Welcome to the Masterlist - my work contains subjects that may upset some readers such as non-con, dub-con, smut, swearing, kidnapping, etc. Please read at your own risk <3
Smut = ❤️🔥 Dark content = 🖤 Fluff = 💗
Rafe Cameron
Dangerous Love - Avery Routledge is John B's cousin, and she has just moved to the OBX - just in time for a treasure hunt. But with John B keeping secrets in order to protect her, he pushes her into the arms of the Kook King. She becomes tangled with none other than Rafe Cameron, but will she realise how damaged he is before it is too late, or will he ruin her before she can get away? (work-in-progress) ❤️🔥🖤💗
Peter Parker - Series
The Devil Doesn’t Bargain - Peter Parker is well on his way to taking over his adoptive father’s business – but with new threats emerging, Peter and Tony Stark decide that a deal between rivals needs to be brokered. A marriage proposal between enemies brings Hallie straight into the arms of Peter, and it won’t take her long to realise that escape will not be easy. (work-in-progress)❤️🔥🖤💗
Peter Parker - One-Shots
I’m The One - Once again, Peter Parker's best friend is crying over another boy, and he has finally had enough of it. Why can't she see that he's the one that she belongs with? Peter sees his chance, and nothing is going to stop him from taking it. (one-shot)❤️🔥🖤
Nighttime Crawler - Peter Parker’s girlfriend has broken up with him, but he can’t accept that. They were meant to be together forever, and he is going to make her see that, no matter the consequences. (one-shot)❤️🔥🖤
✨ Shower thoughts ✨: : It occurred to me that Rafe has moved into a new house which he has fully furnished and decorated to his liking. And he HIMSELF wanted a photo of him and Sarah in his home. No matter how nonchalant and unbothered he tries to act in front of others, he cares and misses his sister and feels like actually shit about what he has done to her. I'm a sucker for messy siblings dynamics. I just know that he will go out of his way and be there for her in part 2 😭
Dangerous Love - Part Twenty-Two (Rafe Cameron x Routledge!Reader)
Summary: Avery Routledge is John B's cousin, and she has just moved to the OBX - just in time for a treasure hunt. But with John B keeping secrets in order to protect her, he pushes her into the arms of the Kook King. She becomes tangled with none other than Rafe Cameron, but will she realise how damaged he is before it is too late, or will he ruin her before she can get away?
I do put trigger warnings at the beginning of each chapter, but please read them again as there will be some triggering content in this chapter.
Main Masterlist
Dangerous Love Masterlist
Word Count: 2.5k
I woke up and the side of my head was throbbing, as if I had walked into something hard forcefully. I rolled over, reaching for my phone before opening my eyes and realising that I didn't recognise where I was.
It was a bedroom, larger than my own at The Chateau, with cream walls and a matching carpet. All of the furniture was dark wood, including a wardrobe, chest of drawers, bedside tables, writing desk and chair. On the desk was a stack of books, including some of my personal favourites. There were no windows.
I sat up quickly, ignoring the pounding in the side of my head as I did so. Where was I?
And then it came rushing back. The airstrip, Peterkin's death, Rafe and Ward threatening to shoot John B, but thankfully he had gotten away. I hope that he was with JJ, Pope and Kiara.
But none of these thoughts answered my question.
But then my answer walked through the door.
I heard a sliding lock and then a key in a second lock before the door creaked open, and in walked Rafe. He closed the door behind him, then locked it, placing a silver key in his pocket.
"Rafe," I whispered. I shimmied back on the bed, pressing myself against the headboard, tucking my legs up to my body. He watched my movements, looking down at me through his long golden eyelashes.
"Don't be afraid, Avery. You're safe here."
"And where is here?"
He walked over to me and sat at the end of the bed, placing his hand on the bed. His signet ring glinted off the warm light hanging from the ceiling. "You're at my house. This is one of the bedrooms in the basement of the mansion."
I paled, suddenly feeling sick. "And why am I here?"
He shifted along towards me, an odd smile on his handsome face. "Because you love me. You admitted it and I knew you weren't lying. I don't care if you only said it in the moment to save your cousin's life. I knew that you weren't lying. I know you too well, sweetheart."
"It's not true," I whispered, my voice hoarse. The pounding in my head wasn't going away. No surprise there. Ward was a strong man and his anger against me letting John B get away was immense.
"See, the thing is, Avery, I know that it is. I might have acted a little hastily yesterday, but I know that you'll forgive me."
“And how do you know that, Rafe? After everything that you’ve done?”
He chucked a low laugh, one that used to bring a smile to my face. “You said so yourself. You said you could forgive me for it all if I let your cousin go, and I did. I knew that you were saying whatever you could to get me to spare him, but I also knew that you meant it. I know you too we’ll. You’re too open with your emotions, always wearing your heart on your sleeve. And you told me everything with how you were looking at me back on the air strip. I knew you were scared, but I could still see your love for me in there.”
He had read me like an open book. It was like every thought in my head was on show to him, no matter how much I wanted to try to hide it from him. I shook my head at him.
“No,” I sobbed. “Rafe, please let me go.”
He moved even closer to me, closing the distance between us on the mattress.
“And now I just how much you love me, it only makes me want to protect you more. My father is angry at you and me for letting John B go, but he can see how having you here will work to our advantage.”
I scoffed at him. “I’m your insurance again?”
A small nod. “That’s how my dad sees you. You know that I think of you as so much more than that.”
“And what happens when John B goes to the cops and tells them everything? That you murdered Sheriff Peterkin? I will be useless to you and your dad.”
I waited for him to lash out at me. To hit me again. But he only reached over and wrapped one slim-fingered hand around my ankle, tugging my leg away from its curled up position against my body.
“I think you hit your head a little too hard, sweetheart. I didn’t kill Peterkin. John B did.”
I stared at him, open mouthed and gaping. And then I slapped his hand away harshly and bolted from the bed.
“How dare you,” I breathed. “How dare you try to pin this on him. He is innocent. You are a murderer.” He stood up also, hands clenched at his sides and I remembered the words he had said before I had passed out. No, Dad. I have a plan, okay? We will be fine. “It was your idea, wasn’t it? You’re the reason that that your father will blame John B.”
He shrugged, taking slow steps towards me. “My father is a smart man. He would have come up with the idea eventually, without my help.”
“You said you would spare his life.”
“And I did-“
“No you didn’t!” I screamed, rushing at him and slamming my fists against his solid chest. “They will arrest him and he will be locked up for the rest of his life! Peterkin was the sheriff! The cops will give him the death penalty if they get the chance!”
Rafe let me continue hitting him for a moment longer before one hand came up and wrapped itself around my wrists and the other placed itself on my chest, just below my throat. “I didn’t kill him. I did as you asked. My hands are entirely clean.”
“You are a murderer and a monster! How could I have ever thought that I loved you?”
He snapped. I’d been expecting it but it somehow still took me by surprise. He spun us around and shoved me away from him, my body flying into the bed. He slid himself over me, holding me down.
“Let’s get this straight, sweetheart. My father wanted to dispose of you - similarly to what your own mother wanted to do. Ironic, right? The only reason that you are here and safe is because I wish it. So do not piss me off. Let’s stop with the name-calling, shall we?”
I spat up at him, watching as it landed on his cheek and ran down his skin. He wiped it away, the anger replaced with a terrifyingly blank expression.
“I told you that in confidence, Rafe. How dare you.”
“And I haven’t told anyone else. But you need to know what will happen to you if you don’t have my protection. Everything I am doing is for you. You owe me.”
It was all I could do to bite my tongue, not scream up at him, claw at his face. I would only lose. He was stronger than me, had all of the power over me.
“I don’t owe you shit,” I hissed.
“I think that you do. I think I spared your cousin’s life. I’ve kept your secrets. I’ve done everything for you. So now it’s time for my reward.”
“What-“
He cut me off by gripping both sides of my flannel shirt and ripping it open. The buttons went flying as it flew apart, and my chest, only covered in a lacy blue bra, was bared to him.
“No, no, Rafe, no-“
“We were interrupted yesterday and I’ve been hard just thinking about how I could have taken you on that deck, in front of anyone who might have walked past.” He leaned down, his nose brushing mine. “You should at least appreciate the privacy that I am allowing you-"
So caught up in what Rafe was trying to do, I hadn't heard someone unlock the door and enter the room. But they subtly coughed from behind us - Rafe froze above me, and then turned to look over his shoulder. As he did so, I was allowed a view of who it was. Ward.
He stared at us with those piercing blue eyes with alarm.
"Rafe, what do you think you're doing?" he asked, surprisingly calmly, but I couldn't miss the cold fire in his stare aimed at his son. "Get off of her."
"Get out!" Rafe yelled, involuntarily squeezing the hand around my neck.
"I won't ask you twice, son."
They continued to stare at each other, before Rafe took a deep break and slid off of me. I quickly gathered the remains of my shirt and wrapped them around myself, covering my chest and bra from Ward. Thankfully, he still wasn't looking at me, he only had a hard glare for his son. I sat up, sliding back to the headboard, trying to move away from both of the Cameron men.
"What are you doing here?" Rafe spat. His cheeks were flushed and his hair dishevelled.
"I thought that you would care to know that Sheriff Peterkin is dead."
It was a blow straight through my chest. I'd known - I realised that now - no one bled as much as she did and survived, but I had try tried to hold a little hope. Hope for John B. Hope for myself. I finally noticed the dried blood on his hands. Sheriff Peterkin's blood.
Neither of them were smiling, but I could feel their relief thrumming through the room. If Sheriff Peterkin was dead, there would be no one to contradict their lies. Only my cousin. But who would believe him over Ward Cameron, king of the Kooks?
As if to hone the nail in the coffin, Ward added, "And there is a warrant out for John Booker Routledge. The police department has called in the FBI to assist in their search for him. By nightfall, he will be behind bars for the crime that he commited."
At this I sneered at him. "Who are you kidding, Ward? All three of us were on that airstrip. Don't lie for my benefit. I know what a monster you are. What you and your son did. Rafe killed the Sheriff, and you can lock me up, but the truth will come out. Sarah was there. She saw everything."
The truth was that I didn't know if Sarah Cameron could be trusted. I knew that she cared about John B, but did she care for him enough to turn against her family? I didn't know.
"My daughter will stand with her family, Avery."
I almost believed him, but I saw the way he swallowed heavily. He wasn't sure of Sarah's loyalty either.
"Now what am I going to do with you? I admit, keeping you here will keep your cousin away. For now. This little arrangement can only last for so long."
I couldn't help it - I looked at Rafe. He was glancing between myself and his father, panic taking over his handsome features.
"Dad, what are you talking about-"
"I'm not going to kill her, Rafe. But she can't stay here. Her friends will find a way to look for her."
"What are you suggesting?" Rafe asked, taking a step towards me. I curled further in on myself and watched as he noticed. Watched as he took in my movements.
Ward shook his head. "Nothing yet. But I will think of something. But for now -" he walked towards his son, pointing a finger at his chest - "you will not touch her, Rafe. We have enough problems at the moment without you assaulting her and god forbid, getting her pregnant."
It was like I didn't exist, for the amount of attention Ward was paying me. I couldn't even find it in myself to be grateful to him for his warning to Rafe. I hated him too much. He was dooming my cousin to a death sentence, and me to whatever fate he felt was most suitable.
They stared each other down, blue eyes locked on each other. Finally Rafe, nodded, barely a tilt of his chin. Ward looked him over, then looked at me. His eyes, thankfully, did not travel down to the remains of my shirt.
And then he left, leaving me alone with Rafe once again.
"He won't kill you, Avery."
"No, you're the only murderer here," I spat.
He clenched his fists at his sides, still standing as he was at the side of the bed. This was new. Rafe never tried to control his temper. I had witnessed that first hand on multiple occasions.
"I did what I had to do for my family-"
"And you doomed mine in the process!"
"I'm not going to argue with you, sweetheart. My father won't kill you, but we will figure out what we can do. You're not leaving me. Not again."
"I would never have left you if you hadn't tried to attack me."
"You slept with someone else."
"You attacked me before I ever told you that. Don't try to make excuses."
He had been looking down, taking deep breaths, but he finally looked at me. The flush was gone from his cheeks and his jaw was clenched tightly, but that wasn't what frightened me. No, it was the cold, dead look of his eyes.
"You love me still. And I love you. That will never change. You came to this island, with your fiery opinions and sweet smiles. You were so vulnerable. You needed me to take care of you," he breathed. "None of this would have happened if you had never come to the Outer Banks. All of this is on you."
He started walking towards the door as I sprung up from the bed.
"Are you fucking delusional, Rafe? Ward stole the gold! You shot the Sheriff! You and your father are holding me against my will! None of this is my fault, you psychopath."
He unlocked the door, the set of his shoulders tense. I lunged at him as he opened the door, but he was ready for me. He turned, his hands clasping my wrists before shoving me backwards. I fell to the floor, the remains of my flannel shirt loose and open as I breathed heavily, hatred coursing through me.
"Call me a psychopath or a monster if it makes you feel better. But you are also mine and you are not going anywhere. The rest of your life will be with me, so you better get used to it and stop fighting me. Or things could get very bad for you."
A choked laugh escaped my throat as I stared up at him. "What else could you possibly do to me?"
A cruel smile graced his full lips. "Let's hope you never have to find out.
And then he was gone, leaving me laughing to myself, feeling like I was starting to lose my mind. Rafe Cameron had taken so much from me. And now this. He was trying to blame me for this entire situation.
Dangerous Love - Part Twenty-One (Rafe Cameron x Routledge!Reader)
Summary: Avery Routledge is John B's cousin, and she has just moved to the OBX - just in time for a treasure hunt. But with John B keeping secrets in order to protect her, he pushes her into the arms of the Kook King. She becomes tangled with none other than Rafe Cameron, but will she realise how damaged he is before it is too late, or will he ruin her before she can get away?
Ward slowed down at precisely the right minute, and the plane stopped before it could hit John B. I completed the distance between us, running to my cousin as he hopped out of the van. Ward did the same, jumping down from the plane, fury evident on his face.
"Sarah!" John B screamed. She was slowly coming down the steps of the plane behind her father.
"What are you trying to do? Kill her?" Ward yelled.
John B had an arm out behind him, telling me to stay back as Ward got in his face. I took his hand in mine.
The two men were yelling at each other, screaming about the gold, and I was sure that Ward was going to attack him when Sarah got in the way. Her dad tried to pull her back.
"Don't touch me!"
John B backed away, his hand still clutching mine and his other arm wrapped around Sarah, taking us away from Ward. Faintly, I could hear sirens approaching, and wanted to scream at my cousin to run, that we could get the gold another day, but one look at his face told me to stay quiet. He wasn't just fighting for the gold now. This was personal with Ward. This was for his father.
And then a cop car was on the tarmac, racing towards us. I flinched at the relief on Ward's face, at how happy he seemed to see the police officer. I wanted to pull him and Sarah away - John B couldn't get arrested!
A women was walking towards us in the Kildare County police uniform and I could just see her name badge read 'Peterkin.' So this was the women that John B had spoken so highly of to me over the years. She walked over slowly, hand resting on her gun.
"Oh thank God you're here," Ward called to her.
I was expecting for Sheriff Peterkin to be staring at John B, Sarah and I, but she wasn't. She was only focused on Ward.
"Put your hands on your head," she said, her voice carrying in the wind. Ward stared at us all.
"I'd do as she said."
John B was calmer than I expected him to be; far too calm for someone who was about to go to jail. Was I missing something...?
"She's talking to you, Ward."
I looked up at John B, but his eyes were only focused on Ward. Sarah and I exchanged a glance but it was clear that she was just as confused as I was. We turned, watching as Ward slowly twisted to look at Sheriff Peterkin, who now had a gun pointed at him.
"You're under arrest for the murder of "Big John" Routledge."
My breath caught in my throat. She believed us? Believed John B? Was this really happening? Ward was going to be arrested and we could get the gold? Sarah sagged against John B, tears pouring down her pretty cheeks. I stepped forwards, John B's grip still on me.
"Are you kidding me?!" Ward screamed, but it was obvious that Peterkin was deadly serious. Her gun was steady, her aim straight at Ward's chest.
I listened as the Sheriff started to read Ward his rights, watched as Ward got to his knees with his hands behind his head.
"I don't like being used," I heard her hiss as she clipped the handcuffs tightly onto one of his wrists. When had Ward used her?
I wanted to gloat at him, scream that he clearly did not have the police as far into his pocket as he believed, just as he turned, clearly intending to fight her off.
And then the gun shot went off.
I looked at Ward, but he was standing still, staring.
And then Peterkin fell to the ground, her eyes wide and hands shaking. The gun slid from her grip.
Rafe was there. Within one moment and the next, he had ducked under the tail of the plane, gun in hand, pointing it at the Sheriff.
I sobbed at the sight of him, of the gun in his hand. And then he looked up, eyes locking onto mine and I flinched away. He noticed, his eyes narrowing. John B now had one of his arms around Sarah and the other around me, as if trying to shield us both from the image in front of us.
Even Ward was panicking. "What did you do?" he spat at Rafe.
Rafe smiled at his father, one full of adoration for him. "I saved you, Dad."
Sheriff Peterkin was now on the floor coughing, blood dripping from her lips. John B broke from both of us, rushing over to the fallen Sheriff and trying anything to stop the bleeding. I heard him muttering apologies over and over again. Sarah was right behind him on her knees, sobbing.
I was frozen, watching as my cousin pulled his precious bandana over his head, trying to staunch Peterkin's bleeding. He achieved nothing. I rushed forwards, trying to join Sarah and John B, but someone stopped me.
Rafe. He moved to stand in front of me, gun still in hand.
"Hey, sweetheart," he whispered. Everything about him was as perfect as it had been the first time I had seen him. Cornflower blue eyes that were bright and gleaming down at me as the sun caught the lighter strands of his dirty blonde hair. He was smiling but I could find no warmth in it. Nothing from the Rafe I had known only a few nights ago.
I watched as he took in my face, bringing his hand up - the one that was not holding the gun - to run his fingers over the cheek that he had hit yesterday. He stared, and I had no idea what he was thinking. Was he disgusted with himself? Or happy to see a mark on my skin thanks to him?
"I missed you. Why did you run off?"
"You hurt me," I snapped. His eyes narrowed and he brought the gun up and ran it down my jaw. I couldn't see the others behind him, too focused on the metal that was trailing my skin. He could pull the trigger at any second, end my life at any second. Did he want to? Was he that mad at me? Yesterday, he had told me repeatedly that he loved me and wanted to protect me, even if that protection meant pain for me. But that was before I had ran off.
I gulped heavily as he brought the gun down my neck. The hand on my cheek went with it and popped the top button of my flannel top open. I wanted to run, wanted to scream out, but fear had taken my voice away.
But then someone was behind Rafe, pulling him away heavily. Rafe spun but hardly moved, his stance too steady. He was far more in control than he had been yesterday when he had been on drugs. I stepped backwards, wanting to get away from him.
"Do not touch her," John B spat. Sarah was next to him, staring at her brother incredulously.
"Rafe, put the gun down!"
Behind them, Ward was leant over Peterkin, yelling into a walkie talkie, asking for help. I absently noted that the handcuff that had been on his wrist was now on the floor. I moved to stand next to Sarah and John B, seeing the blood on both of their hands. Sheriff Peterkin's blood.
Rafe watched me move, before looking at my cousin and raising the gun to him.
"Rafe, no!" Sarah screamed. "Let him go! Let us all go!"
He didn't seem to hear his words as he cocked the trigger, aiming it straight into John B's face.
Ward was now standing, having disregarded the walkie talkie and was yanking Sarah away. Ward may not have cared for much, but it was clear that he loved his daughter and wanted to keep her from harm’s way. She fought him but he only dragged her back, leaving Rafe, John B and I.
"Do it," John B taunted, and I sobbed, staring at him. He was expressionless, staring down at the gun.
"I should," Rafe spat. "You keep getting in the way of things. You want to break my family apart, want to have my Dad arrested." He pointed a long finger at me. "You want to take her away from me!"
"She is my cousin, Rafe, and she is free to make whatever decisions she wants!" John B's voice was calm but I still hear the tremor in it.
"No, you little Pogue. She is mine, she belongs to me! She loves me. And when you go to prison, she will be with me."
I ducked in between the two of them, the fun now aimed at my forehead. "Don't do this, Rafe, please. I told you everything. He is the only family that I have left."
"You have me now, Avery."
"But you don't have me."
"If I kill him, then I will."
Rafe made no move, but if he only lifted the gun slightly and fired, it would kill my cousin. John B, the only living member of my family that loved me and would never hurt me. The one who had taken me in each summer when my mother had chased me away. I needed to protect him. I would do anything for him to live.
"I will never forgive you if you kill him," I whispered, and this got his attention. His blue eyes focused on me, roaming my face.
Somewhere in the distance, Ward and Sarah were still struggling but all I could see and hear was Rafe. I knew that deep down I still loved him, despite all that he had done in the past day. But somehow I needed to tell him this.
"You're already mad at me," Rafe stated. From behind, John B had wrapped an arm around my waist, holding me tightly against him. I knew he wanted me gone, away from Rafe, but I wanted him safe and alive far more.
"I am mad. But I can forgive you for everything. I will forgive you for hitting me, for tricking me, for it all. But if you kill John B, I will never forgive you. I will hate you."
Something shifted in his eyes, and he lowered the gun ever-so-slightly. His gaze drifted down to John B's arm, and then back up to my face. "You'll forgive me?"
I nodded.
"Do you still love me?"
Despite everything; the threats against my friends, his possessive behaviour and the marks he had left on my skin; despite John B standing behind me, I nodded. "I do."
He focused on me, taking in everything. And I knew what I was showing him. Although there were tears on my cheeks and I was trembling, I could still see past the fear and see Rafe from before yesterday, the Rafe that I had spent the night with and run to when I had felt alone.
"You do," he confirmed and finally he smiled.
"Now let John B go," I whispered.
"I'm not going anywhere without you and Sarah."
I turned, letting my cousins arm drop from me and looked at him. "Ward would never hurt Sarah." And to seal the deal, I glanced over my shoulder at Rafe. "And Rafe wouldn't hurt me. But he will kill you."
"Avery, he will hurt you! Look at your face."
This set Rafe off again, and he pointed the gun at John B again.
"I'm giving you one chance to leave, Pogue," he spat.
John B didn't move, but behind him I could see Ward. He had shoved Sarah into his car and was coming back towards us, Peterkin's gun in his hand. I screamed. "John B, go!"
He looked behind him, and seeing what was about to happen, that two men might shoot him, he looked at me and I saw tears on his cheeks. "I love you."
Before I could say it back, he was running, and I was throwing myself at Ward, trying to tug the gun from his grip. He fought me, but it was too late.
John B was gone. Rafe was then behind me, wrapping an arm around me as I cried, thanking whoever was listening that John B had gotten away.
Ward only looked on at me murderously before he lashed out, smacking his gun into the side of my head. I sagged against Rafe, letting him hold me up.
"Dad!" Rafe screamed.
Everything was going dark, as I felt Rafe lean down to slide his arms under me, picking me up. I let him, all of the fight in me gone.
"He will tell them what happened, Rafe. You let him go because of her."
"No, Dad. I have a plan, okay? We will be fine."
The world spun one more time as my head fell back, and I finally blacked out with only the thought that John B was safe running through my mind. His life was worth whatever the Cameron's were going to do.
Dangerous Love - Part Twenty (Rafe Cameron x Routledge!Reader)
Summary: Avery Routledge is John B's cousin, and she has just moved to the OBX - just in time for a treasure hunt. But with John B keeping secrets in order to protect her, he pushes her into the arms of the Kook King. She becomes tangled with none other than Rafe Cameron, but will she realise how damaged he is before it is too late, or will he ruin her before she can get away?
We arrived back in The Cut in record time, pulling up to the pier at the end of the front yard of The Chateau. I faintly recalled John B had phoned Pope on the journey over, and after the phone call, the mood in the boat had taken an even graver turn.
The other's got off the boat and started tying it to the dock, whilst JJ held a hand out for me. I took it gratefully. Even though we may have both agreed that we were both only friends and we had said our goodbyes to our old relationship, he was still someone that I trusted implicitly and felt comfortable and safe around.
We started the slow march up to The Chateau, passing by the unlit hot tub that I hadn't a chance to ask anyone about. The lights were dim in my home, but I welcomed the sight of it. I still hadn't said a word. The day had taken its toll on me; reliving everything that had happened with my mother, and subsequently going through the violence at Rafe's hands, I had nothing more to say. The others hadn't asked me any questions, but I knew it would come.
And then there he was. Opening the front door to the small house, was John B. He stood on the top step, staring down at us all. There was his dark cast and his black eye, both courtesy of Topper, but now I knew better. His real injury was inside, thanks to Ward.
Ward Cameron had killed John B's dad. My uncle.
John B came down the steps slowly, and then wrapped his arms around me. The night was dark around us, and my hair covered my cheek. John B had been through enough today. I didn't need him to see what had happened to me. Besides, it was all my own fault. I had trusted Rafe. I had fallen in love with him and given myself to him, only for it all to be cast away like a line into the water.
John B smelled like home and sweat and fear, but I hugged him, nonetheless. He was my family and would never have hurt Ward without good reason.
"Come on, let's go in," he whispered, but the others heard him.
"I have to get home, John B. My pops will kill me if I'm gone any longer," Pope said.
"My parents too," Kie muttered. I wanted to envy them both for having parents who cared about them enough to worry, but right now I couldn't even find it in myself to do that. JJ and John B muttered their goodbyes, promising to meet the next day.
And then we were in The Chateau, and someone had flicked on the lights. My face was in full view. JJ stared at me, and John B let me go, stepping back to take me in. I had never felt so scrutinised but I knew what they were seeing - a bruised and swollen cheek, a cut on my cheekbone, cuts on my hands and arms from the shattered window, bruises on my jaw. The bite mark on my shoulder. I stared at the ground, ashamed.
The silence was deafening. Finally, the boys broke it.
"What the fuck happened to you, Avery?" John B breathed. "Who did this?"
I looked up at both of them. John B was furious, his cheeks red and his jaw tight but JJ looked disgusted. He was swallowing hard. I remembered his words about Rafe.
"I trust you, Avery. And I don't trust him. But I believe you."
"I appreciate that. You don't know how much I appreciate that, JJ. I mean it. And please can you keep this to yourself for now. I don't need John B losing his shit with me - you know how overprotective he can be."
"Only as long as he seems like he is treating you well. The second something is wrong; I tell the others."
I said nothing. So JJ said it for me. "Rafe Cameron did this to her."
"Excuse me? Rafe?" John B's words were so quiet I could scarcely hear him, the anger lowering his tone. But despite JJ's protective gaze, he didn't hold back.
"Avery has been seeing Rafe since she came to the island."
"You have?" John B spat, but he wasn't looking at me. Suddenly he rushed at JJ, shoving his shoulders. "You knew? Look at what he did to my fucking cousin!"
I finally snapped to my senses and rushed between them. JJ was taking John B's anger, accepting it. "He only found out yesterday, I swear, John B!"
John B was gripping the front of JJ's shirt but he looked at me. "Rafe Cameron? Avery, how could you be so stupid?"
"Don't call me stupid!" I screeched. "You've been dating Sarah Cameron."
He laughed humourlessly. "Sarah would never hurt me, Avery! Do not compare the two."
I deflated. "I know, I'm not saying that at all. And I know that I've been stupid. I never thought that he would hurt me." Even now, the part of me that loved Rafe wanted to stop and defend him.
"Well he did! Look at your face!"
"I know, John B-"
"Leave her alone, man. If I thought he was hurting her, I would have put a stop to it. Do you think I want to see her like this?"
John B let him go with a small shove and continued to look at me. "What happened?"
What could I say? Tell him everything from the beginning or only from today? It was easily decided. John B would not want to hear the ins and outs of my relationship.
"I was with Rafe this morning, wanting to apologise for a fight that we'd had, but when I got there, there were drugs and cans of beer on his table." I moved to sit down on the threadworn sofa, not wanting to look at either of them. I needed space to breathe. "I ignored it, and we made up, but then he started doing drugs in front of me, and he changed. He suddenly became more violent, and he tried to-"
I stopped talking, taking a deep breath. JJ sat next to me, placing his hand over my cut-up one. John B took the wicker chair next to the sofa, his fists clenched in barely suppressed rage.
"What did he do?" he asked through clenched teeth.
I shook my head, tears coursing down my cheeks. Had I not cried enough today? "He tried to make me have sex with him, saying he had some sort of ownership over me. Then his Dad phoned, stopping him." I looked up at John B, but his eyes had fallen to my shoulder, to the bite mark that Rafe had left on my skin.
"That must have been after the boat trip, once Ward was home."
I nodded. "Rafe told me that you were at the Cameron House and that you were injured. He told me that I should go with him. Despite everything I did. I tried to convince him to let me go alone, and taunted him but he didn't give in. It only made him angrier."
"What did you say?"
John B and I were close enough that I told him. "I told him that I was intimate with someone else in the last week."
JJ's grip on my hand tightened. He knew it was him.
"He hit me because he was so angry, and Ward did nothing to stop them. Then they brought me inside, and Ward told me that you were unstable and had attacked him because you thought he had killed Uncle John." John B opened his mouth, but I continued. "I told him that I didn't believe him and accused him of doing it. He basically admitted it to me, and told me that no one would believe us over him, that he has the police on his side. Then Rafe took me upstairs and locked me in his room."
They didn't need to know the conversation that Rafe and I had afterwards about my mother and her boyfriend.
"Kie showed up and broke the window to get me out."
JJ ran his thumb over the cuts on my hands. John B was silent, looking between us. "You two aren't together?"
I stared at him, shocked. "No, bro," JJ said quickly.
"I always thought that you were sneaking around behind my back," said John B, but he didn't seem angry at the thought. But then again, comparing JJ to Rafe who had clearly hurt me, was like comparing a small innocent fish to a shark.
"JJ and I have been together in the past. But not anymore." I sighed. "I love Rafe."
John B stood up, the chair flying backwards behind him. "No, you don't."
"I fell in love with him, John B. I couldn't help it."
"But you can't love him now, Avery. Look at what he did to you!"
"It's not that simple and you know it. You've fallen in love with Sarah Cameron."
He said nothing, but I had observed how he had talked about her over the past week. He had fallen for her hard and clearly was not going to deny it.
"She is nothing to me now. She's with her family."
"She wasn't there when Ward and Rafe trapped me, John B. I don't even know if she knows."
"It's true, bro," said JJ, and I glanced at him. He met my stare. "We were watching the house when Rafe brought you home. John B had already found us and told us everything, so we wanted to see what Ward was up to. When Rafe drove in with you, we saw everything. I wanted to rush in there and kill him but Pope stopped me. Warned me to be smart."
They saw Rafe hit me. They saw him pick me up and take me into his house screaming.
"We saw him with you through his bedroom window. He didn't look like he was hurting you at the time, but after what we'd seen downstairs, we knew we had to get you out. We had to wait until dark, and Kie went home to grab the hammer to break the window." As an afterthought, JJ added, "nothing else happened in his room, did it?"
"No. Nothing else." Nothing that they needed to know.
"I'm so sorry that this happened to you, Avi."
Finally, he was calling me Avi. The name settled me, a name JJ had started calling me years ago and everyone else had started to use. Suddenly shattered, I leant back against JJ. His arms wrapped around me tenderly. I just wanted to sleep, to forget everything.
"Get some rest, Avi. One of us will take watch in case the cops show up. We'll figure everything else out tomorrow."
I let John B pull a blanket over me, not wanting to relinquish the warmth that JJ was providing and go to my empty bedroom. My eyes fluttered shut, and I nuzzled against his chest. Minutes and minutes passed in silence, neither boy moving and I wanted to apologise to them for being the barer of all of this bad news and upsetting them. But my mind was finally quieting down, knowing I was safe with the two boys next to me. JJ lifted his shoulder slightly, and I could tell that he was testing if I was asleep or not. I didn't move, not wanting to leave him.
"Bro," JJ whispered. "I am going to kill him."
"Not if I get to him first. How dare he do this to her," John B muttered. "I should have been there."
"You couldn't have done anything. He hit her because of me anyway. All because he knew about the two of us."
"Don't blame yourself, JJ. Rafe is unhinged."
I felt, rather than saw JJ nodding. "You didn't see how he was looking at her, like she was an object. Like he wanted to hurt her. He isn't stable, man."
"No he's not. And he will never go near her again. Not if I can help it," John B spat lowly.
JJ's chest was warm, but his heart was beating erratically. "What if she wants to go back to him. She loves him. She said it herself today, and to me yesterday."
"Not happening. I'll tie her up and have one of us watch her day and night if that's what it takes. You told me that he was holding her throat at the OBX night. And now this? What if next time it's even worse. He'll kill her."
"I know, bro, I know." JJ's hand was on my hair, stroking lightly. "We'll keep her safe. We all will. And you too. Ward and Rafe won't get away with this. What about Sarah?"
A sigh left my cousin's mouth. "I don't know about her. She is loyal to her family, but I don't think that she knows what her dad did to mine. I trust her, but I need to know."
"Why don't you go and try to speak to her?"
"And leave Avi?"
"I'll keep her safe. You know that I'd give my life for her."
"I wish she'd fallen in love with you. Then we wouldn't be here."
"I do love her, you know? And she does love me."
There was a pause as John B's mind mulled over JJ's words. "You might," he whispered. "But not in the way that matters now."
And then I finally drifted away, falling asleep to the sounds of their familiar voices, their concern for me palpable. I was only full of regret for the pain that I was causing them, how badly my words had affected them. I had never wanted to bring pain to my friend's but I had done it now, and I couldn't take it back.
Now we only needed to prove Ward's guilt in the death of my Uncle, and after that, I could worry about Rafe.
~~~
The next morning was the worst I had ever woken up feeling. I was still on the sofa, and JJ had positioned us so that I was lying tucked into his side. John B was asleep on the same wicker chair.
So much for someone staying on guard for the cops. I sat up quickly, ignoring the pain in my cheek as I did so. The room was the same as we had left it last night. The only thing different was that John B now had a jacket and shoes on. Had he gone out? As I moved, he slowly opened his eyes.
"Good morning, sunshine," he muttered, and stretched his long limbs out. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine," I mumbled. JJ started to stir under me.
"What time is it?" he asked without opening his eyes.
"Early," John B replied. Then there was a knock at the door. We all sat up abruptly, JJ positioning himself in front of me. I didn't know what I was more frightened of; the police coming to take John B away, or Rafe coming for me.
"Guys!"
It was Kiara. She then let herself in and I watched as her eyes zeroed in on all of us, before landing on my face. I imagined that my cheek was still swollen and looked worse in the morning light.
"So far there is no news about John B. I'm surprised that the police haven't tried here already."
"They did yesterday, but I guess they thought I wasn't dumb enough to come back."
"Never underestimate just how dumb us Pogues can be," JJ chimed in. Kiara sat on one of the dining chairs, pulling it towards us.
"What's the plan?" she asked.
"I honestly have no idea," John B breathed. "How can I prove my innocence? And what are we going to do about the gold?"
I snapped up. "The gold? What happened to the gold?"
They all exchanged glances. "Avery, you went through so much yesterday, we didn't want to add to it. But the Cameron's got the gold. Ward beat us too it. Which was why I was so mad at Sarah yesterday. I assume she told him."
"I can't believe it," I mumbled.
"I spoke to her last night after you both fell asleep. She said that she didn't tell him anything, that she had no idea how her dad knew."
"Do you believe her?"
John B pondered this and I watched as he did so. He finally nodded. "I don't think that she told her dad about the gold. But I still don't know just how loyal she is to her family. She loves her father, and I think she cares for Rafe." He glanced over at me and I looked away. "But she wouldn't betray us."
With that, there was nothing more to say. No one knew what we could do to retrieve the gold now that Ward owned the Crain House, and had his guys collecting what should have been our treasure.
It was only a couple of hours later, after pitching idea after idea, all that would fail and we knew it, that we found ourselves on the dock at the end of The Chateau's front yard. I had showered off yesterday's events, and was now comfortable in a simple green plaid button up shirt over loose blue denim shorts, covering my cut arms and most importantly, the mark on my shoulder. John B was led on the wooden slates, Kiara sat on the step and JJ on the wooden railing that looked over the bay. I was next to him, staring down at the waves, taking in the relaxing sounds and doing everything to forget just how badly things had gone in the past twenty-four hours. Not just for me, but for us all.
"Guys! Guys!"
We all turned and saw Pope sprinting down the pier towards us. He was in a fitted suit, one that I assumed he had warn to his college interview. He was sweating and took a second to catch his breath as he finally stopped in front of us.
"You all right?" I said, turning to face him.
"How was the interview?"
"Don't ask," Pope grumbled. "But I need to talk to you. All of you."
We all moved to gather around him, John B almost reluctantly. I knew that he was taking the loss of the gold the hardest. It was almost like he had been trying to reclaim a piece of his father back, and it had been snatched away from him.
"What is it?" JJ said, placing a hand on Pope's shoulder.
I looked at my friends. Everyone was lost at our loss of the gold, but both JJ and Kiara still held out hope. They were far more optimistic than me and my cousin.
"So, before I had my interview, my dad said he was going down to the private airstrip to cut palms for Cameron's big plane. Because it was too heavy, it needed a longer landing strip to take off. So, I'm there sitting in my interview, thinking to myself, hm. Why would Cameron need a longer airstrip to take off? What could be so heavy to weigh it down?"
"Gold."
"Exactly. Guys, this is our chance, but it leaves tonight, and we have to go."
The shift of energy was immediate. Even John B sat up, and looked at us, taking us in like the leader he was.
"Let's steal that shit back."
So we ran. We all bundled into The Twinkie and John B expertly drove straight to the aforementioned airstrip. I had no idea where it was, but guessed that it was on Figure Eight, and I was right. We pulled up behind a grove of trees and John B jumped straight out, the rest of us behind him. Stopping us from entering the airstrip was a thin chain-link fence. My cousin pulled a pair of binoculars from his bag and looked on.
Even without them, we could see everything. I watched a men that Ward must have hired loaded the plane with boxes of our gold.
And then a car pulled up, and out stepped Ward and Sarah.
"It's Sarah," John B whispered. We all watched on; although I couldn't hear what Sarah was saying, it was clear that she was confused. She kept stopping the workers and pointing at the boxes, ignoring her father who was tugging at her arm.
And then he grabbed her. He lifted her clear off the ground and started dragging her onto the plane. As Ward pulled his daughter onto the plane, John B turned and sprinted back to The Twinkie. Before any of us could stop him, he started the engine and started driving straight towards the fence. We all dived out of the way as he cleared it, the van bursting through it effortlessly.
The plane had started as John B drove towards it, and I watched, waiting for him to slow down, to avoid being hit by the plane that could easily kill him. But he didn't.
"Ward will kill him," I whispered. "JOHN B!"
I couldn't stand and wait for the impact, and watch as my cousin died. I had already experienced this, after he fell from the Hawks Nest. For the seconds before I could see that his chest had been moving, I thought that he was dead. I wasn't going to do it again.
I ran after him, through the gap in the fence, ignoring the calls from my friends.
Kiara and Pope couldn't get themselves in trouble, their parents cared too much and would send them away. JJ was already on bail, and couldn't be caught doing anything wrong again.
But I had nothing to lose. So I ignored them, sprinting after the Twinkie and towards whatever would happen next.
Dangerous Love - Part Nineteen (Rafe Cameron x Routledge!Reader)
Summary: Avery Routledge is John B's cousin, and she has just moved to the OBX - just in time for a treasure hunt. But with John B keeping secrets in order to protect her, he pushes her into the arms of the Kook King. She becomes tangled with none other than Rafe Cameron, but will she realise how damaged he is before it is too late, or will he ruin her before she can get away?
We left off last time with Rafe and Avery in a bad place, and Rafe having just received a call from Ward that John B was injured. I've tried to match up as much of the timeline with the show as I can, but things may be slightly different then they were in Episode 8. Anyway, enjoy...
I just want to add a TW for you all: there are mentions of domestic violence. If you are not comfortable reading about it then please do not proceed with this chapter. All of my other warnings still stand.
Main Masterlist
Dangerous Love Masterlist
Word Count: 4.1k
Rafe rode like the wind was carrying him. Carrying us. We drove in silence from the large beach house to the Cameron Mansion, only the whirring of his bike keeping us company. His house was in sight before we knew it, and I hopped off of Rafe's bike the second he skidded to a stop.
John B was hurt. He had been hurt on a fishing trip with Ward Cameron. Hadn't Uncle John gone missing at sea on a fishing trip? I thanked whatever god that was listening that even if John B was hurt, at least he was back on land.
I ran to the front door, but before I could open the door, Ward Cameron was there opening it for me. His sleeve was rolled up and wrapped around it was a large bandage.
"Avery Routledge. You came," he said, looking down at me with satisfaction in his eyes.
"Of course I did. Where's John B?"
"Have you not heard from him at all?"
I crinkled my brows in confusion - if my cousin had been hurt on the fishing trip with Ward, surely he would know that John B hadn't contacted me?
"No of course not-"
"She's been with me most of the morning," Rafe interjected, and I felt his hand on my lower back. I chanced a glance at him but he wasn't looking at me. Only at his father. They shared a wordless exchange, and something flipped in my stomach. I stepped away from both of them, removing Rafe's touch from me.
"What's going on here? Where is John B?"
"Sweetheart-" Rafe started but I snapped my gaze up to him.
"Don't call me that, Rafe," I snapped. "Mr Cameron, where is my cousin? Rafe said that he was hurt. What happened?"
"He's not here currently. Come inside and I will explain," Ward said and turned, entering his house. I stared after him, at his calm demeanour and instantly knew that something was wrong.
"Rafe, you said he was here," I hissed, staring at the ground. I heard Rafe approach me, rather than saw him, and was not surprised as his hand came up to tilt my head to meet his gaze.
"I didn't. I told you that my Dad said you should come over. Not that John B was here."
His tone was cold and honestly frightening. I glanced around him and saw that Ward was still just inside the entryway, watching us.
"You knew what your words sounded like. You implied that he was here," I said, tugging away from him. "Where is John B?"
"Come inside and my Dad will explain everything to you."
"I'd rather stay out here, if you don't mind."
"And I'd rather that you weren't still sleeping with JJ, but it looks like we're both not going to get what we want."
I paled. The venom in his words was clear, especially as he said JJ's name. I took another step back, but Rafe was already there, grabbing my wrist in his tight grip, and tugging me towards him.
"Rafe-"
"I told you to come inside. Let's go, Avery."
"I'm not going anywhere with you!" I yelled. "Let me go and tell me where my cousin is."
"Fine. He might be with your friends, and as usual, causing trouble. News flash, Avery, but John B is not a good guy. He attacked my Dad and then ran off. The police are after him and he is now a criminal. Now," he lowered his tone, as he reached up to wrap a loose curl of mine around his finger. "You are going to do as you are told and get inside the house."
"No I am not. I am going to find my cousin and get the hell away from you, you bastard!"
It all happened so quickly. One second, my hair was wrapped around his fingers, and the next, his hand had struck my cheek. I was momentarily blinded by the sudden pain and cried out as I stumbled away from him. He didn't let me fall, instead leaning down to throw me over his shoulder. My head smacked his back, but recovering myself, I screamed and pounded my fists against him.
Rafe had hit me, and now he was forcing me into his house against my will. Screaming his name, he only placed me back on my feet once we were inside the house and Ward had locked the door behind us. Rafe leaned in close, his breath hitting my ear.
"That was for fucking JJ Maybank."
I moved away towards the staircase, my cheek hot and sore from the force of Rafe's hand. He had hit me. And Ward was standing idly by, doing nothing about it. Fear coursed through my veins as I touched my cheek tenderly, staring down the two Cameron men.
"Where is John B?" I whispered into the silence.
Ward leaned against the front door, now locked, and placed his hands into his pockets. "You cousin currently has the police after him. He attacked me on our fishing trip and seems to think that I had a hand in the death of his father."
"Uncle John." My whisper went unnoticed.
Rafe was still staring at me, fists clenched at his sides.
"I am worried that he will hurt those around him so I asked for Rafe to bring you here. To protect you."
"No - no, that's not it at all. John B would never have attacked you without good reason."
Ward gestured at his arm. "Well he did, Miss Routledge. He attacked me and he was out of his mind as he did so.
I thought of John B. He was many things: stubborn, infuriatingly so sometimes, and could be harsh with his words when he was upset or worried, but he was not unstable or violent. He wouldn't hurt anyone without a reason. He just wouldn't. Which meant...
"You killed my Uncle John," I spat.
Ward barely flinched at my words, and only shrugged. "It's what John B believes. But like I said, he was unstable as he did so-"
I interrupted him, storming up to Ward Cameron with a look of hatred on my face. "John B has never suspected any foul play in the death of his father - if he believes that you had anything to do with it then it is for good reason. You killed my Uncle, Ward. Admit it."
"Fine, Avery. I was there when your Uncle died but I would love to see either of you Routledge's try to prove it. I have the police on my side, and they are out looking for your cousin. John B doesn't stand a chance."
I saw red, my hand reaching up and smacking Ward around the face just as Rafe had done to me. Before I knew what was happening, there was an arm around my waist pulling me away. I was tugged backwards, the grip constricting my breath. "You bastard! You are setting him up!" I screamed.
"Be that as it may, I think you'll find I could get away with murder if I wanted to." Ward's calm appearance was infuriating. On the other hand, I could feel Rafe's heavy breaths against my back. He was far from calm.
"The lot of you are monsters!" I cried, tears falling down my cheeks. Where was John B? Where were any of my friends? I prayed that he was safe. "Let me go, Rafe!"
"We're not letting you go, Avery," Rafe said loudly from behind me. "John B will try to kill my Dad if he gets the chance."
"But with you here?" Ward continued, and everything clicked into place for me.
"He won't try anything," I muttered weakly. "That's why I'm here, isn't it? Insurance so that John B leaves you alone."
Ward nodded, and I lost it. I clawed at Rafe's arm, screamed profanities at him as he dragged me backwards away from his father. We were heading towards the stairs and Rafe started to pull me up them. I fought him with everything in me, tried to make it impossible for him to take me anywhere, but he was too strong for me. He pulled me away from his father, away from the smug expression on his face.
And then we were in a familiar hallway and I knew where Rafe was taking me. To his bedroom.
He shoved me inside harshly to the middle of the room, so forcefully that I fell to my knees. Everything in me felt exhausted and tired, the tears on my cheeks were still coursing a steady stream.
Rafe turned and locked the door, and I looked around the room. There was one window, and I heaved myself to my feet and ran to it. It didn't budge as I tried to yank it up, and there was no key to open it. Through it, I could see a tiled flat roof that presumably shadowed the decking that surrounded the side of the house.
Rafe chuckled from the other side of the room and I spun to stare at him.
"Despite my father's words, I am looking to protect you here, Avery. I want you to be safe."
"I won't be safe whilst I'm with you and your delusional father."
He moved quickly, shoving my shoulders so that my head smacked the glass window. "Don't you dare insult my father. He is a good man and will keep you safe here, from your crazy cousin."
"John B would never hurt me," I hurled at him, conviction behind my words. "He is my family."
"And your family have never hurt you before?"
I trembled at his words, my arms hugging each other as he glared at me with a satisfied quirk to his lips. "You don't know what you're talking about."
Rafe's hands pried mine down, away from my body, lacing his fingers through mine. I needed to save my fight for a chance to escape, so I let him. His touch was meant to be soothing, and I cursed the part of me deep down that still found it to be so. Despite everything today, Rafe had still been the one to be there for me every minute of my time at the OBX. He had been the one to kiss my bruises.
"I do know what I'm talking about. I told you that my father investigates everyone new to this island. He makes everyone's business, his business. But I personally asked him to enquire about you, Avery. I wanted to know more, wanted to know who you were running from and who had you so scared. I wanted to know why you moved here so suddenly. So I let our private investigator do some digging."
"No-"
"Yes," he retaliated. "I did it because I love you."
I knew the answer, but I still had to ask the question. "And what did you find out?"
"Police records. Everything you reported to them each time you tried to run away. Those corrupt cops may not have done anything for you, but they still wrote everything down. All of the times you reported that your mother had hit you, that her boyfriend had tried to make advances on you. I've seen everything that you told them. And then I dug into the hospital records. Every time that you were admitted due to 'a fall down the stairs' or 'accidently walking into things.' I knew it was bullshit, but it did make me wonder why no one had ever looked into it further. And you know what I found?"
I did know what he had found. Of course I knew. I had lived in the hell for years. "My mum's boyfriend is the chief of police."
"He told everyone that you were lying, that you were mentally unstable, that you injured yourself. And even after all our time together, I waited for something to change in you, to see if perhaps mental health did play a part in those reports. But it never did. You weren't lying."
I pulled a hand away from his and placed it over my mouth as I released a sob. He went on ruthlessly.
"And then I saw your stomach."
It took everything within me not to break down, even if it was in Rafe's arms. Everything that he was saying was true. And finally, someone knew it. John B knew that my mother could be cruel. JJ knew that she hit me. But no one knew everything. Until now. I crumbled.
Rafe looked down at me and finally he seemed to soften up. His love for me could apparently temper his anger, no matter how potent. The sympathy in his eyes was bursting to the brim, and his mouth was softly frowning. He released my other hand and bought it up to the back of my neck, pulling me in for a hug. I buried my face against his chest, tears instantly soaking the fabric of his shirt.
"I fought them off - both of them, but they never stopped. My mother doesn't like disobedience, but Tony seemed to think that I was playing some sort of game with him. If I didn't do as he said, or dressed in something that let any of my skin show, he thought that I was trying to lead him on. But I never was!"
His stroked my hair as I cried, finally letting years of pain poor out of me. It was a stupid decision to unload all of this to Rafe, but he already knew most of it.
"I know you weren't, sweetheart. I know."
I felt him lean down and pick me up, his hands under my knees as he then walked us to his bed. Sitting down, he let me continue to cry as I sat on his lap.
"What was the last straw? Why did you leave?" Rafe asked slowly. I gulped. I had never mentioned this to anyone, had tried to forget it had ever even happened. But now that Rafe was asking, I found that I wanted to say it, to let the small animal of pain and memory inside of me out.
"Tony snuck into my bedroom. It had been a hot day and I'd been sitting around our pool in my swimsuit thinking he wouldn't be home. But he showed up earlier than I thought. He kept telling me that I was dressing that way for him, that I wanted him to notice. So he was going to do something about. He groped me, touching me where he shouldn't have touched me. I fought him and my mum came in but when I told her what he had been doing, she didn't believe me. She called me a liar, and said I was asking for it. I told them that I was going to the police and I was going to make them believe me-"
Rafe's grip around me tightened at my words and I could feel his heart picking up in his chest.
"And they didn't believe you?"
"I never made it there. Tony and my mother beat me, kicking my stomach and throwing glasses at me. They left me in my bedroom for days, until finally Tony came back and told me that he was going to have to do something about me and my nasty lies. He implied that he was going to get rid of me. So I ran. That night I gathered all of my things together and left."
He said nothing as I finally calmed down my sobbing, finally stopped the tears from coming and finally looked up at him. His eyes were empty of everything but his grip was still tight. I did not know how to interpret it.
The sun was setting outside of his window, taking the last of the sun with it. I was conscious of everything, that I needed to find my cousin, that I needed to contact my friends. But I let him hold me anyway.
"I'm so sorry, Avery. I really am. But this only proves to me how badly you need my protection."
I was startled and the fear was back again. Rafe wasn't letting me go. He was only holding on tighter.
"Rafe, please-"
"If your own mother could do that to you, then who knows what John B could do."
A fresh burst of adrenaline pumped through me again, and I started to struggle against him. "You can't do this, Rafe! I trust you, I let you take care of me but this is too much! Let me go and find John B. I'll talk to him, find out why he is saying these things about your Dad."
It was a lie. I would find John B and take him far away from Ward. And Rafe knew it too.
"I can't do that, sweetheart. I can't let you go. Ever."
And he twisted us so that I fell off of him onto the fresh silk of his sheets. He stared down at me, at my broken form and tear-stained cheeks, and I stared back. "You can't," I whispered.
"You'll find that I can. I have my father backing me. He knows about the police reports and hospital visits. He will call your mother if you try to run."
"And you would let him?"
"I wouldn't want him to. But I can't lose you. Not to the Pogues."
"I won't run."
"I know that you're lying."
"I'm not-"
"You are and I don't appreciate it, Avery. You are going to stay here, the police are going to find John B, and everything will be fine."
I sat up, my legs hanging over the end of the bed. My skirt had ridden up and I noticed Rafe noticing. "Nothing will be fine! You can't hold me captive here! You're as bad as my mother! You're as bad as her boyfriend!"
If storm clouds could cover someone's expression, that was exactly what happened with Rafe. He leaned down, his nose nearly touching mine.
"Don't you dare say that - I am nothing like either of them! They only wanted to hurt you and use you! I love you and want to protect you from everything!"
"You hurt me!" I screamed.
"I did it for your own good! JJ doesn't want you like I do, he never will. Sleeping with him was a mistake and you won't do it again. You won't go near him again!"
"I will do what I want! You don't own me, Rafe!"
His voice became deadly quiet. "You love me, Avery. I don't need to own all of you, but I own your heart. And that is more than enough for me." He paused, pushing himself away from me. "You will stay here, you will do as you're told, and you will be safe. There is no room for disagreement here. You clearly don't know what is best for you."
"My friends are best for me," I screeched, standing up. He towered over me, but he was too calm for my liking.
"Think what you want. You'll learn, Avery. That I promise you."
Before I could stop him, he shoved me so that I flew backwards onto the bed. Before I could stand up again, he was at the door, looking back at me with a terrifying satisfaction. "You'll learn."
And then he was gone, the sound of the lock clicking into place behind him.
~~~
I pounded at the door after he had gone but I knew what to expect. The door was locked hard, as was his window. I tried punching the window but all that I succeeded in was bruising my knuckles. Whatever the window was made of, it was too thick for me.
Hours later, I was stood dejectedly staring into the mirror hanging on the indigo wall. My cheek was red and still swollen, and there was a small cut on my cheekbone, presumably from where Rafe's ring had clipped my skin. I hadn't even felt it before, but now everything was sinking in. Along my jaw was finger sized bruises.
So much had happened in the past six hours that I felt exhausted. I wanted nothing more than to wake up in my bed, all of this being a terrible nightmare, but that was not what was going to happen.
I needed to escape but nothing I tried could work. I had even thrown items at the window, but to no avail. I had screamed myself hoarse, praying that Rafe would come back but he didn't. I was alone. Moving to sit on the bed, I felt the day's events catching up on me. I wanted to lay on Rafe's pillow, to give in to sleep, eager for even a brief moment of forgetting.
But just as I did so, I heard a small tapping. I ignored it, not used to the sounds of the unfamiliar house, but the tapping continued, now louder. Sitting up, I looked over to the window.
Muffling a scream, I stared. There on the flat roof was Kiara. Her face was alert and paler than usual, and she was looking at me with worry.
"Avery," she breathed but I could barely hear her voice through the glass.
"I can't get out, Kie" I said, trying to keep my voice low to not alert Rafe or Ward. "The door and window are locked."
And then I saw it in her hand. A small hammer. But would she be able to break the glass?
My question was answered as a fierce rage took over her face and she swung. It cracked the glass but it didn't shatter. I paused, listening for noise downstairs, but heard nothing. Kiara swung again, and the cracks spawned a spider web on the glass.
A final swing had the glass breaking inwards. I punched at the shattered glass pieces, expanding them to make the gap big enough for my body to squeeze through. Ignoring the blood that was now on my hands as I shoved the glass away, I crawled through. The glass cut my bare arms but I ignored it. I could swear that I could hear footsteps approaching.
Kiara tugged me the rest of the way through and I barely had time to hug her before we were off. We scaled the roof, and I winced every time my cut hands rubbed against the tiles. Kiara led me down the roof to where it was low enough for us to jump.
We did. And then we ran. My feet stung from the impact of the jump, but I didn't care. We ran to the walls surrounding the house, and I gave Kiara a leg up. She heaved herself up and over, and I heard male voices on the other side. Then there were hands reaching back and I clung to them. My bare knees scraped the walls but once again, I ignored the pain. Then there was a voice.
I looked over my shoulder to see Rafe staring at me through the broken window. He looked furious and he was screaming my name. Then he was gone. Assuming he was coming downstairs to get me, I sped up my movements. I was moving so quickly, suddenly dizzy from fear, that it took two pairs of hands to get me over and to the ground safely. Looking up, I could have cried. Kiara was with JJ and Pope.
But there was no time for pleasantries. JJ hauled me to my feet and into his arms, before tugging me along after the others. We didn't have to go far. We were soon in their boat, racing away from the Cameron House and from Figure Eight. The others were moving about frantically, watching out for both Rafe and Ward, or the police, but I sat on the small seat, numb to it all.
Rafe had tried to force me to sleep with him. He had hit me and then held me captive. But I had revealed to him my deepest darkest shame. There were no words to say.
I knew that my friends were whispering about me, casting me worried glances, but I couldn't hear it. There was only the rushing of the waves in my ears. It was dark so they couldn't see the injuries on my face.
And then someone placed a jacket around my shoulders. I looked up. JJ. Of course it was JJ.
"Avi," he whispered. He knelt down in front of me, his hands taking mine and turning them over, the cuts still bleeding. He pulled out the emergency first aid kit and started to clean me up and I watched him, but felt nothing as he did so. When he was done, he reached up to my face. "Avery, my lovely girl." He was whispering still and I could see the pity in his eyes. He hadn't called me his lovely girl in years. "I'm so sorry that this happened."
I said nothing, ignoring all of their soft words as we raced back to The Cut, as the others continued to whisper.
Dangerous Love - Part Eighteen (Rafe Cameron x Routledge!Reader)
Summary: Avery Routledge is John B's cousin, and she has just moved to the OBX - just in time for a treasure hunt. But with John B keeping secrets in order to protect her, he pushes her into the arms of the Kook King. She becomes tangled with none other than Rafe Cameron, but will she realise how damaged he is before it is too late, or will he ruin her before she can get away?
The next morning, I awoke with the bright summer sun in my eyes, shining through the window of my bedroom. Damn, I had forgotten to close my curtains last night. Back home - no, on the mainland, the summers were nothing like this. Nothing back on the mainland was like the OBX. And I was glad for it.
Taking in the sounds of the waves lapping at the end of the long 'front garden' of The Chateau and the sounds of birds singing in the trees outside of my window, I tried to let myself savour it before letting the memories of the day before flood in.
It couldn't last forever though. I rolled over in my double bed, reaching for my phone which was perched on my bedside table - on charge and it had been for the whole night. Tapping the screen, it lit up, telling me that it was late morning and revealing a message from JJ. But nothing from Rafe.
I trust you, Avi. And I trust that you will make the right choices. I'll make things right with the others and we will get the gold. Then we can all be free.
It was so serious for JJ, and so unexpected that I reread it three times before putting my phone down.
Was JJ okay? Had something else happened since he had dropped me off home last night? I prayed not. JJ deserved everything, certainly better than what the world had given him for a father. I had no doubt that Luke Maybank would make JJ's life even worse until the restitution was paid back. But JJ was strong. And we would have the gold soon. Enough money to take us far from anyone that would try to hurt us. His father and my mother.
It surprised me that there was no message from Rafe. Was he really that mad? I guess I couldn't blame him. We had spent the night together, and then I had ridden off with JJ, after jumping to conclusions about Rafe's behaviour with Barry and throwing it in his face.
Rafe, I'm sorry about yesterday. I really am. Please can I see you and we can talk?
I sent it before my nerves could talk me out of it. Within seconds, I could see that he had read it and before I knew it a message came through. It was an address, but one I did not recognise. Googling it, I found that it was another house on Figure Eight, not too far from Rafe's house. But why would he send it to me? Was he there and not home?
Not dwelling on it, I pulled myself out of bed and quickly showered and got myself ready for the day. John B would be out on his fishing trip with Ward by now, and hopefully he would be home soon. And tonight we would all go and retrieve the rest of the gold. I just needed to make up with Rafe and my day would be complete.
Within thirty minutes, I looked presentable enough in a yellow shirt with puffed sleeves, and a light blue denim skirt. Rafe had said his favourite colour was yellow, so I hoped this would work in my favour.
The living room was empty and quiet as I walked through it, so unlike most mornings I had woken up here since my arrival. I was accustomed to the sight of either John B or JJ sitting on the sofa, or out in the front yard chatting away or swinging on the hammocks. Soon though, things would be as they should be. We would all be a family and have no one to answer too.
Outside of The Chateau was a hot tub with multicoloured lights hanging from it, large enough to fit all of us Pogues in it. Forgotten plastic champagne flutes floated on the still water. alongside a blowup flamingo. When had this gotten here? Who had bought it? One person came to mind. JJ. But I had seen him in the late afternoon and when he had dropped me home, the hot tub certainly hadn't been there. How strange. I would have to ask him about it later.
The walk from The Chateau to Figure Eight had become a family one, although the last part of my journey was new. I walked up the address that Rafe had text me and gazed up at it. It was slightly smaller than the Cameron mansion, and far less imposing. It was an oversized beach house, three stories tall with azure-grey walls and a shining white roof. Was Rafe here? Did the Cameron's also own this house?
I walked the path to the front door and knocked, but there was no answer. I knocked again, and then twisted the door handle. It opened under my touch. Entering the house, it was not surprising to see the expensive furniture, the oversized kitchen and dining room. Stairs wound upwards, but that was not what interested me. Through the double glass doors on the other side of the room, I could see a long deck that lead towards the beach. And at the end of the deck, was Rafe.
Taking a breath, I walked towards him. His head snapped up quickly as I opened the door, but he did not smile at me. Instead he watched me as I approached him, the deck-pier going on forever. My footsteps were shaky, as were my hands but I clenched them into fists at my sides to calm them.
Finally, I was in front of him. And I was shocked. And reminded of JJ's words from yesterday.
"He beat up, Pope. He attacked us at the OBX movie night. He is friends with the local drug dealer."
He was sat leisurely on the sleek blue outdoor sofa, his arms spread along the wooden back. And in front of him, was a mess. A bong, still smoking, empty and full cans of beer, and most importantly, small, thin lines next to a rolled up dollar note.
"Rafe," I whispered. "What is this?"
His cornflower blue eyes stared up at me, a harsh ice in them, taking in my reaction. Despite the obvious malice in his stare, my stomach clenched at the sight of him. He was so attractive, more handsome than anyone I had ever met. "What does it look like?"
"Well it looks like the remnants of a party, but you're the only one here."
"Then it must be mine." His words were short and sharp, accusing me of something. "You wanted to talk?"
"I did," I conceded. "Don't you?"
"I don't think that there is much to say, Avery. We were having a lovely breakfast, and as usual, you thought the worst of me, and then ran off before I could explain to you what was really happening." He pulled one of his hands away from the back of the sofa and leant it on his knee. The cuts on his knuckles had scabbed over. "And then you left me for JJ. So, like I said. I do not think that there is much to say."
The wind was warm as it blew in from the sea; the salt and tang of the ocean filled my nose. "It wasn't like that Rafe."
He stood up, towering over me, only the wooden coffee table in between us. "Then tell me what it was like."
There was something off about him. His eyes were sharp, his movements fast. Was he high now? It wasn't even lunchtime.
"There is too much to explain, Rafe, and besides, it isn't my business to tell you. It's my friends'."
"Your friends have too many secrets. Even from you, I imagine."
Ignoring the jibe at my friends, and accepting that Rafe would never like them, I continued. "I can only say that I'm sorry that things turned out the way that they did. I mean it."
You're sorry?"
"I am."
"Sorry for what part exactly? Always choosing to think the worst about me? Choosing your friends over me time and time again? Leaving me alone yesterday-"
"You made the decision for me," I cut in.
He made slow steps around the coffee table towards me. I couldn't tell if he was drunk or high, or both. Or neither. He was right - I did need to stop always assuming the worst of him.
"Don't you dare say that. I could see where your mind was going - I know you, remember? And you were going to pick JJ. I only helped out. For you."
"I didn't pick JJ, not in the way that you're implying, at least. I swear."
"Why should I believe you. He's fucked you before, so why wouldn't he again? If he loves you like I do, then he wouldn't pass up the opportunity."
If he loves you like I do. Thank God he was still saying that he loved me. My heart swelled at the thought, and I met Rafe's eyes, trying to convey all of my feelings to him.
"We didn't sleep together."
"Well, isn't that a relief." The sarcasm in his voice stung. "Do you still love him."
"I never said that I did-"
"But you used to, that much is clear, Avery. You talk about him differently than you do the others. It's like an old wound that you can't help but pick at with him. You keep going back, and away from me-"
"No, Rafe, it's not like that!" I rushed forwards, taking his warm hands in mine. "I love you! I don't love JJ, not anymore. He was my past, something that is gone now. He cares for someone else."
"And if he didn't care for someone else?"
"Then I would still love you. I would still choose you."
Finally, the ice in his eyes softened fractionally. An iceberg becoming smaller, melting in the sun. "You would choose me?"
"Every time."
He leaned down, his lips capturing mine in a searing kiss. Had he never been chosen before? Never been picked first? His kiss told me so, told me that he was grateful for my words, for my choice.
He moved his lips skilfully against mine, his tongue running over my bottom lip until I granted him access. Our tongues met in a battle for dominance, but as Rafe's hand came to my hip, pushing me backwards until my back hit the deck-rail, he won. He took over the kiss entirely, squeezing my hip tightly in his grip as his other hand came up the back of my head, tangling his long fingers in my loose hair.
And then I noticed it. The taste of beer in his mouth. Surely he wasn't high as well. Maybe the drugs weren't his? Maybe they were someone else's, the person who lived here?
Either way, we had just made up and I was not going to ruin it. I cared for Rafe too much. Besides, I had my own secrets. He could have his. As long as they didn't ruin us.
It was only as his hand on my hip started to crawl to the hem of my skirt that I pulled away. My skin was hot and I could feel the flush on my cheeks as I looked up at him.
"Rafe, no - we're out in the open. Anyone can see us."
"Who cares?" he whispered. "Let them see."
His hand continued to move up leg, fingers now under my skirt. "Rafe, stop-"
"You said that you love me."
"I do!"
"Then who cares who sees? I certainly don't."
Was I overthinking things? I looked over to the beach and could see no one occupying the sandy shore. No one to see us. But still, it felt wrong.
But I didn't want to take a step backwards, now that Rafe and I were no longer arguing.
His hand continued up my skirt, his warm fingers tracing my skin softly. His eyes were intense, the blue in them almost gone around his blown-wide pupils. Lust or drugs? I wanted to know, but couldn't bring myself to ask.
I only nodded and let Rafe continue his movements. The hand in my hair tightened as his hand found home. He moved my thong aside, his fingers instantly sliding into me without any preamble. I gasped at the sudden intrusion with no warning, but before I could anything, he was moving his hand at a fast pace, curling his fingers inside of me. My hand fell to his shoulder to hold myself up as my knees went weak. His lips were on my neck, sliding down my skin to my shoulder. As he curled his fingers again perfectly, he bit into my shoulder, sharp teeth breaking the skin. Rafe continued to move his hand as he kissed at the fresh bite mark on my skin. My hips were rocking back and forth against him, trying to catch the feeling that was building in my core, chasing the pleasure that Rafe's touch was elliciting. As it finally built up to its peak, Rafe's thumb came up to play with my clit, just as his other hand detangled from my hair and cupped my breast. His fingers traced my nipple under my shirt, the buds hard and sensitive to his touch.
And then it hit me, washing over me like the shores that were ever so close to us. I leant my hand back, my hips stuttering and legs clamping around his hand as my orgasm took over everything. I was dimly aware of Rafe's lips leaving my shoulder, or that his hand was still rocking against me. I was on my tiptoes, eyes scrunched in pleasure, and as the wave finally subsided, I opened my eyes. Rafe was there right in front of me, his eyes taking in the sight of me climaxing from his fingers, and he was smirking.
"Rafe," I whispered.
"I think that even if anyone was watching you, Avery, they would only be entranced by how amazing you look when you cum."
My already flushed cheeks reddened further at his words, and I looked down, but the hand that had been on my breast came up to my chin and pulled my head up. He leaned in to kiss me again, and I reciprocated the gesture.
"I love you," he mumbled against my lips, and I smiled. I kissed him hungrily, ignoring the taste of alcohol and savouring the rest of him. He was all summer, his bright blue eyes, tanned skin and hair with blonder strips from the sun making him look like a fresh ray of sun to me. Maybe that was only because I loved him.
"Let's take this to the couch," he said and I let him lead me along, not knowing what he was expecting. All of his anger was gone, apparently, leaving behind only the love that I was used to - but there was something else. I couldn't put my finger on it. His movements were quick, faster than usual and more eager than I had expected, something different about them. I wanted to push past it, I really did.
But then Rafe ruined it. He lightly tapped my shoulders once I was stood in front of the couch, and I sat down, looking up at him. He sat next to me, but instead of kissing me or talking to me, he leaned towards the coffee table. Before I could say anything or try to intervene, he had picked up the dollar note and inhaled one of the small lines of white.
I gaped at him. Was he serious? He wiped his nose and then turned to me, clearly ignoring the incredulous look that I was giving him. He leaned over me, body covering mine as he kissed me again. It took me a couple of seconds for my mind to catch up, but as it did, I found my hands pushing at his shoulders.
"Rafe, stop it! Get off of me."
He did stop kissing me but did not move. Instead he reached down to my legs, pulling them over the couch so that was led completely flat on its surface and he hovered over me. I did not miss the way that his eyes roamed my face and down to my chest which was heaving with alarm.
"What's wrong?" His eyes were blank, a blank sky with nothing in it.
"What did you just do?"
He looked from me to the table and back again. "What? That? Who cares?"
"I care," I protested. "I am not going to sleep with you when you are high."
"Why not? It makes no difference."
"It does to me!" I exclaimed, my hands coming up once again to shove at his shoulders. But instead, he grabbed them, his long fingers wrapping themselves around my wrists and pushing them down on either side of my head.
"Why should it make any difference, Avery? It's still me, and I still love you. I've been doing it all morning. I was high when you just let me finger you for all the world to see. You came all the same.
At the vulgarity of his words, I felt tears fill my eyes. I tried to lift my wrists, to push at him but he was too strong. No surprise there. Rafe was slim but his shoulders were broad and his arms extremely muscular.
"Get off of me."
"No."
Everything within my chest sunk at his one word.
His mouth took on a cold smirk at my struggles, at the power he had over me. "You honestly expect me to believe that none of your Pogue friends have ever done drugs in front of you. That you haven't?"
"I haven't," I retaliated. "And none of them do cocaine. And especially not when they're trying to have sex with me!"
It was the wrong thing to say. Something darkened in his glare and he released one of my hands to grip my chin harshly. "When they are trying to have sex with you? I thought it was just JJ, and certainly not recently. Is it Pope as well? Or do you have something going on with Kiara? Have you slept with them all?" He grimaced. "As a matter of fact, when was the last time that you slept with JJ?"
I didn't want to lie to him. I hadn't slept with either Kie or Pope, but only last week I had slept with JJ. Keeping quiet, I watched as he seemed to acknowledge my lack of words. Would he question me further if I didn't answer?
He was drunk and high, and all I was feeling was fear. I had never seen such an anger on his handsome face, and I started struggling again, twisting my body to try and wriggle free from him.
I stopped as soon as he pressed his lower half against me, his prominent erection tight within his shorts.
"Go on, keep moving like that, Avery. You're not going anywhere and it's only making me want you more."
I swallowed hard. "Rafe, please let me go. I won't tell anyone."
"Tell anyone what? Avery, I am Rafe Cameron. Everyone knows I do drugs, and better yet, everyone knows who my father is. I am untouchable on this island. And besides, I haven't done anything. Everything that we have ever done has been mutual, and even if I was to fuck you right now, it would be consensual. You want me. If you didn't, I wouldn't have been able to finger you as easily as I did - my god, I had barely even touched you and you were soaked for me. Go on, tell me you don't want me and I will get off of you."
I stared up at him, trying to ignore the bruisingly tight grip on my chin as he clenched my bones in his grip. He lowered himself even further, brushing up against me and I clenched my legs. I couldn't say that I didn't want him. But it didn't mean that I had to give in to him.
"I don't want to sleep with you."
His eyes gleamed. "Liar."
"Please, Rafe, we only just made up. I don't want to sleep with you when you're high and I don't like how you're acting."
"Your opinion does mean something to me, but right now I am far too hard to care. The image of you in your bed only two nights ago has been keeping me going for the past twenty four hours, and sweetheart, I want another taste. You've given yourself to me, and now there's no going back for me."
"What are you talking about?"
He stared down at me as if I had just asked him something utterly ridiculous. "I love you, Avery. You are mine now, and if I want to fuck you right now on this sofa then I will. And you will enjoy it, I promise you."
"I won't."
"Shall we put your little challenge to the test? I do love to win after all-"
And he leaned down, his nose grazing my cheek, his lips then moving to my ear, but just as I thought he was going to say something, a phone cut through the tense air. It wasn't my ringtone, it was Rafe's.
Reluctantly, he pulled away, finally releasing my chin. It felt like blood could finally rush back to my jaw, and I stared up at him, confused. He still held one of my wrists down against the cushion but reached over to grab his phone and answered.
Rafe was silent as he listened to whoever was on the other end of the phone. Then he nodded.
"Yes, she's with me now."
I paled. Who was enquiring about me? "Rafe!" I yelled. "Let me-"
He released my wrist and placed his hand over my mouth, smothering my yells. My hands clawed at his wrist, trying to get him to release me, but he only stared down at me, amused.
"Sure, I'll tell her. Thanks."
He hung up the phone and let me go. I sat up and finally pulled myself away, scrambling to the other end of the sofa and away from him. Would he really have done all of those things that he had said, without my consent?
"Who was that?" I said hoarsely.
"My Dad," he said casually, turning to me so that his attention was entirely focused on me. "He and John B had arrived back from their boat trip, but there was an accident. Your cousin is hurt and my Dad said you should come over."
Momentarily I tried to push the events of the last half an hour away. "What happened? Is he okay?"
"He should be fine, but my Dad said that you should come to the house."
"I'll go."
"I'll take you."
I stood up, moving away from Rafe. "No, I'll get there myself."
He stood up, his breathing heavy as he adjusted himself. I tried to forget what he had nearly just done to me. John B was what mattered.
"Fine, Avery. I didn't want to worry you, but he is quite badly hurt and my Dad said that we need to hurry. So would you rather walk, or I can drive you over?"
He knew he had me, knew that I cared about John B more than anything and if he was hurt, I would do anything for him.
"Fine," I whispered, defeat in my voice. "Let's go. And please hurry."
Rafe walked over to me slowly, his every footstep putting fear into me. He knew what he was doing, I was sure of it. Slowly, he leaned down and kissed my cheek.
"We'll continue where we left off later," he whispered, and then his hand moved to the top of my arm before I could stop him. "And don't think I don't want an answer to my question. Because believe me, I do. And I'm sure I'm not going to like the answer."
"What question?"
"How recently you slept with JJ."
Perhaps this was going to be my only way away from him. If he felt betrayed enough, perhaps he would let me go and not do this to me again. I didn't want to lose Rafe, I really didn't, but he couldn't behave like this.
Even if he left me now, I could run over to the Cameron House without him and get to John B.
A smug, grim smile filled my face.
"I slept with JJ last week."
Everything was wiped from his face, every emotion both happy and sad. A muscle jumped in his cheek, his jaw was clenched and the grip on my arm tightened so that all the blood was cut off.
"You-"
"You wanted the truth. There it is," I spat. "Now let me go."
I didn't know what to expect. Would he yell at me, call me names, shove me away?
He did none of those things. He only pulled at my arm, turning to the glass doors.
"Let's go and see your cousin."
Somehow, his reaction was worse than anything I could have thought of.
Perhaps he was done with me now. This would only be a betrayal to him, wouldn't it?
He pulled me after him, not turning to look at me, not even as we reached his bike and he shoved his helmet over my head.
I was terrified. But if John B was hurt, I would have to put that fear aside for him.
Summary: You accidentally send a nude to your best friend JJ, and his response is unexpected.
Warnings: smut, oral, accidental sexting?
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There was an art to taking nudes. It’s why the dick pic almost always fails. Poor lighting, shitty angles, no attempt at mystery, at romance, at anything other than a desperate desire to traumatise some poor girl you’d barely said a word to.
You knew better than that. Nudes took time. Effort. The right lingerie, low lighting but enough to see by, angles to emphasise your best assets, hiding just enough to be a tease while showing just enough to be of interest. It was something you’d perfected, and you were proud of it.
Those lucky enough to receive one from you would notice, if they weren’t too busy with a hand shoved into their shorts, that your face was carefully hidden, alongside any other identifying factors. You were proud, but you weren’t stupid. The tattoo Kie had convinced you to get with her in the Bahamas was always out of shot, the scar from when John B pushed you off your bike when you were 14 just off-screen.
But even without your name flashing across the top of his screen, JJ would have known who the picture was of in a heartbeat. He knew you, and he’d spent enough time eyeing the curves and contours of your body to recognise it when it was in front of him. What he didn’t know was why you’d sent it to him in the first place.
Thing is, JJ and Jake are pretty close together in your phone, and you’d been foolish enough to choose strikingly similar black-and-white shots of both boys as their contact photo. Drunk with lust, it was an easy mistake. One you didn’t notice until it was too late.
Jake always got back to you within a few minutes, so when ten had gone by without a response, you’d picked up your phone with a pout, and when you’d eyed your messages, you’d nearly screamed your house down.
There was absolutely no way you’d sent your best friend a picture of you. There was no way your tits were waiting in his inbox ready to flash across his screen. What if he’d already opened it? You bit your lip, panic rising in you as your fingers hovered over the keypad, wondering what to send him. A warning? Apology? Goodbye text before you moved out of the country and away from your embarrassment?
You’d barely decided on what to write when three little bubbles popped up at the bottom of the chat, and you fought the urge to throw your phone across the room.
Hell of a way to get my attention.
You hated him. God, you hated him right now. You could imagine his smug face, all the different ways he could tease you flashing across his mind.
Fuck you, Maybank, that was obviously an accident.
His reply was almost instantaneous.
Keep telling yourself that, baby.
Baby.
No. No, you were not doing this. You were not going to think about that word coming out of his mouth. You couldn’t, wouldn’t, go there. Not with JJ.
So what if he was hot. You weren’t blind. That was fine to admit. Best friends could admit that the other was hot. And they could maybe sometimes think about them late at night, even if they tried hard to push the images out of their mind. But this? No. No, no nope.
Delete it. Now.
You waited for his response, forcing your mind not to wonder how he’d reacted when he first opened it. If he liked what he saw. If it made him falter, shorts becoming a little tighter as he stared at the piercing you’d gotten on a drunken dare.
No fun. I need new spank bank material.
Images of his hand wrapped around himself, phone in his grip as he stared at you, your name falling from his lips as he reached his peak flashed through your mind, and was it getting warmer in here?
JJ. You’re being a dick.
And you’re being a tease. Come open the window for me.
You barely had a second to finish reading his message before the gentle knock sounded on the glass across the room, and you flashed your gaze up to see JJ grinning on the other side. You rolled your eyes, pushing down your frustration and embarrassment as you walked over to let him in.
“What the hell are you doing here?” You asked as he slid to the floor, foot catching on the windowpane.
“Well, I was on my way to John B’s when I got your text and figured I could make a quick detour,” he smirked, holding up his phone, the image still on his screen.
You gasped as you reached out to yank the device out of his grip, but he was quicker, holding it above his head out of reach.
“Nuh uh, I don’t think so. I have a question for you.”
“What?” you asked, annoyance laced throughout your voice.
“Who the fuck were you trying to send this to?”
His tone was harsh, angry, and you furrowed your brows as you stared at the barely concealed rage in his face, a stark contrast to the playful grin he’d sported when he’d appeared at your window.
“That’s none of your business,” you answered, arms folded across your chest.
“I think it is actually. Think I deserve to know who’s getting a look at my girl.”
My girl. What?
“Since when am I your girl?”
“Since the second I saw you. Come on. Don’t tell me you didn’t feel it too. That you’ve never thought about me late at night, hands in your panties. That I don’t catch you staring at me sometimes when you think no one is looking. Don’t pretend you didn’t mean to send this shit to me, deep down. Whoever you thought you were sending this to, he’s just a distraction. And he doesn’t deserve to see this. Got it?”
You were stunned, only able to stare at him as he spoke. He seemed irritated by your lack of response, stepping forward and lifting your chin so you were looking into his eyes.
“I said, got it?”
You found yourself nodding, heat now running through every nerve in your body, your underwear slicker than you thought it had ever been, and when a feral grin appeared on JJ’s face at your assent, you knew you were lost.
He pushed you back gently until you were forced onto the bed, back against the mattress as your best friend came to hover over you.
“The picture was incredible, but I think I’d rather see the real thing,” he murmured as he slid your shirt up and you let him lift it over your head, exposing your bare chest beneath, JJ’s mouth immediately latching onto your delicate skin as his hands ran over your waist.
“Shit,” you gasped as he sucked a nipple into his mouth, and you bucked up into the hardness in his shorts, causing him to let out his own groan, the friction between you two delicious.
“You gonna let me make you feel good, sweetheart?” He asked, and you nodded desperately, watching as he trailed his mouth down your stomach, stopping at the waistband of your shorts before sliding them down, letting them pool with your underwear on the floor.
As his eyes scanned over your naked form, you couldn’t help but shy away, his gaze so intense you couldn’t bear to watch.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he moaned, and you smiled shyly, your giggle of appreciation turning into a whine as he leaned over you, his tongue trailing up your thigh before swirling over your clit.
You’d heard rumours about JJ, heard the talk around the island, his conquests telling tales of his talented tongue, his expert fingers, and even that sometimes got you flustered, a wrenching burn in your stomach as you listened to their words, but actually experiencing it? Feeling his tongue on you, the way he traced his name and sucked and licked, the way he devoured you like you were his favourite meal, there was nothing like it.
You were almost embarrassed at how easily he had you coming, your back arching off the bed as he kept going, his movements not letting up for a second as you rode out your high, and just as you came down, he pushed his fingers into you, a perfect rhythm as he curled them into your sweet spot, and after another minute, two minutes, three minutes, you were coming again, a broken cry of his name echoing around your room.
“Jesus, JJ, are you trying to kill me?” you whimpered when he finally pulled away, eyeing the smug grin on his face as he wiped a hand across his mouth.
“Don’t tell me it wouldn’t be a great way to go,” he joked, standing to lift his own shirt over his head, and you sat up to help him slide his shorts off, his cock springing up as you pushed them down his legs, and you quickly realised that it wasn’t just the rumours about his head game that were true.
“Fuck,” you mumbled as you eyed his length, and he smiled sheepishly down at you. “You sure that’s gonna fit?”
“We’ll make it fit,” he answered before latching his mouth over yours, the taste of you still heavy on his tongue as he leaned you back down, positioning himself right at your entrance before pulling back, question in his eyes.
You nodded once, and then he was pushing into you, the feeling almost overwhelming as he stretched you out, each inch sending you further into a pleasure-filled haze, and when he finally bottomed out, you could barely breathe, sure you could feel him in your stomach.
“There we go, knew you could take it, sweetheart. Fucking made for me, that’s why. This is my pussy. Tell me,” he ordered as he started thrusting, and you moaned loudly before answering him.
“It’s your pussy, JJ, all yours, everything is yours,” you cried, lifting your leg to wrap it around his waist, forcing him even deeper, and you’d never felt anything this good, knew you never would with anyone else. JJ was well and truly ruining you.
“Good girl, doing so well for me.”
He tangled his hands in your hair, yanking your head back to expose your neck to him, teeth sinking into your pulse as his other hand found its way to your ass, squeezing the flesh as he pulled you in closer to him, until there couldn’t even be a single atom between you two, your bodies moulding into one with each roll of his hips.
“M’gonna come,” you managed to choke out as he sucked at your skin, no doubt leaving an impressive mark.
“Yeah? My little princess gonna come again? Gonna cream all over my cock?”
The filthy words pouring from JJ’s lips pushed you over the edge, your vision blurring as tears filled your eyes at the intense pleasure rushing over you, all thoughts wiped from your mind except JJ, JJ, JJ.
“Shit, you’re clenching around me so tight, can’t hold on,” he whined, movements becoming more erratic as he edged closer to his own orgasm.
“Do it, want you to fill me up, J, please,” you begged, and he cried your name as he did, painting your insides with his warm release before collapsing onto your chest.
You stroked your hands softly through his sweaty hair as he rested his forehead against your shoulder, breathing calming down.
After a few moments, he looked up at you, both of you staring at each other before erupting into a fit of laughter.
“Well. That is not how I expected this day to end when I woke up this morning,” he smiled, face lighting up as he did. “But, I gotta say, I’m glad you sent me that message. Don’t know if I’d have ever worked up the courage to come here if you didn’t.”
“I’m glad I did too, JJ,” you smiled back, reaching down to wrap your fingers around his, both of you falling back into a comfortable silence as you rested against each other.
