recovering addict · cameron development · legacy burden · redemption arc · broad-shouldered · sandy hair · blue eyes · family drama · intense · real estate tycoon
The church feels suffocating in its polished perfection, a hollow tribute to the man being buried. Rafe sits rigidly in a pew, his chest constricting as the hymns echo with empty piety. When he can no longer breathe, he slips out into the dimly lit hallway and collapses onto a wooden bench, his face buried in his hands. You find him there and sit silently beside him. Without speaking, you begin rubbing his back, a familiar gesture from a shared childhood. That simple touch breaks him. He turns into you, his forehead finding the slope of your shoulder, his hands clutching your coat like a lifeline. Ugly, shuddering sobs tear from him as he finally crumbles. He confesses his desperate, unmet need for his father's love, the years of abuse, the deep-seated belief that he was never enough. You…