Page 1 of One Wild Ride

ONE

Aria

“I peed myself,” my best friend, Morgana Drake, whispered to me.

We sat in a cold, dim room. Despite the darkness, my skin prickled from the glare I knew was coming from the towering, muscle-bound man standing by the door. The hoodie he wore shadowed his face, making him appear even more menacing. Like some thug waiting for a pretty young blond like myself to take a wrong turn down a dark alley.

Only, we weren’t in an alley. We were somewhere much worse. Somewhere, that if Morgana, Evaleen Bechmann, and I screamed at the top of our lungs no one but this thug and his equally menacing friend would hear.

We were in downtown Chicago in one of the tallest building in the city where the top floor was the home of the wealthiest resident: A. Hawthorne.

But we were in the basement garage of that building in a tiny room surrounded by cinder blocks and one door. In other words, I should be scared.

I smirked. “Why are you hiding by the door? Afraid I might bite?”

I wasn’t frightened.

Growling for added effect, I kept my eyes trained on the hoodie guy by the door.

“Aria,” Morgana whisper-screamed at me.

I laughed at our ridiculous situation. Laughed because these guys only wanted to scare us. We weren’t tied to these chairs. They looked tough, but I’ve been around men who were the stuff of nightmares. Hoodie and his friend, Buzz Cut, were like boy scouts compared to them.

“What are they going to do to us, Morgana? Take us to some warehouse and brainwash us to take over the government? Come on.” I snorted and rolled my eyes at my redheaded friend.

“You never answered us. Why are you here with the paintings?” Buzz Cut moved forward and into the light. His dirty blond spikes almost disappearing under the harsh glow of the hanging lamp.

“That’s none of your business. Why would we tell you anything? We don’t even know who you are.” Evaleen’s blue eyes narrowed as she leaned toward him.

I liked Evaleen. She worked with my roommate, Morgana, so I’ve only known her less than two months but she’s tough and loyal. The perfect person to have with me when I decided to infiltrate a wealthy recluse’s home.

Despite her blond hair always pulled back into a frumpy schoolmarm style and dressing like one too, she had a no-nonsense approach to life that fit perfectly now.

“My name’s Bradley. That’s all you need to know. Now tell me why you were with the delivery of A. Hawthorne’s paintings or I’ll have you all arrested for trespassing,” he said as his dark eyes narrowed.

Evaleen snorted while Morgana whimpered.

Hoodie moved closer, hiding the most stellar gray eyes I’d ever seen beneath his hood. He concealed that secret weapon well. When Morgana, Evaleen, and I first arrived and got out of the delivery van, Hoodie was the one who grabbed me and pulled me into this room.

The light in the garage was faint but his gaze hit me like a bolt through thick smoke. Those pale gray eyes caused me to make a wish—to kiss him.

Unfortunately, I never got the chance to make good on my wish.

The men thought it odd that three women were helping to deliver some paintings when the actual delivery guy and his assistant were perfectly capable of doing it themselves. At least Hoodie and Buzz Cut weren’t dumb. I knew it was risky to pass ourselves off as part of the delivery team, but I had to come here.

When the wealthiest man in the city, if not the country, buys your paintings, you want to shake his hand. And I was giddy to catch a glimpse of the famously withdrawn A. Hawthorne.

“That’s funny, Bradley. Since when is being in a garage trespassing. For all the police know we were only looking for our car. Besides, you two strong-armed us ladies into a dark, closed off room. Even if A. Hawthorne can buy off the police to cover this up, I don’t think he can do a thing about us keeping it off social media.” Evaleen smirked.

That’s my girl.

Thugs may have muscles, but brains will always win in the end. A smart person would know not to let fear and emotions cloud their judgment. Bullies rely too heavily on their emotions to know better.

Bradley didn’t seem to like what Evaleen had to say. His eyes widened, and he went over to Hoodie. They whispered and as much as I leaned forward I couldn’t make out their words.

Hoodie finally came into the light. His eyes, turning to me, burned and seemed to brighten the room just enough to cause my heart to take notice.

He pulled down his hood to reveal thick dark hair that dusted his ears. And his skin, smooth and tan. I wondered if he lived in a country full of sun and sand and was forced to the cold, concrete-blanketed Chicago as punishment.

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