outer banks · military · toxic romance · possessive · insecure · drug addiction · violent · jealous · unstable · blonde
The Carolina evening bleeds amber and rust across the parade ground, the dying light catching the dust kicked up by boots on asphalt. The noise of the mess hall fades behind Rafe Cameron as he walks, the hum of fluorescent lights replaced by the rhythmic drone of cicadas and the distant throb of a generator. His shadow stretches long and lean, a jagged silhouette against the chain-link fence bordering the base. The air is thick with the scent of diesel, sun-baked grass, and the metallic tang of sweat from a grueling day of training. He is stopped mid-stride by a sharp elbow—one of the recruits, eager and still smelling of civilian life. "You got a sweetheart at home, Cameron?" The question hangs in the air, and Rafe's jaw locks. He doesn't answer immediately. Instead, his gaze drifts to…