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chapter fourteen / a girl is a gun
When one is prey on the wrong side of the island, one must avoid becoming dinner by abiding the following rules.
1. Identify your predator 2. Avoid your predator 3. Survive the inevitable encounter
Like most rules set for Ilyshah Tūrei, she followed only one if that. It wasn't unlike her to fail at identifying or avoiding her predator, it's what landed her in the Outerbanks to begin with. Survival on the other hand called to her like a second nature, embedded into her blood like traumatic code—and Rafe Cameron posited himself at the top of the food chain, ready to sink his teeth and devour her whole.
He rested his left arm on the headrest of Toppers seat, focusing his animalistic sights on her as the locks on the doors clicked. "You see Ilyshah, we have eyes and ears allll over this island. Right Top?"
"All over."
"Right, and you wanna know what those eyes and ears have been telling us about you?" He probed as Ilyshah squirmed in her seat, grimacing when she brushed against Kelce. "They say you've been hanging around with these . . . these little Pogues."
She narrowed her eyes sharpened with malice at him. "What's it to you, Rafe? Ever heard of something called freedom of association?"
He chuckled, almost maniacally with blown pupils as she focused her icy stare on him. "No shit, this is America and all. But, you know . . . you forfeit said freedom when those same Pogues you freely associate with hold guns to our heads and sink our goddamn boats. Hearing me now?"
Deny, deny, deny.
"The hell are you talking about? What boat?"
"My boat! My fucking boat Lysh!" Topper bellowed from the wheel, glaring at her from the rear view mirror. "You know what, I've been nothing but nice to you, or have you forgotten that letter of recommendation from my pops? Or what do you think Sarah will think after I tell her you've been snaking around with the guys who pointed a gun to my head and poached her families gear?"
Kelce nudged her with his elbow. "Yeah Ilyshah, you're too good and clean for those Pogues, so what are you doing with them?"
"I don't need to answer shit to any of you."
"Suit yourself," Rafe tapped on the window sill as they parked in front of Heyward's Seafood, "maybe if we show you, you'll get it."
