Hood River Zero Read online K. Webster (Hood River Hoodlums #4)

Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Angst, Contemporary, Dark, New Adult, Romance, Young Adult Tags Authors: Series: Hood River Hoodlums Series by K. Webster
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Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 99766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
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She flinches at my harshly delivered words. I should feel bad, but I don’t. I don’t have any patience for anyone who actively sets out to hurt my people.

Penny is mine.

As soon as she leaves, I squat down in front of Penny’s desk. “You okay?”

“When I think about Eli’s screams, everything feels better than okay.” She smirks. “Did you miss me, Coach?”

“Not as much as Tierra did,” I tease. “She had to whip everyone’s asses all by herself in practice since you were busy.”

Cal’s hand clamps on my shoulder. “We’re going to dinner at Eldridge’s steakhouse tonight. You two coming with?”

“Yeah,” I say as Penny murmurs, “Nope.”

I shoot her a questioning look. She won’t meet my stare as she stands up.

“We’re going to hang out at Cal’s then?” I ask, taking her hand.

“I have a thing to do. I’ll come over later.” Her lips press together and she fidgets.

I’m not about to press her in front of Cal and Charlotte. With a heavy sigh, I nod. “I’ll be there. Text when you’re on your way.”

“So,” Charlotte says, waggling her finger between us. “You two are a thing now?”

“Yep,” Penny replies, giving me a rare smile. “And don’t tell our brother. I don’t want my boyfriend to die.”

Boyfriend?

My lips curl into a wide smile. “Did you just claim me, mean-ass?”

“Stop talking,” she says with a cute eye roll, “or you’ll ruin it.”

I bought a car.

After dinner with Cal, Charlotte, and Cal’s parents, I randomly decided it was time to replace the vehicle that had been totaled last spring. A couple hours later and I drove off the lot in a mostly new black Chevy Trailblazer. I was tired of relying on rides or borrowing Cal’s truck.

When I get back to Cal’s, I shoot Grandma a picture of it. She likes when I’m responsible and shit. As soon as she replies, I roll my eyes.

Grandma: Looks expensive. When you go through your mail, shred all the credit card apps.

I dread going through that box, but Grandma will ride my ass until I do. So much for being an adult. I’ll always be the kid she was saddled with when Mom got herself in trouble. I love my grandma, but she’s a major pain in my ass.

As soon as I walk inside, I can hear Charlotte’s whines from in their bedroom. Whatever Cal’s up to today sounds painful. That dude has always been such a fucking freak in the bedroom, but with Charlotte, it’s like she unleashed all the wicked parts of him. They’re in love, so it must work for them. I’m just not into pain and shit. After the accident, I’ve had enough pain for this lifetime and I sure as shit don’t want to inflict any on Penny.

I take a quick shower to rub one out, my thoughts on my girl, before settling in my bed to go through the box piled high with mail. It’s nearing nine and I can’t help but worry about Penny. She’s off doing something secretive and I hate it. I wish she’d just talk to me. Knowing her, she’s probably learning ass kicking moves from Jace so she could beat up Grayson and Eli. That shit would not surprise me in the least.

My box of mail is mostly full of credit card offers. I ignore most of Grandma’s notes she’s written on them, all of which are to help guide me into adulthood.

This company is a scam.

This card usually offers good rates at first but raises them to 28% later.

Don’t apply for this one.

Credit cards lead to debt, which you don’t need.

There are get well cards from some family members and friends. All of which she writes that I need to text them a thank you. I find a few hospital bill receipts, and out of curiosity, actually open those to see what kind of debt I owe Garrett. Not that he’s made any move to ask me to pay him back.

I open one hospital receipt and nearly throw up my steak.

Three hundred thousand dollars.

Just for my stay at the hospital. That’s not even including the surgeries or therapies. Holy fuck. I collect all the bills and put them in a stack to open later. I’ll have to give this guy half my paycheck for the rest of my life and I’ll still never pay him back. Makes me feel like shit about it too.

With a heavy sigh, I dig until I find some letters.

From Lacey.

“What the fuck?” I mutter.

Now I feel like an idiot for avoiding this until now. She’s probably written to me to tell me where she’s at. That Jack’s an abusive asshole. I could have gotten to the bottom of this a long time ago. Maybe I would’ve been told Zella was mine long before I made that conclusion myself after Christmas.


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