Bound By Lies - Rafe Cameron

Chapter 64

Rafe's POV

The walls of Tannyhill feel like they're closing in on me, suffocating me, crushing me under the weight of my own fucked-up decisions. Teresa's gone—left because I couldn't keep it together for even a single week. She said she needed space, time to process, to clear her head. But all I can think about is how everything keeps falling apart around me.

It's all coming down because of him.

Barry.

I can still see the smug look on his face when the cops showed up at the lake that night. The way he stepped back, raising his hands, acting like he didn't know what was going on—like he wasn't the one who led them straight to me.

He betrayed me. He fucking ratted me out.

The thought sears through me, igniting that familiar flame of rage in my chest. I clench my fists, feeling my nails dig into my palms, the pain barely registering through the haze of fury clouding my vision. Barry has to pay. He doesn't get to walk away from this. He doesn't get to screw me over and live like nothing happened.

I won't let him.

Before I know it, I'm grabbing my keys, my breath coming in harsh, ragged gasps as I stalk out of the house and into the garage. The engine roars to life, the sound vibrating through me, and I peel out of the driveway, my mind consumed by one thought, one need: to make Barry pay.

The drive to his place is a blur, the anger simmering inside me, twisting and writhing like a living thing. I can see his face in my mind, that cocky grin, the way he looked down on me like I was nothing, like I was just some rich asshole he could push around.

He thinks he's safe. He thinks I'll just let it go because I've got bigger problems.

But I've got news for him.

I don't let things go.

I pull up outside his place, the old, rundown trailer that's always smelled like piss and weed. The whole area looks deserted, shadows stretching long and dark across the dirt road. I kill the engine, my heart pounding like a drum in my ears as I step out of the car, my jaw clenched tight.

"Barry!" I shout, my voice echoing through the silence. "Get the fuck out here!"

There's a long moment of stillness, the only sound the wind rustling through the overgrown weeds, and then I see him—stepping out from the shadows, his arms crossed over his chest, a cigarette dangling from his lips.

"Well, look who it is," he drawls, a smirk tugging at his lips as he takes a lazy drag, his eyes narrowing as he looks me over. "Didn't expect to see you so soon, Cameron. Thought you'd be holed up at your little mansion, licking your wounds."

The sound of his voice—the casual, condescending tone—sends a fresh wave of fury crashing through me, and I take a step forward, my hands shaking with the effort to keep myself in check.

"You think this is a fucking joke?" I snarl, my voice low and dangerous. "You think you can just rat me out and get away with it?"

Barry raises an eyebrow, blowing out a stream of smoke as he takes a step closer, his gaze locked on mine. "Rat you out?" he repeats, a mock expression of confusion crossing his face. "I didn't do anything, Rafe. Cops just showed up. Had nothing to do with me."

"Bullshit!" I snap, my voice rising, the rage boiling over. "They found me because of you! You set me up, you fucking piece of shit!"

He shrugs, a slow, lazy movement that makes my blood boil, the smirk never leaving his face. "Maybe I did," he murmurs, his tone casual, dismissive. "But you're free now, aren't you? Shouldn't you be thanking me? You got off clean."