Bound By Lies - Rafe Cameron

Chapter 29

There's a knock on the door, and I already know who it is before I even get up to answer it. I take a deep breath, smoothing my hair back with trembling fingers and trying to force a smile. My heart is beating too fast, my thoughts tangled with everything that's happened lately. But I push it all down, determined to keep it together.

I reach the door and pull it open slowly. Rafe stands there, looking tense but offering me a small, almost hesitant smile. In his hands, he holds a bouquet of flowers—daisies, my favorite. The gesture makes my heart ache a little. He's trying, I remind myself. He's really trying.

"Hey," he says softly, his voice careful, like he's not sure how I'm going to react. "Can I come in?"

I nod, stepping aside to let him enter. "Of course."

He walks in, placing the flowers gently on the table before turning to face me. I can see the worry in his eyes, the way he's studying me as if he's afraid I might disappear if he looks away for too long. I want to reach out and comfort him, to tell him everything's going to be okay. But I can't—not when I'm not even sure what's real anymore.

"I brought these for you," Rafe murmurs, gesturing toward the flowers. "I know things have been... tough lately. I just wanted to remind you how much you mean to me."

Something inside me softens at his words. He always knows exactly what to say to pull me back, to make me want to believe in us again. I take a step forward, reaching out to take his hand. His fingers are cool, but they tighten around mine instantly, like he's clinging to me.

"Thank you, Rafe," I whisper, my smile a little shaky. "That means a lot. I'm sorry if I've been distant... I've just had a lot on my mind."

His jaw tightens almost imperceptibly, and I can see a flash of guilt in his eyes before he quickly looks away. It's gone in a second, but it leaves me with an uneasy feeling I can't quite shake.

"You don't have to apologize, Teresa," he says softly, squeezing my hand. "I understand. I just want you to know that I'm here for you, no matter what. We're in this together, okay?"

I nod, swallowing past the lump in my throat. He's right. We're in this together. And I do trust him—at least, I want to. But there's something nagging at the back of my mind, something I can't ignore. I push the thought away, focusing on his face, the way he's looking at me like I'm the only thing holding him together.

"I know, Rafe," I murmur, giving his hand another squeeze. "And I trust you. I know you're doing everything you can to protect me, and I'm so grateful for that."

His shoulders sag with relief, but there's still a tightness around his eyes, a tension that tells me he's holding something back. Before I can say anything, he pulls me into a hug, his arms wrapping around me with a kind of desperate urgency. I close my eyes, leaning into his warmth, trying to convince myself that everything's okay. That whatever's wrong, we can work through it.

"I'd do anything for you, Teresa," he whispers, his voice thick with emotion. "You're the most important thing in my life. I just want you to be happy, to feel safe with me."

My heart clenches at his words, and I hug him tighter, wishing I could make everything better. I hate seeing him like this—so lost, so scared of losing me. I pull back slightly, looking up at him with a small, tentative smile.

"I do feel safe with you, Rafe," I whisper. "I love you. And I know we'll get through whatever comes our way."

His eyes darken with something that looks like a mix of pain and gratitude. He cups my cheek gently, his thumb brushing over my skin in a soft, tender caress.

"I love you too, Teresa," he breathes, his voice almost a whisper. "More than anything."

We stand there for a long moment, wrapped in each other's arms, finding comfort in the closeness. It feels like a fragile truce, like we're holding onto each other to keep the darkness at bay. But there's something else there too—a weight between us that neither of us can ignore any longer.