Dice’s POV

„This is fucking bullshit!” I exclaimed, seeing how all my chips just up and disappeared from my reach. This can’t be happening, this just fucking can’t be happening.

„You wanna cash it in, sweetheart?” I heard Duke’s deep timbre laugh from beside me, pointing out to the two chips I had left. I gave him a death glare, which made him burst into even bigger laughter. I see how it goes, now he’s all fuzzy and lovable drowning in those chips, what had he picked out through the last two hours, like 300 k? This fucking sucked balls!

„Maybe you should try the blackjack table?” MJ implied.

„Nah,” I downed the last drops of my whiskey sour, smashing the glass against the table with a loud thud, swirling those ice cubes in my mouth, before biting them in half, „I’m done with this shit.”

„Oh really,” Ripper gave me the brow from beside me,

„You only lost forty grand, come on, the night’s young,” Duke laughed, going all in on the spades. „Come on, doll, I’ll give you a couple of these chips,”

I shot him a patient look, „You’re about to lose all your chips,” I pointed out to the roulette table. Not once had the ball hit the spades tonight, so I bet he’s gonna lose all his fucking money. Did it look like he cared? Absolutely fucking not. Did it look like I was good with the betting tonight? Absolutely fucking not. Duke just doubled all his chips and I was left to cup my head in despair.

„What kinda Lucky Charms did you eat before coming here?” I let out a frustrated sigh.

„I don’t need Lucky Charms if I have a beautiful girl by my side,” He shot a look back at MJ. Oh, don’t even go there Duke. You’re gonna get yourself burnt, man.

„So are you done?” Ripper asked, while MJ was blushing her night away.

„I fucking hope you are, ‘cause we’re leaving,” I said, pushing myself off the roulette table.

„Oh?” His blues connected with me, „And where are you headed, Batwoman?”

„To the hospital, I hope,” Ripper sighed, shaking his head in disapproval. As much tempting as it sounded – no. I had something far more better planned for the evening. I just had to pop some painkillers and I’d be ready to roll. Whatever I meant by that. Did I know where I wanted to go? Fuck no. I just wanted to get out of here, even more now than before ‘cause I just spotted Matt and Brian walking into the casino.

„Fuck,” I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. Matt was the last thing I needed right now. Did I mention I was trying to avoid him like the motherfucking plague? No? Oh well, I am. I just couldn’t see him right now. Not after what happened at the warehouse.

„What is it—oh,” MJ noticed where my eyes had slid before and nodded in understanding. „You should really talk to him,”

„And you should really mind your own goddamn business,” I snapped, not really intentioned to. „Shit, sorry, I just... I can’t talk to him right now.”

What had happened to me during the last couple of hours was enough to write a horror novel. I tried to figure my way out of the gaping hole, but each time when I remembered how my fist connected with the blondie’s face made me relive through some surreal pieces of my past. I let her live, yet I didn’t know if she actually made out of the warehouse alive. I left her struggling for dear life and I didn’t have any second thoughts about it. Would I do it again? Damn right I would. The smell of the blood was what kept me alive. I was walking a fine line right now and I realized it. My little act of humbleness was what tore me really apart. This could backfire on me. I could be thrown behind bars. A sitting fucking duck. Easy pray for every hunter.

I had only one choice.

One thing to do.

„Duke, I want in.” I stated simply, seconds before Matt and Brian had managed their way to us.

„You... what?!” MJ’s scream was more than a shrill whisper and I knew she was ready to slap the living crap out of me, but this was the only choice. Matt couldn’t be with me. We weren’t meant for each other. His place was with Valary in his luxury house and maybe even a couple of kids strolling those hallways. I was a criminal. A murderer. I wasn’t afraid to take the goddamn gun and fire it.

Duke’s eyes narrowed on me. „Are you sure?”

„No, she’s not fu—„

I held my hand up to silence MJ, „Yeah. I don’t know how to live differently. The shit at the warehouse? That approves it.”

He eyed me for a moment, before shrugging, „Fine.” He said, „You’re in, baby.”

„You’re returning to the clubhouse?” Ripper questioned.

„No. I have my own house.” I replied, seeing Matt’s infuriated face stopping just an inch from me, before he took me by my upper arm and pulled away.

„What the hell do you think you’re doing?” He raged. „Are you fucking ment—„

„And what if I am?” Yea, I was a cheeky bitch. Deal with it. He looked taken aback by my response.

„Do you have any idea how fucking scared I was, Dice?” I have. And that’s the worst part. God knew I loved Matt, but we couldn’t live on like this. I could be with him, fire and ice never did go that well together. He didn’t need me. I was bad news and they had a record coming out. They didn’t need an additional gallon of bad publicity.

„Chill out, man,” I smiled even through the pain, „It’s cool. I’m Batman.”

„What does that supposed to mean?” He frowned, still hooked on to my arm. Was he that afraid that I’d disappear into thin air if he let go of me? Probably would, but hey, have you ever cared to see a magic trick? Boom, baby, and I’m gone. That’s how it goes.

„That I’m not going anywhere,” I smirked. „No, wait, actually I am, so would you be kind enough to let go of me?”

„What are you playing at, Dice?”

„Me?” My eyebrows raised, „Why, I’m not playing at anything. Just gonna enjoy my stay in Vegas, baby.” I looked back over my shoulder, „Come on guys, let’s roll!”

„Where to, Red?” Brian asked, from behind MJ, holding his arms wrapped around her waist.

„Have you ever heard of Race or Die kinda thing?” I couldn’t miss the cocky smirk on Duke’s face, the confused frown on Brian’s and the terrified features of MJ’s. „Well that’s where we’re fucking going. Rip, did you get my Mustang?”

„Yea, Snake’s guarding it with his dear life,” He chuckled.

„Maybe you should try something more biker like, sweety?” Duke questioned, slowly raising from his seat.

„You mean like a Harley?” I sneered, „All in good time, Duke. I’m just gonna play safe for now.”

„Your call,” Duke shrugged, before telling the dealer to cash in his chips for him and leaving the horizon with Ripper. „We’re gonna meet you outside. Oh and by the way, we might have a job for you. Remind me to fill you in when we get to California.”

„’Kay.” I winked, watching them leave.

„What the hell was that?” Matt yelled as soon as they were gone. I shot a short look at MJ to see her facepalming herself. „You better start answering my questions, Dice—„

„—or what? You’re gonna leave me?” I jerked out of his reach, getting a cocked eyebrow from him. „Come on, MJ, let’s go. You can teach Gates how real chicks with balls drive.”

„Please, Dice, don’t,” Did she honestly think those pleading puppy eyes can hold me back from racing?

My eyes squinted on her, „Okay, fine, as you wish. I’m racing. You can be the cheerleader you always dreamed to be.” Just, please, spell my name correctly.

„Dice, please, haven’t you had enough?” She pulled out of Syn’s reach to step forward, placing her hand on my shoulder. My eyes locked on it and I swear if someone’s touching me yet again, particular someone’s jaw’s gonna be broken. She pulled her hand back as if my stare had burnt her. „You’re not thinking clearly,”

„Not thinking clearly? Not fucking thinking clearly?!” Matt raged, „She’s not fucking thinking at all! Gates tell ‘er!”

„Oh no, man, don’t you bring me in to this,” He shook his head. Thank you. Finally someone who’s on my fucking side, „If she wants to get herself killed, it’s her choice.”

„What are you fucking mad? Where you abscent for the last couple of days or what?!”

„I choose ‘or what’.” After a moment of reconsideration he stated simply, getting a disapproving look both from MJ and Matt.

„I knew this was gonna happen,” MJ whispered, circling her temple.

„You knew what was gonna happen?” I frowned.

„This!” She pointed to something that probably was obvious to everyone, but not so obvious to me. „You always get like this in Vegas!”

„So?” I scoffed, „Look, people, I’m just enjoying my life. Sue me if I want a little bit fun in my life after what happened.” Yes, yes indeed, I did just pull that card on them. What a fucking bitch move, right? Well... I don’t fucking care what neither of you think. „You wanna stay here and drown in your self pitty – go ahead. I on the other hand am tired of your bullshit, and leaving. Bye.”

And with that I walked out of the casino, not even caring who I pissed off. Duke and Ripper were already waiting on their Harley’s, kicking away the remainders of their smokes as I walked out.

„Snake’s gonna bring my car right?” I asked as Ripper handed me a healmet.

„Don’t worry about it, everything’s bein’ taken care of,” Duke smiled as I hopped on the bike, feeling it roar wildely between my legs.

„Haven’t felt a real animal between your legs for a real fucking time, huh?” Duke sneered as I wrapped my arms around Ripper’s muscular torso, right at the moment when Matt, Brian and MJ walked out the casino door.

Matt’s eyes grew wide, „You’re not riding with them!”

A large grin stretched on my lips as I raised my middle finger to him, right before Ripper sped off in the night. You think it was easy for me? After I told him I loved him? Well, it was easier to piss him off than to actually talk everything out with him, that’s why I was like this. He can’t fucking be with me. I was born for the night and it happened to be that all the demon’s came out to play right after the twilight.

I had really forgotten how good it felt to be just there, manuevering through the streets, connected to the road, you know? The journey ended a little too quickly, the silence was taken away and switched in to the loud roars of those pure American muscle cars and even louder party sounds.

Vegas. A place where party never ends and people never sleep.

„Welcome to Las Vegas, Dice.” Duke called over his shoulder as we stopped next to a row of show-off cars. Wanna know the difference between racing cars and plain show-off’s? Show off’s where just pieces of metal (at best) that were expensive as fuck, but couldn’t even hit a hundred in ten seconds without overheating, while race cars... well, you get the picture.

My eyes locked on something particular. Something too beautiful to describe it in words. „See something you like?”

„Yea,” I smirked, getting off Ripper’s Harley, „That black Mustang looks really tempting.” That black Mustang that used to be mine.

„Well, well, well, isn’t those the Crimson Dragon’s?” A dark skinned man errupted from the crowd, „Dice, baby, how you been?”

„Never better, Tyler,” I greeted him with a hug, „Hey, do you think that Mustang is up for a race?” I pointed to the black beast in the far right corner.

„Oh baby, everyone’s up for a race here. Race or die, remember?” He chuckled, his browns piercing in to me with a glimpse of humor to them. „It specially those sweet, sweet American muscle’s.”

„Car for car?” I arched my eyebrow.

„You know it.” He nodded.

„Then what are you waiting for, go and get me that car,”

He nodded with a wide grin, before heading off.

Vegas. Always loved this city.

Notes