My 21st Birthday: Day Of Reckoning

from university w

l around, treading carefully, trying to mend o

tance, smarting from Father' s pub

her made an announceme

he said, his eyes twinkling. "A particularly significant charit

"A project very close to my

is mother had championed. Winning the regatta, and control of

team, Father," I

wealthy and influential on the East Coast. Prestige, networ

egatta dawned br

ea of sleek yachts

Father' s Head of Security, was among them. Ex-Marine, capable, quiet

I saw

smug. And on his

And she was vi

s no fear in them now, only a bold, defiant challeng

ompson heir, Marcus' s c

,' cut through the waves. We were doing

, ch

or associate of Marcus, veere

ed to clip our stern, to capsize

acht, watching, a small, t

r doing. An

happene

violently. A bo

crambling for a hold

ed like

e with his body as the boom sw

iller, expertly countering the wash fr

fe. Shaken

sped off, fei

was too close. Chloe

ay, Ava?" His voice was ca

ice tight with fury.

st, but respectable. My mind

er the awards, I

unt, Chloe," I said, my

are you talking about, Ava? I

d to her side. "Ava, don' t a

r. "Leave her alone, Ava! Can' t you see she'

hand, as if