Chapter 1
1154 Words
Chapter 1
It all started with an anonymous call.
Gabriella Landi had decided it was a good day to ride her bike. She’d been wrist and knee deep in preparing for the Landisil-IntimiRose fashion show, and the hard work was paying off. Buyers from all around the country and a few from overseas had confirmed their attendance at the upcoming fashion show, and there was a lot of buzz in the media about the sneak peeks from the new IntimiRose lingerie collection.
But Gabriella was exhausted. A change in scenery would do her good and give her the chance to work out the knots in her back and legs from sitting down in too many business meetings all week. When she’d taken out the trash, the crisp spring air, warmed slightly by the sun, had called out to her.
So here she was pedaling down the neighborhood where she still lived with her parents. Her family’s home was spacious enough for her to have her own private spaces, and any plans to move out had been shelved when her father had a stroke. But she loved the quiet cobblestone streets with tree-lined sidewalks, and she couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.
Gabriella felt the stress of her week ease away as she rode beyond the familiar streets toward the busier area where the local mom and pop businesses occupied every two buildings or so. The roads were free as the streets were still sleepy at this hour, though she still took care as she rode down the narrow bike lane that ran parallel to the sidewalk.
Her phone rang.
Who could be calling her at this hour? It was Saturday for goodness sake, and the employees that worked for her knew better than to reach out except in an emergency. As the Vice President of Sales at Landisil Silicone, Gabriella believed a healthy work-life balance made for better productivity.
She ignored the call. She could always call back when she finished her ride around the picturesque neighborhood.
Her phone continued to ring.
But what if it was her mom?
Gabriella’s heart quickened. Had something happened to her dad? He’d had a stroke recently and was still undergoing physical therapy. Had he had another episode? She would never forgive herself if it was the case and she’d missed the call.
She pressed the button on the wireless Bluetooth earpiece in her ear. “Gabriella Landi speaking.”
“You need to pay twenty thousand dollars, or we’ll release the photos,” a deep, distorted voice said.
Gabriella’s skin prickled, and her nostrils flared. What was this? The new scam prank in town? She didn’t have time for this nonsense.
She moved to disconnect the call.
“Don’t cut the call unless you want everyone to know you wear an undersized black and white polkadot bra with white granny panties.”
Gabriella’s breath caught, and she almost lost control of the bike. She’d worn the combination a few weeks ago when she’d been in a hurry to get to her destination—the black and white polka dot was an old comfy bra she’d liked in the past but rarely ever wore these days.
How was it possible a picture of her had been taken in it? What was going on?
“Deposit twenty thousand dollars in the next twelve hours, or your pictures will be released on the internet for the world to see,” the voice said harshly. “You should receive a message with an account number and a photo in case you think this is a joke.” Her phone pinged. It had to be the message. “Don’t call the cops, or the photos will go out. You have twelve hours. The clock starts ticking now.” The line went dead.
Gabriella’s heart pounded so loudly against her rib cage she was afraid it would burst through. She couldn’t think—her brain seemed to have shut down.
“Watch out!”
Gabriella looked up to see herself careening toward an old lady crossing the road right ahead of her, who seemed oblivious to her surroundings. Gabriella pressed the brakes to slow down, but it wasn’t enough. The old woman was coming up too close!
Suddenly, strong arms grabbed her handle bars and steered them toward the sidewalk. The bike swayed and then collapsed, and Gabriella found herself landing on a solid mass of muscle. The darkest pair of brown eyes she’d ever seen stared back at her. There was something familiar about them, like she’d known them a long time ago, though she couldn’t remember where or how.
“Ma’am, are you alright?” asked a beautiful baritone voice that made her heart skip a beat.
Her face grew warm, and she scrambled off him. “I’m so sorry … thank you … I didn’t mean …” She looked to see the old lady had made it safely to the other side of the road. Thank goodness. Then she turned back to her savior.
The man, who looked to be in his early thirties, got up and dusted the beige spring trench coat he wore over his suit. He could very well have been a model for a high-end men’s magazine with the effortless way his clothes framed his body. Gabriella was still a sucker for good-looking, well-dressed men, though she’d learned her lesson not to judge a book solely by its cover.
“Are you alright?” he asked, the hint of a British accent coming through. It was just her luck. Why did she have to encounter her deadliest combination today? Who wouldn’t swoon at a gorgeous man with a British accent?
Gabriella took a deep breath and adjusted her helmet. Who was she kidding? Regardless of the instantaneous attraction, nothing could come out of associating with this man—she’d been burned too many times. A man’s beautiful face didn’t mean he had a beautiful soul. It was time to go her way, though a part of her yearned to stay and talk with him while admiring his handsome features. “Yes, I’m fine. Thanks for your help.”
She picked up her bike. It seemed to have survived the encounter just fine. Then she noticed the man was rubbing his wrists. “Are you okay?”
“I’m good. It’s nothing.” He dropped his hands into his coat pockets. “I have to go.” He gave her a warm smile. “Take care.”
The man turned and walked away.
Gabriella stood there and watched him leave. She was grateful for his help, and the encounter with him had been a welcome distraction that had made her forget the blackmail. For a second.
She let out a sigh. Now she had to deal with it.
She glanced back at the guy as he disappeared down the street, and Gabriella hoped his wrists were alright.
- Writer
