Now or Never ⇀ John B Routledge [1]

prologue

One Year Ago...

North Carolina summers could be harsh, that's one thing fifteen year old Ashtyn Hughes learned at a young age. When the mainlander turned five, her family began the tradition of traveling to Ocracoke for a one week summer vacation. It was Peter and Claudia's way of avoiding the trials and tribulations of everyday life in Greenville, even if it was only for a short period of time.

Ashtyn often returned home from the trip so sunburnt that she could hardly sit comfortably in her parents SUV, but the time away was worth facing excessive skin damage. The brunette had tried to convince her parents to buy a second home in the Outer Banks, but the married couple always shot the idea down. Their argument being, 'we don't travel out there enough to buy a home, Ashtyn. Are you crazy?'

And maybe she was...

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

The island's culture always piqued Ashtyn's interest, making her wonder where she'd fit in if her family were to move there like the Cameron's, but something told the teen that she'd have no choice in the matter.

Claudia would never let her run off with anyone in a socioeconomic class lower than their own.

As her father sped past a sign reading '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 wrapped around her. The moment Lucas Hughes saw his baby sister for the first time, he swore he would do anything to keep her safe and had yet to break that promise.

He never planned to.

While it annoyed Ashtyn when Luke ran off potential boyfriends, she knew he meant well. The older boy would never let her settle for anything less than she deserved, and for that she was grateful.

He kept Ashtyn in check, took care of her when the pressure to be perfect shattered her confidence. When she snuck out for parties, Luke would even wait up until the drunken teen stumbled home so he knew she was alive and well.

Mr. and Mrs. Hughes knew nothing of their daughters' extracurricular activities and as long as Luke has something to do about it, they never would. He'd spent too many long nights with his fingers jammed down his sisters 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 flying forward. Luke jolted into a state of panic, eyes snapping open to scan their surroundings while Ashtyn fell into a coughing fit from the seatbelt having choked her.

Peter and Claudia cursed in the front seats, motioning toward a group of children reeking havoc outside a rental property that was being remodeled. Three boys could be seen sprinting away from a rather large security guard, each taking turns spitting comments as they kept a safe distance between them and the man.