"Welcome to Nevada" I read the big sign out loud as I crossed the border into my new life.

I was running.

Running from my past, running from my ex, running from trouble...just running.

I loaded up my Jeep rubicon yesterday and split from Fort Collins, Colorado, late last night.

It was just about lunch time when I rolled up to my friend, Lana's, house. She's letting me stay here with her and even got me a job interview for tomorrow at the club she works at.

I left everything in my Jeep when I got out and stood on the sidewalk, taking in the direct opposite scenery of Colorado that was here in Vegas. It was November, almost Thanksgiving, but it was hot here; a super hot dry heat. It almost takes my breath away.

I looked up at her house, palm trees flanked both sides of her ranch style house that had red clay tiles on the roof.

"Finally!" I heard Lana scream out the front door, snapping me out of taking in the desert wonderland. She came out of the house in cut off shorts that were frayed and torn, a black Harley Davidson tank top and black high heels.

I'm Definitely not in Colorado anymore...She looked a lot different when she left Colorado

She ran down the long paver sidewalk to the curb where I still stood, threw her arms around me and squeezed, making me laugh.

"I just saw you two weeks ago!" I laugh

She released me putting her hands up

"Yeah but that was in the frozen tundra, you're in my playland now bitch! Welcome to Sin City!" She threw her head back and laughed

"Girl I gotta get out of these jeans, it's literally hotter than Hell here"

"You have no idea! Grab your bag, we can go in the pool if you want" she says excitedly

I have only known Lana for about a year but she was good people. I met her in Colorado about 6 months before she moved here. She didn't hesitate to open her home to me.

I pulled out my suitcase, locked my Jeep and followed Lana inside.

"Holy shit" I said shocked at how luxurious it was inside.

It was like old glamorous Vegas. Wide open spaces. All done in black and white with pops of hot pink everywhere. Stainless Steele light fixtures that were big spiked balls hung overhead. It suited Lana for sure.

"Do you like?" She asked spreading her arms open with a huge smile on her face

"It's something else" I say as it's a little too loud for my taste. But there is no way Lana could afford this. Making me wonder what she's been up to since hitting sin city.

"Lana" I try to say in a non accusatory tone "what are you up to?"

Her face falters only slightly holding her smile

"Well...why don't you go change, down that hall, to the left and then the first door on the right" her hands pointing as she directed me

"and we can go outside by the pool and talk?"

"Okay, sounds good" I say dragging my bag down the hall and into my room that was just as glamorous as the other rooms in the house.

With the black and white stripes than ran from the walls and up and over the ceiling, I felt an anxiety attack coming on.

Holy shit breathe

I sat down on the bed and tried to figure out how I ended up in this weird dollhouse like situation.

Fuck you Ryan

With that thought, I grabbed my bag and took out a simple, black, one piece swim suit and white cover up that I had ordered online before coming here. Lana said if all I brought was a swim suit then I'd survive Vegas.

I changed and quickly got out of the claustrophobic bedroom, making a note to start looking for my own place ASAP.

Lana was already outside so I opened the French double doors and headed over to the empty chaise lounger next to her and sat down.

She was in a tiny hot pink string bikini, her skin tanned a beautiful bronze from the six months she's spent here in the sun.

I on the other hand was transparently white from keeping every inch of my skin covered for the past two months, so all traces of my summer tan had vanished. That's why I chose a one piece suit, I didn't want to blind anyone with my white ass.

"Speak the truth and shame the devil" I said to her using one my grams favorite phrases

Lana throws her head back in a loud throaty laugh

"It's not that dramatic Hailey" she says as she turns on her left side on the lounger facing me.

"Right after I moved here I got a job at a club down on Fremont, that's the old Vegas. Anyway, these biker guys came in and well you know I can't resist a bad boy"

I saw exactly where this was going once she said biker.

"Lana, what have you got yourself into?" Immediately thinking of the worst with so much obvious money he'd given her.

"A relationship. His name is James Stanton, everyone calls him "Ghost" But I call him Jimmy. His club rides out of California but he is in the Nevada chapter out of Henderson, I see him often. He comes here to chill sometimes, sometimes days at a time, so he gave me cash to do whatever I wanted to my house because it was just a box before and he didn't like it. And he knew it would make me happy. We're going out later to the clubs, you can meet him. They are in town"

I knew what that meant. After he did something bad he hide out in her house.

"Lana I just drove 12 hours straight in the middle of the night, I'm exhausted and I really don't want to meet any guys, especially bikers, I just got out of a bad relationship. I don't need another criminal bad boy. I just want to start over at 26 years old and live peacefully here in the desert" I protest

"I'm not taking no for an answer. You're in sin city now and it time to shake off that frozen tundra attitude and have fun for one night. I'm not asking you to jump into bed or a relationship, just have some drinks and some fun. Come onnnn" she begs

"You know you want to, just a little fun" she shrugs

"Fine but I'm taking a nap first and I'm getting in that pool" I say smiling, deciding fuck it, one night won't kill me. I need a little fun.