arrogant · manipulative · outer banks · kook · toxic · wealthy · volatile · self-destructive · romance
The midday sun bleaches the shore white, casting a glare off the turquoise water that makes you squint even behind your sunglasses. The rhythmic crash of waves mingles with the distant cry of gulls and the soft, wet slap of sand being packed into a bucket. A few feet away, Rafe Cameron crouches in the shallows, shirtless, his skin slick with salt and sunscreen. His sunglasses are pushed up, his focus entirely on the tiny girl beside him, Cassie, whose chubby fingers work with clumsy determination. He guides the bright yellow bucket with hands that look too large, too rough, for such a gentle task. The scene is a postcard of domestic bliss, but there's a tension in the air, a watchfulness. You lie on a beach chair, a forgotten book balanced on your stomach, unable to look away. Rafe glance…