The second book in the Family Business series- please read the FIRST book here: https://www.wattpad.com/story/141927720-family-business
Aria Rossi leads the movement against Xander Arnell's rise to power. Does her mafia background paired with the...
Long awaited update to fill in some plotholes and gives two characters the love they deserve! :') 12,577 words!
Takes place tangentially with everything happening at camp with Aria but goes back in time at some points (no more than 2-3 months). I will work out the whole timeline at a later date.
Chapter 6.
~Juliana POV~
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I gather my supplies into my backpack before taking my ID badge off of the bed, shoving it into my pocket. I glance in the tiny mirror, hanging from the side of the tent, seeing the healing bruises on my face from my ex. After spending a few weeks in the holding cells, he was forcibly removed from camp, and put on a watch-list. Aria and General Sawyer had saved me from him. While she used the pseudonym Breeze Evans, I recognized her as Aria Rossi from the moment I laid eyes on her. In high school, I did an entire art project on her. And when the General told me to change her hair, I immediately understood why.
"Juls, come on!" Amanda calls from outside the tent.
I glance at the time and quickly duck out, zipping my tent up before securing the lock at the bottom for the zipper. "Hey, sorry. I lost track of time!"
She shakes her head, "As long as we make the bus, it's fine."
My backpack feels heavy as we walk down 117th, making towards the bus stop off of 115th. It is foggy today, making it hard to see anything further than 10 yards in front of us. I wrap my arms around myself as we move to the bus stop, standing in line with the few other people waiting there. I glance over as Amanda gets a call, stepping away to take it. By her posture, I can tell that it is James. When she walks back over, I can tell by her face that I will be on my own today. "Go, I'll be fine," I say before she can speak.
"Are you sure?" She frowns. "It'll be the first time you've left alone since-"
"I've left camp before and I know where I'm going. I'll be fine," I reassure her, squeezing her arm, though my heart races at the thought. Amanda thanks me before rushing off to find James.
The bus arrives a few moments later and I scan my pass before finding a seat in the back. We drive through camp, making a few more pick-ups before driving toward the gate. Two guards walk on, dividing the bus in half as they scan everyone's ID cards before allowing the bus through the gates, reminding us of the 7 pm curfew. I smile as we leave the gates, feeling the crushing claustrophobia of being in camp left behind us.
We drive through miles and miles of desert. I find myself finding the beauty in the small tan hills with tufts of small green brushes as the countryside sprawls around us for miles. Leaving camp gives the world some perspective, allowing me to see things more clearly. Our first stop is in one of the closest towns, a good portion of people leaving the bus. I stretch, waiting another two stops before getting out in Reno. The city is still bustling, not touched by the LM movement. I smile a little, excited to spend the day here.
