Free At Risk of Winning (The Max Masterson Series Book 1) by Mark E Becker Page A

students can lead to sex with strangers in hotel rooms occupied by other couples who don’t know or care to remember the name of their newfound friend, but most of them will go home with blurry memories of other people engaging in debauchery.
    Max was hovering on the rail of the balcony of the happy Buccaneer hotel when he suddenly developed the urge to fly. Three days of nonstop drinking and sleep deprivation had brought him to this state of mind, and at the time, it all seemed so reasonable: just leap the twelve feet from this balcony to that one and then jump back. he had made longer jumps before, and besides, he could fly in his condition. his friends wouldn’t encourage him to do anything dangerous, would they?
    Debbie warned him. “Max, don’t. You’re going to hurt yourself.” Max shooed her away and cleared running room on the balcony to give him the proper launch velocity. She was just being a girl, he recalled as her stern voice echoed in his alcohol-infused brain. Too careful. Thinks I’ll hurt myself, he thought. I just need a ten-step head start until I get up to speed. I’m gonna do it!
Max actually made the first leap across the gap between the balconies of rooms 201 and 202. he landed hard and fell to his hands, turning to the loud applause of not only his friends but the hundreds of onlookers from adjoining balconies and those around the pool a mere two stories below. The words of praise were mixed a few “Asshole” and “That dude’s wasted” comments that he totally ignored.
    he quickly realized that even though he had made the jump, he was now standing on an empty balcony of a room that had locked sliding doors, and he had no way of getting back unless he repeated the feat of athletic prowess in reverse. This time, he took five steps to launch across the gap. Did the balcony just get overcrowded? he wondered, his mind clouded with high levels of adrenaline, alcohol, and testosterone. “Max, don’t do it!” yelled Debbie. “Wait for the manager to unlock the door!”
    Without hesitation, Max backed up five steps and ran for the open space.

u ChAPTER NINETEEN
    he may have made the jump if he had given himself a longer head start, or if the big guy from Syracuse had stepped out of his way instead of pushing into the only open spot on the balcony, but here lay Max, his leg in a cast and in traction. Law school had resumed for more than two weeks. he was forced to withdraw for the summer term, and it looked certain that he wouldn’t be leaving Fairlane anytime soon.
    It was precisely the opportunity that the senator and Luke Postlewaite had waited for. “You got a dose of humility, and it didn’t come too soon.” The paternal instinct was being revived in the elder Masterson, and he was mildly surprised that he still had it in him. he had felt it come and go over the years, but he seldom had to summon the need to protect his son from danger or direct him away from the pitfalls of life. Max was a good kid. This time, though, it was more serious than a broken leg. his son had stepped off the path to greatness, and he wasn’t going to sit idly by and watch him squander his only opportunity to finish his life’s purpose. To do so would be admitting he had failed.
    “I’m sort of relieved that you only broke your leg, and the way I look at it, in every misfortune there lives the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit. I know that this will be a good learning opportunity for you. To be sure you don’t waste time feeling sorry for yourself, I have invited someone to help with your training.”
    “Senator, I’m a law student on medical leave, and I have no idea what training you are referring to.” Max was still groggy from eleven hours of sleep and was frustrated by his inability to leave the bed. he never addressed his father as “Senator,” unless he was desperate to have his full attention.
    “I’m not talking about law,” replied the senator.
    “Yeah, we think you need some