg. “Otherwise, I might melt.”
He smiles again but doesn’t answer, which isn’t a good sign. If I have to suffer this heat after already being queasy on the plane, I just might kill someone. Dominic is the closest, which makes him the most likely target.
“It’s just two days,” he reminds me.
The car pulls away from the private landing strip, and we head out through the desert. It’s already getting dark, so there isn’t much to see. How can it be this goddamn hot when the sun isn’t even up? Then, like a beacon in the distance, the Vegas Strip swims into view, almost overwhelming against the blackness of the desert.
I feel like a child, pressing my nose to the window for a better look as we roll through it all, past casinos and restaurants and luxury hotels. It’s still early here, only 8:30, but with the time change, I’m beat. As fun as it is to be in a city I’ve never seen, all I want is to sink into a cool bed and shut the world out.
“Impressive, no?” Dominic mutters to me, without even looking up.
“How would you know?” I ask. “Your eyes are glued to your phone.”
He smirks. “This isn’t my first time in Vegas, Sofia.”
I just roll my eyes and sit back for the rest of the drive. We finally pull up to the hotel, and the driver opens my door and lets me out. Dominic follows, gracefully adjusting his suit. The moment we’re out of the car, an important-looking man steps forward to greet us.
“Mr. Vieri,” he greets. “Ms. Bellini. Welcome to Las Vegas.”
“Julian,” Dominic answers as congenially as he can. “Thanks for having us.”
The two men shake hands before two bellhops appear, seemingly from out of nowhere, and grab our bags. Then, the man escorts us through the massive lobby, past a bank of elevators, and to a private lift that requires his key card.
Dominic doesn’t react at all, so this must be completely normal to him, but my head is reeling. There have to be hundreds of people milling around the lobby. The check-in line is long, and plenty of the tourists already look drunk and angry.
“Is this your first time in Las Vegas, Ms. Bellini?” Julian asks me.
“It is,” I squeak out. I do somehow manage to stop myself before I tell him it’s my first time leaving New York.
“I have lots of recommendations if you’d like to see the Strip this evening.”
“All I want to see is my room,” I tell him off-handedly, too tired to care if I’m being rude.
Dominic chuckles next to me.
“Very good, ma’am,” Julian says, ever the professional.
When the elevator opens, we all step inside. Julian swipes his card again, and the car starts moving without him pressing a single button. It’s a fairly long ride, and I realize we must be going all the way to the top.
When the doors open, we’re in a penthouse. Floor-to-ceiling windows look out over the Vegas Strip, marble floors gleam, and the furniture is more luxurious than anything I’ve ever seen. There’s a small kitchen and dining area too. Thankfully, the two bedrooms sit on opposite sides.
The bellhops wait patiently, and Dominic looks at me expectantly.
“Which room do you want?” he asks.
“Oh.” I blink rapidly and look between the two. From where I’m standing, they look exactly the same to me. I just pick one. “That one,” I answer lamely.
“Very good,” our guide answers, snapping for one of the bellhops to take my small bag to the room I’ve chosen, while the other heads toward Dominic’s room.
“If you need anything at all,” Julian says to Dominic, “you know where to find me.”
Dominic nods and shakes his hand again. I’m pretty sure there’s a wad of cash there, but it isn’t my place to notice or care. I just mumble a goodnight and head off to my room.