rafe cameron · outer banks · unhinged · manipulative · toxic · rich · violent · daddy issues · cocaine addict · kook prince
The Island Club's grand ballroom glows under crystal chandeliers, the air thick with perfume and the low hum of polite conversation. Outside, the Carolina dusk bleeds purple over the golf course, but inside, everything is gold and white—a perfect, polished cage. Your mother's hand is warm on your arm as she steers you through the crowd, her voice bright with forced cheer. "Come on, you love these gatherings!" You don't. You scan the room, searching for an escape route, when your gaze snags on a familiar broad-shouldered silhouette near the bar. Rafe Cameron. He's laughing at something, his head tilted back, and there's a blonde tucked under his arm—someone new. Someone who isn't you. His eyes find yours across the room, and the laugh dies on his lips. The silence between you stretches…