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

as real as you believe it is. Why do you think we come here?” Garrett asked but didn’t wait for an answer.

“Most of these rich kids have actually been to this club. The more closely tied to reality it is, the more believable it is. Then, if you want something more exotic you can go hit up a virtual.”

“I thought a virtual in a virtual wasn’t safe.” Ari had read reports that the more levels you go down in a VR, the harder it was to find yourself back to reality. After her father, she’d read a lot about it.

“Amazing isn’t it?” Garrett eyes flashed with excitement. The bartender came by and Garrett ordered a couple of drinks for them.

“So, what’s it going to be tonight? Drinking, dancing, or head to another beach?”

Ari wasn’t ready to think about another VR. “How about the roof?”

Before Garrett could answer, the bartender pushed the two drinks in front of them.

“The roof it is.” Garrett lifted his glass in agreement. “I’ve got to take care of a little business, but I’ll meet you up there.”

Ari nodded and watched as Garrett headed off into the crowded bar. He greeted several people as he passed. He headed to a dark table with a few girls too perfect to be real, and, of course, her brother sitting in the middle. Ari wanted to know what was really going on with Marco and what he knew about Garrett. Annoyed by this possible friendship, she grabbed her drink, and headed to the elevators.

Ari squeezed into the crowded elevator. The mix of alcohol and a variety of cologne and perfume colliding in the small space overwhelmed her senses. As the doors started to close, a familiar face slid in. Reed. He wore a dark blue vest with a fun tie and shirt rolled up to the elbows.

“Hey, Ari.” He smiled that adorable smile of his as he squeezed in next to her.

“Hi,” Ari replied.

The elevator stopped on the second floor to let people in and out. In the shuffle, someone pushed Ari next to Reed. Her drink almost spilled, and he held onto her arm to steady her.

His gaze trailed up and rested on her face. “You look nice.”

“Thanks.” Ari stepped back, heat rushing to her face.

A guy, visibly drunk, entered the elevator and slapped Reed in the arm. “Great party.”

Did Reed throw this party? Ari couldn’t worry about that right now. She focused on breathing in this confined coffin and watched the numbers rising on the display.

While Reed replied with niceties, Ari considered how getting drunk in a virtual worked. If you didn’t really believe the alcohol was real, then would you get drunk? Ari took a drink of her cranberry vodka, telling herself it wasn’t real. Once she focused on the illusion though, it continued to other things. Was she really rising with the elevator? What happened if she only believed in parts of a VR? Would she fall through the elevator?

By the time the elevator reached the top, Ari couldn’t breathe. Her fears snowballed, imagining her mind running in a program that might never end.

Reed was at her side. “What is it?”

Ari tried to push him off, searching for ... something. She struggled to stay in the present. Flashes of glitches, black and white static lines, spotted her vision.

“Breathe,” he said, close by. Close enough that she could smell him, an odd scent, a cologne that she didn’t recognize.

“Ari, look at me.” Reed’s voice was commanding.

Her eyes flicked up to meet his worried gaze.

“You’re okay. You’re with me in a virtual. One that I have control of ending whenever I need to. You’re safe with me.”

“You’re holding my hands.” Ari’s breath came in short gasps. She couldn’t think of anything else to say but couldn’t find the energy to care. He must have taken her drink at some point.

“What?” Reed gave a nervous chuckle and dropped her hands.

“It’s these damn virtuals. They mess with my head sometimes.”

“That is what they’re supposed to do.” He led her to a chair and sat down next to her.

His eyes became intense, as if he was asking for everything she never wanted to tell him.

She turned to look at their surroundings. It didn’t look like a roof at all but an extension of the club. Plants and vines hung as a backdrop with comfortable couches, reclined chairs, antique-looking coffee tables, and even a small bar.

Beyond the roof, large buildings and a twinkling of lights scattered the night sky almost like stars—a modernized galaxy in its own accord.

Reed leaned forward. “You sure you’re okay?”

“I will be.” She pulled on the hem of her dress. “Still getting the hang of these things.”

“Ari, I’m sorry about before, but you’re amazing.”

“What?”

“Do you know how many kids from our neighborhood have been placed in the VR program? None for over ten years. I checked. You’ve overcome your fears, and one day you will be creating worlds that will make this VR pale in comparison.” He reached forward and brushed the top of her hand and then lifted his gaze. “That’s why I warned you about Garrett. A lot of people will want to know you as you’re headed towards something amazing. He doesn’t have the best reputation with girls, and I worry about you.”

A warm stillness spread throughout Ari’s body. “You worry about me?

“When I was ten, your mom told Marco and me to watch over you on a school trip. She told us the same thing before we came back here.” He glanced down. “She didn’t have to though. I would have anyway. It’s a hard habit to break.”

Ari let a breath go, not sure whether to be annoyed or grateful to have an extra big brother around. “Anyway, if Garrett’s such bad news then why do you work with him?”

“We need each other to pull this off.” Reed spotted someone behind Ari.

“How do you pull this off?” Ari asked.

Before Ari could turn around, Garrett placed his hands on her shoulders. “Reed can’t give away