Outer Banks (JJ Maybank x Reader) Book 1

The Phantom

"There she be," JJ smiles as he rolls aside the door to the large storage unit. "Hey, girl," He says. "1983 Formula 402 SR1," He says, pulling a tarp off the bow. "The Phantom," He smiles lovingly. He clicks, his tongue, looking at Kie and I. "Mhm," Kie laughs slightly, nodding at him. "The first boat to make the run to Bermuda in under 16 hours, guys," He grins. "Forty years old! Forty!" He shouts, laying a hand on the side and smiling at us. "And still the fastest thing that Kildare's ever seen," He smirks. "It's kind of a junker," Kie shrugs.

JJ turns to us carefully, keeping his lips pursed. "Really?" He whispers through gritted teeth. "She's right there, Kie, she can hear you," He hisses. "Let's just put it this way, you would not be smokin' weed right now, if she never existed, okay?" JJ nods as Kie laughs. "She's beautiful," I chuckles, wrapping my arms around his waits. "Thank you!" He says, dragging the words. "I just hope it runs," Kie shrugs. "Oh, no, she'll run, alright," JJ says as he smiles at me.

"She's faster than any of the cutters the boys in blue got," JJ says. Motorcycle tires screech outside the garage and Kie hops over the boat chain with a sigh. "Pope, finally," She says, running towards the other end of the boat as JJ and I start to unhook her.

"Hey, there," Rafe's voice calls from the other end. We turn as Kie stops dead in her tracks. "What's goin on? JJ?" Rafe calls with a nod. "How you guys doin'?" He chuckles, hopping up the side of the boat as Kie turns back to us. "Whoo hoo!" He shouts as Barry comes around the corner whistling. "Well, well...," Barry says, walking slowly towards us as Rafe hops back down, walking towards us from the other direction. There's no where to run.

Barry cocks a gun, holding it up to JJ's chest. "See, don't think I forgot about me and you on the side of the road," He smirks as JJ raises his hands, eyeing the gun cautiously. "I'm here, because I want my mother fuckin' money!" Barry shouts, grabbing JJ's neck. "JJ!" I scream, running towards him. "JJ!" I shout again as Rafe grabs my waist, lifting me into the air. "Rafe!" JJ screams as Kie runs toward JJ. "That's what I'm here for, ain't it?" Barry screams, holding JJ's head against the ground and slamming him down.

Rafe points a finger at Kie with hand, the other arm wrapped around my neck as I struggle to break out of his grip. "It's not you we want Kie, or you, y/n," He warns. "Alright, where's John B?" Rafe asks Kie. "I don't know!" She screams, slapping his face. "Stay down, boy," Barry warns, kicking JJ's stomach. "Phew!" He chuckles. "I really wish, you didn't do that," Rafe warns, throwing me aside and walking towards Kie, eyes wide. "I know what you did," I whisper, my eyes teared and blurry.

"What? What'd I do?" He smirks, turning to me. "You murdered Peterkin!" I scream at him. Rafe grabs my neck in two hands, choking me. I hear Barry's kicks and JJ's grunting as he yells, "Listen, where is my money?" But all I can see is Rafe's face and hands blurring in and out of my vision. I gasp, letting out choked sobs. "Don't you ever say those fucking words again," He growls low under his breath. "Rafe," I gasp with a sob, my voice high and whimpering. "Understand?" He whispers. "Do you understand? Where's John B?" He asks again. "Rafe!" Kie screams, trying to get him off of me as Barry kicks JJ down again. "Stay down, boy!" He screams.

"Where's John B?" He screams. "I don't know!" I sob as he lets me breathe again. "Where's John B, huh?" He calls. "I don't know! I don't know!" I sob, tears pouring down my face as I scream for help, my vision blurring. I have no clue where Kie is. Suddenly, Rafe buckles over, flying to the ground as someone grunts. "Don't touch her!" JJ spits, blood dripping from his mouth as he hits Rafe hard with a metal pipe. I catch a glimpse of Kie and Pope in the corner, fighting off Barry. Pope is on the ground as Barry kicks him. Rafe stands up, trying to fight JJ, but this time, JJ's winning. He throws punch after punch at his face until Barry notices.

"Hey!" He shouts, turning the gun on us. Pope takes his chance and grabs his leg, sending him tripping to the ground. "Kie! Kick it!" Pope shouts as the gun clatters from his hand. She does and Pope grabs him, slamming him against the boat and fighting him as JJ continues punching Rafe. "JJ!" I shout at him as he hits Rafe over and over again, harder and harder. "Okay, JJ!" I scream as Rafe starts losing consciousness.

"JJ! JJ!" Kie and I shout as he continues to punch him. "Hey, JJ!" Pope screams, running over to us. "JJ, that's good, stop!" I scream. JJ sends one more punch flying, knocking Rafe to the ground. "He's had enough, dude," Pope says. "He's good!" Kie shouts as JJ breathes heavily, not seeming to hear us as he picks Rafe up again. "Snap out of it, man, snap out of it!" Pope shouts, snapping his fingers. "JJ!" I shout as he pulls a rubber hose against Rafe's neck, choking him.

"Stop, dude!" Pope screams. "That's too much, JJ!" Kie screams. "Dude, come on, stop, stop!" Pope yells, grabbing onto him. "JJ!" I scream again. He'll kill him. "JJ, get off of him!" I scream as blood drips down Rafe's face. "Dude, let go, come on!" Pope screams. JJ squeezes harder, pulling the hose tight against him. "Look at me!" I scream as loud as possible. JJ drops him, breathing heavily, his eyes wide as he stares at me. "Shit, oh, shit," Pope breathes, holding him back. "It's okay," I nod, glancing at Rafe, who coughs up blood on the ground. "Okay, we gotta go, we gotta go," Kie nods quickly.

JJ's nostrils flare as he bends down over Rafe, eyes still wide. "Stay off the cut," He snarls. "JJ!" I shout after him.

~~~~~~

"Dude, where is he?" Kie shouts as we look out over the water, thunder rumbling in the distance. "Give him a second, he'll be here," Pope nods. "He's coming, he'll be fine," JJ nods as he sets up the boat. A siren wails as a cop car pulls up to the dock. "JJ!" I call. "Hey, yeah, get back on the boat!" He shouts as the car stops. "Get back on the boat, untie it!" He shouts again. "Shit," Kie mutters. The door to the cop car opens and John B steps out. "Wait," JJ laughs.

"No way," JJ mutters. "No f'ing way," I laugh. "I'm sorry," Kie laughs. "You've gotta be kidding me," Pope grins. "Uh...," Kie laughs to herself as she runs up to him. "Shoppe let me take it for a spin," He grins. "Okay, that's believable, I'll buy that for now," Kie laughs, giving him a tight hug. "It wasn't easy, bro, but I got the Phantom for ya, and she runs like she was made yesterday," JJ says, tossing the keys to him.

"You ready to go?" JJ asks, hopping down from the boat and onto the dock. "Where's Sarah?" He asks. "She's not with you?" Kie asks. "No, no, we got separated in the swamp, she said she was gonna meet me here," He says. "No, we haven't seen her, man," Pope says. "Okay, well I'm not leaving without her," John B argues.

"John B, look at me," JJ snaps. "I know you feel bad for leaving, but there's no time, man. You've got plenty of gas, you got plenty of food. Once you get around that point, it's a straight shot across the sound to Dismal Swamp, okay?" JJ nods. "Once you get there, lay low, alright? Hang out for a couple of weeks and then go overland, cross the border at Brownsville, you got that?" JJ asks. "Brownsville," He says again when John B glances at the dock entrance, still waiting for Sarah. "You- hey! You got that?" He shouts, grabbing his face. "Yeah, yeah, Brownsville," John B nods. "Alright, saddle her up, saltwater cowboy," JJ says as more thunder rumbles. "Let's do this," He says.

"Yeah," John B nods, climbing onto the boat. "John B," I call, tears running down my cheeks. I run onto the boat, throwing my arms around his neck. "I love you," I say, kissing his cheek as John B's eyes fill with tears. "I love you too," He whispers. "Be careful," I say as I pull away. He nods. "Promise me you'll come back as soon as it's safe," I whisper, my lip trembling. He nods. "I promise," He says as I hug him one last time. "JJ," John B nods. "Take care of her," He whispers, a tear rolling down his cheek. "Always," JJ says, his voice trembling as he gives me a small smile, pulling me close to his chest while I cry.

He nods, walking to the back of the boat. "Hey, hey," He stops, turning to us. "I'm sorry for... basically throwing us off a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing," He says, fresh tears pouring down his cheeks. "Hey, John B, yo... we were bound to run off a cliff at some point, right?" JJ nods. We all laugh through the tears. "Yeah," He whispers. "At least we did it together though," JJ smiles, putting one arm around Pope and the other around Kie and I as we all join arms. "Pogue style," He nods. "Pogue style," John B whispers with a nod.

"Get out of here, please!" Kie cries. "Now," Pope nods. "We'll see you in two months, down in Mexico," Pope nods. "Love you," JJ calls as John B grabs the wheel. "Hey, wait-wait a second," He says one more time, crying even harder. "Tell Sarah I said goodbye, okay?" He asks. We all nod. "Don't forget, cross the border at Brownsville, okay?" JJ calls. "Got it," John B nods as we salute. We all push the boat off the dock for him, waving as he rides into the sunset.