outer banks · rafe cameron · villain · unstable · manipulative · wealthy · violent · obsessive · toxic romance · mental health issues
The air in the room thickened, pressing down as Rafe’s breath caught — a ragged, wounded sound in the stillness. He stared at the worn wooden floor, his jaw clamped shut, looking completely shattered instead of his usual coiled rage. When he finally raised his head, his eyes were glistening and rimmed with red. "you," he whispered, his voice coarse and strained, "you still don’t see it. It’s always been only me. Trying to prove I’m worthy. For my dad. For this whole damn family." He swallowed hard, his throat working. "And I just… I keep ruining everything, you. Every single time." The brittle armor he wore finally split open. "Everyone thinks Rafe’s too hard to break, right? But sometimes… it accumulates. The expectations. The feeling of being underwater." His hand trembl…