Prologue: Secrets and Lies

Prologue: Secrets and Lies

Rei's Point of View

The rain continued to pour, illuminating the sky with lightning as thunder roared. My car started to sputter and eventually came to a halt, leaving me with no choice but to pull over to the side of the road. When I tried to restart the car, I only heard a single click, indicating that we were now stranded. With another loud thunderclap and lightning flashing across the sky, my children, all under five years old, began to cry out in fear. They were frightened by the loud noises, the darkness, and my struggle to hide my growing panic.

Shiloh's small voice from the back seat asked, "It's okay, right Mama?"

"Sure, honey. I'll call for help and try to arrange a tow truck," I replied, sounding as reassuring as possible.

A tear of frustration trickled down my cheek because handling this situation alone was not what I should be doing. Greg should be here to assist, but he's not, and I have only myself to hold accountable for that. Scrambling for my phone, I hoped for a signal. The screen suddenly lit up, yet the signal bars remained elusive. I knew I should have gone with the better model for a new cell phone, but it was more expensive, and the money was needed elsewhere. It wasn’t easy to provide for and raise three young children independently. I silently prayed for help that I highly doubted would come.

I retrieved a flashlight from the glove compartment, activated the hazard lights, and entered the rain. As I raised the car hood, I hoped a passing motorist would stop to help us.

“Mama, is the car sad too?” Shiloh asked,  her voice quivering.

Her younger brothers had fallen asleep in tears, and even though my daughter had tried to stay strong for them, she was frightened. Honestly, I was scared too. Stranded by the side of a country road in the middle of a rainy night, our battery was running low, and with poor signal, calling for help seemed impossible.

“It’s okay, Shiloh. The car is just tired and needs a nap. Why don’t you close your eyes and take one too?” I responded, trying to maintain a calm demeanor I didn't possess.

“Okay, mama, if you think it will help our car,” my sweet girl replied and closed her eyes.

In moments, she was fast asleep, too. I wiped away the tears that wouldn't stop falling in frustration. Another crack of thunder sounded, and I turned to see if it had disturbed my young children asleep in the backseat. I breathed a sigh of relief that they were sound asleep.

A single headlight pierced the darkness, and I heard the rumble of a motorcycle as it slowed down and pulled off to the side of the road just in front of us. The motorcycle’s roar diminished, soon replaced by the pounding rain and the crack of lightning. A tall figure approached with his cell phone and knocked on my window. I knew he was there, I saw him approach, but I still screamed. Which woke up my children, and they started to wail again. Fuck.

I cautiously opened the car door, hoping that this was a generous soul that had stopped to help and not yet another situation I would soon regret. Raising a hand to shield my eyes from the pouring rain, I greeted the stranger and thanked him for stopping.

“Did you call for a tow?” the biker asked, his voice resonating deeply and low.

“I tried, but my phone doesn’t have a signal,” I responded softly, embarrassed at my situation and a little frightened.

"Would you mind if I joined you in the car, and I could call for you?" the motorcyclist proposed, his deep and resonant voice calming me.

You can trust him, a little voice spoke in my mind.

I sighed, nodded, and hoped I hadn't just invited a psychopath to sit in my broken-down car with my three young children.

I watched the biker closely as he sat in the passenger seat, removed his helmet, and called the local mechanic. It sounded like they knew each other and had a cordial relationship. According to the handsome man beside me, Jack Turner agreed to be here within the hour and would give me a tow free of charge.

“Thank you, Mr…” I expressed as the attractive man ended the call and turned to make eye contact with me.

"I'm Xavier Woods. And you are?" the good-looking man inquired, his captivating voice perfectly matching his impressive appearance.

Xavier had gentle hazel eyes that appeared to peer into my soul as he spoke.

I quickly blinked, refocusing to stop staring.

“I’m Rei Draven,” I replied with a slight smile.

“Nice to meet you, Rei. I wish the circumstances were better,” Xavier chuckled.

“If it's all right with you, I'd like to stay with you until Mr. Turner arrives. He mentioned an hour, but I have a feeling Jack will be here sooner,” the charming man smiled.

I nodded, and he conversed with me until the local mechanic arrived less than thirty minutes later. I learned that my savior was named “X” and was in school at the local university. As the tow truck pulled over on the side of the road, X said goodbye and exited my vehicle. He walked over to Mr. Turner, holding his helmet, and spoke briefly with the man. Surprised, the mechanic looked in my direction, then shook hands with X before the biker started his motorcycle and carefully drove back onto the slick, wet road.

Xavier’s Point of View

“How did you know she would need my help?” I asked, passing my best friend a beer.

“Greg gave her a shit car, even though the Ravenscroft family could have afforded a much better make and model to give Rei. I just had a feeling. The last time we just ‘happened to see’ Rei, I noticed that her car wasn’t in the best shape,” Lillianna shrugged.

I loved how my best friend referred to me stalking Rei. I was more than a little obsessed with her for years. To be that close to her tonight and hold back took much more strength than I thought I had.

“Why haven’t you ever just had a ‘normal’ conversation with her? She’s a sweet girl, and you are hot. I’m sure Rei would love some attention,” Lillianna grinned.

“You know why I can’t,” I muttered.

"She's someone I can never have. If Rei ever found out what we did..." I trailed off in panic and frustration.

"Hey, Rei will never know. We covered our tracks and made sure she was well taken care of. It's all good. Just be cautious, and she'll never find out," Lillianna comforted me.

"She must never find out. Rei would never forgive me. That's why I can never be with her," I stated.