Bound By Lies - Rafe Cameron

Chapter 48

Rafe's POV

The ringing jolts me awake. I fumble for my phone in the darkness, squinting against the glare of the screen. Teresa's name flashes across it, and my heart leaps into my throat. It's almost midnight—why is she calling me?

"Teresa?" I say, sitting up in bed, rubbing a hand over my face. "Teresa, are you okay?"

There's a pause, and I can hear noises in the background—things shifting, maybe glass clinking—and I tense up, instantly on alert. Something's off. "Where are you?"

"Rafe..." Her voice is slurred, thick with emotion. "I'm... I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Just... just wanted to hear your voice."

I squeeze my eyes shut, exhaling shakily. Relief floods through me at just hearing her say my name, but there's an edge to it—a pain and sadness that I can't ignore. "Baby, are you drunk?"

She lets out a bitter laugh, and I hear more sounds—maybe her stumbling, something knocking over. I grit my teeth, wishing more than anything that I could be there with her, that I could pull her into my arms and make sure she's okay.

"Maybe a little..." she murmurs, and there's a pause, a soft sniffle that sends a dagger straight through my heart. "Rafe... I miss you. I—" Her voice breaks, and I feel my heart clench painfully.

"I miss you too, Teresa. I miss you so much. Where are you? I'll come to you, okay? Just tell me where you are." My voice shakes, the desperation leaking through. I can't stand this—hearing her like this, knowing she's hurting, and not being able to fix it.

"No, no, no..." she whispers, almost like she's talking to herself. "You... you always wanna come to me, always wanna... fix things, Rafe. But..." She trails off, and I hear a choked sob, breaking the silence.

I squeeze my eyes shut, fighting back the panic. "But what, baby? Talk to me. Please, just... talk to me."

"I still love you, Rafe," she says softly, and my heart stops. She sounds so vulnerable, so lost, and it's everything I've been wanting to hear—but it's breaking me at the same time. "I want to forgive you... I really do."

A rush of relief and hope floods through me, so intense it nearly knocks the breath out of my lungs. I close my eyes, clutching the phone tighter as if it's the only thing keeping me grounded.

"Then forgive me, Teresa," I plead, my voice cracking. "Please... I'll do anything. Anything to make this right."

"Why?" she interrupts, her voice breaking. "Why did you have to ruin it, Rafe? Why did you have to do that?"

Her words are like daggers stabbing into me. I'm silent, struggling to find the right response, the right excuse—anything to make this hurt less for her. But there's nothing. Nothing I can say that will ever take it back.

"Baby, I—"

"You killed her, Rafe," she whispers, the accusation raw and painful. "You killed my aunt. You lied to me. Why did you have to do that? Why did you have to ruin everything?"

"Teresa... I'm so sorry," I say, the words tumbling out in a desperate rush. "I never wanted to ruin anything. I—"

"Then why?" she cries, her voice raw and pained. "Why did you do it? Why did you lie to me? You broke me, Rafe... you broke us."

"I know, I know, baby, please... don't cry," I beg, feeling utterly helpless. I'd give anything to be there right now, to hold her, to kiss her tears away. "I'll fix it. I'll fix everything, I swear. We can get through this, just... tell me what to do. Please."