Chapter 1 A Wild Encounter

A long road extended into the distance, the sound of a custom motorcycle moving through the air evident. A woman in a fitted leather jacket leaned forward over the handlebars, her hair tousled by the wind.

Nicole Palmer checked her watch, feeling a bit tense. She had arranged for an audition across the city in the morning and was running late. Luckily, her modified bike was ready for her today, so she hoped she could make it on time.

Cranking the throttle, she welcomed the rush of warm summer air, a brief moment of peace washing over her as the scenery blurred by.

Just then, movement along the shoulder caught her eye-two heavyset men shoved a burlap sack toward a battered gray van.

Tiny legs dangled from the bottom of the sack.

Were these men kidnappers?

Nicole's expression hardened as she slammed the brakes. The tires shrieked, rubber biting into the road.

Without hesitation, she swung the bike around and took off in hot pursuit of the van, determined to intervene.

Her bike might have been past its prime, but she'd poured her soul into every repair. If she hadn't put effort into fixing it, the thing would have fallen apart miles ago.

So, it was hard for her to catch up with the van.

Worse yet, the driver must have spotted her in the side mirror and mashed the accelerator, trying to shake her off.

Each second that passed, the gap between them widened. Nicole's pulse hammered in her ears-she couldn't just stand by while a child was taken.

Spotting a sleek black Bentley idling nearby, Nicole quickly stopped and made a split-second decision.

She would need to borrow the car if she wanted to step in and save the child.

The Bentley's unsuspecting owner had no idea someone was already eyeing his car.

Ayden Hayes leaned against the passenger side of his luxury sedan, his face carved from stone while he issued terse orders into his phone.

"If you can't find him, don't bother coming back at all."

After saying that, he ended the call and turned to get inside his car, ready to leave. At that moment, he saw a woman in a leather jacket walk right toward him.

She whistled and shot him a look full of mischief. "Hey, I need a quick favor. Let me borrow your car, and I promise I'll thank you after I successfully save the day."

Ayden stared at her in disbelief, convinced he must have stepped into some alternate reality. Since when did carjackers get so brazen in Crustin?

His hand tightened around the door handle, but Nicole acted in a flash. She snatched the keys and pushed him into the backseat with a force that belied her size before he could react, leaving him completely stunned.

Swinging into the driver's seat, she muttered excitedly, "Not your day today, you scumbags. I'm coming to get you!"

After a pause, she said to Ayden, "Hang on tight!"

With a hard stomp, Nicole floored the accelerator, and the Bentley shot ahead with a roar.

Ayden clung to the nearest handle instinctively, bracing as the car careened down the road.

He couldn't help but think that this woman drove so recklessly.

Nicole steered the Bentley through the turns with steady control, each movement precise and confident. Ayden glanced at her a few times, his curiosity gradually taking over.

Everything about Nicole was eye-catching-her sharply cut hair brushing her collarbone, her striking face set with determination, and the effortless way she commanded the wheel. She was strikingly beautiful.

But that didn't change the fact that she had just hijacked his car.

"Do you even know who I am-" Ayden tried to talk to her.

But before he could finish speaking, a sharp, jarring stop slammed him forward, and his stomach did a flip.

The car screeched to a halt right in front of a dull gray van, and the sound of metal grinding on asphalt was chilling.

Nicole wasted no time. She leapt from the driver's seat and kicked the van's door so hard that it rattled on its hinges.

"Let the kid go, unless you want real trouble."

She delivered those words with a dangerous glare that didn't fit her striking looks.

Ayden was surprised by that.

This woman was unpredictable.

Inside the van, the group understood they needed to deal with Nicole before their plan could proceed.

With no security cameras nearby, a handful of men in cheap caps spilled out of the van, each one gripping a metal pipe.

Nicole looked them over, looking unfazed.

She lunged before they could make a move. Her fist connected with the leader's nose and sent him stumbling backward with a cry. Then, she followed up with a swift kick that knocked him off his feet.

There was an almost effortless grace to how she fought, every movement controlled and deliberate. It was obvious she had been trained.

For a second, the others were stunned. Then, with a shout, they all charged at Nicole together.