Page 6 of Vita Mia

Chapter Two

August 22, 2016

Jekyll Island, Georgia

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“DON’T BE SHY. GO AHEAD. Look around.”

Ryder wasn’t shy. He was stunned. He’d never seen so much wealth in one place. The display cases housed jewels in all sizes and shapes. He’d step to one podium and stared at an assortment of rubies made into necklaces, the rarest watches in the world that only graced the wrists of Saudi Kings, and diamonds that were so bright he squinted when he stared too long. There was gold, there was platinum and titanium. There were minerals he couldn’t put into words.

“What is this?” he said and pointed to the walls of stolen artifacts and rare paintings.

“So many wars, now. The Western world of rich assholes makes up about 15 percent of the global population. The other 85 percent live in poverty. These are all stolen from those people. Rare antiquities taken from their war-torn lands that in a few years will be priceless. A collector’s paradise,” she said as if disgusted. “It’s shameful. Disgusting.”

“Why is this place here?”

“What do you mean why is it here? You’ve seen who is at this party. Evil. Evil comes for evil.” MiaBella said and crossed her arms. “It’s here because they are here.”

“To buy it?” Ryder frowned.

“An auction. It starts, in an hour,” she looked at her watch.

“Auction?” he repeated and walked over to the encased jewels. MiaBella pointed to the front of the room where an elevated platform was set for the festivity. Though the jewels were interesting. This was not what he expected.Celebrities all around the world gathered, and clamored to come in here to buy gems and stolen antiquities?It made no sense.

“Where’s the rest of it!” he demanded.

MiaBella frowned.

Ryder corrected his tone. He forced a smile. “I mean, this can’t be all.”

MiaBella stared at him. Something in the way she stared at him sent a shiver up his spine. Maybe it was her silence. Maybe it was her lack of fear. Something felt off. And he wasn’t sure what to do or say next to get her to reveal the identity of the heads of the Illuminati.

“Who are you? Really?” MiaBella asked.

“I told you... I’m an assistant too—”

“No. That’s what I told you,” MiaBella said.

Ryder gave her a nervous chuckle. He slipped her his charming smile. He knew he was handsome to girls. He had dark black hair and green eyes. He was fit enough to look athletic even if he wasn’t. And the scar on his brow from a fight he had in the detention center gave a slash through his right brow that made him look mysterious and tough.

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