STRANGE LOVE | RAFE CAMERON |

CHAPTER 31: | THE ONE THAT I LOVE |

Rafe had spent the entire day wrestling with his thoughts, the weight of his decision bearing down on him like a vice. The conclusion was unavoidable—Barry was right. The only way to secure his future, to finally step out from the shadow of his father's control, was to get rid of Ward Cameron for good. But no matter how much anger festered within him, no matter how many times he replayed the endless betrayals and manipulations, Rafe couldn't bring himself to do it. The idea of ending the man who had loomed so large in his life, who had shaped him, for better or worse, was a line he couldn't cross.

Still, it had to be done. And if he couldn't pull the trigger himself, he knew someone who could. So, Rafe made his way to Barry's place, the decision made but not yet fully accepted in his heart. As he drove, the familiar landmarks of the Outer Banks blurred past, but Rafe barely noticed them. His mind was too consumed with what lay ahead.

Rafe's stomach churned with anxiety as he stepped out of his car, his feet feeling leaden as he made his way to where Barry sat. He was lounging in a chair outside, a half-empty beer can in his hand, his eyes sharp as he watched Rafe approach.

Rafe sat down in the chair across from him, the tension between them palpable. The smell of cheap beer and cigarette smoke hung in the air. Rafe took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, to push down the rising tide of doubt and fear.

"Hey, if my pop stays here, all right, our deal, us doing business together, using the company to launder the money, all that fifty-fifty shit..." Rafe's voice was steady, but his eyes betrayed his inner turmoil. He couldn't stop them from flicking nervously to the ground, his fingers drumming a restless pattern on the arm of the chair.

Barry nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving Rafe's face. He could sense the storm brewing inside the younger man, the war between duty and dread, power and fear. "Mm-hmm," Barry hummed, encouraging Rafe to continue, though he already knew where this conversation was headed.

Rafe swallowed hard, forcing himself to meet Barry's gaze, to push through the fear that threatened to choke him. "...all that's gone." His voice grew firmer, a mix of determination and desperation seeping into his tone as he laid out the stakes.

Barry leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied Rafe. He had seen this before—the moment when a man makes a choice that changes everything, the moment when he steps over a line that can never be uncrossed. He took a slow sip of his beer before speaking, his voice low and deliberate. "What you're asking me right now is something that, once it's done, cannot be undone." He let the words hang in the air, heavy and foreboding, giving Rafe time to truly grasp the gravity of the situation. "There's no going back. I'm talking about your family, talking about your pops, talking about your blood. And blood complicates things."

Rafe's jaw tightened, the words digging into him like a knife. Blood complicates things. He knew that better than anyone. His whole life had been defined by the ties that bound him to his family, the unspoken rules and expectations, and the weight of carrying the Cameron name. And now, he was about to shatter those ties, to sever them in the most final way possible. But he had no other choice. His father had controlled him for too long, kept him under his thumb, and made him doubt himself at every turn. This was the only way to break free, to take control of his life.

Barry paused, letting his words sink in. "Hypothetically speaking, let's say I do it. And then, for whatever reason, you decide to change your mind. Sell me out."

"No," Rafe said, shaking his head as if to dispel any lingering doubts. "Yeah, this has been a long time coming. He's always had his boot on my neck. Holding me down." The anger in his voice was palpable now, mixing with the fear and uncertainty. "That's all gonna be over soon. I'm not changing my mind."