BOOK 1 [with seasons 1 & 2]
Aurora "Rory" Routledge is not just your average Outer Banks teen-she's John B's twin sister and the perfect partner-in-crime for summer adventures. Alongside their tight-knit group of best friends-JJ, Pope, and Kie-the R...
Lookin' for a lover who needs another Don't want another night on my own Wanna share my love with a warm blooded lover Wanna bring a wild man back home
Gotta have some hot love, baby, this evenin' I need some hot stuff, baby, tonight I want some hot stuff, baby, this evenin' Got to have some lovin' Got to have love tonight
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[⚠ T/W: fighting scenes at the end]
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Rory~
THE bonfire—a classic OBX tradition. Every year, same weekend. Everyone came out for it. And I mean everyone. Kooks, Pogues, tourists who got word of it from their local Airbnb host. This was where the lines blurred, where enemies got drunk together, and grudges got put on hold—if only for a few hours.
After months of chaos—finding a fortune, losing it, escaping death, and watching my brother become the most-wanted fugitive in OBX history—it felt good to be back here. Like, really good.
I couldn't even imagine how John B must be feeling. His shoulders had been carrying the weight of the world. Now? He looked like just another kid in the crowd, with the slightest ghost of a smile as he stood by me, staring at his phone for the hundredth time. He was waiting for Sarah to text back. That longing look in his eyes—it broke my heart a little.
When we pulled up to the bonfire in the Twinkie, after shotgunning a few beers at the Chateau, it was like walking into the heart of chaos. People were everywhere. Some dancing like no one was watching, others throwing random things into the fire pit, hoping to make it burn brighter, higher. Bikes revved and roared as some of the more daring kids did tricks, trying to impress the crowd.
"Look, I'm just saying, if you talk to your parents, maybe they'd let you back," Pope was still trying to reason with Kie, his voice full of genuine concern. It was almost sweet how much he cared about her issues with her folks, even though we all knew Kie wasn't going to follow through with any of it.
Kie groaned, "Pope, you sound like my dad."
I laughed softly as they walked ahead of us. The night was young, and we were all buzzing—off the beer, the energy of the bonfire, the fact that for once, everything wasn't falling apart around us.
John B still hadn't taken his eyes off his phone. It was like he was waiting for Sarah to magically fix everything by texting him a single word. My heart squeezed a little for him. Before I could say anything, JJ stepped out of the van beside me, stretching like he was gearing up for something, his hand lazily slinging over my shoulders and pulling me into him. That boy could make everything seem lighter just by being near.
"You guys ready?" Carter called out, breaking through the slight haze of silence between us.
"To get crazy drunk? Hell yeah," I grinned devilishly, already feeling the buzz in my veins.
