Page 98 of One Wild Ride

THIRTY-EIGHT

Alexander

I wasn’t happy.

“I’m so sorry, Alex. I can’t believe she said that. Maybe this is another trick from your mom,” Alexa said as she placed a soft hand on my shoulder.

We both sat on the concrete floor in a storage room of a warehouse. When I was brought to this room and had the bag taken off my head, I was happy to find I wasn’t alone—Alexa was here. But when I realized seconds later she was trapped too, all the happiness turned to anger.

There was no window, just a florescent overhead light and one door. I threw my body against the door at least twenty times before I gave up. As I rubbed the pain away from my arm it dawned on me that there was no way out. I opened every box I could find, which contained remote control toy trucks.

At that moment, I wished I had watched MacGyver instead of Get Smart. At least I might be able to make a small bomb using only AA batteries, some wire, and a plastic toy.

What was worse than being trapped with no way out? Hearing every word Aria said to my mother about not wanting to marry me. We must be near where she’s located and heard her heartbreaking words through the vents.

Alexa wanted to scream to let Aria know we were here but I stopped her. What could Aria do? She was trapped like us. Instead we sat quietly, hearing the woman I loved tell the woman I hated that she wanted nothing to do with me.

I already knew anyway. It shouldn’t be a surprise. Aria told me that when we were kidnapped.

But it didn’t stop it from hurting.

“It’s okay. Who can blame her? Look at what being with me brought her.” I waved my arms around the room.

“But it’s not about that. If you love someone, then you do anything for them. Even put up with their crazy mother.” Alexa elbowed me and smiled.

She understood. Laughter was necessary for sanity with families as messed up as ours.

“I would have for her. When she first started to tell me back at the motel, I laughed. Because I was willing to let her go to make her happy. Of course, I was hurt. Of course, I wanted to beg and plead for her to stay. But when I really thought about it I knew we would never be able to lead a normal and safe life with my mother around. Because I love her I was willing to let her walk away. It hurt so much that all I could do was laugh for fear if I didn’t, I would cry.”

I rested my head against the wall as I closed my eyes to the world. Maybe if I had done what my mother wanted from the beginning and left Aria out of it, we would be safe.

The door flew open and standing there was my mom and Aria. Her platinum hair in disarray and her clothes dirty, wrinkled, yet she looked like my first breath of air after being held down by water. I hated that despite what she said, I still loved her.

“The minister is on his way. In less than an hour, you two will finally be man and wife,” my mom said as she walked in, folding her arms.

“Husband and wife,” Aria said. She came to stand next to my mom.

“What?”

“You said man and wife. Alex is already a man, but after the ceremony he becomes a husband as well. I mean, she becomes a wife so it only makes sense that he becomes a husband,” Aria said.

Even in that moment, knowing she didn’t love me, I couldn’t help but smile at her adorableness.

“Yes, yes. It doesn’t matter. Husband, whatever,” Mom said before waving her hand at Aria.

I stood. “Mom, please, at least let Alexa and Aria go. You want me to do something to help you, fine. But let them go.”

She shook her head, laughing.

“Now why would I do that, Alexander? Aria is going to help me. She’s part of my team now.” My mom gave Aria a side hug. It was weird and both women appeared uncomfortable.

“As for Alexa, well, her plan was put in place a long time ago. With her by your side, after I take down all those men, it will be easy for you to become a senator. Alexa is practically political royalty. Who doesn’t want a nice, good-looking, young senator that hasn’t been tainted from years of politics? And then, if everything goes well, you can announce your intention to run for president.”

“I’m not even thirty. I’m twenty-six. How can I become a senator?”

“It’s going to take a few years to build your image and work the right angles. Anyway, this marriage is important. With the Dortons, you can meet with just about any politician you want. You see why this is necessary, right, Alexander?”

Whenever I overheard my mother talking on the phone growing up she mentioned politics, but I never put it together. I figured, since she was friends with the Dortons, she was speaking to them. It never occurred to me that she had plans for me to enter politics.

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