Coastal Runaway (Coast to Coast #1)

Prologue

Keegan

“Keegan! Are you ready? People are starting to show up!” Nolan, my twin brother, shouted from downstairs.

Adjusting my glasses, I took one last look in the mirror. I decided to end my high school career by putting more effort into my appearance, just this once— a very subtle suck it to everyone who underestimated me for the last seventeen years. I enlisted the help of my younger sister to do my hair and makeup; Maeve was more of a girly-girl than I ever was.

Thanks to her efforts, I was sporting a very tasteful smokey eye and perfectly bouncy curls. I wore a pair of skin-tight jeans that frayed at my ankles and a cropped t-shirt that my older sister, Ryleigh, made for me. The shirt was split— half Coastal Crest University and half Columbia University—since it was tradition in the Kelly family to rep the school that you planned to attend in the fall for part of your party, and I was still undecided.

“Coming!” I shouted back and headed downstairs .

Our entire high school was here; every kid I had ever seen in my life was currently in the backyard of our Hartford, Connecticut home. My dad went all out for the party— as he did for every celebration . There was a big main tent set up with various sizes of tables and chairs. A full buffet was on the right, and a full bar was off to the left side.

Servers with hors d’oeuvres were moving around the yard in a coordinated rhythm, ensuring our guests were constantly supplied with options to soak up the vast amounts of alcohol being consumed. The sun was starting to set and a DJ was currently setting up in front of a black-and-white tile dance floor that my dad had laid out.

I confidently walked around the party, mingling with family members and friends over the course of the evening. I dodged questions about my half-and-half shirt and looming college decision. When the adults had all but filtered out, it was late, but it was time for the epic, albeit cliché, end-of-high-school rager to begin.

I snuck back into the house to change. Despite reservations that everyone had only ever seen me in oversized t-shirts and hoodies that usually belonged to my brothers or Luke, but tonight, I planned to Laney Boggs the shit out of this party. Maeve convinced me to wear contacts that I bought but rarely wore. She also spent a whole month pressuring me to finally wear a very scandalous corset top that I bought after it went viral on TikTok.

I changed into the cute corset top and put in my contacts, careful not to ruin any of Maeve’s hard work on my hair and makeup. I took a deep breath, stole one more glance at myself in the mirror, and then went back downstairs.

When I stepped back out onto the patio, I was suddenly very aware of the way that the stiff lace fabric felt against my skin. My thoughts raced.

What a stupid idea this was.

Why do I even care what these people think?

Swallowing some of my fears, I held my head up high and continued into the party.

Much to my horror all eyes were suddenly on me, and my very well-displayed cleavage. I made my way over to a bar nestled between two overly tall shrubs. The bartender winked as he passed me a cute pink drink with a sugar rim. That first sip of liquid courage relaxed my shoulders as the music picked back up.

Everyone seemed to lose interest in my new appearance with the start of the next song. While most of this party was underage there was an understanding between the kids and parents; they didn't ask, and we didn’t cause any property damage.

I moved to step away from the bar but, over the music, I caught the sound of my name coming from behind me. I slowly turned and noticed some junior girls were huddled in a group nearby. Casually, I brought my drink to my lips and bobbed to the music. Using the tall shrubs to my advantage, I inched close enough to eavesdrop without being obvious.

I heard one of the girls ask, “Who does she even think she is?”

The girl to her right spat, “A loser never loses her stripes, or whatever.”

A girl who was clearly a little too addicted to lip filler snarled, “If she thinks that she is suddenly going to nail down Luke Cavan, she’s going to have to fight me first. I am next in line for a dance.”

The first girl spoke again, “I heard that Luke is actually contemplating deflowering her out of pity as a favor to her brother. A bitch would be so lucky.”

They all burst into laughter and continued gossiping about how embarrassing this was for me but I had heard enough. I turned on my heel. I thought I was strong enough to do this, but apparently it wasn’t possible to overcome my old reputation. I was mortified at the possibility that I wasn’t as subtle about my crush as I initially thought.

I began spiraling as I questioned if Luke knew how I felt this whole time. My eyes stung as I replayed all the moments where he joked at flirting with me, and I wondered if Luke was just mocking my feelings the entire time.

Hiding my tears, I put my head down and made a beeline for Maeve. She was dancing with some random guy who was looking down at her like she hung the moon. I was about to enter the dance floor when someone stepped in front of me and halted me in my tracks. I glanced up into a very familiar set of icy blue eyes and my racing thoughts stopped.

“I’ve been looking for you, Tig. Where have you been hiding?” Luke asked, making my stomach flutter. The question hung in his eyes with an intensity that made me nervous.

Luke was Nolan’s best friend, meaning he was also mine. We have known Luke our whole lives because our dads met in college and founded a tech empire together. Nolan and I were inseparable, as most twins were, and when Luke’s dad relocated them from California to Connecticut when we were five years old, he fit in with us seamlessly. The trio was born out of nothing less than the forced proximity of our families and my sheer refusal to not be included. Eventually, Luke caught on that I was always around my brother and was unlikely to go away.

“Just got myself a drink.” I answered, glancing up at him and then quickly away as I sipped the sugar rim.

“I wanted to tell you how great you look tonight. I haven’t gotten a chance to say how much I love the new look.” He breathed, and his eyes traveled up the length of my body.

“Thank you, Luke,” I smiled at the compliment but squirmed under the weight of his gaze; he’d never looked at me in this way.

Luke held his hand out to me as the DJ started playing a slow song, “dance with me?”

I hesitated for a moment before placing my drink on a passing server’s tray, and taking his extended hand. He led me to the middle of the dance floor, looped my hands around his neck, and placed his hands on my hips. The contact made my whole body shiver.

Luke had this confidence about him that I could feel rubbing off onto me as he swayed us to the music. I should have been scared or nervous, but with Luke all I had ever felt was safe. The longer we danced, the more confused that I felt about what game Luke was playing.

Was this some kind of joke?

A dare?

Was there a world where Luke was dancing with me this way because he actually wanted to?

“What's wrong, Tig?” He asked, running his thumb along the crease that had unknowingly formed between my eyebrows.

“Nothing.” I sighed, relaxing into his embrace, “tonight has just been a roller coaster of emotions.”

When I pulled away, we locked eyes. He stared at me like he was going to devour me. I noticed him start to lean in closer. He paused an inch from my mouth. My skin felt like it was on fire.

“What are you doing?” I whispered.

He smirked, “come with me.” Then he pulled my hands away from his neck and dragged me towards the house.

I woke up wrapped like a koala around the boy that I had loved my entire life. We ran the risk of getting caught in my room, but I didn’t care. If Luke wanted to claim me, then he would have to face the Kelly clan eventually—just preferably not while we were still in a compromising position.

I untangled my limbs from Luke and rolled to my side. Luke sleepily turned with me and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me into him. I sucked in a breath at the feeling of his hard length pressed into my ass. Feeling bold, I wiggled my butt. He moaned and tightened his arm.

“Careful, Tig. I know you must be sore, but if you don’t stop, then I’m going to have to take that cute little pussy again this morning,” he grumbled into my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

“Promise?” I purred, wiggling one more time.

He chuckled and kissed my cheek before rolling away.

Feeling cold, I instantly missed his embrace. “Where are you going?” I frowned, rolling onto my stomach.

“I’m not new here, baby girl, I’m going to get you coffee before you turn from a sweet little sex kitten into a bloodthirsty monster.”

He rummaged through his duffel bag, and I took the opportunity to shamelessly ogle his gorgeous and toned ass while he slipped on a pair of shorts. He must have snuck out in the middle of the night to grab the overnight bag that he packed—originally planning to spend another drunken night in Nolan’s room.

“Okay fine, but only because I can’t say no to coffee.” I laughed and snuggled further into the bed. Luke walked over, leaning down to place a kiss to the top of my head. He started to move away, but I grabbed his face and placed a quick kiss to his mouth.

“Thank you for my She’s All That moment last night. It was truly perfect,” I muttered against his lips. He returned the kiss, then slipped out of my room in search of coffee before he could be seen by one of my family members, or our staff.

Despite only getting four hours of sleep, once Luke left the room, I became immediately restless. I had never felt more energized. I was floating on cloud nine.

Luke Cavan liked me.

I got out of bed, threw on a pink matching lounge shorts set, and ran a brush through my hair. I didn’t want my appearance to scream to the entire house that Luke altered my brain chemistry and rearranged my guts last night. When I finally looked presentable, I headed in search of Luke.

The kitchen in this house was on the other side of the grounds, but during the most recent renovations, the builders discovered and left open a hidden back hallway that lead to the old servants’ stairs which took you directly to the butler's pantry nestled between the kitchen and dining room. I quietly padded down the hall trying not to wake anyone on my way to climb Luke like a tree. As I entered the pantry, I paused when I heard the sound of my brother's voice in the kitchen.

“Okay bro, please tell me, where the fuck did you sleep last night?”

My stomach dropped. I assumed that we had been caught. Nolan would get over the fact that Luke and I were together, but I didn’t think that he would get over us sneaking around behind his back. Nolan was one of the most fiercely loyal people I had ever known, and he expected that loyalty in return. I peered around the corner but remained out of sight.

“Mike said he saw you head into the house with some blonde who was smoking hot.” He nudged Luke and smirked, “Who was it? Cammy? Not again dude. Please? I’ll have to chase her out of the house again.”

My stomach turned; not only had their friend not recognized me, but he assumed I was another one of Luke’s nameless conquests. Hearing my brother unknowingly refer to me as ‘smoking hot’ didn’t help ease the growing nausea in my stomach, either. I wasn’t naive to the fact that Luke was rumored to have slept with half of the girls in our school, but I felt like last night was different.

At least, I hoped he felt that too .

“Nah man, it wasn’t Cammy. I would never go there again,” Luke laughed, “It’s someone you don’t know. She didn’t go to our school.”

Wait, what?

Nolan doubled over in laughter,“you’re literally such a slut, dude. How do you have these girls literally begging for your dick?” Nolan spoke in a half-decent Yoda impression, put his hands together at his chest, and bowed to Luke, “Please teach me your ways, Obi-Wan.”

Luke shrugged, “I can’t help it if these girls are so desperate that they’ll let me put them on their knees at my will. You should’ve seen her. She was practically begging for it. It was honestly a little pathetic.”

Luke's words pierced right through my heart. I needed to get out. I needed air. I practically threw myself at him last night thinking that he actually wanted me, but those girls at the party were right.

How could I have been so stupid?

I was a conquest. A pity fuck.

I was a stupid little girl who fell for a brooding jock and sweet nothings.

I struggled to breathe as tears started streaming down my face. I ran up the back staircase towards my room. I knew at that moment that I had to go. I needed to leave the house, leave the town—hell, I needed to leave this coast .

I grabbed my suitcase from the closet and threw random clothes inside before running to my en-suite bathroom, and tossing all of my important toiletries and makeup into a cosmetics bag. After grabbing my purse and slipping on some shoes, I bolted out the front door. It was early the morning after a party, so the grounds were completely quiet. I threw my bags in the trunk of Baby Blue, my aptly named Jeep Wrangler, and got behind the wheel. I turned the key and prayed that no one heard the engine start.

When nobody came outside to check it out, I took off down the driveway and didn’t dare glance back. I pulled up my father's contact information and typed out a message.

Hey dad! The party last night was amazing! Thank you so much for your love and support! Also, surprise! I decided I’m going to accept my offer from CCU. In fact, I decided to drive Baby Blue out to the Malibu House to spend the summer and scout out my new neighborhood! Walk in mom’s shoes for the summer.

I hit send and pulled up Maeve’s number.

911. I decided to spend the summer in LA. Can you be the best sister ever and pack the rest of the things and ship them to the Malibu House?

I’ll buy you a plane ticket to come out and spend the summer with meeee :). Also please don’t mention this to anyone. I texted dad but I just need some space. No. Questions. Asked.

Maeve texted back almost immediately.

Maeve

Idk what happened, but Nolan and Luke are freaking out. Dad just came storming in saying you’re off to CCU. I’ll get your stuff shipped but it better be a first-class ticket.

Also, now you owe me a no questions asked ;)

With that I threw my phone onto the passenger seat and started the drive to the only place that I knew was safe.

Three days later, I rolled up to the sprawling twelve thousand square foot mansion in Malibu that my siblings and I planned to live in this fall while we commuted to Coastal Crest University campus. My dad bought this property so he could commute to his company’s west coast offices and called it the Beach Bungalow. Although, I was not sure you could call it a bungalow when it had an infinity pool, seven bedrooms, twelve bathrooms, a movie theater, and a detached garage. My siblings simply called it the Malibu house.

Walking into my new home, it was stunningly beautiful, but felt hollow and empty; I never related to a house more in my life. I pulled out my laptop on the kitchen island counter and booked Maeve’s flight for the following week. I knew that Owen, Aiden, and Nolan would be joining me in late August, but that still gave Maeve and I two full months together to have a proper hot girl summer. I sucked in a calming breath and walked out to the back patio overlooking the ocean. I looked out at the casual beach-goers lounging in the sand, and the carefree surfers in the water. The breeze whipped through my hair and the smell of saltwater calmed my soul as I made two promises to myself in that moment:

1. I would never be left in the shadows of anyone ever again.

2. Luke Cavan was dead to me.