Hard Wired Trilogy by DeAnna Pearce (smart books to read .TXT) 📕

Ari wondered how long Patrick had been waiting.

“As long as you’re safe.”

Patrick walked in with their bags. “She’s as safe as possible, considering.” He looked Ari over.

“I’m good.” Ari was grateful none of her bruises could show.

“Want a drink?” Tessa motioned to the machine on the counter.

“No thanks.” He sat in the closest available chair, a fuzzy purple armchair.

“Tessa, this is Patrick. Patrick, my best friend Tessa.”

“Hi.” He appeared pleasant, but the tightness around his eyes appeared only when he was on edge.

How could anyone look unhappy sitting in that chair? Ari took a mental picture of him in the purple fuzzy chair and smiled.

He caught her gaze and narrowed his eyes. “I don’t think we should stay here for long.”

“I agree,” Tessa interrupted. “I have a plane on the roof. We can leave as soon as you want.”

“A plane? For what?” Ari balked at Tessa’s affluence.

“Well, I assumed you didn’t show up just to see my beautiful face. Did you want to see your family or just chit chat?”

Ari started in surprise. Her family was that close?

Standing, Patrick held a tightness in his shoulders. “How do we know your plane is safe?”

“You don’t.” Tessa stepped towards him, challenging him by her posture. “But if I wanted to hurt Ari, I could have done it in several different ways since I knew about her power last year. I have money. I don’t need to use my friends to get more. Can you say the same?”

Patrick stared at Tessa, as if trying to decide if he should trust her. Ari moved to stand in between them, trying to diffuse the situation. Patrick was used to being in charge, giving orders that people followed. Tessa hated anyone that even tried to tell her what to do. Ask any of her stepmoms.

“I trust her, Patrick. That’s all that matters,” she told him.

“Let’s go.” Tessa didn’t wait for his response as she headed out the door. “I have a place in the city. My security won’t talk, but this building is constantly watched.”

Patrick stayed focused on Ari. “I trust your instincts. Just remember there is never enough paranoia for people like us.”

“Got it.” They followed Tessa through several doors that required security retinal scans.

After a short trip up a private elevator, they exited onto the roof. It wasn’t as open as she remembered. Small reflective mirrors on the edge of the building flashed an electric field that hid the roof from unwanted eyes. Tessa had mentioned it last time she was here.

Ari stopped, remembering last year. With everything that happened, it felt so much longer ago. This was where her and Reed landed to drop off Marco and Tessa before continuing to the island. This was the last place she saw her brother.

“Having second thoughts?” Patrick placed a hand on her shoulder.

“No.” She shook her head and as they approached a small sleek plane. “Just old memories.”

The thought of Reed weighed heavy on her stomach as Patrick stayed close. Even though she had made it clear there was nothing between them, part of her felt guilty. She wasn’t sure for what though. For her freedom, or that the choice he made to come with her last year cost him his world.

Once on board, they buckled in. As if the plane was waiting for them, with the final click of Ari’s belt it surged upward.

Ari leaned forward. “So is Marco and my mom close?”

“Pretty close in this thing,” Tessa said, while putting directions into the plane’s computer.

Ari pulled back. “Really? Where are they?”

“Eight is Great.”

“What’s that?”

Patrick leaned forward. “A city whose name is a twist of the seven deadly sins. They think God left out one: virtual reality. The eighth deadly sin is the virtual world and Eight is Great.” His sarcasm was highlighted by a tight smile.

“You really think that was the best place for them?” Ari asked Tessa, worried about her brother.

“The best place to hide a needle is in a haystack.” Tessa finished on the screen and looked up. “What’s the problem?”

Ari didn’t feel like spending ten minutes to list them. “Nothing. Just excited to see them.”

“They have been doing well this last month. Just don’t be too surprised when you see them.” Tessa leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes.

“Why?” Her anxiety curled in Ari’s stomach.

“Don’t worry. Your brother is still getting used to things.”

That statement left her brain spinning the rest of the way to the city.

Chapter 8

It only took an hour to reach the city by plane. Patrick closed his eyes, but Ari could tell he was still awake. Tessa got Ari a drink and settled across from her. Glancing out the window, she watched the lights from the towns below flicker past.

“Are you sure it’s safe to see them?” Ari had been wondering what they had been up to, but Tessa didn’t feel like getting into it.

“They’re safe, Ari. I kept my promise. And I don’t make many promises, so feel blessed, okay.” Tessa pointed the bottle at her then took a swig.

“I’m just nervous.” Once she found them, what was the next step? Visit once a year? Or maybe they would want to come back with her? Last time Marco didn’t want to come though. He liked to live his own life. Not that she blamed him.

Nerves tumbled and twisted in her stomach.

It wasn’t until Patrick stilled her hand that she realized she had been picking a cuticle until it started to bleed.

“It’ll be okay.” His hands remained on top of hers.

It was uncanny how much he could read her emotions. Living with someone could do that, though. She nodded and folded her arms in front of her. Then decided to take a drink; the cold soda tasted good.

Ari had been avoiding Tessa’s intent gaze since Patrick had touched her. But there was nothing to feel guilty about. Lifting her chin, she met Tessa’s scrutiny.

“You need a tab?” Tessa asked casually. “Something to help you relax?”

Not wanting to be inebriated in the