𝔅𝔬𝔯𝔫 𝔱𝔬 𝔡𝔦𝔢 - Rafe Cameron

①⑨

...

The phone barely rang once before Sofia's voice broke through, breathless and frantic, as if she'd been sitting by the phone all day.

"Jazmine?"

The relief in her voice hit Jazmine like a punch to the gut. She swallowed hard, guilt rising like bile in her throat.

"Hey, Sof." Her voice came out soft, almost hesitant, like she was afraid of being scolded.

"Where are you? Do you have any idea how worried I've been?" Sofia's words tumbled out in a rush, edged with desperation. "Two days, Jaz. Two days of silence. I thought—"

"I'm fine," Jazmine cut in gently, even though she knew Sofia wouldn't believe her. "I promise. I just... I need your help with something."

Sofia let out a shaky breath, the sound of it cracking through the receiver. "Anything. What do you need?"

Jazmine explained, her voice even, trying to keep it simple—just a pen, something Groff had given Rafe. Sofia's movements echoed faintly through the call as she searched, drawers slamming shut and open, her frustration evident even without words.

When Sofia finally spoke again, her voice was tight, almost brittle. "It says Riad Mimouna, Essaouira."

Jazmine closed her eyes for a second, the pieces of the puzzle clicking into place in her mind, but Sofia's voice pulled her back.

"Are you okay?" Sofia asked again, softer this time.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm good." Jazmine glanced over at Rafe, who stood a few feet away, watching her with that familiar smile, his head tilted in mock curiosity. She ignored him, turning back to the phone.

"Jazmine, come home." Sofia's voice trembled, as if the words were caught between a plea and a demand. "You don't have to do this. Just take the first boat back, and we'll figure it out together."

Jazmine shifted where she sat, her back pressed against the cold wall, she couldn't understand why she was so worried, and that was starting to scare her even more.

"I can't," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Why not? Rafe can handle himself. You don't owe him anything."

Jazmine blinked hard, her throat tightening. "I'm not leaving him alone, Sofia."

Sofia fell silent on the other end, but Jazmine knew her too well. She could picture her—fingers pinching the bridge of her nose, her brows drawn together in frustration, her lip trembling ever so slightly.

And then Sofia asked, her voice quieter, hesitant: "Does he know?"

Jazmine hesitated for just a second, then nodded, as if Sofia could see her through the phone. "I told him."

"And?"

Jazmine looked down at her lap, her lips curling faintly into the smallest, saddest smile. "He didn't say anything at first. I thought he'd yell, or walk away " She paused, the memory flooding back. "But he just... hugged me. He held me like—like I was the only thing in the world that mattered."