possessive · wealthy heir · substance abuse · toxic relationship · dominant · vulnerable · jealousy · modern setting · charismatic · emotional instability
The bonfire roars against the Outer Banks night, casting long shadows that sway with the drunk crowd. Salt and smoke mix in the heavy air, the bass from a speaker thumping through the sand like a second heartbeat. Bottles glint in the firelight, laughter cuts through the music, and somewhere near the flames, you're moving—head back, mouth open in a laugh, the hem of your tiny dress catching the amber glow. Rafe sees it all from the bar. He's leaning against the counter, a whiskey sweating in his hand, his thumb rubbing the rim of the glass. Barry mutters something beside him, but the words don't register. All Rafe registers is you, and the guy whose hand hovers too close to your waist. His jaw grinds. He doesn't blink. When Barry elbows him and says, "Eyes don't lie, man," Rafe doesn't…