**Author Note: This book will be taken down April 1, 2025 for self-publishing on Kindle**

Her mother always said to her, "If you're on time, you're late." Well, this is one of those times she was going to be late as hell because on time went out the window over an hour ago. She started with good intentions of getting to the annual Better Family Life Gala on time, but beauty took time, she did not wake up like this. Then, when finally ready to her liking, she did not expect Friday night traffic on Highway 40 into downtown St. Louis to be jam-packed.

There had to be a better way. She exited Grand Avenue and figured she could cut through the city. She was not that familiar with the city so she punched her destination in her GPS. She could see the Arch in the distance, a good clue that she was headed in the right direction. Things were looking up for her. She could still salvage the night. She was to meet up with her best friend Jared at the Gala, and they would have a great time.

Then things got worse. She hit a nasty pothole somewhere that made her lose control of her car for a second, then the car started to wobble. She steadied it as she pulled to the side of the road.

"Great! A flat tire!"

She took out her wallet and pulled out her AAA card. No way was she trying to change a flat tire in the expensive gown and five-inch heels she wore. Not now, not ever was she that type of woman. AAA to the rescue. Now she was going to be extremely late to the gala where it was no longer fashionable late, just embarrassing late.

AAA explained they could be forty-five minutes to an hour. She let out a frustrated yell into her car. She could change it herself faster than that if she knew what she was doing. Then again, it could not be that hard.

She exited her summer white Yukon XL Denali, which was her pride and joy. She did not love many material things, but her Denali she worshipped. This was her second one, after having her first for three years, she got this one less than a year ago. She walked around and looked at her tires.

"What the hell?"

All four looked fine and were not flat. She walked around again and kicked each one.

She went back inside the car and tried to start it up, but it made a ticking noise but would not start. How did a new car just die from hitting a pothole? She knew nothing mechanical about cars so she was confused.

"Oh no! Oh no, no, no!"

Not her baby. Not her exquisite ride that she pampered like it was a child.

"Girl, you better start for mommy and get me out of here." She kept trying to start the car again.

No luck. She popped the hood of the car and got out again. She pulled open the hood and a cloud of smoke billowed out. She coughed but used her phone to inspect around, careful not to ruin her cream Valentino evening gown. She did not know what she was looking for, but it seemed like a good idea to check it out.

She heard loud, bass music pulling up beside her car.

"Ooo, that's a sweet ride, shawty, you can't handle all that," the guy sitting in the passenger side shouted out the window.

"Naw, that ass in that dress making it do what it do," the driver yelled out.

Here she was stuck in the middle of the city, so far from home, and these two thugs probably wanted to carjack her, or rape her, or worse, kill her. She was about to be another statistic like many in the city. Gone and forgotten, her killers would never be found. Her body probably would never be found, just chopped in several pieces and scattered over the city.

What a way to go.

Flashing lights stunned them all as a truck pulled behind her car. She did nothing. Not move a muscle. This was all going down and she was too scared to do anything about it.

"If you guys are not going to help the lady, keep it moving," the man stated who stepped out of the truck.

The passenger flipped him the finger and the car sped off.

"You okay?" the guy asked.

"Obviously I am not okay. Those two...guys were going to carjack me and do Lord only knows to me," she said, wringing her hands.

He chuckled, "Yeah, you're probably right about that."

She gave him an astonished look. He did not have to verify her thoughts.

"You need help?"

"Triple-A is on the way, but thanks. I'll get back in my car and just wait."

"Around here? Good luck with that," he said, walking closer to her and looking down into the car.

She stepped back and let him look under the hood. This gave her a chance to check him out. He was very tall and built. He wore a dingy white wife beater and some loose-fitting baggy dark sweat pants and dusty Tims. He wore a wave cap on his head and she would not be surprised if he had a gold tooth or two in his mouth. She did not need to get a closer look. She was sure this guy was going to attempt to rob her or kidnap her.

"Damn!" she mumbled. She should have grabbed her mace.

"Huh? Did you say something?" He turned his head to look at her.

Well damn, he was not that bad looking in the face.

"Wh..what? What do you need?" she stumbled.

"You broke your whole serpentine belt like the car is not going to even start for you without it."

He was pointing to things in her car but she was more focused on him.

"Uh, okay."  She examined his big strong, tattooed arms.

Not her type of man. He looked like one of those hood-type rappers, like he was part of the Migos or Lil Wayne's big brother. He had a series of tattoos down both his arms. It was too dark to see what exactly they were but probably "Thug Life," or his baby momma's name or his firstborn or a cross, or a bleeding heart or one of those generic gangsta type tattoos.

"Did you hear what I said?" he asked her, standing to face her.

"You said something?"

He grinned at her, and somewhere angels started to sing. The man had dimples to die for and eyelashes as long as hers. Not cool, not even cool at all.

"I said I could handle this for you but it's gonna take me a while."

"Excuse me? You're going to handle my car? No, I don't think so. I told you Triple-A is on the way, so I'll just sit and wait in my car."

"Do you not see my tow truck right there? I can tow you to the shop and handle this for you."

"I'll wait."

"Out here?" He looked her up and down. "Looking like this? Dressed like this? In this neighborhood, in this car?" He chuckled and shook his head.

"It's not safe?"

He chuckled at her again.

"Look lady, I'm just saying, I have a tow truck, you need a tow, why wait around. Once I drive off who knows how long you will have to wait and if those punks drive back around to see if you're alone again..."

She did not need convincing.

"Okay, okay!" She went to the passenger side door and opened it to get her purse and keys.

"I'm going to pull up front and get your car hooked up."

She felt like a helpless child because she did not know what to do. She stood there watched him get into the tow truck, drive and park in front of her car then get out again.

"You can go inside my truck and wait, this won't be long."

She felt like he was bossing her around and telling her what to do and she never liked that from anyone. She stood there defiant, content to stand there and watch her baby get hooked up and taken away.

"Seriously, you need to go wait in the truck or stand on the sidewalk, because you're just in my way," the guy said walking around her.

She sighed and rolled her eyes then walked off to get into the truck. She could not believe she let some random tow truck driver talk to her that way. She had to set him straight and let him know who was in charge.

A/N:  I had noooo idea how this story would go from here. New to Wattpad this was a story I played around with for years. Each chapter switches POV between the characters, and I haven't introduced their names yet for a reason, lol. Read on!

Hope you enjoy it!

Hit the star if you like and drop a comment.

XOXO
Kimberly