Alcohol flowed freely, music echoed throughout the grounds and despite Y/n's bans, drugs circulated. She let it go, busy monitoring the tensions between the pogues and Rafe. When she saw that everything was going pretty well, she relaxed. She took a glass that a servant was carrying on a tray and walked over to them.
"This party is crazy!" JJ exclaimed, laughing.
"I've never seen anything like this in the Outer Banks." John B continued in the same tone. "Like what kooks have a sense of party when it is needed."
"What about a truth or dare ?" Sarah asked, who looked like she wasn't on her first drink.
Everyone nodded and they sat down in a corner apart from the rest of the group. Sarah grabbed an empty bottle from there and put it on the table. She spun it around and stopped on Y/n.
"Truth or Dare ?" Pope asked.
"Action!" Y/n replied immediately. "Without hesitation."
"Imitate JJ." says John B.
Y/n stood up laughing, picked up JJ's sunglasses and started.
"So I get off my boat right and drop the cap," she began, holding back from laughing. "Walk up to the hot chicks and I'm all like" Sup ladies, my name's JJ Maybank. I'm the bad boy of the island baby. They're all like" Oh my God it's him " "Becky oh my fuckin 'God it's JJ" "
Y/n stopped and bowed. Everyone else was laughing out loud. She sat down and handed his glasses to JJ.
"I'm not like that at all." he protested, taking them.
His reaction made him laugh even more. Y/n did not spin the bottle which fell on Pope. The evening continued then the bottle fell again on Y/n.
"Action." Y/n said as she finished her drink.
"I dare you to turn Rafe on." Kiara told her with a big smile.
Y/n turned to Rafe and suppressed a nervous smile. She had never had a hard time doing that. It was even one of her talents. She would manage to lead all the boys by the nose whenever she wanted, when it wasn't elsewhere. She was quite beautiful, even very beautiful. And her family's fortunes made it even easier. But Rafe was different. He was her best friend and it felt weird. She stood up, untied her hair, and sat astride her knees, facing him. She slipped her hands around his neck and leaned down. She started to fidget a bit. She felt Rafe tense and freeze. She leaned close to his ear.
"Do you like this position?" she whispered into his ear. "Do you like this position?"
Rafe's hands rested on her hips, giving her chills. Y/n heard him sigh close to his ear.
"Its enough." Sarah cried. "You can stop. I don't want to see my brother and my mate... Urgh!"
Y/n turned and was about to stand when Rafe grabbed her by the waist. Y/n then remained seated on his knees, without saying anything. The evening continued, without Y/n being able to concentrate on anything because Rafe's hand kept moving back and forth along his back. Kiara had noticed everything and was holding back from laughing at the reaction of Y/n who was trying not to blush. The party ended around 4:00 a.m. Once all the guests had left, Y/n went up to her room and collapsed on her bed. She closed her eyes and sighed. She then felt Rafe's hands run all over her body, his lips resting on the crook of her neck and his gaze lingering in hers. Y/n let out a sigh and pressed her lips to Rafe's. Her hands pulled him to her and deepened their contact. As Rafe's hands began to lift her nightgown, Y/n opened her eyes. She straightened up and tried to catch her breath which was erratic. The satin of her nightgown clung to her body, soaked with sweat. She looked at the time and saw it was already 9:00 a.m. She stood up, put on her dressing gown, and ran her face in cold water. Then she went downstairs, and found her parents having their breakfasts. They weren't alone. A young man accompanied them. Black hair plated with gel, he looked like a son of a good family that Y/n hated. He looked at her as one looked at a commodity.
"My dear daughter!" his mother exclaimed. "We're glad you're finally joining us! This is Ethan Cooper, Governor Ryan Cooper's son."
Y/n nodded and sat down, silently waiting to know why he was there. A servant handed her a cup and put a plate in front of her.
"We bumped into Ethan by chance yesterday." his father continued. "When we told him about you, he immediately wanted to meet you."
"Indeed." said the person concerned. "It's not often that you come across young people your age in this part of the United States."
Y/n immediately hated his tone, full of condescension and too sweet.
"Maybe if you took your people out here a bit more," Y/n retorted with an innocent smile, "you would have seen more of them."
Her mother glared at her, as did her father. Ethan meanwhile didn't let it show. But Y/n still noticed his fingers tightening around his cup. Her smile widened and she took a sip of her chocolate. A silence fell in place, broken by Y/n's father.
"You surely have plans for your future Ethan." he wondered.
"Sure." Ethan replied. "I intend to succeed my father as the head of North Carolina. And obviously start a family."
His gaze fell on Y/n. She understood then why he was there. Another scheme of his parents to gain money and power.
"And what for family?" she asked.
"Well, a beautiful family. A girl, a boy to take up the political torch, a Labrador and my wife who will cook me meals for my return from work."
Y/n couldn't take any more. She got up and went up to her room, where she put on an outfit. She went back downstairs and then saw Ethan waiting on the doorstep.
"We thought you could show Ethan around the neighborhood." her mother said, staring at her.
Y/n sighed and stepped forward, followed by Ethan. They walked in silence for a few minutes.
