First published 2023
Dove works the bar at a Las Vegas casino, mixing drinks and making conversation with the gamblers. She's a recovering alcoholic whose Emily Dickinson tattoos tell their own story about her past. Russell walks into her world on a winning streak, claiming he manages chain restaurants. But Dove notices things that don't add up about his story. His mannerisms suggest different talents than food service. When her shift ends, they leave the casino together. The night takes a violent turn when their facades crumble. What started as attraction becomes a deadly confrontation. Both Dove and Russell discover that survival means abandoning all pretense. This short story appears in the collection Obsession, where characters face situations that strip away everything they thought they knew about themselves and others.
Genres: fiction, suspense, mystery, crime, contemporary, psychological-thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Las Vegas
39 pages · Kindle Edition · Amazon Original Stories
Content warnings: addiction, alcohol-abuse, violence