WILD RIDE (Rafe Cameron x OC) *COMPLETE*

Chapter Seventy-Four (Alana)

CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR

Alana

I didn't come up with an answer for the email right away. In fact, I closed my laptop that night and shoved it back into my bag and at the speed of light it even caused Rafe to sober up significantly.

"I just don't get it." Rafe said to me when we got home. "You're telling me that after seventeen years when your name goes into a nationwide article your mother all of a sudden wants to meet you? I don't trust it. How do we know it's really Julia Routledge?"

She attached a current photo of herself. I looked at it and it matched the woman in the photo from when I was a kid just.. A little older but aging gracefully. Doesn't look a day over thirty if I'm being honest.

"We don't know." I told Rafe. "We don't know if it's really her but I know someone who can dig up some dirt and find out if this is legit or not."

"Don't say it." Rafe threw his hands into the air. "No way."

I said it. So now... No we're in Charleston getting ready to pull into the driveway of Carla Limbrey. I was supposed to meet with Carla anyways and over the past year since I've been having tea with her and getting to know her she really isn't the bad guy. All she wanted was something that rightfully belonged to her family. Kind of like how Pope just really wanted the cross that belonged to his family. And then Rafe melted it down.

When I decided to donate my share of the cross I thought about it. I thought of different organizations that I could donate to when it hit me. It belonged to Pope's family so.. I donated the money to Heyward so he could renovate his store, get a better vehicle for deliveries, and not have to worry about property taxes for years to come. And he bought himself a nice new Rolex.

"Listen.. We're not staying her all day long. We're just going to ask Carla if she knows Julia and what she knows about her."

"Maybe Carla is the one who gave her my email-"

"Your work email? The one that's public on the website for our business? The business that's mentioned in that article? Right... All that public knowledge, Carla just spoon fed it to Julia Routledge?"

I scoff and roll my eyes at him as he pull into the driveway and puts the car in park. He puts his arm over the seat of the car and turns to look at me. "Listen, I'm just worried about you. If you find Julia and you end up getting attached and she ends up hurting you all over again? That's not fair to you. You lost your dad and all this time Julia was in Charleston and never once tried to contact you until she sees that you're successful? Sounds like she wants to use you. Just like Big John did."

"You need to be more trusting of people, Rafe."

"No." He shakes his head and chuckles from annoyance. "You need to be less trusting. You always try to see the brighter side of darkened people. Sure, I could say that you should have given up on me, and it's hypocritical of me to be that way but I'm just scared for you. Not everyone deserves another chance to be in your life. Your dad didn't, JJ sure as hell didn't- I know you only tolerate him because you adore Sofia."

"I gave you a second chance. I gave Limbrey one, I gave-"

"There's reasons why you should and reasons why you shouldn't but you need to look at the person and all they've done before you can decide if it benefits your wellbeing in any way. Do you really think a seventeen-year gap between you and your mom is worth it? She had seventeen years to find you."

I sigh and look at the house in front of us. I can see Limbrey already waiting by the door. I kiss Rafe softly before getting out of the car. He shakes his head and gets out, walking slowly behind me.