ALWAYS || RAFE CAMERON

56

the truck passed by the port and the driver stopped to speak to a guy on the side of the road.

we took the opportunity to jump out and run down the dock, heading for the boat.

the boat—a catamaran that Rafe had been gifted for his 18th—bobbed in the water.

"we should have enough fuel left over to get us back to Kildare." Rafe told us as we approached.

"if not we can stop off in the Bahamas to refuel," i suggested.

Rafe nodded as he helped me aboard, leaving Kiara to climb up herself.

"listen," he turned to her. "i can get you back to Kildare, okay, but we're not helping your pogue friends."

"you expect me to just leave them here?" she scoffed.

"yeah," i shielded my eyes against the hot sun. "you don't know where they are, what trouble they may or may not be in, or when you'll see them again."

she frowned.

"so it'd be wise to just take the offer and come with us." i finished.

she bit her lip. "i hate to admit it, but you're right."

"i'm always right."

i stepped back onto the deck to untie the mooring ropes and Rafe leaned over the railing, waiting to catch the ropes.

"hey," Kiara was behind him. "no pogue left behind."

she shoved him over the railing into the deep water and ran over to the wheel.

"hey!" Rafe resurfaced.

i held onto the ropes as if it would somehow stop Kiara from stealing our boat, but, obviously, it didn't.

"you're gonna regret this!" i yelled over the engine.

"fuck!" Rafe splashed about as the catamaran pulled out of the marina.

i reached out for him and helped him out of the water.

"what are we meant to do now?" i watched the boat against the horizon. "should we call the cops?"

"Singh probably owns the cops." Rafe shook his head. "we're gonna find a way to Guadeloupe, talk to my Dad, go back to Kildare and find those fucking pogues."

i nodded. "and how are we gonna get to Guadeloupe?"

he took my hand and pulled me after him. "we're gonna do what we do best."

"and that is...?"

"lie."

***

i stood beside a street vender's stall watching Rafe, who loitered on the other side of the street.

he approached a man and spoke to him, smiling encouragingly as the man nodded.

Rafe led him past the other shops and down a dark alleyway—this was where i came in.

i crossed the street and stood outside the alley, acting as a look out.

a few moments later, he walked out of the alley, wiping his bloody knuckles on his shirt and peering at the ID in his hand.

he now sported the man's hat and showed a wallet full of cash.

"come on then," he grinned. "we've got a boat to catch."

i raised my eyebrows but followed him back down to the docks where a big commercial ship waited.

we boarded and Rafe flashed the ID.