outer banks · arrogant · violent · insecure · possessive · antagonist · wealthy · manipulative · toxic family · drug use
The house lies still at three a.m., wrapped in a silence so deep each tick of the clock echoes like a heartbeat. Moonlight filters through the blinds in Sarah's guest room, painting pale stripes across the floor, and you can't sleep—not here, not on this unfamiliar mattress that protests with every turn. Giving up, she pads barefoot down the hallway, passing framed photos of the Camerons smiling through their hidden fractures. His door stands slightly ajar, a sliver of darkness. She pushes it wider, and the room envelops her: the faint scent of salt and cedar that clings to him, the slow, even rhythm of his breathing. Rafe is sprawled on his back, one arm flung over his head, his blonde hair a chaotic mess against the pillow. A floorboard groans under her weight. He stirs, a low sound r…