chapter 121

book 3 Prologue I was six years old the day I met Ace. I was on a cruise with my family in the Bahamas. Back then, it was just me, my mom, and my dad. Joe, my stepdad, and all the kids that came with him didn’t come until much later. I remember being happy. So, so happy. It was the first vacation we had ever been on as a family, and my parents had saved up for a long time. My parents and I were splashing around in the pool, laughing as we enjoyed ourselves. It was the summer they taught me how to swim. Back home, they were always so busy, especially my dad. After school every day, I went straight to daycare and wouldn’t see them until late. We spent weekends together, but I never had their full attention on me. Something always came up. Dad was definitely a workaholic, returning home late every night. So, this vacation, with their undivided attention on me, was a dream come true. My dad had just pulled me into his arms and was getting ready to toss me back into the wate