Page 1 of Relentless (The Titans of Founder's Ridge 2)

Part 1

1

IVY

Age 16

“Are you ready for this?”Isaac asks from the driver’s seat of his Jeep Wrangler. “Meeting the new stepdad and family?”

“Not really,” I give him the side eye. “Probably as excited as you are to start working at Dad’s firm in Hartford.” Isaac graduated from Yale Law School in May and spent the summer locked in our dad’s home office studying for the bar exam. I was looking forward to spending time with him, but the pressure to pass and start working as a junior associate kept us from getting that time together.

Dad had one of his former Olympic teammates who coaches swimmers now come out to focus on my training for the second summer in a row. He was disappointed when Isaac injured his shoulder in a waterskiing accident and had to stop competing, so now all the weight has fallen onto my shoulders. He’s always wanted to see one of us follow in his footsteps and compete at the Olympic level.

In an unexpected twist, my mother called to tell me she got married a month ago. To say it surprised me would be an understatement. I did not even know she was dating anyone. Then again, it’s my mother, and the only person she’s ever cared about is herself. I’ve always been jealous that Isaac, being my half brother, doesn’t have to share DNA with her.

“You know that Franklin Marsh and Dad go way back, right?” Isaac asks.

“Not until Dad passed me off on you for delivery to my new home,” I roll my eyes. “They went to school together, right?”

“Yeah, until their junior year of high school.” He taps the wheel in time with music. “Watch your back here. Founders Prep is full of some of the richest kids in the country, huge assholes. I used to swim against them at some of the regional invitationals. The good news is you’ll definitely be the best swimmer on the team, so you won’t have to fight for your spot.”

“I’m the best everywhere I go.” It’s arrogant, but it’s also the truth. I haven’t lost a race in six years.

“I know,” he elbows me with a grin, “it’s why you are Dad’s favorite.”

“Fuck off,” I laugh. “You are the one who went to Yale, following in his footsteps.”

“All except having a kid at twenty.” Dad and Isaac’s mom were both on the prelaw track at Yale when they got pregnant with him. They never married, it was a one-night thing, but they co-parented and raised him together until my mom came along.

“Gotta keep it wrapped, so you don’t get trapped,” I hold my fist out for a bump.

“Damn right, but no one better touch you like that for at least another five years.” He gives me a stern big brother glare.

Too late, bro.

This conversation brings me to thoughts of Levi. It’s been two years since I’ve heard from him. It was the last day of camp the night before his fifteenth birthday, when we laid down on a blanket in the woods and gave each other our virginity. I loved him in the gentle, sweet way you can only love that young. We weren’t planning on things going that far, and it definitely was not enjoyable for me, but my feelings for him were real.

The wheels start turning in my mind, Founder’s Ridge sounds familiar. I start flipping through memories when it hits me.

Franklin Marsh is my new stepdad.

He lives in Founder’s Ridge, Massachusetts.

Levi’s last name is Marsh.

He went to Founders Preparatory Academy.

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

“What’s wrong?” Isaac asks, side-eyeing me. “You just went super pale.”

“Nothing,” I mumble. Maybe it’s a coincidence. Franklin could be an uncle or something. Levi can’t be my new stepbrother. The universe cannot be that cruel. “Do you know anything about Franklin? Does he have kids or anything?”

“Yeah, a son your age, I think. He’s some hotshot football player. Did Jennifer not say anything to you aside from ordering you to come move here right before the start of the school year?” He shakes his head as if he can’t believe my mom would pull something like this.

Blood rushes in my ears. Hotshot football player who is my age, that definitely could be Levi. I’m just going to stay here, treading water in a sea of denial.

“Are you surprised? Mom probably only wants me here so she can mess with my swim training. She’s never been supportive of me.”

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