Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Read Online Books/Novels: | Camp Crim (Walker Hills #3) |
|---|---|
Author/Writer of Book/Novel: | Bella Jewel |
| Language: | English |
| ISBN/ ASIN: | B09W19QY6S |
| Book Information: | |
Gorgeous ranchers meet ex-crims, what could possibly go wrong? I don't know whose wise idea it was to send us on this retreat. I don't need rehabilitation. I don't need a bunch of hot cowboys telling me what to do. I don't need anyone trying to be my friend. I just want to go home and put this nightmare behind me. I just spent a year in prison for something I didn't do, now I have to endure this? I can't deny that the ranchers are gorgeous, and Lake is unlike any man I've ever met. Even though they made him my own personal guard. They don't trust me. He doesn't trust me. I'm trouble, according to them. He hates it about as much as I do, and I make a vow to keep him on his toes. I'm not one to follow rules. I'll do what I want at this stupid retreat. There is one, small, problem though.... A stablehand goes missing. Vanishes. ****This book contains adult content and is recommended for readers 18+ | |
| Books in Series: | Walker Hills Series by Bella Jewel |
| Books by Author: | Bella Jewel |
PROLOGUE
Rain trickles down over my forehead and I blow it off with a whoosh of air from my lips. It’s not heavy enough to drench, but enough to be annoying. The dim lights of the gas station in front of us has a lump forming in my throat. I’ve spent the last five minutes trying to figure out what to say, to get this to stop.
So far, nothing is working.
“You need to stop, Davina,” my voice comes out croaky, quiet, “this is a bad idea. Someone is going to get hurt.”
My hands fumble together as I try to stop my longtime friend, Davina, from doing something crazy. Something as crazy as standing up a gas station for money. Things are hard, they’ve been hard for some time, but this plan ... it’s dangerous. It’s not the kind of plan you actually carry out. Sure, we’ve spoken about it, we have even worked out how we’re going to do it, but now that we’re here I’m not so sure.
It doesn’t feel right.
The cold gun in my hand.
The look on the young girl’s face at the counter as she shuffles through some stock items, oblivious to what’s about to happen.
Mostly, the cold stare in my friend’s eyes.
We haven’t eaten for two days, not for a lack of trying, but we’re struggling, and we’re broke, and by the time we pay rent and Davina pays for her habit, there is nothing left. Nobody will hire her, or me for that matter. We’re from the rougher side of town, a place nobody wants their staff coming from. I have no experience; my life isn’t that grand. I haven’t had the chance to work and create a name for myself.
No. The path laid out for me is much, much more dangerous than that.
We’re the kids from broken homes, tossed around in a system that doesn’t care about you. They’ll do anything to just move you on and forget your name. You’re nothing more than a number and they’ll be sure to make you know it. Davina and I are all each other has ever had, but right now, the choice she’s making...it’s killing me.
“Nobody is going to get hurt,” Davina says, pressing the gun closer to her chest so any passersby won’t see it. “Just stick to the plan. We’ll be in and out.”
It’s late, the flickering streetlight is the only sound that can be heard. There are no cars, no people, nothing around at this time of the night. It’s just a cold, empty, deserted place.
That’s why we picked it.
It’s in the rundown neighborhood, where nobody cares about the people living and working here.
We have it on good authority the security system is currently down. You know things when you live the way we do. You can find out practically anything you want, and you are sure to always be one step ahead of the law.
We have much working in our favor tonight, yet everything about it feels wrong.
“She’s in there all alone, something will go wrong,” I say, shaking my head. “I don’t want to do this.”
“It’s too late for that,” Davina growls, glaring at me before turning and striding right toward the front door.
I have only seconds to stop her and my attempts are futile. She’s going in there, and my gut tells me something is going to go wrong. I have to stop her because that girl in there doesn’t deserve to be scared in the way she’s about to. She doesn’t deserve to be afraid to come to work. This was a bad idea, and I’m not going to let it continue. I should have never even let her tell me about it to begin with.
What was I thinking?
This was never going to work.
Not ever.
Davina walks in the front door, and I’m on her tail, reaching out to stop her, to pull her arm down, to stop her flashing her gun around.
“No,” I say, just as she holds the weapon up. “Davina, stop.”
The girl looks up from the counter and her eyes widen. It’s too late to prevent the fear. I can see it written all over her face. Labored breaths leave my body as I freeze, watching as Davina screams at the girl to open the register. I can’t move, my legs are numb, and it’s only then that I realize I have a gun in my hand.
Snap out of it, Willa.
I shove the gun into my coat and step toward Davina. “Stop,” I plead, my eyes scanning her cold face as she doesn’t take her eyes off the girl who is frantically fumbling to get the money out. “She hasn’t done anything wrong.”
“You’re either with me, or against me, Willa. If you’re against me, get the fuck out and find your own food.”
My hand trembles as I place it on my friend's arm. “Just lower the gun, there is another way.”