Me and the Devil

22.

The night spins by in a haze after Topper pushed John B from the Hawk's Nest, his jealousy twisting something as simple as love into something violent. The doctors say John B has a concussion and a broken wrist, and now Sarah and I sit beside him in his room, waiting in silence for him to stir

John B's eyes flutter open, and he groans shifting as if he can't get up fast enough. "I need to get out of here. DCS is gonna find me-"

Before either of us can reassure him, the door opens, and Ward steps in. His gaze shifts between John B and Sarah, oddly soft yet calculating."Hang on, kid." He explains how he knows about his and Sarah's adventure to Chapel Hill, about him running from DCS, and about how he was protecting Sarah in the tower.

"John, I believe I owe you an apology," he says, a rare hint of humility coloring his words. My presence feels too much, an intrusion on a personal moment, so I give John B a quick encouraging smile before slipping quietly out of the room.

Ward's offer hangs in my mind as I make my way to the Wreck before my shift at Cameron Development. With Ward busy, the timing is perfect for me to catch up with the others. But as I step inside, JJ's gaze lands on me the moment I walk in. It's sharp, almost accusatory, and I can feel his judgment like a spotlight on my every move. He hasn't said a word, but it's like he can see something in me, a piece of truth I'm not sure I'm ready to admit.

I try to brush it off. "John B's awake." I announce, purposefully skipping over the part about him moving into Tannyhill. For a moment, the Pogues' excitement pulls me in, wraps around me like a familiar hug, and I want to believe it's enough - this wild, messy life we've built together. But something in JJ's silence keeps my heart on edge, twisting my relief into guilt.

When John B finally shows up to join us, it doesn't take him long to explain that he's now living at Tannyhill. Pope and JJ don't miss a beat in giving him hell for it.

"Oh hey" JJ taunts with a smirk. "Does it come with a sweater vest, or do you have to buy one on your own?"

"A little focus would be fantastic" John B rolls his eyes, pulling out the map. The focus of the conversation shifts as we all crowd around, eyes scanning the old parchment. "We're going to figure out where this thing is once and for all."

The map looks like a relic, its lines jumbled and smudged with years of wear. JJ squinting, shakes his head with a laugh "It's all out of whack. Guy was ganja'd when he drew it." His grin fades, though, when I gently correct him.

"It's because the coast has changed." The words are casual, but JJ's expression hardens. There's something there disappointment, maybe a bit of betrayal- and I can't shake the feeling that he's judging me. His silence says more than I want to hear, like he's reminding me of the loyalty I owe. "We'll just have to look for landmarks that haven't changed."

"Battery Jasper" Kiara points to the map, thankfully drawing his attention away.

We regroup and head out, the weight of JJ's stare linger, haunting me as we arrive at the battery. The ruins stand silent against the marsh, eerie in the early light. "It's somewhere northeast of here." Pipe says, looking between the map and the marsh. "We just need to find an old stone wall."

Back in the van, we follow a twisting road until we spot the wall through the trees, overgrown and nearly lost to time. It marks the Crain property, a mansion as ghostly as the tales that surround it.

"I heard that Mrs. Crain buried her husband's head on the property." JJ murmurs, his usual smirk laced with something. I want to laugh, but it feels distant, like I'm watching from outside.

I glance at my watch, the familiar weight of responsibility settling on me. "We gotta get going. I have to be at the Cameron's...and I guess John B does, too."

We drop off the Pogues, and John B and I head to Tannyhill. As we pull up, I catch sight of Rafe leaning over his shiny new bike at the end of the driveway. My heart skips as I get out, walking to the garden near where he is working on his bike.

As I approach, I realize it's not just the bike he's focused on. He's snorting a line off of it, eyes half-lidded with a dangerous gleam.

"Want a bump?" he offers, his smile slanted and sharp, an edge of recklessness that pulses beneath his calm.

I hesitate, words catching in my throat, but before I can respond, a figure appears in the distance - Barry. He saunters closer, sneer plastered on his face as he takes in the mansion.

"Man check out this place, though, huh? It's a nice place to live!" His voice is loud, mocking .

Rafe's face goes pale, his hand running through his hair as I see him tremble with anxiety. "I don't have your money." he mutters, his voice tight. "Just...Give me till the weekend"

Barry laughs, a low, dangerous sound. "How come you got all this nice shit, though?" He jerks his chin at the bike. "You ain't got my money but you got all this nice shit."

Without warning, he grabs Rafe by the arm, twisting him so that his arm slams into the hot exhaust pipe of the bike. The sharp, acrid scent of burning skin fills the air, and Rafe cries out, his face twisted in pain. Instinct drives me forward, and I push Barry back, my voice hard as steel.

"Back off, Barry," I keep my gaze steady. "You know me. I always pay up, and I'll make sure Rafe does too." Barry narrows his eyes, looking between us before a sneer curls on his lips.

"Oh, I see," he hisses, eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Baby boy here's got someone watching out for him." He jerks Rafe's bike out from under him, revving the engine as he peels off. "Call this collateral," he yells over the sound of the bike, leaving Rafe hunched over, clutching his burnt arm.

I drop to my knees, hands shaking as I reach for his arm, gently pulling it to examine the burn. "Rafe..." My voice barely whispers. I can see the pain, the vulnerability in his eyes, his tough exterior cracking in front of me.

Without thinking, the words tumble out. "I...I know a way you can make the money back." His gaze locks onto mine, raw and unfiltered., and a thrill courses through me as I watch the mask slip from his face.

"What are you talking about?" he asks, voice tight with pain, suspicion flickering in his gaze.

"There's...there's a treasure. Real gold," I admit, voice thick with urgency. The moment feels surreal, like I'm holding my breath, straddling two worlds I don't fully belong too. "If we find it, you wouldn't have to keep dealing with Barry...or any of this." I brush my thumb over his arm, a wave of empathy and something else mingling.

A slow smile spreads across his face, dark and knowing, as his good hand lifts to cradle my face. "And you'd do that for me?" His words are soft, almost reverent .

I nod, heart racing. "I would."

As he leans closer, his thumb brushing over my cheek, I feel the last strands of my old loyalties loosening, slipping away as the thrill of his world wraps around me tighter than ever before.