ALWAYS || RAFE CAMERON

22

Pope was punching Rafe in the face, again and again.

Barry grabbed my arm to stop me going to him.

"Pope, stop!" Kie yelled again, to no avail.

i watched in slow motion as Pope grabbed a rope and pulled it tight against Rafe's throat.

his blue eyes met mine.

he was afraid.

afraid of dying, or afraid i wasn't moving?

snapping out of it, i elbowed Barry in the nose.

he let go of me abruptly, causing me to hit my head on the side of the boat.

my head was reeling, but i spotted Barry's fallen gun and darted down to pick it up.

"that's good now," Kie said shakily to Pope.

my fingers gripped the cool metal of the gun as i cocked it and held it to the back of Pope's neck.

"yeah, you know what that is." i snarled in his ear as he froze.

"Juno," JJ warned. "you don't wanna do this."

Kie walked towards us, her hands in the air, and touched Pope's arm, causing him to release the rope.

Rafe dropped to the floor.

there was blood dripping down his chin, and his eyes were red and blood shot.

i emptied the magazine into my hand and threw the silver bullets into separate corners, then dropped the gun.

i grabbed Rafe's arm, helping him up and letting him lean on me.

i gave JJ one last look before leaving.

Rafe wasn't well enough to ride his bike yet, so we pushed them away from the warehouses and stopped to sit on a wall just off the road.

"i thought you weren't gonna do anything," he croaked.

i didn't say anything, just kicked my heels on the wall.

"why'd you wait so long?" he looked at me.

"Barry was holding on to me—i couldn't move."

"but you did. i saw you elbow his face."

"i was scared, alright! i didn't know what to do!"

"i wouldn't hesitate if it was the other way around." he muttered.

"right." i scoffed.

he glared at me as i licked my finger and wiped some of the blood off his face.

we both looked round as a bike approached.

"shit," Rafe muttered.

"hey there, Cameron, Princess." Barry jeered.

"what do you want?" i demanded.

"just for Rafe to know i still ain't got my 25k yet."

"Ward gave you money!" i frowned.

"not the money Silly Sarah and her friends stole, right." he strode closer to Rafe. "i own you now, Country Club."

Barry got back on his bike and rode away.

"FUCK!" Rafe roared.

i wiped the rest of the blood away, and he watched me all the while, brushing the dried blood off the side of my head where i hit the boat.

when he was done i wrapped my arms around him, and he held me tight, stroking my hair.

"i'm sorry," he whispered.