𝔅𝔬𝔯𝔫 𝔱𝔬 𝔡𝔦𝔢 - Rafe Cameron

⑦

...

The next morning, Jazmine and Rafe woke up early, getting ready for the meeting in a quiet, determined silence. As they stepped outside, Jazmine turned to Rafe, a hint of suspicion in her voice.

"I don't remember giving you this address," she said, narrowing her eyes slightly.

Rafe raised an eyebrow, a smirk forming on his lips. "You've got a lot on your plate. You probably just forgot," he replied, his tone too casual for her liking, but she didn't push it.

They drove in silence, arriving quickly at a shabby-looking building on the edge of town. The place was a rundown bar that seemed to have seen better days, if it ever had any at all. The exterior was grimy, with peeling paint and broken windows. It didn't inspire confidence, and Jazmine's discomfort was written all over her face. This place reminded her of the shady bar where they'd met Barry, only this one seemed even worse.

As they walked inside, Jazmine's eyes darted around, taking in the dim lighting, the sticky floors, and the overpowering stench of stale beer and smoke. She was tense, feeling out of place in this seedy environment. Rafe noticed her reaction, his eyes softening for a moment. He placed a hand gently on her lower back, leaning in close to whisper in her ear.

"Stop panicking, Jazmine. I'm right here," he said softly, his breath warm against her skin.

Jazmine shot him a sideways glance, her lips twitching into a half-smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Oh, that's so comforting," she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

The tension between them was interrupted by a burly man who motioned for them to follow him. He led them through the bar to a back room, where the air felt even heavier and more oppressive. Inside, Rafe set a small, metal briefcase on the table and clicked it open, revealing several bars of gold. The man, who Rafe had called Sergio, eyed the gold with a calculating gaze.

The bar outside was eerily quiet, and Jazmine couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. She shot a quick look at Rafe, who seemed to be maintaining his calm, but she knew him well enough to see the flicker of tension in his eyes.

"Are you alright?" he asked in a low voice, his gaze fixed on her.

"This place feels off, Rafe," Jazmine murmured, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"Don't be ridiculous," Rafe replied, trying to dismiss her worry, though his hand stayed on her back, steadying her.

Rafe turned his attention back to Sergio, shaking his hand firmly. "Sergio, right?" he said.

"That's right," Sergio said, not taking his eyes off the gold. "My contact told me you had some real gold. That's not easy to come by these days."

"Yeah, my partner and I have our ways," Rafe said, his smile tight but confident.

Sergio nodded slowly, then gestured toward the briefcase. "Mind if I take a closer look?"

"Be my guest," Rafe said with a slight nod, his tone still calm, though there was an edge to it now.

Sergio opened the case, his eyes glittering with greed as he inspected the gold. His guards, who stood like statues behind him, didn't miss a thing, their eyes sharp and watchful. Jazmine's nerves tightened even more as she felt their gaze sweep over her.

"It's the real deal," Sergio said, sounding impressed. "Very nice, Mr. Cameron. So, how much are we talking?"

"For all four bars, nine hundred thousand," Rafe said, his voice unwavering.