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

for him. He reached for her arm, pulling her towards the entrance and away from any chance of escape.

Tessa jumped into the conversation, ignoring Ari who was frozen with fear. “Yeah, if I didn’t live with her, I’d swear she was blonde. Let’s hurry so we can be on our way.” Tessa waved goodbye to the guard “Thanks.”

Ari continued walking, one foot in front of the other. She wasn’t going back to see Advisor Williams. She couldn’t.

“Relax.” Reed pulled her in closer. “There is more than one way to leave the school.”

Ari’s gaze flashed up to meet his. “Really?”

“Yeah. Tessa and I will have to leave through the front. The school won’t realize you’re missing by the time curfew gets into effect.”

“Okay, then. We better leave right away.” Tessa glanced at her bracelet. “That will give us a six-hour head start.”

“So how do I do it?” Ari asked. “How do I get out of here?”

“As much as I hate the idea of it, we’ll need some help.” Just as Ari got a sinking feeling of who he was talking about, Reed came out with it. “Garrett.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Ari and Tessa hurried back to their dorm to pack. Tessa packed Ari’s stuff in her large designer bags since it would be easier for Tessa to walk them out. Reed left them to go talk to Garrett. Ari hoped things went smoothly between them.

Reed messaged them.

Lucky break. Need to move fast. Meet me on the West side of the student union ASAP.

Ari hacked her bracelet, so it would keep playing the same loop of her reading on her bed. She prayed it still worked. Since they’d been caught at the VR party, the school had been tightening down, but it was worth trying. She slipped pliers into her bag, so she could take it off once she made it far enough away. Ari slung her father’s old leather bag across her chest and left behind anything she didn’t need. Tessa promised she’d send it to her mother.

They skirted the front entrance of the student union, avoiding people and sticking close to the trees and picnic benches. Garrett and Reed were waiting for them near a table, neither one smiling. Garrett was in the usual silver work uniform with an orange coat.

“You’re running?” Garrett asked as they approached.

She set the large bag on the ground. “Sort of my only option.”

“Why do your problems always seem to fall into my lap, like I have nothing better to do?” He raked a hand through his now short silver hair.

“You don’t,” Reed said bitterly. “And you owe me.”

Ari briefly wondered what Reed was referring to, but since neither guy seemed forthcoming, she let it drop.

Reed approached, pulling her into his arms for a quick hug. “We have to leave now, if we’re to meet up with you. We’ll follow you and be ready at the scheduled stop. Okay?”

“Okay,” Ari replied. It would take them some time to pick up Tessa’s car and check out with security for the night. She squeezed Reed tighter, not wanting to let go.

Garrett cleared his throat. “We’d better get moving.”

Reed leaned in and kissed Ari. It was rough and urgent and left Ari’s lips tingling. He took her bag as he pulled away.

“Catch up with you soon,” Tessa said.

Ari watched her closest friends walk off together. Garrett had better be true to his word and help her leave. She turned to look at him bundled in a thin orange coat as he stamped on the snow around him.

“Ready?” Ari asked.

“Waiting on you, princess.” He turned and walked off through a narrow passage between the older buildings, leaving only snowy footprints to follow.

Ari hurried after him, not surprised by his coldness. She finally caught up in the passage way.

“What is this?” Ari asked, her breath coming out in short bursts.

“Walkway used before they remodeled.” He kept it short and kept moving fast.

“So how is this going to work?”

He turned briefly, glaring over his shoulder. “Since I got kicked out of the Tech Lab, I’ve been assigned to receivables. I take inventory for the technical supplies that come in and out of our school. You’re going to catch a ride with a supply truck in a few minutes.”

“And they are okay with it?”

He approached the door and, after he punched in a quick code, it opened. “Not planning on asking.”

“I’m surprised they gave you this job after everything ...” Ari instantly regretted her words.

“Yeah, you mean after being put on suspension? Reed would never tell you, but we both got in more trouble than you know. I don’t even think I got a ‘thank you’ out of it.” Ari followed him through the door, trying not to let her guilt distract her. They entered a storage facility with lofty ceilings and filled with boxes and crates.

“I am grateful. I’m sorry—” Ari said.

“For what?” Garrett cut her off. “For getting me suspended, for taking off and never giving me a chance, or for using your boyfriend to get me to do your bidding? There is a lot to choose from.”

His accusation struck her cold. He was right. He wasn’t a saint, but she should have handled things better. Her face burned in response as she tried to sort out what to say next. He stood facing her, waiting expectantly.

“I’m sorry for everything that happened between us. I hoped we could just be friends, but I didn’t know how to do that.” Ari forced her gaze up, to look in his eyes. “I’ll stay in contact and repay you one day.”

Garrett approached, stepping into her space, which made her nerves jump as if hot-wired. He had a way of making her uncomfortable. She had to tell herself to hold still as he tucked a hair behind her ear.

“I hope you’re right, but I won’t hold my breath.”

Ari would try, but she didn’t know where she was going or what her situation would be. She owed him enough to try. And for that reason, she didn’t