Hard Wired Trilogy DeAnna Pearce (if you give a mouse a cookie read aloud txt) 📖

around his ears, just like when he was young. They had been through a lot, but they had always done it together. She knew he worried about the upcoming mission. Maybe he was right to worry.

Just as she was about to head into the shower, Joe and Patrick returned. Patrick noticed Marco, who didn’t bother stirring when they entered, then turned to Ari. “You get everything you need?”

“Yes.” She gathered the bags that held the clothes.

“Hey, can I see what you got?” Joe reached for the bags.

“Why?” She wasn’t in the mood to be questioned about styling choices by Joe.

“Just want to see if there is room for alterations. Nothing anyone will notice.” He held his hand out, not giving anything else away.

Reluctantly, she handed over the bags and headed into the bathroom. Who knew Joe had a thing for clothes? Whatever Joe was up to, she had a date to get ready for. A date Echo didn’t even know he was going to have.

The muffled sounds of conversation floated through the bathroom door as Ari finished her transformation with a shimmery, almost golden, lipstick. It had taken some time for her to find this outfit, weighing the need to look appealing versus the need for practicality. She couldn’t be impeded by design and wanted something she could move in as well as hide the drug and a knife or two. Thinking of it, she slipped a knife into the side of her boot. With a high heel, the sleek black boots were more of a cosmetic choice, but at least they could hold a weapon if she couldn’t run properly.

Even though she knew logically she made the right choice with the outfit, standing in the bathroom with the guys outside made her palms sweaty. Sweaty wasn’t a look she wanted. She dabbed her makeup. She went light on the makeup with sparkly gold highlighting her eyes.

Finally done touching up her makeup, she looked herself over in the mirror one more time. She left her hair down in loose curls over her bare shoulders. The top was something she had fallen in love with the moment she saw it in the store: a gold corset built with tech, with a glimmer of code running up and down it. It showed enough skin that hopefully nerdy programmers felt the same way. The outfit ended with black skintight leather pants. While attractive, they had enough stretch for her to move and made her feel tough.

Joe had handed the clothes back to her while she blow-dried her hair. They didn’t seem much different. There was some extra wiring inside the corset, but she wasn’t sure what for.

She couldn’t hide out in the bathroom forever and reminded herself she liked this outfit. With a deep breath, she stepped into the bedroom. Not wanting to be on display, she moved straight to her packages to pull out the new purse she bought. Slowly their conversation weaned off, and she realized their attention was focused on her.

“What? I don’t need your approval.” She turned around, narrowing her gaze at her brother.

“I think it’ll work.” Joe looked her over like a piece of bugged code. “Just make sure you’re not too intimidating. Smile a bit.”

“I think you should wear a jacket or shawl. Nothing says sexy like being warm,” Marco said.

She rolled her eyes. Sometimes immaturity called for immaturity. “I’m sure you said that plenty at the clubs.”

When she turned to Patrick, he had a wistful, almost hungry, look in his eyes. When he caught her gaze, he smiled not trying to hide his desire. Then without a word, turned back to the desk. Sitting on top was a small device, no bigger than her pinky. He picked it up along with a slim black container.

“The drug is Nalcom. Once pricked, it should take sixty seconds to knock him out, so be prepared for some backlash. Too early and we won’t get in his room.” Patrick handed over the device. “The needle is concealed. Just press the top to expose the needle and hold it down to release the dose.”

“Okay.” She took the needle and wondered the best place for it. Glancing at the guys, she wasn’t about to hide it in her cleavage in front of them.

“I was so busy wiring the corset, I forgot about where to put the drug.” Somehow Joe must have read her thoughts. “Don’t put it in your bra though. Echo will see it too easily.”

“Gross.” Marco slapped Joe’s shoulder. “That’s my sister.”

Joe shrugged off the blow. “She’s got to hide it somewhere. Would you prefer to be the one to suggest where?”

Marco turned, his face flushing.

Ari looked down at her corset, considering the best place to hide it. With the code and tech running through the corset, one black tube, not much wider than a pen and half in length, could hide easily. She picked at the bottom hem, trying to find a place for it.

“Here, let me.” Patrick took the vial and knelt in front of her. Pulling out a pocketknife, he cut a couple stitches and maneuvered the vial under a wire to hold it securely in place.

She found it really hard to breathe, and she tried to think of something besides Patrick’s proximity to her stomach. Averting her gaze, she found Marco scrutinizing her and Patrick. The look on his face took more in than she wanted. She shouldn’t feel guilty. She had done nothing wrong. Turning to the window, she focused on slowing her pulse.

“There.” Patrick turned back to the table oblivious to the unspoken exchange between the siblings. “It should be secure but easy enough to pull out.”

“Thanks.” She checked the vial, and it seemed easy to access. She tugged lightly on the corset to make sure it was secure, and then picked up her purse. “Joe, do you have another ID for me?”

“I do. Just finishing it up.”

She walked over and looked at the screen. “Maria.” She tested out her new name.

“Maria