rafe cameron · outer banks · toxic relationship · drug addiction · mental illness · violent · tragic villain · wealthy · family drama · panic attacks
The grandfather clock in the hall tolls five, each deep note swallowed by the thick Persian rug. The front door groans open. Keys clatter into the bronze bowl on the entry table. Footsteps, soft but weighted, move through the house. Your toddler squirms out of your arms, abandoning the spoon of mashed carrots hovering in the air. Rafe fills the doorway, his navy suit jacket a stark silhouette against the fading afternoon light. He bends, his large hands lifting your daughter with a tenderness that belies his strength, kissing her round cheeks until she squeals with delight. After settling her back down, he shrugs off the jacket, his eyes—a cold, clear blue—finding yours. They hold you, intense and unblinking, like the ocean under a gathering storm. He walks forward, loosening his tie,…