Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 77551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Jake and I dig and dig and dig, until—
My shovel clinks against something hard. Something metal.
I look at Jake, and he nods. “Guys,” he says to Brett and Alex, “we’ve got something.”
They scramble over. “Show us!” Alex whispers, his eyes gleaming with curiosity and greed.
I nod to Jake, who bends down into the hole and reaches for the object we unearthed. He grunts as he lifts it out. It’s a metal box about the size of a small suitcase. It’s covered in rust and dirt, and it feels heavy with secrets. We look at each other. Whatever's inside could change everything.
Jake wipes some dirt off the top of the box. There’s no lock, just a latch that’s rusted over from years under dirt and dampness. We all hold our breath as he swings open the lid.
Inside are bundles of cash.
I can’t help it. My eyes go wide and I let out a howl. “Yes!”
“Jesus, Seb,” Brett whispers harshly. “Larson may be out cold, but you never know who’s skulking around.”
He’s right, of course. I shouldn’t have yelled. But damn...
“How much do you think that is?” Alex asks.
“Best way to find out is to count it,” Brett says. “But first we need to get it out of here.”
Brett aims his phone light toward River in the house. He flashes twice to signal that we found what we were looking for. Brett, Alex, Jake, and I pull out the bundles and stuff them into our backpacks. Then we rebury the metal box, shoveling dirt on it as fast as we can without bothering to keep watch.
Once all the dirt is back where it belongs, we signal again to River.
Ten minutes later, we’re back at the original meeting place, all five of us.
“He was still out when I left,” River says. “He has a pulse, though. He should be fine.”
Brett nods. “Good enough. You won’t believe the stash, Riv. All hundreds. We have to get to the shed at your place and count it all.”
River nods. “Should we lie low first? Make sure Larson stays out?”
Brett shakes his head. “Everything went as planned—except for that damned bear, but Al here was a freaking superhuman—so there’s no need to worry. Besides, the sooner we’re off his land, the better off we are.”
I nod. “Brett’s right, Riv.”
Alex and Jake agree, so River relents. “Let’s go then,” he says. “You need me to carry any of the cash?”
“We got it,” Brett says, “but you can take the shovels.”
River nods, grabs the tools, adjusts his own backpack, and the five of us head back to the Barrett ranch.
I can’t keep a silly smile off my face.
We’re fucking rich!
Present Day...
I wake up in a cold sweat.
That dream. That memory.
Who knew it would turn into such a fucking nightmare?
That smile on my face. Sure, we committed a crime, but we thought Larson deserved it. We were fifteen years old with testosterone surging through our veins. And we were desperate. Except for River, whose parents owned their small ranch, none of us had a pot to piss in. My mother drank away all her money, when she bothered to earn any. Jake was even worse off. Alex and Brett fared a bit better than Jake and I did, but they both had to work for any extras they wanted.
At the time, we felt justified in our actions.
Damn.
If only we could take it all back.
If only...
The money served us well, though. Without it, we might not be where we are today. It became seed money, and Brett especially made that work for him. The rest of us made it on our own God-given talents, and when we invested in Brett’s ventures, we became billionaires.
Fucking billionaires.
But sometimes, when I’m alone at night after waking up with my heart racing, I think about the truth. About what that night ultimately cost all of us.
I’d give it all back in an instant.
Another night of restless sleep.
Another reminder of how far we’ve fallen. We were just kids, never thinking of the potential consequences. In Brett’s eyes at the time, there would be no consequences. He had it all thought out. We didn’t even let a bear stop us.
No matter how much I drink, how many beautiful women I’ve bedded, or how many sold-out concerts I play...it’s never enough to drown out the memories. The ghosts of our past actions echo in every corner, whispering sordid tales in hushed voices.
I swing my legs over the side of the bed and begin my nightly ritual. Alone with my thoughts and the dark shadows of the night, I head out of the bedroom toward the bar and pour myself a glass of bourbon. Maybe I should have stayed with Alex, tried for a threesome with him and Ariel.
But I wasn’t up for it tonight.
My fingers tremble as I wrap them around the crystal-cut glass. The fiery liquid does nothing to quell my racing thoughts.