Chasing Ghosts | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 100: Viva Las...

It's a bit all over the place and it could have been better, but here's a small insight into Kat's party.

May 26, 2026

With a tug, the blindfold fell from Katya's eyes. She blinked rapidly, trying to get her eyes to adjust. But before she could even try to begin scanning her surroundings, Laura yelled in her ear,

''Welcome to Sin City!''

And that's when the bright lights and the heat made sense.

''Oh, my god!'' Katya exclaimed, clapping her hands together with enthusiasm, nearly jumping up and down in her spot.

Las Vegas. They took her to Vegas.

From the door opening of the Stark jet, on some dark landing strip on the edge of the city, she heard it calling out her name. Surprisingly, she'd never been here, but it had always been on her bucket list. In Vegas, nobody cared about your past or present. Strange things were not strange, and it was a lawless town. Or, at least, it felt that way, and that's what had always drawn her to it.

Sit in the bar all day, sipping margaritas? No judgement. Wasting all your savings in the casinos? No judgement again. Get married by an Elvis impersonator with someone you met yesterday? Literally nobody cares.

''Nat approved this?'' She asked, electricity running through her veins. Impatience tugged at her entire being, the kind where she wanted to have seen the whole city already. Like a kid standing at the entrance to Disneyland.

''Oh, yes.'' Laura smirked, pressing a folded note into her hands. The paper nearly tore in half because of the speed she used to open it. ''Happy stripping! <3'' it read, in Natasha's handwriting.

Katya teared up theatrically, staring at the drawn heart. ''She knows me so well.''

Natasha may have been insecure about losing her to strangers once upon a time, but her confidence in Katya's feelings for her and their relationship had grown incredibly strong to the point where she blindly trusted her. Some random, beautiful strippers from the city of temptations were not considered a threat.

One of Katya's friends behind her shouted, ''To the strippers!'' to which the others repeated it with the same enthusiasm, gathering their suitcases and storming out of the jet. Poor Happy—their pilot today—looked like he wished a car would run him over, helping seven hysterical women put their luggage in the back of the waiting limousine. These antics may be giving him flashbacks to Tony's party days.

The air in the limo was buzzing. The women could not stop talking over each other, reaching for more drinks in the minibar and nearly spilling them on the pink leather seats. They were unhinged, speculating about the fancy hotel they'd be staying at, the attractive people walking around, the fabulous and rich atmosphere in the casinos. They pointed out tourist attractions, widened their eyes over the grandness of this city, and clearly embodied those kids at Disneyland.

Katya was happy to watch them, a huge grin on her cheeks as she did so. No alcohol-fueled drunken antics on her part, but that meant she was sober to see her friends stumble into tables and make a fool out of themselves. And somehow, that was better. Their enthusiasm and joy made her bachelorette to the party it was supposed to be.

''This is our hotel?!'' May called out when the limo came to a stop. ''It can't be. Right?''

Katya whipped around in her seat, craning her neck to look up at the building. ''Nat...'' She breathed, the tip of her nose touching the window. The scoffed laugh leaving her lips fogged up a small part of the glass. ''You're crazy.'' She shook her head in disbelief, mentally scolding her wife for getting them rooms here, at one of the most luxurious hotels on the Strip.