ASHTON On the top bunk bed, Uncle Colton sat beside his wife, my Aunt Natalia, the owner of Camp Rees and Maddy's mom. She had a messy chop of blonde hair and a long scar running down her cheek. Swinging her legs over the side of the bunk, her bright eyes met Colton's darkened gaze. He appeared angry, but then again, that was his usual expression. Below them, on the ground, my mom sat on a black trunk, nervously munching on a baggie of trail mix. I could tell she was anxious. My mom tugged at my dad's crew-neck shirt, silently urging him to sit as well. However, he shook his head and leaned against the post of another bunk bed, arms crossed and eyes filled with daggers. I shifte

LENNOX I haven't said those words to Ashton yet, and he's not hearing them for the first time as I speak to his father. Ro stands uneasily, but they all hear the weight of my words. "I'm telling you right now," Ashton asserts firmly to everyone in the room, "you're not firing Lennox. None of you are. He's still going to be my bodyguard." Grant speaks up. "For that to happen, your relationship would have to remain a secret from the public." Colton interrupts, "Who said he's staying on the security team or on Tony's detail?" "Are you going to fire him?" Ashton counters. "You?" 

ASHTON …a few years ago. The docked yacht sways gently as the ocean waves crash against its sides. Amidst the lively and crowded deck, I find myself standing, detached from the rowdy end-of-summer bash behind me. Swimsuit-clad individuals navigate their way through the party, occasionally bumping into low-hanging pineapple streamers as they make their way to the bar. Torches cast a warm glow, illuminating the night. I tighten my grip on the yacht's railing and direct my gaze towards the dark horizon. My eyes narrow and remain fixated, unblinking. Only twenty minutes ago, I committed a colossal mistake—one that no

ASHTONIn a rush, I hastily slip into a plain green shirt inside a bedroom at the lake house. As I hurriedly dress, my elbow accidentally knocks over a bear-shaped lamp. I react too slowly, unable to catch it in time. The crash of glass meeting the hardwood floor fills the room, and frustration escapes my lips. Knowing there are more pressing matters with my family, a broken lamp seems insignificant. I reassure myself that I can handle it. Squatting down, barefoot, I start picking up the larger pieces of shattered glass. Just as I begin, Lennox joins me, crouching down and assisting in collecting the sharp fragments. He's multitasking, fitting in his earpiece while already having a radio clipped to his black pants. I consider protesting, wanting to tell him that I

ASHTON Damn it. "We've always been the ones protecting them," I explained, frustration evident in my voice. "We even used to confiscate their phones and block numbers of porn producers who called us, just so they wouldn't be able to reach them." Lennox closed the binder in front of me. "Look at me," he said firmly. Reluctantly, I turned my gaze towards him, my shoulders tense. I wanted to reopen the damn binder and read through everything again. "Ashton," he began, his voice calm and understanding, "I understand why you're irritated. I'd feel the same way if my younger cousins decided to repay a debt I didn't want to exist. But this is happening, and you have to deal