𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃─𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

𝙨𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙣𝙚.

─☼☼☼─

"𝙇𝙀𝙏—𝙐𝙎—𝙊𝙐𝙏!" Between each word, Charlotte pounded her fists against the wooden door, desperation dripping into her tone.

"Lottie," Rafe sighed from where he sat on the bed, "They're not gonna let us out."

Not giving up, Charlotte tried for the dozenth time to turn the handle. "What do you think they're doing to her?" She wondered, turning to Rafe with an exasperated expression.

He rose his brows, "Probably having the exact same conversation he just had with us. She'll be fine, Charlotte."

"God." Charlotte muttered, "Would it kill you to pretend to care about my sister just this once?"

Thinking for a moment, Rafe nodded. "Probably."

"Rafe—"

He cut her off by raising his hand in front of his face. "Lottie, I don't need to hear it."

"Hear what? That you're acting like a total ass now that Kiara's back?" Charlotte challenged, hands placed on her hips.

Rafe looked up at her for a moment before dipping his head, giving it a small shake. "Can you really blame me?"

Faltering for a moment, Charlotte's face clouded in confusion. "What?"

"Come on, Charlotte." Rafe breathed, looking up again to reveal his distressed features. "You can't tell me that you're not going to go back to Kildare with your sister. You're going to leave me behind the first chance you get."

Recoiling slightly, Charlotte absorbed what Rafe was saying...truthfully, she hadn't thought much further than making sure Rafe and her sister made it out of this nightmare alive.

Silent for a moment, Charlotte took a few steps toward the bed, lowering herself down next to Rafe. "I'm not just going to throw away everything we've built back up over this past month." She assured, her voice soft when she finally spoke. "I won't if you won't."

Despite all the shit that he had done to her, Charlotte couldn't abandon Rafe, even if she was given the opportunity to do so.

Glancing over at her, Rafe studied her face as if to catch any indication that she was lying to him. Charlotte held his gaze, not at all worried that she wasn't telling the truth.

Because in her mind, this was all going to work out. She had her sister, and she had Rafe. Once she knew the rest of her friends were safe, Charlotte would be content. That was all she needed.

"You're really not going to leave me?" Rafe wondered, a certain helplessness creeping into his voice.

Leaning over to press her lips to his, Charlotte shook her head slightly. "No." She assured as she pulled back slightly. "But let's worry about getting my sister and getting the hell out of here first."

Rafe exhaled, looking back toward the locked door. The mood suddenly shifted between the two of them, his expression changing as he looked back to her. "You're telling the truth...about that diary, right?"

Charlotte had to consciously force her face not to fall slightly at Rafe's words. Because she wasn't telling the truth.

"Yes." She lied easily, hating how effortlessly it rolled off her tongue. "I don't know what the hell he's talking about."