Page 82 of One Wild Ride

THIRTY-TWO

Alexander

I waited nervously. My knee bounced up and down causing the bed to vibrate as I sat on the edge. I probably had pit stains the size of Nevada under each arm but I didn’t care.

It had been a few days since I’d left Chicago and seen Aria. I wanted to tell her so many times that my mother was bringing me to Vegas to meet my sister for the first time. But every time I opened my mouth something stopped me.

That something was fear and a little bit of selfishness. I wanted to meet her first. To get to know my sister on my terms. I love Aria but this was my time to discover my family.

But more than those selfish needs, I feared if I told Aria, I would have to tell her why my sister disappeared. My grandfather, and the man I thought was my father, were dead, but that didn’t mean there weren’t others willing to silence us. The less Aria knew, the better.

There was a knock at the hotel door and my head shot up. I hesitated for a moment before I stood and made my way to the door.

This was it. The moment I got to meet my twin sister.

I stood in front of the door, refusing to look through the peephole. I wanted this to be the best surprise. Better than any birthday present.

Taking a breath, I opened the door. The woman on the other side was a surprise. My heart raced as I took in her petite form because I knew her.

“Tiffany?” I said staring at her as she nervously bit her bottom lip.

“Hi, uh, hi Alex,” she said without meeting my eyes.

Tiffany fumbled with a cloth bag in her hands before standing on her tiptoes and reaching for my head. She couldn’t seem to do whatever she was trying to do with that bag but that didn’t stop her from trying.

“What are you doing?” I asked as I stepped back before she fell on me.

“I’m trying to get this bag over your head but you are too tall. We should have waited for Evaleen. She would have the height to do this.”

“We? Did my sister send you?”

Is my sister in hiding? Maybe that’s why my mother wanted me to meet her in a hotel and not bring her to Chicago.

“Sister? Aria never said you had a sister,” Tiffany said before giving up on putting the bag over my head.

“Wait, I’m confused.” I held up my hands. “Is Aria here?”

Tiffany groaned. “I’m not supposed to tell you that. Can you just put the bag on your head and come with me? I’m here to help you.”

None of this made sense but the few times I met Tiffany when Aria started to work on the mural, she seemed like a caring and honest person. Maybe she had something to do with my sister. Maybe she was my sister and she needed to play dumb until she took me to a secure location.

I really hated how nothing about my life was normal.

Putting the bag over my head, I let Tiffany pull me out of my room and down the hall. The material was thin enough I could easily see where she was taking me.

“We are going to have so much fun at the bachelorette party tonight. Can’t wait for you to strip for my friends, stripper man,” Tiffany yelled.

“Stripper? What is happening?”

“Shh,” Tiffany whispered. “If anyone sees us I need to make it seem like this is all part of some crazy bachelorette party. Just play along. I have to say, this is a lot of fun kidnapping you.”

Before I could respond to the kidnapping part, a door flew open and Tiffany pushed me inside.

I glanced around and realized I was in a much smaller hotel room. There were only two double beds and a television on the wooden dresser. The golden curtains were drawn shut and the lights were on. Someone stood from the bed and I wondered if that was my sister?

“Take the bag off since I can’t reach,” I heard Tiffany say behind me.

I did as she instructed and gazed at the woman who came toward me from the bed.

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