Episode 3

Patricia's POV

We got into Daniela's car, leaving behind the betrayal and pain, and embarked on a journey towards freedom. That's what she said, at least.

After hours on the road, the dark and silent desert broke with the glimmer of a city that seemed like a mirage. Entering Las Vegas, I felt like we were crossing a portal to another world. The city wasn't just a place, it was a chaotic symphony of lights and sounds. The hotels rose towards the sky like giants made of neon and glass, each one an architectural fantasy. There was a replica of the Eiffel Tower shining with thousands of lights, a giant pyramid projecting a beam of light into the sky, and ships sailing through artificial canals. The atmosphere was filled with a frenetic energy. The multitude of people, the flashes of cameras, and the constant announcements of shows created a spectacle in itself. It was the "unleashing" that Daniela had promised me: a place to drown the pain and lose oneself in the glitter and chaos.

"You're crazy, but thanks for your craziness," I shouted, as my eyes danced from one place to another.

"Just trust your crazy friend. You'll see that tonight you'll forget about everything bad and, who knows, maybe you'll find the love of your life," she said, laughing heartily.

Daniela always had a new idea. Normally, I would escape her crazy ideas, but, given my bad day, she had dragged me to this place. She dragged me inside the nightclub, a place that seemed from another dimension. A roar of electronic music hit me, making the floor vibrate beneath my feet. The air was saturated with the scent of alcohol, sweat, and expensive perfume.

The place was a maze of neon lights, shooting from the ceiling and walls, creating geometric patterns that hypnotized the crowd. A gigantic kinetic chandelier of LED lights rose and descended over the dance floor, changing color and shape to the rhythm of the DJ, who looked like a god on his altar.

Hundreds of bodies danced together, moving like a single tide. People shouted, laughed, and lost themselves in an energy that had no brakes. I watched the crowd: men in elegant suits, women in tight dresses and sky-high heels. Everyone seemed to be looking for the same thing: to lose themselves in the moment.

Daniela took my hand and led me through the sea of people, making her way to a reserved area. In that corner, amidst the opulence and unleashing, Daniela looked into my eyes with a knowing smile.

"See? This is what you need. A place where the past doesn't exist, only the now."

I let myself get carried away by the excitement. We entered the dance floor and unleashed ourselves, releasing the sorrows that plagued us. The music at full volume, the liquor running down my throat, and the adrenaline of the moment made me forget about Richard the bastard and my sister the traitor. Euphoria took over me.

I didn't know when Daniela walked away, but I didn't care. Knowing how she was, she was probably looking for a guy to flirt with. Suddenly, I started to feel dizzy, as if I were in a whirlwind. In a moment of clarity, I decided to go to the bathroom. On the way, I stumbled upon a muscular man. Colliding with him was like colliding with a stone wall. I lost my balance for a moment.

He took me by the waist, pulling me forcefully to his chest. His scent, a mixture of sandalwood and something wild, transported me to an unknown place. My skin, upon contact with his, burned as if flames were consuming me. The heat of his body completely enveloped me. Our eyes met and, for a moment, the whole world stopped. His eyes, a deep honey color, were mesmerizing and seemed capable of erasing my memory.

"You should be more careful," he said with a cold and distant voice.

"I'm sorry," I replied with a smile, feeling unusually daring. "Actually, I'm not sorry, because thanks to my clumsiness I was able to see the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen in my life."

"You are a very naughty girl. Better go back to your friends and watch what you say. Not everyone would resist taking advantage of you," his voice, deep and hoarse, was an invitation to be even more cheeky.

"I think my only friend abandoned me, and if you want, you can take advantage of me as much as you want... You're very handsome, you make me want to eat those sensual and fleshy lips."

I saw a small smile at the corners of his lips. He was the ideal man to get that stupid Richard out of my head. However, he walked away from me, leaving me standing in the middle of the long hallway. My self-esteem plummeted. I was offering myself, and he simply left. In the end, it was time to go back to the hotel. I couldn't find Daniela anywhere and she wasn't answering her phone.

I ordered a taxi hoping that my friend was at the hotel. It wasn't the first time she had done something like that; she was an expert at disappearing and suddenly appearing. Upon arrival, my steps were erratic and it was hard for me to stay steady. As I walked down the long hallway to my room, a man came up to me and, seeing my condition, began to bother me.

"Come on, beautiful, I have a room in this same hotel and we can have a great time," he said, dragging me with him.

"Let go of me, don't touch me! I don't know you and, even if I did, I would never spend the night with such a disgusting being," I shouted, struggling to get him to release me.

"You'll see that after being with me you'll be left wanting more," he whispered in my ear. A feeling of disgust rose through my stomach.

"I said let go of me. This is a five-star hotel and I highly doubt they would give a room to a being as repulsive as you."

Despite the fear, I could still defend myself, although my strength wasn't of much use. The man kept dragging me. Suddenly, a manly voice filled the hallway with a warning that made the depraved man release me.

"Listen to the lady. If you don't let her go right now, I'll end your existence."

I turned and saw the handsome man from the nightclub. Without thinking twice, I ran to his side, sheltering behind his muscular body. I don't know if it was destiny or just luck, but now I was grateful for having run into such a man.

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