This is Me Trying ⭑ Rafe Cameron

sixty six

CHAPTER SIXTY SIX
[66]

Everything here was sun-worn and sun-drenched. Crumbling ochre walls, chipped blue doors, laundry flapping like flags in the wind. A cat darted past her feet and between crates, startling Cassie as Rafe moved ahead with Groff in his grip.

She trailed behind, her body aching and hands still shaking. She could feel the aftertaste of bile in her throat, the raw burn of it sitting just under her breath. Her mind was trying to catch up, trying to remind her that this was real, and that she hadn't imagined the rooftop. The pot smashing against Lightner's head, Rafe's fists, Groff under her boot.

They turned a sharp corner, passing a boy with a cart full of apples. The boy watched them warily, eyes flicking from Groff's bloodied face to Cassie's dazed expression, and then quickly looked away. These people knew when not to get involved.

"Sit. Don't move." Rafe spoke sternly to Groff.

Groff collapsed into the motorbike sidecar with a groan, nursing his ribs. "You guys are a real party."

Rafe looked to Cassie, handing over the water canteen they'd just bought, which she eagerly accepted. Rafe turned, paced a few feet away, then stopped with his hands on his hips. "How far out from the edge of town?" He asked.

Groff shrugged lazily. "Far. You're gonna need extra gas, won't be much on the way." He leaned back, eyeing the water as Cassie brought it from her lips, and wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "Could I get some of that?"

"No." Cassie said plainly, handing it back to Rafe. She spoke as if Groff wasn't right there, listening to all of it. "I saw someone filling up their truck down by the butcher. Can't be that far."

Rafe nodded, eyes drifting from Groff and back to her. He had too much going on in his head to really focus on one thing at a time. "I'll get a couple gallons." He eventually spoke. "Just— watch him."

Cassie wasn't going to protest, but he had turned to leave before she could offer to get it herself. And while she wasn't entirely left alone with Groff, the streets still busy and chaotic around her, she didn't particularly like being in his vicinity at all.

He'd made it clear he would do anything and everything to get that crown, that killing wasn't a foreign concept to him. She stood with her arms crossed, scanning the streets ahead while he remained in the sidecar. She could feel her eyes on him, and knew he was about to speak.

"Where are your friends? JJ? Didn't want to join us?" He asked.

Cassie's eyes remained fixated on a small mouse was skittering around behind a nearby crate. It was completely oblivious to its surroundings, not even trying to avoid getting stepped on. Sighing, she responded. "We got separated."

"Ah." Groff nodded understandably "I don't think JJ likes your boyfriend very much, or so I've been told."

She scoffed, scratching her nose. "Okay." Was all she could say.

"Do you think— once you get this crown— that he'll share it with you?" Groff asked.

She was still for a moment, then turned to look at him. "Rafe?"

Groff shrugged with a small nod. "I'm just telling you what I've heard. Doesn't seem like he's looking to split anything."

She watched him as he spoke, trying to appear unfazed from his comments— knowing that's what he wanted— but she felt her shoulders tense a little. They hadn't really talked about it.

"Probably just keeping you around as leverage." Groff adds. "If your friends get it first. You for the crown sort of thing. I don't—"

"He wouldn't do that." Cassie responded plainly, losing interest in the conversation as she turned back to find her mouse. It was helping to distract her from everything else.