Always you

Chapter 24

The sun was shining brightly the next day as Sasha, Kiara, and Sarah arrived at the country club. The neatly trimmed hedges and white-pillared entrance gave the air of luxury that Sasha had grown used to during her summer in the Outer Banks. As the girls parked and made their way toward the tennis courts, Sasha took a deep breath of the warm air, hoping the day would help her shake off the unease lingering.

"Ready to lose?" Sarah teased, twirling her racket as they entered the court.

"You wish," Kiara retorted, pulling her hair into a ponytail. "Sasha's my doubles partner today, and we're unbeatable."

Sasha laughed, shaking her head. "Let's see how that holds up when you're running for my terrible serves."

The three girls played for nearly two hours, laughter and friendly jabs filling the court as the game progressed. Sasha felt the tension from the previous night slowly fade away, replaced by the familiar comfort of her friends' company. By the time they decided to call it a day, they were all sweating and grinning.

"Okay, I'm starving," Kiara said, dropping her racket onto the bench. "Let's grab lunch."

Inside the club's restaurant, the girls snagged a corner table with a view of the golf course. They ordered iced teas and salads, though Kiara insisted on adding a plate of fries for the table.

"So," Kiara began as soon as the waiter left, "where were you last night?"

Sasha hesitated, glancing at Sarah, who was looking at her curiously. "You know, just at home," she said, taking a sip of her drink.

"Just at home with Rafe, huh?" Sarah chimed in, a teasing glint in her eyes.

Sasha's cheeks burned. "We just went for a ride," she said casually, trying to brush it off.

Kiara smirked, leaning forward. "I don't know, Sasha. You and Rafe seem to be spending a lot of time together. Should we start planning a wedding or what?"

Sasha groaned, hiding her face in her hands. "You're impossible."

"We just want the details," Sarah said with a laugh. "You know we live for this stuff."

"There's not much to tell," Sasha insisted, though the memory of Rafe's smile and the feel of his arms around her the night before flashed through her mind. "He's...nice."

"Nice?" Kiara repeated, raising an eyebrow. "That's all you've got?"

"Okay, fine," Sasha admitted, smiling despite herself. "He's more than nice. He's...I don't know, he's different with me. Sweet, funny, intense in a good way. It's hard to explain."

Both girls let out exaggerated gasps, and Kiara clutched her chest dramatically. "Ladies and gentlemen, Sasha's in love."

Sasha threw a fry at her. "I am not!"

After lunch, the girls lingered at the table, chatting about everything from Kiara's latest drama at work to Sarah's summer internship. Sasha felt a pang of guilt as the conversation moved on, knowing she was keeping a huge secret about what she'd witnessed last night.

"I have to go," Sasha said eventually, glancing at her phone. "Marie's waiting for me."

"Boo," Kiara said, pouting. "We're losing our MVP."

Sasha laughed, gathering her things. "I'll see you guys later."

The ride back from the club started out peacefully. Sasha sat in the backseat of the car, scrolling absentmindedly through her phone while the driver navigated through the winding streets of the Outer Banks. It wasn't until they passed the club gates that she noticed something unusual.

A black SUV was following them.

At first, Sasha didn't think much of it. The roads around the country club were busy, and it wasn't unusual for cars to take similar routes. But as they made turn after turn, the SUV remained behind them, keeping a steady distance.

"Hey," she said to the driver, leaning forward. "Is that car following us?"

The driver glanced in the rearview mirror. "Looks like it," he said calmly. "Want me to lose them?"

Sasha hesitated, her pulse quickening. "Yeah, try to shake them off."

The driver nodded, picking up speed as he turned onto a less-traveled road. Sasha gripped the edge of her seat as the car swerved through the streets, but the SUV stayed with them, matching their pace.

Finally, after a few tense minutes, the driver managed to lose the car by taking a sharp turn into a side street and doubling back. Sasha let out a shaky breath of relief, but the moment was short-lived.

Another car, this one with tinted windows, appeared in the distance, tailing them almost immediately.

Sasha's heart sank. "What is going on?" she whispered to herself.

The new car followed them for miles, never getting too close but never losing sight of them either. By the time they pulled into the driveway of Sasha's house, it was gone.

Sasha hurried inside, her mind racing. She couldn't shake the image of the men she'd seen at the motorcycle race and the party. Were they watching her now?

She didn't have to think twice about who to call.

Rafe answered on the second ring, his voice calm but alert. "Sasha?"

"I think I was followed," she blurted out, pacing her room.

"What?" His tone instantly hardened. "By who?"

"I don't know," Sasha said, trying to keep her voice steady. "There were two cars. The first one was an SUV, and the second had tinted windows. They were definitely following me."

Rafe was silent for a moment. "Did they do anything? Try to stop you?"

"No, but—"

"Don't worry," he interrupted, his voice low and firm. "I know who it is. I'll handle it."

Sasha's stomach churned. "Rafe, please don't do anything dangerous."

"I'm not letting them scare you," Rafe said, his voice softening slightly. "You're safe, Sasha. I promise."

Before she could argue, he hung up.

Later that evening, Sasha went out with Marie as planned, but her mind was elsewhere. She couldn't stop thinking about Rafe and what he might be doing. Despite his reassurance, a knot of worry twisted in her chest.

By the time she returned home, the house was quiet, and her phone buzzed with a single message from Rafe: It's taken care of. Don't worry.

But Sasha couldn't help but worry. As much as she wanted to trust him, the shadows that seemed to follow Rafe wherever he went were impossible to ignore.