Rafe x Reader
Torn between the Pogues and the forbidden allure of Rafe Cameron, she's drawn into a dangerous treasure hunt that threatens to unravel everything. As the stakes rise, so does her attraction to Rafe-a Kook with a dark side that mirrors...
The next morning, I wake up in my own bed, but the memory of how I got here is fuzzy. What isn't fuzzy is the guilt that floods me when I remember the night before. I had sex with Rafe Cameron. No amount of alcohol could drown that out.
I wouldn't call myself a slut, but I have been known to have a few one night stands. Except last night was different. It was the best sex I've ever had - hauntingly so. I close my eyes and see Rade, his hand sliding down my thigh, his face glowing under the moonlight. And as much as I want to brush it off as a mistake, the truth is sinking in: I might want it to happen again.
But I can't. There's no way the Pogues would forgive me. JJ would hate me. Hell, I hate myself a little. The guilt swirls in my chest like a bad hangover, mixing with the raw memories of Rafe, and I don't know what to do with it.
Still, I promised John B I'd help with the drone dive today, and I've never backed out on a promise. I pull on my tattered overalls over my pinstripe bikini, a reminder that today is supposed to be about finding the gold. Not Rafe. Not last night.
As I head downstairs, my mom is waiting at the foot of the stairs, her arms crossed in that familiar way that tells me she knows something. I brace myself.
"How are you feeling today, sweetie?" Her voice is oddly soft.
"I'm fine," I say, avoiding her eyes as I try to slip past her.
But she doesn't let it go. "Rafe Cameron brought you home last night," she adds, and I freeze on the last step. "He even brought you up to your room and tucked you in. What a nice boy." Her voice carries a familiar warmth but with a disapproving edge now, and it's aimed at my friends. I remember when JJ and the others were her favorites back on the Cut; she used to talk about how they were "good kids" with a spark. Now it feels like she's decided they're more of a problem than anything else.
I don't respond. My mom and I used to be really close. Back when my dad was around, we'd go on these little boat trips, just the three of us. I can still remember the smell of the ocean air, the way she'd laugh while we collected shells along the shore. She used to sing me to sleep under the stars, her voice soft and warm, promising me a world of dreams.
Hush now, my darling, close your eyes so tight, Underneath the moon's soft and gentle light. We'll dream of oceans where the waves softly swell, And where seashells whisper stories they long to tell. The seagulls are dancing in the salty breeze, Their laughter echoing through coconut trees. We'll wander the shore, hand in hand, you and me, With the ocean's rhythm, wild and free. So sleep now, my angel, in the ocean's embrace, Tomorrow we'll explore this magical place. With shells in our pockets and dreams in our eyes, Underneath the stars, where the sea meets the skies.
But those days are gone, and so in the mom who used to sing me lullabies. Now, she's cold, distant - a mirror of the life she's created with my stepdad on Figure Eight. I swallow the lump in my throat and nod at her, acknowledging her concern but not really wanting to engage.
I slip out the door and get into my jeep, heading toward the Chateau. When I arrive, I find John B prepping The Phantom for the dive. We decided to use JJ's dad's boat instead of the HMS Pogue, since the Phantom is bigger and we are heading into open waters.
"y/n! Go wake up JJ so we can get this show on the road!" John B yells over the sound of the waves slapping against the dock.
I step into the house to find JJ sprawled across the couch, still asleep, his blonde hair messy against the cushion. I lean down and gently push the strands out of his face. He stirs, eyes fluttering open, his voice low and groggy.
"Morning, beautiful" he says in his sleepy voice. His voice - a sound that used to make my heart race - now stirs up something else. Guilt. I should tell him. I should come clean. But how? How do you tell your best friend you spent the night with the one person he hates more than anything?
I force a smile. "C'mon, we gotta go. John B's ready."
He reaches out and lightly tugs me on my hand, pulling me down onto the couch with him. His thumb brushes a tender spot on my neck, and I freeze.
"Did I give you that?" He teases, his grin widening.
My heart stumbles. It could've been him...or it could've been Rafe. The memory of last night flashes in my mind, and I pull away before the guilt can swallow me whole.
"Get up, ya slowpoke.We got some gold to find!"
By the time we make it outside, Kiara and Pope are already waiting on the boat. Pope's sporting a fresh black eye.
"I was gone for one night, and now Pope has a black eye?" I say, half-joking
As JJ, captains the boat to the coordinates on Big John's map, Pope fills me in on what happened. He was jumped by Rafe and Topper last night as he was trying to deliver food and drink to the party. The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Rafe beat up one of my best friends and then I slept with him?? Guilt churns in my stomach, threatening to make me sick.
Pope continues, telling us how he sand Topper's boat in retaliation, thanks to an idea from JJ. But I can barely focus. My mind is still stuck on Rafe. On what I did.
"Alright JJ, pin it here!" John B calls, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Roger that! X marks the spot."
John B grabs the drone and lowers it into the water with a splash. The engine whirrs to life, and I take hold of the line keeping track of the depth while Pope monitors the screen.
"All right, JJ, we're right over it. Ten seconds northwest." John B directs as the wind starts to pick up.
The boat sways, and I grip the tether tighter, calling to Kie to help me keep it steady. Thunder rumbles in the distance
"900!" I shout, the wind whipping my hair across my face."There's too much current, John B! We're gonna lose it!"
"South, southwest, JJ! Hard!" John B yells, focused on the map.
JJ steers the boat jerking as we fight the current. The storm is coming in fast, and I can barely hear Pope over the wind.
There's nothing on the screen," he mutters, frustration creeping into his voice.
"970." "980." The drone hits the ocean floor and JJ is trying his best to steady the boat.Everything goes quiet, Pope's eyes widen, and Kiara moves closer to the monitor, her face pale in the dim light.
"It's the Royal Merchant." she whispers.
Closet
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