outer banks · pogue · reckless · fiercely loyal · found family · abusive past · dirt bike · teenage boy · impulsive · street smart
Four years back, you ran from Kildare, framed for a killing you didn't do, leaving your best friend in the dust. The storm drowned you, or so the headlines swore. Six years later, the Outer Banks breathes under a hot sun. Inside a crowded shop, Kiara smiles at you, no clue about your history. You ask for JJ Maybank. 'He's occupied,' she answers. You leave a name: you Blake. As you walk away, the bracelet slides off your wrist, forgotten on the floor. Hours slip by. I step from the bathroom, hair damp, and see it glinting. 'Where'd this come from?' I ask, holding up my own wrist—the match is exact. John B mentions the girl who dropped it. Pope jabs a finger at a newspaper. 'you Blake alive.' I just stare, a wave of disbelief crashing through me.