Collateral || Rafe Cameron

𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒚-𝒕𝒘𝒐

The sound of the gunshot still echoed in my ears as I knelt on the floor, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst from my chest. Everything around me felt like it was moving in slow motion; the blood pooling beneath Rafe, his face pale and drawn as he lay there, his breaths coming in shallow gasps. For a moment, I couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't breathe.

Rafe.

The name was a silent scream in my mind as I finally snapped out of my daze, my body moving on autopilot as I lunged toward him, my hands shaking as I reached for his arm, the one covered in blood. It wasn't a fatal wound — I could see that now, thank God — but the sight of him lying there, hurt and vulnerable, made my stomach churn with fear.

"Rafe," I whispered, my voice barely audible as I pressed a hand to his arm, trying to stem the bleeding. "Rafe, stay with me."

He groaned softly, his eyes fluttering open as he looked up at me, his face twisted in pain. "I'm... I'm fine," he muttered, but his voice was weak, and I could see the strain in his features.

"Don't talk," I ordered, my heart pounding as I tore off a piece of my shirt, wrapping it tightly around his arm to stop the bleeding. "Just... just stay still, okay? You're going to be fine."

But even as I said the words, my hands were trembling, fear gnawing at the edges of my mind. I didn't know how bad the wound was. I didn't know how much blood he had lost. All I knew was that I had to keep him conscious, had to keep him alive.

Behind me, I could hear the sound of footsteps — Alden, moving toward me — and for a split second, I feared the worst. I didn't know what condition he was in, didn't know if he had the strength to help. But when I glanced over my shoulder, I saw him standing there, his face pale but determined as he moved toward Devin's limp body.

Alden picked up a lamp from the nearby table, his movements sluggish but filled with purpose as he raised it high and brought it crashing down on Devin's head. The dull thud of the impact sent a shiver down my spine, but I didn't stop him. Devin was dangerous. He wouldn't hesitate to kill us if he had the chance.

Devin groaned softly, his body slumping to the ground as the lamp smashed over his skull, knocking him out cold. The sight of him lying there, unconscious and powerless, should have brought some relief. But all I felt was exhaustion, a bone-deep weariness that made my limbs feel heavy, like I was sinking into the floor.

For a moment, the room was silent. The tension that had been thrumming through the air evaporated, replaced by a thick, suffocating stillness. The only sound was the ragged breathing of the three of us — me, Rafe, and Alden — as we stood in the wreckage of the room, surrounded by shattered glass and broken furniture.

"Ronnie," Rafe whispered, his voice weak but steady as he looked up at me, his blue eyes filled with something I couldn't quite place. "I'm... I'm sorry."

I shook my head, tears stinging my eyes as I pressed harder against his wound, trying to stop the bleeding. "Don't," I muttered, my voice trembling. "Don't apologize. You're going to be okay."

But even as I said the words, I could feel the weight of everything crashing down on me. The fight, the danger, the pain of seeing Rafe hurt, it was all too much. I wanted to scream, to cry, to curl up in a ball and shut out the world. But I couldn't. Not yet. Not when there was still so much at stake.

Behind me, Alden stepped closer, his face twisted with anger as he looked down at Rafe, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "He's not worth it, Ronnie," he muttered, his voice filled with venom. "He's the reason we're in this mess."

I flinched at the harshness in Alden's voice, my heart sinking as I glanced between him and Rafe. I knew Alden was right. Rafe was the reason we were in this mess. He was the one who had dragged us into this nightmare, the one who had risked Alden's life for money, for drugs. But at the same time... he had also saved me. He had protected me. And now, lying there on the floor, bleeding and vulnerable, he was more than just the guy who had caused all this pain. He was something more.