The Bonnies

By Nicole N. King

Seventeen year old Autumn Jones has it all. She’s rich, she's the most popular girl in school...and she's a thief. Nicknamed “The Ghost” by the media, she and her best friend Yuri have pulled off some of the most perfect heists. But when her father turns up dead during summer break, Autumn decides to put her heist days behind her.
That is, until a new challenge arises.

The lost painting her father spent his life searching for has suddenly surfaced. But there's a catch. The painting is rumored to be cursed with deadly dark powers, that in the wrong hands, could lead to the world's demise. Despite the myth, Autumn and her best friend, decides to steal the painting. But unlike other heists, this one calls for more than a two woman team. The girls team up with two other classmates, while Autumn tries to ignore the sudden feelings she is starting to have for the new transfer, Micah. Being around him is putting a dent in her bad girl reputation, and is also taking her attention away from the heist.

But as the days for the heist grows closer, Autumn begins to discover secrets and clues about her father, that may have caused him his death. It seems there is another thief after the painting, and they will do anything to keep the girls from stealing it, even if it means killing them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nicole N. King
• Release date: Jul 16, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301641321

Nicole N. King

I am a twenty-five year old indie author who loves more than anything, is to snuggle up with a nice novel and a cup of green tea in my Elvis cup.

Book preview

The Bonnies

NICOLE KING

The Bonnies

By Nicole King

Copyright 2013 Nicole King

Smashwords Edition

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Prologue

Boston, Massachusetts

July 10, 2013

A flashing of colorful light illuminated the room as the young woman laid across a bed that had seen better days. The sheets on the bed were ripped from its previous owner and the springs were digging into her back. She shifted as she focused on the ceiling. Colorful lights flashed from the television across the room creating a light show. It wasn’t much to be happy about considering how things had been lately—or considering the places she had to take shelter in, but she had learned early on it was best not to complain.

Something cool and wet hit her forehead awakening her from her thoughts. Her hand went across her forehead as she frowned at the muddy brown liquid that had been wiped off. Great. The ceiling had a leak. She sat up on her elbows and turned to her left. Her eyes stared at the hunched over figure that sat perched at the metal desk in the center of the room. It had been an hour since they’d last spoke, since they were last given the order to work together on this particular assignment. Being together again made her felt giddy. It was like old times again. Another drop of water tapped her on the forehead. She really needed to say something about this. Her mouth opened to inform them of the leak, but immediately closed. Years of living with this person had taught her never to bother them with annoying things of this nature. Besides, they wouldn’t be here for long anyhow. Her stomach gave a rumble as she placed a hand on it. She needed food, particularly something sugary.

The young woman sat up from the bed and shoved her feet into a pair of boots that were two sizes too big for her. As she bent over to tie the strings to the shoes, she watched the hunched over figure sit up.

What is it? The rough voice floated across the room to her. It was a voice she loved and cherished. It was a voice that she could identify in her dreams.

It’s nothing. I didn’t mean to bother you. The young woman cursed the noisy worn down twin bed. I’m going out.

The figure gave no reply to this and she didn’t expect it to. She walked over to the nightstand, grabbed the room key and her pocketknife before stepping out of the room, closing the door softly behind her. She headed down the sidewalk towards the convenient store next to the hole in the wall motel they’d chosen tonight. It was always the same—the same hole in the wall motel in the same hole in the wall town with the same overcooked food. Unlike any other teen her age, she had her fill of microwavable and greasy foods. She was ready to finally sit down and call a place home. But it was never going to happen. Shabby motels and rubbery food would be their way of life until they completed this mission.

She walked into the convenient store ignoring the young man behind the counter dressed in Goth. She headed towards the back where the freezer case were located and grabbed a soda. Walking down every isle, she filled her hands with junk food and a magazine broadcasting something about glamour. Walking up to the counter, she placed all her items down and waited for the clerk to ring her up.

This is a lot of junk food. He said thumbing through her items, his fingernails covered in chipped black polish. Someone must have the munchies.

Her eyes lifted from the counter as she stared at the clerk. He wasn’t bad looking despite all the eye liner and piercings he wore. Seeing her eyes on his, he gave her a smile showcasing his straightened white teeth. She knew it. This wasn’t the true him. It was a ploy, probably to get mommy and daddy’s attention.

Where are you from? He asked. I’ve never seen you around here before?

Just ring up my items.

The guys stared at her for a moment before scoffing. He shoved the rest of her things in her bag. 10.44.

She smirked at his attitude and handed over the money which he roughly snatched out of her hand. The cash drawer open as the clerk went to put the change in and then froze. He stared across the counter at her. Their eyes connected as the music that had been playing loudly, suddenly started to fade into the background.

He knew.



The young woman stepped into the room shutting the door and locking it behind her. The figure at the table was no longer there. A sense of fear went through her of being abandoned until the bathroom door opened and they stepped out.

The time has finally come. Today is the day you get to reap the rewards of all your hard training.

The young woman smiled stepping further into the room. She tossed the bag full of snacks on the bed. Already she’d forgotten her sugar rush, and the memory of the clerk who now lay stuffed in an air vent inside the store. Nothing else mattered. The mission was here. It was about to start.



Manhattan, New York

The sounds of the latest hip hop tunes boomed through the speakers as the circle clock on the wall struck two. Shoppers shuffled through the building, hands filled with bags and food from the food court. To the left, a child dropped his sippy cup as the mother bent down to retrieve it. Behind her stood a red head flipping through a catalog, her nails tapping the glass counter. She was aware of this. She was aware of all of it, even though her eyes were focused on the cream faced clerk in front of her. It was her awareness that led them to always pull off successful missions, and it would be the clerk’s lack of awareness that would allow them to do the same to him.

Smiling in way that most would compare to a siren, she leaned more across the counter, pretending to give the clerk her full attention. Had the clerk not been too interested in her assets, he would have noticed her mouth moving, counting. At that exact time, he would have noticed the homeless man enter and the red head exchange looks with her before causing their scene.

Raised voices elevated behind her, as the clerk finally realized that they weren’t the only two people in the store. Mumbling an apology, he made his way towards the redhead and the homeless guy to contain the situation. But it was way too late for that.

The clerk who was several feet away assuming he was doing his job, never noticed the girl removing the glass cutter from her purse. He didn’t hear it cut across the glass counter, or when she reached in and remove the diamonds and ruby jewelry from their collection. No, he like the rest of the shoppers in the store that day, were too enthralled with the scene that they never noticed her walk past them giving the arguing couple a slight glance. They didn’t notice the couple who suddenly ended their argument heading their separate ways, only to meet up with her at the exit.

No, it was only when the clerk turned to look for her that he would noticed the missing jewelry. It is then that he would call the police and they would search the building, just missing the three thieves entering the limo pulling off.

Chapter One

Victorville, California

I couldn’t believe I was back here after spending the summer in one of the most beautiful places in the world, Greece. Baldwin Faith Academy. A private school for the children of some of the most powerful people in the world. Unlike other private schools, not just anybody with money can go to this school. This school was built for our safety from our parents enemies. What other school that you know have round the clock army guards patrolling. Also unlike other schools, ours is remotely off the map. It doesn’t exist. It’s like a secret society. Not many have heard of Baldwin Faith Academy, and you would get zero results for it if you searched for it on Google. A while back someone tried and in the end had the Secret Service at their doorstep searching their house.

Sighing, I pulled out my cellphone to check if I had any new messages. I had fifteen messages, but none were from my mom. It seems she was still avoiding me. Tossing my phone in my purse, I stepped out the car into the scorching heat of the desert. Ridiculous, I could already feel the sweat drops start to form. A couple of girls walked passed me gawking and gossiping behind their hands. I gave a roll of my eyes behind my designer shades. Usually it didn’t matter to me whether or not if they gawked, I loved the attention they gave me. Sadly, today I was not in the mood. I not only had to leave behind my summer fling in Greece, but Headmistress Blake had sent out letters stating that no more than ten suitcases could be brought back to campus this year, which really was a bummer since I had spent most of my summer trying to get rid of depressing thoughts by shopping. It’s been only two months since the death of my father and I was doing all I could to remain in control. I told myself I shouldn’t feel sad since he left a long time ago erasing all contact, but at the end of the day he was still my dad, and I missed him.

Miss Jones

I snapped out of my mental meltdown to see my butler James in front of me. He was struggling with the number of bags I had. Okay, so Headmaster Blake said we couldn’t bring too many suitcases, she didn’t say anything about bags. I’m sorry James, what were you saying?

I was asking if everything was okay. James had a look of worry on his face and I felt myself soften. James had been with my family since before I was born, and he had always been the parent after my father left, and after my mother simply stopped caring. He helped me with my homework, had tea parties with me when I was little, and when I hurt myself he didn’t brush it off like my father did, he’d clean it and tell me everything would be okay. Some people parents were their weakness, mine was my James, my butler.

Everything is fine James. I just wished I could have gone to school somewhere where I don’t have to feel like a piece of bacon in a frying pan.

James laughed which sounded more like a cough. Yes well, at least your skin is glowing in this heat and you look quite dynamic if I may say so.

I stared down at myself. I was dressed in a blue and black belted dress, a pair of Givenchy heels, and a pair of diamond studs in my ear and a diamond tennis bracelet on my right arm. I had decided to forgo straightening my hair this morning and instead left it into its natural curls. My dark brown skin was glowing in the sun thanks to the body crème I had applied earlier. James was right, I looked fabulous.

Feeling back to my normal self, I hitched my purse up on my shoulder and made my way through the string of arriving students. Most of them immediately got out of my way, and for the new ones, well it didn’t take long to catch on. My heels tapped along the stone walkway as James and I made our way through the campus towards my dorm. Despite our campus being in the middle of the desert surrounded by sharpshooters, it really was a beautiful place. The grass was exceptionally green, no browning marks here. There were trimmed bushes and colorful flowers despite the scorching heat. There were stone walkways around the campus and in the center a giant fountain which was usually the hang out spot after classes. There were no gremlins or Goth buildings like you read in stories. No our campus looked more like a palace, more fitting since it held royalty. Waving to a couple of people, I stopped when I noticed a blond head near the benches under the trees.

James you go ahead, I’ll meet you there.

James nodded and headed towards my dorm as I headed over to the blond. As I neared her, I noticed she was accompanied by a certain someone who I had certain distaste for. I almost turned around. Almost.

She looked up and smiled happily when she noticed me. Autumn you’re finally here. I thought you’d ditch to stay in Greece. Yuri was my roommate and above other things my best friend. We’d met when we were nine and both of our parents had to attend the same dinner party for charity. Unlike the other kids there, we didn’t prefer to sit still and listen to a bunch of adults chatter about useless stuff. Instead we’d snuck up stairs to Mrs. Edison’s room and tried on her jewelry and played with her perfume. We ended up getting caught when Mr. Edison and the Wilshire’s nanny busted into the room kissing. He’d given us both a hundred dollars and a promise not to tell our parents what we were doing. We’d taken the hundred dollars and didn’t promise not to tell his wife. Needless to say we weren’t invited to anymore of their dinner parties.

I gave Yuri a hug and stepped back giving her floral print dress and wedges a look of approval. I thought about it. But it wouldn’t have been as fun without you Yuri.

Yuri and I shared a laugh until a certain someone sighed with annoyance. I turned my attention to the over built figure under the tree. Mark McEachron, the school’s it guy, but to me he was an egotistical jerk who loved to mentally abused Yuri. He was tall and way too overbuilt for a teenager. His hair was a deep color brown with two strands hanging over his eyes. It drove the girls at this school gaga. His eyes were that piercing blue that drew people in but instead revolted me. He knew he was gorgeous and so everyone knew as well. They loved him. I hated him, and of course the feeling was mutual.

If you don’t mind Autumn, Yuri and I were talking. He said his eyes arched in that threatening way that usually scared the underclassmen, but it made me smirk.

Why Mark, it’s 103 degrees out here, so why add your breath to the mix? I said smiling sweetly.

Mark gave me a look of pure outrage and Yuri snorted with laughter. Looping my arm through Yuri’s, I gave Mark a wiggle of my fingers as I led us off towards our dorm.

You really shouldn’t have done that. She said once she had calmed down. I’m going to have to be the one to deal with him later.

You shouldn’t have to! I pointed out. Mark was a jerk and Yuri needed to learn how to stand up for herself. I wouldn’t always be here to do that for her.

I know. She sighed brushing a piece of hair back into place. She had gotten rid of her long hair this summer and settled for this super cute short haircut. I loved it. Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you, did you take care of Perkins?

My lips thinned as I thought about the guy who had helped us out on our small heist this summer. We’d taken him from his boring job at a plant factory and willingly gave him twenty thousand dollars just to be a distraction in our heist, only he’d gotten greedy and wanted more money. Luckily, I had planned for this certain mishap. Perkins had a thing for the guys. Considering he was a married man, I’m pretty sure his wife didn’t know about it. After showing him the disturbing photos, he’d fallen back into place and disappeared quietly from the scene.

Opening the main door to our dorm, I breathed in the cool air feeling my skin beginning to cool. I took care of it. Besides even if he does decide to come back for more money, who will he contact? As far as the world is concern, Ashley and Maya don’t exist.

Yuri and I had been at this heist things for two years now, only scheduling robberies every few months or so. We never hit the same type of places, always switched it up. One day it’ll be clothes, the next diamonds. Nothing too big, since we were a two woman show. Our disguises, names, and resources were endless. After we got finished with one job, we’d burned the evidence. Besides, who would suspect two daughters of politicians to be the thieves they’d heard about on the local news? It was the perfect cover.

I opened our room door to see our room as neat and tidy as we left it. Our two queen size beds were already decorated with the bedding we had sent over ahead of time. Last year our room’s color theme had been a light yellow, now it was light a purple. The contractors had redone our wallpaper to match our bedspreads, and even redid our carpeting. Yuri and I preferred our carpet to be soft, so when we walk across it, the carpet would tickle our feet. To the front of the room sat our desks and bookcases, and off to the sides were our bathroom, closets and dressers. In the middle room sat our flat screen television and our sofa we’d had since we first started here at Baldwin Faith Academy. It was a matter of significance to Yuri and me so it had to stay the same. James was seated on our sofa, his work uniform out of place among the purple and white pillows. My bed was empty of suitcases except for one. Thank God, I had talked to him early on in my years about not putting away my underwear. Some things should just be private.

James!!! Yuri yelled excitedly running over to James tackling him into the mess of pillows. Smiling I headed over to my bed tossing down my purse.

Miss Hopkins. James said politely removing himself from Yuri’s tight hold. A pleasure to see you as always.

Yuri gave her a roll of her eyes. James how many times do I have to say you can call me Yuri? I mean it’s only been what eight years. She finished sarcastically.

My apologies, Miss Hopkins. James said his mouth twitching with a smile. Turning to me, he gave me a fond smile. "I’ve put away everything in your closets except for one suitcase. I’ve also sent the kitchen