Altitude & Arrogance
By Bella G. Raine
Sienna Vale has spent her life flying into the unknown. A brilliant test pilot with nerves of steel, she thrives at high altitudes, far above the betrayals and buried truths that haunt her. But when sheâs assigned to partner with Beckett Grayson, the enigmatic heir to a tech dynasty, the real turbulence begins.
Their mission: test a classified aircraft that could change the future of aviation. Their problem: a past neither of them has fully escaped. Sienna canât forget the man who once broke her heart, and Beckett canât afford to let her get too close... not with secrets locked behind military contracts and legacy power.
But something strange is happening in the sky. Their jet is encountering impossible phenomena, and the lines between physics and memory, technology and instinct, begin to blur.
As the danger escalates, so does the heat between them... until a rogue presence in the skies turns their mission into a battle for survival.
Altitude & Arrogance blends high-stakes romance, atmospheric suspense, and a dash of speculative mystery. It's a story about trust, betrayal, and the gravity of love when the world starts to shift beneath your wings.
Altitude & Arrogance
By Bella G. Raine
Sienna Vale has spent her life flying into the unknown. A brilliant test pilot with nerves of steel, she thrives at high altitudes, far above the betrayals and buried truths that haunt her. But when sheâs assigned to partner with Beckett Grayson, the enigmatic heir to a tech dynasty, the real turbulence begins.
Their mission: test a classified aircraft that could change the future of aviation. Their problem: a past neither of them has fully escaped. Sienna canât forget the man who once broke her heart, and Beckett canât afford to let her get too close... not with secrets locked behind military contracts and legacy power.
But something strange is happening in the sky. Their jet is encountering impossible phenomena, and the lines between physics and memory, technology and instinct, begin to blur.
As the danger escalates, so does the heat between them... until a rogue presence in the skies turns their mission into a battle for survival.
Altitude & Arrogance blends high-stakes romance, atmospheric suspense, and a dash of speculative mystery. It's a story about trust, betrayal, and the gravity of love when the world starts to shift beneath your wings.
Chapter 1 Jet Fuel and Judgment
The high desert wind was a restless spirit, mirroring the turbulent landscape of Sienna Valeâs soul. It clawed at the collar of her worn leather jacket. It whipped dark hair across her sharp cheekbones. Heels felt like a pretty affectation, a fragile dance for a world that mistook delicate steps for strength. Siennaâs reality was etched in the grit of dusty airfields, the cold steel of jet fuselages, the ever-present scent of high-octane fuel. Her memory held the ghost of another life â her fatherâs Kentucky horse farm. There, thigh-high leather boots were her armor. Each defiant stride across the fields was rebellion against predictable small-town life. The tarmac demanded a different truth: grounded practicality. This resonated with her fiercely independent core. She felt sculpted by the landscapes she navigated. A force of nature, barely contained. Bending to no oneâs expectations but her own.
Bathed in the desert moon's cold, almost clinical gaze, the Gulfstream G700 shimmered like a silver phantom against the night sky. It wasn't merely transport. It was a potent symbol. A whispered promise in the language of unimaginable wealth and breathtaking velocity. A siren call to the eternally restless. Its sleek lines spoke of human ingenuity and exorbitant expense. An expensive monument to aspirations that soared beyond the reach of most. But beneath the flawless, polished skin of its composite frame, a raw, almost predatory energy thrummed. A constant reminder that some journeys, much like the intricate and often treacherous landscape of the human heart, could veer wildly, irrevocably off course. It held the intoxicating allure of escape, the heady scent of the uncharted territories that lay beyond the horizon. But also the sharp, metallic tang of potential disaster. The chilling possibility of being left stranded amidst the wreckage of shattered dreams.
Her scuffed boots struck the cracked concrete of the tarmac. Each step was deliberate, a rhythmic thud echoing the steady, unwavering beat of her own defiant heart. She moved with a singular, almost predatory grace, a solitary shadow against the harsh glare of the perimeter floodlights. Her gaze fixed on the waiting aircraft. She passed a young line tech named Ryan. He was a mere boy, still wet behind the ears, his face illuminated by the flickering glow of his handheld lamp. A palpable nervous energy radiated off him. A visible tremor in his hands as he meticulously wrestled with the heavy fuel lines. His hesitant nod, offered as she passed, was a curious blend of youthful deference and a dawning, almost awestruck curiosity. The kind that flickers in the eyes of someone encountering a creature both breathtakingly beautiful and fiercely, unapologetically independent. He saw something in her that defied easy categorization. A wildness barely leashed beneath a veneer of steely control. A complex narrative waiting to be deciphered in the sharp angles of her determined jaw and the unwavering, almost unnerving focus in her deep-set eyes. A flicker of recognition crossed his features. The fleeting understanding that this woman was a force to be reckoned with. A story etched in the lines around her eyes and the resolute set of her shoulders.
A familiar knot of unease, a constant companion on the precipice of flight, tightened its icy grip in the pit of Siennaâs stomach. It wasn't merely the inherent risk, the delicate and often perilous dance with gravity and the unpredictable whims of the upper atmosphere. This particular flight felt different. A subtle but persistent discord beneath the surface hum of anticipation. Like the ominous stillness before a violent storm. A premonition that whispered of unseen crosswinds and unexpected turbulence. Both in the vast expanse of the sky and in the tangled, often treacherous currents of her own complicated life. Unfinished business, like the lingering, acrid scent of jet fuel, clung to her senses. The spectral echoes of past choices and paths not taken haunting the periphery of her thoughts. Casting long shadows in the corners of her mind.
Reaching the sleek, retractable boarding stairs, the cold, unyielding metal a stark contrast to the volatile heat simmering within her veins, she paused for a fleeting moment. A beat of silence in the cacophony of the airfield. A deep, steadying breath. Turning back, her gaze, sharp and assessing, swept across the deserted expanse of the tarmac. It settled briefly on Ryan, now a solitary, almost indistinct figure shrouded in the encroaching shadows. What did he truly see when he looked at her? The carefully constructed armor she wore like a second skin? Or the vulnerable, fiercely beating heart she kept so tightly guarded beneath? Did he sense the multitude of secrets she carried, heavy and unspoken, like hidden scars etched onto her soul? Did he perceive the yearning for something more, something beyond the confines of this transient existence?
âYou gonna moon over the machinery all night, flyboy?â she called out. Her voice was a low, husky drawl. It held a hint of playful challenge beneath the inherent roughness. A fleeting flicker of amusement danced in the depths of her dark eyes. Momentarily softening the sharp, almost severe angles of her face. âOr you got a multi-million dollar bird to feed?â It was a question laced with a subtle, almost imperceptible invitation. A hairline crack in the formidable wall she had painstakingly constructed around herself. A momentary, almost involuntary yearning for a genuine connection in the vast, indifferent emptiness of the night.
Ryan blinked, startled by the unexpected address. Then a slow, genuine smile spread across his youthful features. Chasing away the lingering apprehension. A smile that hinted at a spark of understanding. A nascent recognition of the complex, often contradictory woman beneath the pilotâs hardened bravado. âYeah,â he replied. His gaze holding hers for a fraction of a second longer than professional courtesy dictated. A silent, unspoken question hanging in the cool, crisp air between them. A question that spoke of burgeoning intrigue. Of a dawning fascination with the enigmatic force of nature that was Sienna Vale.
Turning back towards the waiting leviathan of the sky, a ghost of a smile, almost imperceptible, touched the corners of Siennaâs lips. Whatever lay ahead, whatever storms brewed on the horizon, she would navigate them on her own fiercely independent terms. It was the only way she truly knew how to fly. The only way to keep the ever-present shadows at bay. The only way to carve out a semblance of peace in a world that often felt suffocatingly small for her expansive, untamed spirit.
As she ascended the polished aluminum stairs, the interior of the Gulfstream, a haven of muted leather and softly diffused lighting, beckoned. A figure emerged from the doorway, leaning against the brushed metal frame with an easy, almost predatory grace that sent a familiar tremor through her. Beckett. Even from this distance, the invisible magnetic pull that had always existed between them tightened in her chest. A silent, resonant chord struck between two instruments finely tuned to the same demanding frequency. His expression wasn't overtly welcoming, but the intense, unwavering focus of his gaze held a contained warmth that pushed back against the encroaching tendrils of her unease. It was a look that spoke volumes of shared skies and unspoken understandings. Of a profound bond forged in the crucible of high-stakes decisions and whispered late-night confidences. A history etched in countless late-night debriefings under the sterile glow of airport lights and the comfortable silences that often held more meaning than any spoken word.
He straightened as she reached the top of the stairs, his tall, lean frame filling the doorway, his presence a tangible force in the confined space. âSienna,â he greeted. His voice a low, gravelly rumble that resonated deep within her chest. A possessive claim whispered into the vast indifference of the night. The soft cabin lighting caught the sharp angles of his jawline. The subtle network of fine lines etched around his piercing eyes â a roadmap of shared adventures and quiet, profound understandings. His eyes, the color of a stormy, unpredictable sea, held a depth that both irresistibly drew her in and silently warned her away from the turbulent depths within.
âBeckett.â Her reply was simple. A mere acknowledgment of his presence. Yet it carried the unspoken weight of their intricately intertwined past. The complex, often turbulent currents that flowed beneath the surface of their professional relationship. A fleeting flicker in his intense gaze â a silent question about her well-being. A subtle challenge to the carefully constructed walls around her heart. A raw vulnerability that mirrored the guarded places within her own soul. An unspoken inquiry about the fragile state of her heart. And a silent dare to finally acknowledge the electric tension that crackled in the charged air between them. For a fleeting, suspended moment, the world outside the luxurious confines of the aircraft ceased to exist. The distant roar of departing engines fading into a muted, insignificant hum.
He extended a hand. Not as a gesture of mere assistance. But as a silent invitation to embark on yet another shared journey into the unpredictable expanse of the sky. âReady to punch holes in the heavens?â The question hung between them. Thick with a subtext that transcended the simple act of boarding a plane. It was a query about their shared path. The inherent risks they were both willing to embrace. And the unspoken, often fiercely suppressed desires that simmered beneath the carefully maintained surface of their professional camaraderie. A yearning for something more profound. Something that stretched beyond the adrenaline-fueled thrill of flight.
A barely perceptible fraction of a second of hesitation, the earlier unease a subtle, persistent tug on the edges of her resolve. The feeling was a complex, almost volatile cocktail of trepidation and a reckless, undeniable anticipation. The lingering pull of a past that continued to cast its long shadows and the alluring, yet potentially perilous, future that beckoned with both exhilarating promise and unforeseen danger. But then she met Beckettâs unwavering gaze. The raw intensity in his stormy eyes that seemed to see straight through her carefully constructed defenses. And the familiar, irresistible rush of adrenaline surged through her veins. Whatever lay ahead, whatever challenges the vast expanse of the sky or the tangled complexities of their own lives might throw their way, they would face it together. They always had. It was the unspoken, unbreakable pact that silently bound them. A fierce loyalty forged in the heart of a roaring engine and tempered by the lonely, breathtaking beauty of the upper atmosphere.
Sienna took his offered hand. His grip was firm, warm. A grounding force against the swirling uncertainties of the night. Yet a subtle, almost electric current of heat passed between their joined hands. A silent, potent language of shared risks and fiercely guarded, unspoken longings. A jolt, subtle but undeniably significant, that momentarily awakened a dormant yearning deep within her soul. A longing she had fought so hard to suppress beneath layers of professional detachment and carefully constructed independence. âBorn ready,â she replied. Her voice a low, steady affirmation. Yet beneath the simple words lay a silent, unwavering vow. A vow to stand steadfastly by his side. To face the unknown with him as her co-pilot. And perhaps, finally, to confront the long-buried feelings that stirred within the deepest recesses of her heart.
Inside the cabin, the muted, almost sensual luxury of supple leather seating and softly diffused, strategically placed lighting offered a stark, almost decadent contrast to the harsh, unforgiving reality of the windswept tarmac. Beckett released her hand, yet the invisible, almost tangible thread that had always connected them remained taut. A palpable energy that filled the confined space with an unspoken tension. The air hummed not just with the quiet efficiency of the aircraftâs systems. But with the unspoken language of lingering glances and the ghost of a touch. He moved with a familiar, confident stride towards the polished chrome and intricate instrumentation of the cockpit. Then paused at the threshold, turning back, his intense gaze holding hers captive across the plush expanse of the cabin.
âGood to have you back in the saddle, Sienna,â he murmured. His voice a low, intimate rumble that resonated deep within her chest. The simple words carrying a weight of unspoken meaning that made her breath catch in her throat. It was more than a perfunctory acknowledgment of her return. It was a quiet declaration. A deeply personal claiming whispered into the silent language of their shared, often perilous, world.
Her heart hammered against her ribs. A frantic drumbeat against the sudden stillness within her soul. As she met his intense, unwavering gaze. âGood to be back, Beckett,â she echoed. The words a simple, almost reflexive response. Yet filled with a depth of emotion she couldn't fully articulate. A profound longing that resonated deep within the hidden corners of her being.
He studied her for a long, unreadable moment. His expression a carefully constructed mask that hid the turbulent emotions she instinctively sensed swirling beneath the surface of his controlled demeanor. Then, with a curt, almost imperceptible nod, he turned and disappeared into the brightly lit sanctuary of the cockpit. Sienna stood there for a long, suspended moment. The lingering echo of his low, resonant words reverberating within the deepest chambers of her heart. She knew, with a certainty that settled deep within the very marrow of her bones, that this particular flight was about far more than just pre-determined coordinates and precise air speed. It was about the intricate, often treacherous journey ahead. The tangled, unresolved currents of their shared history. And the undeniable, almost magnetic pull that existed between her and the enigmatic man who now sat waiting for her in the pilotâs seat. A man who held a significant, perhaps even crucial, piece of her heart. Whether she was finally ready to fully acknowledge that undeniable truth or not. The journey ahead, she instinctively knew, promised to be a turbulent one. A potentially volatile collision course of both exhilarating peril and undeniable, consuming passion. And she knew, with a potent mixture of trepidation and a fierce, undeniable excitement that coursed through her veins, that she was, irrevocably, exactly where she was meant to be.
The deep, resonant thrum of the powerful engines gradually filled the luxurious cabin. A primal vibration that resonated through her very being. A tangible manifestation of raw, untamed power unleashed. It was the sound of freedom found in the vast, limitless expanse of the sky above. The seductive allure of uncharted territories and the intoxicating promise of high-stakes adventure. But beneath the mechanical roar, Sienna sensed a deeper, more personal resonance. A subtle mirroring of the restless, often conflicted spirit that dwelled within her own soul. It was the unmistakable sound of a significant journey about to begin. A journey that would inevitably test her carefully constructed limits. Challenge her long-held assumptions. And ultimately lead her to confront the deepest, most fiercely guarded desires of her complex and fiercely independent heart.
The writing in this book is rich, emotional, and often poetic. The author blends sharp, realistic dialogue with thoughtful, reflective moments. The story feels deep and intense, with lots of vivid descriptions and strong word choices. These details give the book a dramatic, cinematic feel. But sometimes the writing gets so detailed that itâs hard to follow the plot. You really have to focus while reading, since the meaning is often hidden between the lines. This book is less like a fast-paced action story (Independence Day) and more like a slow-burning, thoughtful film (Nope). You canât just skim or read without fully paying attention.
This isnât a typical science fiction novel. It mixes elements of sci-fi, thriller, romance, and literary fiction. If you like stories that blend genres, you might enjoy the blending in this one.
However, the poetic style has some downsides. The heavy use of metaphors can sometimes make the story harder to understand. The pace slows down in some scenes, especially during long inner thoughts. Some emotional moments like grief, fear, and wonder happen all at once, which weakens their impact. The dialogue sometimes feels over-the-top, and important scenes can be unclear because thereâs too much focus on description.
Still, the book stands out for its ambition and depth. It explores big ideas such as identity, love, loss, and choice, presented in a thoughtful and serious tone. The final scene leaves a strong impression and hints that the story isnât over yet.
On the other hand, the romance subplot doesnât work as well for me. The writing feels slow and repetitive in the early chapters, and the emotional side of the romance is underdeveloped. The romantic tension shows up too soon, before weâve had a chance to connect with the characters.
This book is a good fit for readers who enjoy poetic writing, exploring deep emotions, and engaging with thoughtful themes. But if you prefer fast pacing, strong romance, or a clear story structure, it might not be for you.