𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐂𝐀𝐓 / / 𝐉𝐉 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐊

CHAPTER 30

This had to have been the comfiest bed she had ever found herself upon in her entire life, even better than Kie's water bed. The mattress was the perfect balance between soft and hard, allowing her body to sink into it perfectly. The cushions had to have been duck feather, or something along those lines. She heard from JJ once that those where the type used in that fancy ass hotel he worked in, so she figured that they must have some sort of similarity. The duvet felt heavy and cozy, yet cool enough to not effect her body temperature in the North Carolina summer heat.

The comfort she felt was almost so good that her hangover seemed none existence, despite the fact she couldn't remember how she had managed to even find a bed last night. The room felt dark, no sun dared to leak through to disturb her peace, only a light drumming in the front of her temple which threatened her slumber. Stretching her arms out, Stella rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she struggled to open them, blinking around the dark room to try and confirm her location.

She knew she was undoubtedly in the same house, as the similiar modern clean and crisp decor could be noticed through the darkness. Pushing herself up onto her elbows and peeling through hooded eyes, she glanced around briefly before she spotted the sleeping body next to her.

Rafe slept soundly on the other side of the bed, on top of the covers but missing a shirt none the less. There was a good distance between them which came as a pleasent surprise, the Kook was practically hanging off the edge of the bed with his cheek smushed into one of the pillows. Unlike Rafe, for sure, maybe he had developed a conscience in the last 24 hours or something. It was strange seeing him act so nice to her, so kind and gentle, when normally he wanted to be nothing less. She'd accept it though, because it was the only thing she could cling onto right now. 

As though he could feel her steely eyes burning into his skin, his eyelids fluttered open to meet those deep ocean blues. He stared at her for a couple of seconds, before stretching out and curling further into the bed.

"What time is it?" He mumbled, once again closing his eyes and burying his face into the soft cotton.

"Fucked if I know," she casually replied with a shrug. "You're the one with a working phone."

Without opening his eyes he casually reached behind him towards the bedside table, patting around the space until he finally made contact with the mobile device. "Just gone noon." He said bringing it to his face and squinting.

Stella sat up slowly, a small groan leaving her lips. "Can you take me home?"

"Why would you wanna go home?" Rafe grumbled. "Just stay here till everything's calmed down."

"Cameron, if I don't go home Barry is gonna send out a search party for me because he knows I'm with you." She explained dryly, glancing over to him as he sighed into the pillow. "And as far as Bear knows you could of kidnapped me and be holding me for ransom."

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea to me." The Kook chuckled, a smirk gracing his features as he finally looked up at the girl. "Who'd of thought I'd be waking up in bed next to the Pogue Princess? Like a dream come true."

"Hey," she lightly slapped him. "Don't go around saying shit like that. People will start to get ideas."

"Since when did you care what people think?"

"I don't but the way you say it makes me sound like I've cheated on my boyfriend." She snorted, running a hand over her face as she thought about the scene at the chateau. "He can have that rep all to himself."

Rafe glanced at her with curiosity, pursing his lips together to stop a smile from forming. "This have something to do with last night?"

Stella focused on him for a moment, her mind ticking over as she wondered how she had gotten herself into this mess, but she was sure as shit she wasn't going to spill out everything to Rafe just yet and give him the upper hand. She was smarter than that, or she liked to think she was. "I'm gonna go have a shower, and then you can take me home."