A Double Shot of Bourbon
A.C. Land
(Bourbon Series #2)
Publication date: October 18th 2016
Genres: Romance, Young Adult
Lonna Stuart is proud tobe the most beautiful girl most people have ever seen. But on the inside she’s dying. Her mother’s grating comments and her boyfriend’s obsessive control are suffocating her.
There’s only one person who sees the real Lonna.
Son of the infamous Bourbon Butcher, Collin toes an invisible line of perfection; he’sa football prodigy; a hard working employee; and, what Lonna’s boyfriend considers, a retard. A slight stutter keeps Collin back from making too many friends, but he observesbetter than anyone, and he sees things most people miss. He sees the pain in Lonna’s eyes and the sadness in her frown. When she nearly drowns, Collin’s the only one willing to sacrifice himself to save her.
Inspired by Collin’s overwhelming kindness and drawn to the sheer greatness of him, Lonna begins to pull away from her asphyxiating life. But unbeknownst to both of them, Collin’s father, busy planning an epic escape from prison.
EXCERPT
The sight of her falling into a river made my heart ache and
my body numb with an explosion of tingling. The numbness started at my chest
and worked all the way to my toes and fingers.
I stared at the almost undisturbed water for half a second
before walking over to the maple and tying the strands around one of the
upended roots.
Luke and I had been coming up here since we were kids, and I
hadn’t used that rope since I was in middle school.
“Lonna!” Charli screamed, her voice raw.
Leaning over the edge of the cliff, I watched Charli swing
her arms wide as she fought against the current to keep herself upright.
“Lonna!”
From where I stood, I only saw Charli struggling against the
waves, as she maintained balance. Luke kicked himself topside and gaped at her.
It was just Charli and Luke down there—two heads bobbing in the rapid waves.
No. No. Not her.
My heart kick-started into overdrive as if that organ
understood what my brain hadn’t quite processed.
Charli whipped her hair out of her face and yelled up at me,
“Collin, I don’t see her! Lonna!”
Taking a step back for leverage, I vaulted over the edge. A
chill ripped through my body as wind whistled past my ears. I hit the surface
hard, my skin stinging as it smacked the water. Instinct demanded I swim up for
air. Ignoring that desire, I threw my
arms out in front of me, forcing myself further into the murky depth of the
river.
Kicking my legs out behind me, I swam along the rocky bottom.
There was nothing down there that gave away where the hell she was or what had
happened to her. My chest burned for air—I ignored it. Giving in meant giving
up.
If I didn’t find her…
No.
I couldn’t think it.
Digging my fingers into the small rocks at the bed, I curled
a fist. Using my already sliced palm against the water-eroded stones, I pushed
myself forward. Either my arms were tired from swinging forward, or my body had
officially run out of air and there was none left for my muscles.
I did it again. Sliding my hand into the sandy ground,
propelling myself ahead.
Someone was yelling topside and I thought, maybe, it was
her. Maybe I should go look. Maybe she’s okay.
Or maybe she’s not.
Maybe she’s still under here.
Maybe. She’s. Already. Dead.
Author Bio:
Author of the Bourbon series, A. C. Land has been a lover of stories since she first read about Peter Pan giving Wendy an acorn and teaching her to fly. She always dreamed of telling big stories about small towns.
Residing on a cattle farm in Missouri, A. C. loves playing with her rambunctious Jack Russell, Riley, making decorative cakes, taking pictures, drinking pumpkin spice coffee, and hanging out with her nephews.
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