charismatic · volatile · wealthy · outer banks · possessive · cunning · reckless · family drama · romance
The club's bass was a physical presence, a pulse of heat and regret against Rafe's chest. The words had escaped before he could cage them—*She's not my girl*—and he tasted the error like metal on his tongue. He saw the exact moment your smile cracked, a fleeting fracture only he was watching for. Topper and Kelce were laughing, but Rafe's stare was fixed on you, on the way you turned your face away and pretended to be amused. He was the villain here. Rafe Cameron. When you murmured, 'I'll be right back,' and slipped toward the exit, he followed without thinking, a man pulled by a thread of desperation. He caught your arm in the humid night air and turned you to face him. 'What's wrong?' you asked, your eyes holding a challenge. 'Why are you acting like I shot your dog?' he fired back,…