Bound By Lies - Rafe Cameron

Chapter 19

The early morning sunlight filtered through the window, casting long shadows across the floor as I stood in the middle of the living room, my arms wrapped around myself like I could somehow hold everything together. But it wasn't working. Nothing was working.

The house was too quiet, too empty. Every breath felt like it was caught in my throat, every heartbeat a painful reminder of everything that had happened—everything that was still falling apart.

And then the door burst open.

I jumped, my heart lurching painfully as I turned to see JJ standing in the doorway, his chest heaving, his eyes wild with a mix of anger and hurt that made my breath catch.

"JJ," I whispered softly, taking a tentative step forward. "What—"

"What the fuck, Teresa?" he shouted, his voice trembling with barely contained rage. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

I flinched, the harshness of his tone cutting through me like a blade. "I—"

"You slept with him?" he demanded, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "With Rafe fucking Cameron? After everything he's done—after everything I told you?"

I swallowed hard, my throat tightening painfully. "JJ, it's not—it's not what you think."

"Not what I think?" he echoed bitterly, a harsh, humorless laugh escaping his lips. "What, did you trip and accidentally fall into bed with him?"

"Stop it," I whispered, my voice breaking. "It's not like that."

"Then what is it like, Teresa?" he snapped, his voice rising. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you went and fucked the guy who killed your aunt. The guy who's made your life—and everyone else's—hell."

"Don't," I whispered harshly, my chest tightening. "Don't say that."

"Why not?" he shouted, his voice echoing through the empty house. "It's the truth, isn't it? Or are you gonna stand there and tell me you didn't sleep with him?"

I stared at him, my breath coming out in short, ragged bursts, my eyes burning with unshed tears. He already knew. Everyone knew. Because I'd lost control—because I'd let the anger and pain and humiliation take over, and now there was no hiding it.

"JJ," I whispered softly, shaking my head. "It's complicated—"

"Complicated?" he echoed incredulously. "It's not fucking complicated, Tess. You let him—" He broke off, his breath hitching, his expression twisting with something dark and pained. "You let Rafe Cameron into your bed. The guy who tried to kill John B. The guy who almost killed me. And now you want to stand there and tell me it's complicated?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but the words were tangled up in my throat, the chaos in my head making it impossible to form a coherent thought.

"It's not what you think," I murmured desperately, my voice trembling. "It's not—"

"Then what is it?" he demanded, his eyes blazing with anger. "Because it sure as hell looks like you picked him over us—over me."

"JJ, I—"

"And now you're running your mouth around the Kooks?" he cut me off, his voice sharp and filled with disbelief.

"Everyone knows, Teresa!" he shouted, the words slamming into me like a punch to the gut. "Everyone knows what you did—who you're with. What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Tears stung the back of my eyes, my vision blurring as I stared at him, my breath coming out in short, ragged bursts. He was right. He was so fucking right, and I didn't know how to make him understand—didn't know how to make any of this better.