Free Passionate Ashes by D.A. Chambers

 
     
     
     
    Chapter One
     
    The sea was perfect. A light chop with cloudless skies made for an opportune time to take the yacht out for a spin, and that ’ s exactly what happened.    The ocean breeze whipped around Connor Gold, blowing his auburn brown hair back from his face as he leaned over the edge of his massive, five-foot yacht and admired the sapphire blue water underneath. He smiled as he noticed a pod of dolphins playfully jumping in the ship ’ s wake, chirping and chattering amongst themselves. They looked small, like tiny little ants accustomed to playing in huge waves caused by a multi-million dollar toy.    Connor began to wonder dreamily about how it would feel like swimming alongside them, leaving behind all his stresses in the ocean. His thoughts drifted to a better place.
    Connor needed these moments, now more than ever before. His life in the past few months had turned into a tumultuous battle for the top. His life was always pretty well planned out before recent events. He was born into a family of unlimited riches; his father owned an empire of five-star hotels all across the globe. His childhood was one that knew no limits; everything he ever wanted was always at his reach. This undoubtedly lead to some developmental problems as Connor grew older. The world just wasn ’ t the same limitless playground Connor imagined and consequences began to show their ugly head.
    He was sixteen when his parents bought him his first Maserati, a speeding vessel of luxury. He was over the moon with happiness, unable to wait and show it off to everyone on the streets. Except, give a sixteen year old a car that can go from 0 to 60 in less than two seconds and you ’ re just asking for trouble. And that ’ s exactly what Connor got.
    It was a rainy day in Miami, all too typical of the weather, but that didn ’ t stop Connor from wanting to take his new car out for a spin. He put the pedal to the metal and raced down the Miami highway, topping off at 160 miles per hour, his adrenaline spiking and his blood coursing with excitement. It was his biggest thrill, swerving through the slower cars and racing with the faster ones. Palm trees zipped by in a blur. He yelled out in excitement, screaming into the pounding wind that forced itself in through the lowered windows. He was winning on the particular day, in fact he had won so many races he decided to slow his speed down and ride home at a little calmer of a pace. He was still going ten miles over the speed limit when the accident happened.
    He was swerving through the lanes when in one of those moments, a small Toyota was driving along in the same lane Connor blindly switched into. A small, maroon 2005 Toyota Corolla to be exact. The impact caused both of the cars to careen off each other, the roads being slick with rain offered no traction for either of them to recuperate. Connor ’ s car flipped at least three times in the air before it came crashing down on the other side of the median while the Toyota swerved helplessly into the barrier on the other side, crushing the car into a tin can.
    Connor miraculously made it out of the wreckage alive, damaged but breathing. His ankle was shattered, his ribs were broken, his neck was dangerously close to being snapped, his shoulder was sliced open, and his front teeth had fallen out. But he was still alive. The other driver wasn ’ t as lucky, losing his life at the scene. The roof of the car crushing him down into the passenger seat. The incident scarred Connor deeper than anything else.
      After that, he was never the same. For a couple of years after the accident, Connor became heavily addicted to vicodin, numbing not only the physical pain but the emotional pain left over from knowing he selfishly stole a life. The self-medication lasted much longer than it should have, no one wanting to confront the heir to a billionaire ’ s fortune. It was when his mother staged a surprise intervention that Connor decided to