Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 23860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
“Audrey.” My mother calls my name as I shove the cork back into the bottle and rush over to my normal spot.
“In here,” I call out.
“Someone’s ready for Black Ice.” She smiles, thinking I’m excited for her favorite show. “Bruce, we’re ready,” Mom shouts, and I notice she’s a bit wobbly on her feet. I don’t say anything, and instead, I grab the remote and turn on the TV. “I’m glad you’re finally enjoying the show. I told you that you’d get into it.”
I can barely hear what she is saying because I’m so focused on her pouring her wine into a glass.
“Audrey, are you okay?”
“Great. Yeah, I’m fine.” I stumble over my words, and she gives me a puzzled look before setting down the bottle and taking a big gulp.
Bruce brings our trays in and asks if we need anything else before he heads out. When she waves him off, I check the time and start the countdown. As soon as we’re alone, I hit play and wait. Each second feels like hours, and at one point, I’m convinced she’s not going to pass out.
Then suddenly she slumps over and is out like a light.
“Oh shit,” I say to myself as I jump up from my seat.
Guilt weighs heavy on me when I go into her pocket to steal her phone, but I’ll need it until I can get my own. I have a little over a thousand dollars from the money my grandma gave me in my birthday cards before she died. I’m not sure how far it will get me, but it’s better than nothing.
“I’m sorry, Mom,” I say to her sleeping form before I kiss her on the forehead, knowing I don’t have much time.
Bruce spends about twenty minutes wrapping up before he leaves, and I know this is my moment. I creep to the side door that the staff uses and slip out. Bruce’s car is parked the closest, and I know he never locks it.
Rushing over, I pop the trunk and hop in. This is the only way I’ll be able to get past the gates, and although I’m afraid, I’m determined.
The click is loud when I close the trunk, and my heart races when I hear Bruce get in. It feels like it’s going to beat out of my chest and doesn’t slow, not even when he makes it past the gates. I don’t know how long we drive for, but my mind is unable to focus from the fear and adrenaline coursing through me.
When he finally parks and turns the car off, I wait for five minutes before I open the trunk and sneak out. Glancing around, I don’t have a freaking clue where I am, and all I can see is that he’s parked in a space between two skyscrapers.
It’s so dark that it makes another kind of fear take over, and I run as fast as I can down the alley nearby. I’m afraid and excited all at once, and to my surprise, a bubble of laughter comes out of me when I burst through the end of the alley to freedom.
Then just as quickly as it came to life, it dies on my lips. The moment I hear the sound of a horn blaring and tires screeching, I know it’s too late.
Bright lights blind my eyes before everything goes black.
Chapter Two
PHILLIP
“No, I haven’t heard back from them about the shipment, but as soon as it arrives, you’ll be my first call,” I say into the phone as I unlock my car.
“The auction is supposed to start tomorrow night,” Damien sighs into the phone, and I can practically hear him brooding.
“They’ve assured me the crates will be on the docks. I’m headed there now to oversee the drop, and I’ll call you when I have them in my possession.” My phone connects to my car over the speaker as I pull out of my parking spot and turn the wheel toward downtown.
“I guess I have no other choice but to wait.” He sounds menacing, but I’ve known him for a long time, and I’ve gotten used to it.
“I’m sure your buyers are eager to place their bids, but don’t worry. I’ve got this under control.”
“If you say so,” he grumbles.
My shipping company is one of the most coveted when wealthy people want a certain object procured. I specialize in the import and export of rare art along with anything else that’s hard to find. Since I was a young apprentice for a mob boss in the city, I began to gain a name for myself. If someone wanted something, all they had to do was ask and I’d find it for them.
When I got older, I figured out a way to do it discreetly under the customs radar, and my business contacts made me lots of money. Now I do it mostly for the challenge since I’ve got more money than I can spend in a lifetime.