riptide- outer banks

128 | wouldn't be the first time

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The market was complete anarchy. It was loud and hot, packed wall to wall with people. Vendors shouted in Arabic and French, or at least that's what she thought they were speaking. She couldn't be completely sure of that. Logan could've verified if it was French. Sarah, too, since they both spoke it fairly well. But they were too busy trying not to collapse to have joined them on their little outing.

Kori wove through the bodies, making sure to keep her head down. She didn't need to draw any more attention to herself than she already felt like she was. Rafe was close behind her, breath practically trailing down her neck. She would've told him to back off, but she knew he'd noticed it, too. The stares and the heads that turned in her direction. That's why she hadn't snapped at him or put more distance between them. Because she wildly stuck out.

And she knew what she looked like. She was grimy and sunburned, but she was also blonde and American. Still small, still pretty. Still someone that people stopped and looked at. Especially here. Her black tank top clung to her body, soaked with sweat. Eyeing one of the nearest men that had turned to her, she pulled her tan button down tighter against her chest. She hated this.

They passed another tent, barely glancing at the man who shouted at them about a fish head and the other trying to sell them knockoff sunglasses. She stopped at a stand, studying the array of fruit laid out in front of her when she felt it– fingers brushing up against her waist.

Kori stiffened as another hand fell down on her shoulder. She whirled around, heart skipping a beat. But she barely had any time to even process that an older man was smirking down at her before Rafe was intervening. She flinched, staring with wide eyes as he harshly grabbed the man's bicep. Not strong enough to do any real damage, but enough to make him wince. To send a message.

He leaned in close, voice low and threatening. "Touch her again and I'll kill you."

The man jerked backward, muttering curses in a language they didn't understand as he disappeared back into the crowd. She just stood there, wide-eyed. Because she knew he'd meant it. And it wouldn't have been the first time he'd done something like that.

Rafe turned to her, locking onto her weary green gaze. "Let's go."

When she didn't move, he took a step closer to her.

"Keep moving if you don't want to get jumped again."

She swallowed hard, remaining quiet. Then she turned back to the task at hand, purchasing some fruit like she'd been planning to do in the first place. And she kept moving. Rafe didn't leave a gap like he had before when they left the stand. Kori's hands were slightly shaking, but she ignored the rapid beat of her heart and focused on getting supplies. Between the two of them, they bought flatbread, various fruits, dried dates, and some water bottles. All of it went into a cloth bag Rafe had thought to grab earlier.

Kori gripped the sack in her fingertips, shifting it from either of her hands to dull the ache spreading across her skin. She didn't look down, didn't draw attention to her wrapped palms, but Rafe had already noticed. His eyes narrowed at the fraying koban and the tiny red marks that covered her palms.

"What happened to your hands?" He finally asked.

Her face twitched, but she didn't look at him, continuing forward. "I ripped the back of a windshield out."

Shock crossed his face at the lack of context. But he didn't ask and she didn't give him any. They just walked in silence, rounding the corner to see that everyone else was back. Kori barely had time to register the way Sarah had lifted her head, apple in her hands, or how Pope turned mid-sentence. Because JJ was already moving. His eyes flared, locking onto Rafe, before he was at his throat.