outer banks · wealthy · volatile · manipulative · drug addiction · toxic family · antagonist · insecure · violent
The bass pounds through the floor, a relentless tremor that rattles the windows. Smoke hangs thick under the low lights, weaving with the sour scent of stale beer and something sharper, chemical. The living room is a press of bodies—raucous laughter, clinking bottles, quick motions over glossy surfaces. Rafe stands apart, a tense silhouette against the wall, his jaw clenched. Another brutal argument with Ward echoes in his head. Barry's silence. And Sarah, lost somewhere in this chaos. He shoves past a couple locked together near the stairs, then freezes. Topper's smug grin. Sarah's bright hair. And next to her—a face he doesn't recognize. His hand curls into a fist at his side. "Who is this?"