Page 1 of Pretend Wife (Angels of the Secret Order #4)

ONE

Hayden

Lightning flashed across the sky as rain poured down on my windshield. Between the rain and the dark, I could barely see two feet in front of me. I should probably pull over and just wait out the storm.

I cursed under my breath and glanced at the clock on the dashboard. It was already eleven. I just wanted to be home in my bed. This whole day had been a shit show, and this weather was just the icing on the cake.

I slowed down more and squinted out the window, hoping to see a sign for a hotel I could crash at.

“Siri, call Sierra,” I ordered my phone.

“Calling Sierra,” the robotic voice replied.

“Hey, how was the meeting?” Sierra’s voice filled my car.

“Exactly how I expected,” I grumbled.

“That bad?” Sierra asked, and I could picture her wincing .

Pretty much any day I had to deal with my father face-to-face was that bad. The fact that I’d had to meet him at one of our hotels three hours outside the city in a torrential downpour wasn’t helping my mood.

“Always.”

“I don’t get it. You’re an amazing CFO—why is he complaining?”

I ran a hand through my hair. “Because it’s not the job he planned out for me when I was born. Listen, the visibility is really bad, so I’m looking for a place to spend the night. Can you see if there’s anything near me?”

“I told you to just stay the night in New York.” I could practically hear the eye roll in her words.

“And I told you I wasn’t interested. Now, can you find me a place to stay, or do I have to pull over and sleep in my car?”

“Relax, I’m looking. And you’re going to owe me for this. You do realize it’s almost midnight, right?”

“I’ll give you an Easter bonus.” I wasn’t sure if that was a thing, but it didn’t matter. I’d do just about anything to keep Sierra as my PA. The woman was a lifesaver and the only person in my father’s company I trusted to be on my side.

“I don’t want more of your money, Hayden.”

“Then what do you want?”

“I’ll let you know when I think of it.”

“Wonderful,” I muttered sarcastically.

She just laughed. “It looks like there’s an inn not too far off Exit 96. I’m texting you the address now.”

“Thanks.” I clicked on the message, starting the navigation while keeping my eyes on the road .

“You need anything else before I hang up and turn my phone off for the night so my husband stops glaring like he wants to destroy it?”

I would have rolled my eyes except I was pretty sure Sierra’s husband wouldn’t think twice about murdering me in addition to the phone.

God only knew what Nathaniel Blue did for a job, but I’d always assumed it was top secret military stuff or something like that.

Whatever his profession, he was damn good at making sure no one disrespected his wife.

It was part of what made Sierra such a good assistant.

No one dared to cross her knowing they’d have to face him.

I wasn’t even ashamed to admit he was downright terrifying.

Call it basic human instinct—knowing when you’re looking death in the eye.

“No, I’m good. Go enjoy the rest of your night.”

“Bye, Hayden.”

My phone beeped to indicate the call had ended, and the robotic voice instructed me to take the next exit. Hopefully it was right since the sign marking the exit was impossible to read through the sheets of rain pounding against my windshield.

I pulled off the highway and onto the sharp curve of the exit ramp. I knew I’d misjudged the second I turned the wheel. The roads were wet, and I hadn’t slowed down quite enough to make this curve. For a second I was spinning, and then it all stopped with the sound of crunching metal.

Blinding pain ripped through my side, and then there was nothing but darkness for a few blissful moments .

I don’t know if it was seconds or hours that I was floating in a sea of unconsciousness.

All I knew was that the pain came back, tearing through me like fire, consuming my skin and boiling my blood.

Maybe I was still in some kind of dream, because I could have sworn someone was pushing my car away from a tree. There was a ripping sound, and then a figure stood over me, a silhouette framed by the lightning that flashed behind him.

“Fuck,” a man muttered. “Don’t you dare die on me, kid.”

Strong hands pulled me from the car. At least I thought that’s what they were doing. Everything was fuzzy, and the darkness was closing in around me again.

I welcomed it and the lack of pain it promised.

“No,” the man snapped harshly. “Don’t shut your eyes. Look at me, Hayden.”

The sound of my name falling from the stranger’s lips was enough of a shock to make me obey.

He looked young, maybe college age, and he was absolutely drenched, but he didn’t seem the least bit fazed by the rain. All his attention was on me as he lifted me into his arms like I weighed nothing.

Dark shapes extended from his back, like black shadows against the already-dark night. “I’ve got you,” he said through gritted teeth. “I just need you to stay with me a little longer.”

There was a rush of wind, and it felt like I was flying through the air. There was no light at the end of a tunnel or floating on clouds, nothing gentle about the way water lashed against my skin and air whipped around me.

I’d thought dying was supposed to be peaceful, but I guess the stories were wrong. Dying was nothing but harsh and unforgiving.