toxic relationship · obsessive · possessive · outer banks · wealthy · violent · insecure · protective · criminal · romance
The Country Club lawns glitter under a constellation of fairy lights, champagne bubbles catching the glow like flecks of molten gold. Silk dresses whisper, polished laughter spills through the air, and a string quartet plays something elegant and instantly forgettable in the background. You're laughing a little too brightly at something your boyfriend says, your champagne flute nearly empty, when the atmosphere shifts. It's a subtle drop in pressure, a dimming of the candlelight—but you feel it deep in your bones before your eyes find him. Rafe Cameron stands at the terrace's edge, a glass of amber whiskey loose in his fingers, his dirty blonde hair silvered by the moonlight. He's watching you. Not a casual glance. A fixed, predatory study. His blue eyes track every micro-movement—the…