Always you

Chapter 30

The soft light of dawn crept into Sasha's room, painting gentle strokes of pink and gold across the walls. Rafe was still fast asleep, his arm slung protectively around her waist. She watched him for a moment, his face calm and peaceful despite the bruises marring his skin. It was a stark contrast to the storm that had brewed in her life over the past two days.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, breaking the tranquility. She frowned, carefully slipping out of Rafe's grasp. He stirred slightly, murmuring her name, but she managed to tiptoe across the room, grabbing her phone before it woke him fully.

Her stomach dropped when she saw her father's name on the screen. She had been dreading this moment since the night before.

With a deep breath, Sasha stepped out onto the balcony, closing the glass door softly behind her. She accepted the call, pressing the phone to her ear.

"Hi, Dad."

Her father's voice exploded on the other end, loud and angry. "Sasha! What the hell is going on? Sean told me everything! You were kidnapped? Injured? And I had to hear about it secondhand?"

"Dad, calm down," she said quickly, her voice still hushed to avoid waking Rafe. "I was going to call—"

"Going to?" he interrupted, his tone sharp. "You didn't think it was important enough to call your parents the moment you were safe? And what is this about you dating Rafe Cameron? Do you have any idea what kind of trouble you're getting yourself into?"

Sasha's grip tightened on the phone. "Dad, it's not like that—"

"It's exactly like that!" he thundered. "Rafe Cameron is nothing but a troublemaker. He's reckless, dangerous, and irresponsible! You shouldn't be anywhere near him, let alone dating him!"

"Dad, you don't even know him," Sasha argued, her voice rising in frustration. "You've never met him. He's not the person you think he is."

"I don't need to meet him to know that he's bad news," her father snapped. "He got you kidnapped, Sasha! You could have died!"

Her chest tightened, and her voice wavered. "But I didn't. He saved me, Dad. He risked his life for me."

"And you wouldn't have been in that position if it weren't for him!"

"That's not fair!" she shot back, tears stinging her eyes. "You're blaming him for something he didn't mean to happen. He's been trying to protect me."

Her father's tone softened, but only slightly. "Sasha, I'm your father. My job is to protect you. And I can't do that if you're out there making decisions that put your life at risk. This boy... he's not good for you."

"You don't get to decide that," she said firmly, wiping at her eyes. "I'm an adult. I can make my own choices."

He scoffed. "You're still my daughter, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. Starting now, you're banned from seeing Rafe."

Sasha's jaw dropped, and her voice trembled with disbelief. "You can't be serious."

"I'm dead serious," he said coldly. "If you want to stay in the Outer Banks, you'll follow my rules. Otherwise, I'll bring you back to New York myself."

She laughed bitterly, shaking her head. "You can't control me, Dad. Not from halfway across the country."

Her father's tone turned icy. "Try me."

Rafe stood frozen in the doorway, his heart sinking as he overheard the heated conversation on the balcony. Sasha's voice, sharp and defiant, carried through the stillness of the room, but it was the anger in her father's tone that sent a cold knot twisting in his chest. He leaned against the doorframe, guilt washing over him like a tidal wave. He couldn't move. Every word cut deeper, every accusation from her father echoing thoughts he'd been battling himself. Rafe clenched his jaw, bile rising in his throat as he watched Sasha fight for him, for them. She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve any of this.

The line went dead. Sasha pulled the phone from her ear, staring at it with wide, teary eyes. She stood there for a moment, breathing heavily, before she pressed her lips together and wiped her face.

"Sasha," Rafe said softly, stepping out onto the balcony.

She spun around, startled. "Rafe? How long have you been—"

"Long enough," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

Her shoulders sagged, and she took a shaky breath. "Rafe, I—"

"I heard everything," he said, cutting her off. His gaze dropped to the floor, shame written all over his face. "Your dad's right, Sasha. I've done nothing but hurt you."

Her brow furrowed, and she took a step closer to him. "Rafe, don't say that—"

"I mean it," he interrupted, his voice rising slightly. "Look at everything that's happened because of me. You were kidnapped. Your dad is furious. You're stuck between me and your family. How is any of this fair to you?"

Sasha reached for his hand, but he pulled away, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Rafe," she said firmly, "you're not listening to me. I don't care what my dad says. I'm not walking away from this."

"You should," he said, his voice breaking. "You should walk away. You deserve better, Sasha. Someone who doesn't bring this kind of chaos into your life."

Her eyes filled with tears, but her voice remained steady. "Stop it. You don't get to decide what I deserve."

He looked at her, his heart aching at the sight of her tear-streaked face. "I can't keep doing this to you. I can't stand seeing you hurt because of me."

"You're not hurting me," she insisted. "You saved me, Rafe. You've done everything to protect me."

"And look where it got us," he said bitterly. "Your dad hates me. You're caught in the middle of this mess because of me. I can't—"

"Stop," she said, her voice sharp. "You don't get to make this decision on your own. We've been through too much for you to just... give up."

"I'm not giving up," he said, his voice low and raw. "I'm trying to do the right thing. That's why I—"

"Then stay," she pleaded, cutting him off. "If you love me, don't push me away. We'll figure this out together."

He looked at her, his heart breaking. "I can't go against your dad's word. He's your father, Sasha. He just wants what's best for you."

"And so do I!" she cried, grabbing his hands. "What's best for me is you, Rafe. You keep saying you're bad for me, but you don't see what I see. You're kind, and brave, and you've been there for me every step of the way. Don't let my dad's opinion ruin this."

He swallowed hard, his throat tight with emotion. "You don't understand, Sasha. I've made so many mistakes. I don't want to be the reason you lose your family."

She shook her head fiercely, tears streaming down her face. "You're not. I'll fight for you, for us, no matter what. But you have to fight too."

Rafe stared at her, torn between his love for her and his fear of dragging her down. After a long moment, he sighed, pulling her into his arms.

"I'm scared, Sasha," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm scared of losing you, and I'm scared of hurting you."

She held him tightly, her voice firm. "Then stop pushing me away. We'll get through this together. I don't care what my dad says. You're worth it, Rafe. You're worth everything."

He buried his face in her hair, his resolve weakening. "I don't deserve you."

"Yes, you do," she whispered, her voice filled with love. "You just have to believe it."

They stood there on the balcony, wrapped in each other's arms as the sun climbed higher into the sky. Despite the uncertainty and the obstacles ahead, Sasha knew one thing: she wasn't letting Rafe go. Not now, not ever.