𝔅𝔬𝔯𝔫 𝔱𝔬 𝔡𝔦𝔢 - Rafe Cameron

①⑦

...

As Jazmine left the restaurant, she didn't waste a single second. She sprinted to her car, heart pounding in her chest, her breath shallow as she tried to stay composed. But as soon as she got in, the calm shattered. 

Her hands shook uncontrollably, struggling to slide the key into the ignition. Frustration flared—she cursed under her breath, throwing the key to the floor in a fit of anger and pounding her fists against the steering wheel. 

Her breathing grew faster, turning into gasps. Her chest felt tight, her body tense, yet she was helpless to stop the wave of panic rolling over her.

Tears started falling, blurring her vision, spilling faster than she could wipe them away. The shaking worsened as hot and cold flashes overtook her. She was trapped, caught between wanting to scream, wanting to disappear, and feeling too exhausted to move. 

She wished she could shut her eyes and never wake up, for everything to just end in one moment of peace. Hunger gnawed at her stomach, but she barely noticed; in the next moment, she thought of starving herself, of wanting nothingness, emptiness. Anything to make the pain stop.

She'd fought to hold herself together all this time. She thought she'd outgrown this agony, thought she'd become strong enough to bear it alone. But all it took was one reminder—one failure, one harsh truth—and she unraveled. 

How could she cope when even the person who was supposed to love her unconditionally didn't find her worthy of it? She thought she deserved love, had convinced herself of it. All those years fighting, pushing through each painful day, all for a reason she couldn't even remember. Now, it all seemed meaningless.

Stumbling out of the car, she found herself moving toward the beach, drawn to the sound of waves crashing against the shore. She barely noticed the night settling around her, the darkness covering her steps. 

No one would see her here; she was alone with her thoughts, each step heavier than the last as she let her sorrow carry her forward. Her breath came in erratic bursts, and her vision blurred as her head throbbed, drowning out everything else.

This was what she deserved, wasn't it? She'd made too many mistakes. 

The death of her mother and sister, Singh, and all the deals she had to handle for him. The man she'd nearly killed at the bar, and the cross she'd melted with Rafe. Maybe this was divine retribution. 

No one would cry for her; no one would even notice she was gone.

She waded into the water, its icy grip sending a shock through her. The cold seeped into her skin, her bones, dragging her back to reality. The sharpness of it broke through the fog, bringing clarity. She looked out at the sea, its endless black stretching before her. There was no one around, no boats, no lights.

A voice pierced the silence, calling her name. "Jazmine."

Her head snapped toward the shore. Her heart seized as she realized someone had seen her. She stumbled back out of the water, disoriented, her feet dragging until she dropped to her knees on the sand.

Eden appeared beside her, his face etched with worry. "Are you okay?"

His hands settled on her shoulders, grounding her. The sudden touch made her flinch, her pulse racing, but she couldn't pull away. She took a shaky breath, the first real one she'd managed in what felt like hours. "I'm... I'm fine," she managed, but her voice was barely a whisper, broken and hoarse, betraying the tears she'd shed.

Eden didn't look convinced. "Are you sure?" His eyes searched her face with a gentle intensity. "It's not every day someone goes for a swim fully clothed."

Jazmine tried to smile, but it faltered. "Yeah... I just... I needed to cool down."

"Listen," he said softly, his voice a soothing balm. "If you want to talk, I'm here. Whatever it is, you don't have to face it alone."

She glanced back at the water, then at Eden. At that moment, she only wanted to talk to one person, and it wasn't him.

"You're freezing." Without hesitation, he shrugged off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders, its warmth a stark contrast to the cold she'd been clinging to.

"What happened, Jazmine?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "What brought you out here like this?"

"I told you," she murmured, looking away. "I... I got overheated. It's just exhaustion. I've... been working too much." Her voice was unsteady, barely hiding the truth she wanted so desperately to conceal.

Eden nodded, though it was clear he didn't entirely believe her. His lips curled into a small, almost hesitant smile. "About the other night... at dinner. It didn't go as planned. We got interrupted, and that was on me. I wanted it to be special. I wanted to... make it up to you."

Without warning, his hand moved to cover hers. "We haven't known each other long, I know, but I want to be here for you. I want to get to know you, Jazmine."

She stared down at their hands, the words sticking in her throat. "Thank you" she whispered

As she shifted, she realized with a start that her phone was still in her pocket—soaked through and ruined. A dry laugh escaped her lips, a hollow echo of relief and irony all at once.

Eden chuckled along with her. "So... tomorrow, then? Lunch or dinner? Your choice."

For a moment, she let herself imagine it, a calm scene of laughter and conversation, far removed from the turmoil of tonight. But reality crashed back, and she forced a smile, already pulling herself back together. "You know what, Eden? I'll call you, okay? I really need to go now... but it was good to see you."

...