'Safe with Rafe' Y/N x Rafe Cameron

Chapter XLII

Rafe doesn't know much about Zane but in the short time that he's known him, he's already made quite a name for himself, and the longer Zane keeps his grubby hands on you, the more Rafes anger increases. Rafe begins to feel heated at the fact that no man will leave you be unless he, himself, is next to you. Although Rafe doesn't mind keeping you safe from harm, it shouldn't have to be that way.

Zanes hold on your hand falters at Rafes stare, allowing Rafes hand on your wrist to pull you away at last.
"I'm sorry if I made a bad first impression." Zane says towards you, almost genuinely as he avoids Rafes glare.
You freeze in place at Zanes strangely quick change in mood, hesitant to accept his apology. If you were to be honest, you felt afraid that it was a facade but having Rafe behind you gave you the strength you needed to finally speak up, "it's fine."
"No."
You look up towards Rafe, confused at his objection.
"No. It's not fine."
"Rafe-"
"You can't keep letting them get off so easily."
Zane averts his eyes towards Rafe with a small eye roll that Rafe easily took notice of.
"The princess said it's fine, so it's fine." He says slyly, causing Rafes jaw to clench and your face scrunch in confusion and disgust at your sudden nickname.
"Zane, I don't know what's gotten into you but stop it." You say.

Little did you know,
The beckets had a strange obsession with the Cameron's family. Zanes father looked up to them not only in business but also in title, like they were kings and queens so Rafe often came up in conversation. Like he was the son that he wanted but never had, Which sent jealousy to course through Zane from a young age. What should've been Zanes spotlight was often Rafes, so he grew up competitive, yearning for his fathers attention.
It was always Rafe this and Rafe that.
So he grew up winning. Taking the prize in every competition by any means necessary just to prove to his father of his worth; and now that the man himself, Rafe, was in his sights at last, it was clear what he had to do in order to over throw him.
The prize was right between the two of them and dressed in red.

"Lets go." Rafe says. He takes your hand in his, his gaze focused towards Zane in front of him.
"We'll talk later, Zane." You break the tension between the two as you lock your arm around Rafes.
"Sure." He nods in agreement as he taps the tip of his shoe on the pavement, on edge at the sight of you on his arch nemesis's arm.
You stare into Zanes expressionless face as he stares back before Rafe begins to pull you away, feeling uneasy at the whole situation unfolding in front of him.
You look back and over your shoulder as you walk off with Rafe, Zane still stood in place as his stare never falters.

"What was that all about?" Rafe asks anxiously.
"I have no idea." You answer, confusion ridden across your face, "it's like he under went a whole change in personality in 2.5 seconds." You joke.
Rafe puffs a laugh at your effortless ability to lift the mood, "Well you're stuck with me now." He laughs.
"Says who?" You giggle as you nudge his side.
"Says you, that's who. You said I'm all yours for the rest of the night, no take backs." He smiles down at you as he admires the glistening in your eyes from the fairy lights above.
"Fine, suit yourself. But that means you can't back out whenever I gotta talk to random old people."
"As long as it's not that Zane guy, I'm happy." He says, earning another giggle from you as you lean into his side more.

"God we're really in the lions den now." Pope says as he takes a good look around him at all the fancily dressed people with their ridiculous head dresses and  expensive bottles of wine.
"Pftt." Jj puffs a laugh, "get a load of Rose Cameron, looks like the Statue of Liberty."
Pope laughs as he turns back towards the bbq.
"The entire family is a joke." Jj adds.
Pope only sighs at Jj's remark, knowing exactly what's going through Jj's mind as he said that.
"Wouldn't you agree?" Jj asks as he turns his attention towards the uninterested Pope, confused at his silence.
"I know what you're thinking Jj."
"And?"
"And I think you need to let it go."
"Has everybody lost their minds?" Jj asks dumbfounded, "I mean, just look!"
Pope turns from the bbq and back towards the crowd of people. His eyes landing on a blue suit and a red dress, a pair that stood out from everybody else. Jj and Pope collectively watch as you and Rafe walk together to no where in particular, arm in arm.
"Obviously her dads just tryna marry her off to some other rich kid." Jj says.
"From one brother to another, we just gotta let them be. I think Y/N actually likes him and what kind of friends would we be to interfere?" Pope sighs.
"Good ones." Jj snaps.

"Y/N!"
You lift your head from Rafes arm to see your mother waving you down with one cigarette in her hand while the other bares a glass of wine. She was visibly tipsy, her balance was off and her mascara was smudged below her waterline. Rafe was surprised at the sight that you had deemed normal at this point.
"Should I-?" Rafe begins before you tighten your arm around his, pulling him towards your
jumping-for-joy mother.
"Told you there's no backing out!" You chuckle.
As you approach your mother, Zanes own comes into frame.
"Y/N dear, Mrs.Becket would like a word."

You turn towards Rafe, panic rising in your chest, worried that Zane might've said something to get you in trouble. Although you truly hadn't done anything wrong, you feared that maybe he persuaded his way into thinking that you did.
After all, you were known to be the kook daughter that hangs around 'bad influence' pogues.

Rafe notices your sudden jitters and your furrowed eyebrows so he takes it upon himself to greet Mrs.Becket in your place.
"Hello Mrs.Becket." Rafe says handsomely.
"Why if it isn't Rafe Cameron." She says lavishly, "you've grown to be such a fine young man."
Rafe smiles at her compliment before checking up on you with a quick glance to see you smiling again which gives him a sense of relief. He switches his arm from locked with yours, to around your lower back as a way to include you in the conversation. You become visibly nervous as you fiddle with your bracelets so he begins to rub circles on your back, making your chest weak with warmth at his softness.
"Y/N, I couldn't help but notice your bracelets." Mrs.Becket says, gesturing to them, "my company manufactures these beads. I didn't know you had an interest in the cause. That being the Ocean conservation project."
"The beads?" You question, "oh! My friend Kie must've worked for you. We're both really on board with the cause."
"If that's the case, I could offer you an opportunity with us." She says graciously.
"An opportunity?"
"Yes dear, you can work under me. Maybe we can start a new project together. The beckets and the
Y/L/N's together."
You look towards your mother who was nodding at you silently from behind Mrs.Becket, signalling at you to accept the offer.
"You don't have to answer right now, but give it some thought." She says as she links arms with your mother before walking away with her.

You stay frozen in place, deep in thought at the idea. It wouldn't be so bad, would it?
In fact, it was exactly what you wanted out of a career path and it would be doing your family wonders while strengthening ties.
You look up towards Rafe who was already fixated on you, except his expression hadn't matched yours in excitement, rather he looked sort of troubled or hurt.
"Are you gonna take it?" He asks lowly.
It suddenly clicked to you why he seemed so down, he wasn't too fond of Zane and accepting the offer would only bring the two of you closer together.
You smile gently as you look him in the eye, gaze full of love towards the boy. His soft features melt your heart entirely and your chest feels intensely warm.
You turn your body closely towards him with his arm still around your back, now resting on your waist.
Your hands slide beneath his suits blazer and against his dress shirt before they come to a rest on his sides and finally leaning up on your tippy toes, placing a soft kiss on his jaw as you pull his body in closer to yours.
"I won't take it if you don't want me to."
Rafe becomes noticeably anxious, his eyes darting around at the surrounding groups of people.
"Are you sure?" He asks jittery.
"I mean, it's the Beckets-"
"No, I mean this." He says, referring to the obvious show of affection you had displayed so carelessly.
"I don't have cooties, Rafe." You laugh.
"Everyone will think that we're-"
"Let them."