Now or Never ⇀ John B Routledge [1]

prologue

One Year Ago...

North Carolina summers could be harsh — that was one thing fifteen‑year‑old Ashtyn Hughes learned early. When she was five, her family started the tradition of spending one week every summer on Ocracoke. It was Peter and Claudia's way of escaping Greenville's everyday trials, even if only for a short break.

Ashtyn often returned home so sunburned she could hardly sit comfortably in her parents' SUV, but the time away was worth the skin damage. She'd tried to convince her parents to buy a second home on the Outer Banks, but they always shot the idea down. "We don't travel out there enough to buy a house, Ashtyn. Are you crazy?"

Maybe she was.

This year turned out different. Hotels on Ocracoke were booked before her father could make reservations, and that's how the family ended up on Kildare.

The island's culture always intrigued Ashtyn. She wondered where she'd fit if they moved there — like the Camerons — but something told her she wouldn't have a choice.

Claudia would never let her run off with anyone beneath their socioeconomic class.

As her father sped past a sign that read "Welcome to the Outer Banks: Paradise on Earth," Ashtyn dropped her head on her older brother's shoulder, finding comfort in the protective arm he looped around her. From the moment Lucas Hughes first saw his baby sister, he swore he would do anything to keep her safe — and he hadn't broken that promise.

He never planned to.

It annoyed Ashtyn when Luke ran off potential boyfriends, but she knew he meant well. He wouldn't let her settle for anything less than she deserved, and she was grateful. He kept her in check, picked up the pieces when the pressure to be perfect shattered her confidence. When she snuck out to parties, Luke waited up until his drunken sister stumbled home so he knew she was alive.

Mr. and Mrs. Hughes knew nothing about their daughter's extracurricular activities — and as long as Luke was involved, they never would. He'd spent too many nights with his fingers down his sister's throat to let Ashtyn lose their parents' respect.

She was the golden girl. Him? He was the troublemaker.

Not long after the pair dozed off, an abrupt stop sent their bodies forward. Luke jolted awake, eyes wide to scan their surroundings; Ashtyn choked as the seatbelt cut into her throat.

Peter and Claudia cursed in the front seats, pointing toward a group of kids wreaking havoc outside a rental being remodeled. Three boys sprinted from a large security guard, spitting taunts as they kept a safe distance.

Ashtyn was outwardly appalled — she'd been raised not to behave like that — but a small part of her thought it looked fun. Luke snickered as the boys tossed empty beer cans at the guard and flipped him off.

The eldest Hughes child lived for chaos; watching others cause it made him miss his friends back home.

"Adults truly don't know how to raise their children anymore," Claudia scoffed, trying to compose herself. "If this keeps up, our country is going to be run by a convicted felon..." She turned to point an accusing finger at Ashtyn. "You will never act like that. Do you understand?"