Me and the Devil

28.

⚠️Sexual Content Warning ⚠️

The gold bar feels heavier in my hand than it should. Not just in weight – but in everything it represents. The Pogues’ cheers still echo in my head as I leave the Twinkie, slipping the bar into my backpack. I tell them I need to head home to grab some stuff. It’s not a complete lie, but it’s not the full truth either.

The drive back to Figure Eight is quiet, the hum of my jeep’s engine the only sound. My fingers graze the zipper of my bag, the weight of the gold pulling my thoughts toward Rafe. He’s like a compass magnet,  pulling me off course and into something I can’t define.

When I walk into my room, the faint scent of his cologne hits me first – sharp, woody, unmistakably him. My stomach twists. He’s still here.

Rafe is sprawled on my bed like he owns the place, flipping through one of my books, his shirt crumpled on the floor. He glances up, a slow smirk creeping across his lips. “Miss me?” he drawls.

I roll my eyes,even as my heart hammers in my chest. “I know I invited you to stay here with me, but damn, you’re really making yourself comfortable.” I tease.

He sits up, running a hand through his messy hair. “Could’ve fooled me.” He winks at me playfully.

Before I get distracted by Rafe’s wiles, I pull the gold bar from my bag and hold it up. His smirk fades as his eyes narrow, then widen. In two strides, he’s in front of me, taking it from my hands. He turns it over, the gold catching the dim light.

“What the hell is this?”

“It’s real,” I say, my voice steady despite the adrenaline buzzing in my veins. “We found it in the well at the Crain mansion.”

“You actually found it,” he says breathily as he lifts his gaze to meet mine with admiration.

“There’s more,” I say, my voice dropping to a whisper. “We have a plan to get it all out, but…”

“But what?” His voice is quiet, his eyes meeting mine. There’s an intensity there that makes it hard to breathe.

I hesitate, the words catching in my throat. This is the moment I should tell him everything. About the Pogues. About the treasure hunt. About how I’m caught between two worlds, two versions of myself.

“We’ll see how it plays out,” I say instead, backing away. “We just have to be careful. Don’t do anything stupid, okay?”

His smirk returns, but it’s softer this time. “Depends on your definition of stupid,” he teases as he reaches out for my hand and pulls me into him. He snuggles his face into the nape of my neck and plants soft kisses lightly to my skin. “Some may consider this stupid…” he breathes against my skin and I close my eyes at the shiver that jolts down my spine.

Knowing how John B looked after tonight’s little adventure, I’m sure I’m not much better. I slightly push Rafe away. “Baby, let’s not make this dirtier than it already is,” I say, my voice low and seductive. I take his hand and pull him towards the bathroom.

Rafe stumbles, trying to plant kisses on me, as he follows me. The warm glow of the overhead light illuminates the intimate space, highlighting the gleam of the pale green tiles and the fully glass shower door.

He looks at me, the heat in them palpable as he presses my body against his and the shower door. Our lips crash together in a flurry of messy kisses. Rafe’s hands find their way to my waist, dancing along the curve of my body, pulling me close.

I lean down, and with a playful flick of my wrist, I turn the shower knob, water cascading down from the showerhead in a warm, inviting torrent. The sound of rushing water fills the bathroom, as my eyes darken with desire as I look back at Rafe.