ALWAYS || RAFE CAMERON

57

"i understand the risks of selling the cross, ok," Rafe was saying to Ward as i sat beside him. "i just saw an opportunity and took it."

he ran a hand through his hair.

"i thought you'd wake up and it'd be taken care of, but now i feel like an idiot."

"Rafe-"

"no, i am!" Rafe interrupted his Father.

"you're not an idiot, Rafe."

"i feel like an idiot-"

"i went down and you stepped up!" Ward nodded. "i'm just glad you're okay, understand?"

"yeah," Rafe rubbed his jaw.

"it's your first big deal, alright, i remember mine. it didn't go well either... i could've told you about Barbados—Carlos Singh does what he wants there."

Rafe sighed and rubbed his eyes. "yeah, we know that now."

"it's okay," Ward put a hand on his shoulder.

"yeah," Rafe sniffed.

i looked out over the pool at the crashing waves, where the sun slowly set on the horizon.

"there's something i need the two of you to do for me right now."

i froze.

getting involved with Ward's business was never good news.

"name it," Rafe said.

"i need you to go back to the Outer Banks—Kildare." he nodded.

"why?" i asked.

"there's nothing there for us, not anymore. i need to go wrap everything up for me... sell the businesses, the rental properties... i need you to sell Tanny Hill-"

"sell... wait we're selling Tanny Hill?" Rafe echoed. "is that what you said?"

"yeah," Ward couldn't meet either of our eyes.

"what? why?" i couldn't work out why he'd sell the estate that had been in the Cameron family for generations.

"it's not our home anymore," he looked around. "this is. and it's a clean slate, a new beginning, a new path. i need you two to take a bigger role, alright?"

we didn't reply.

"can i count on you for that?" he leaned forward. "yeah?"

"of course," Rafe's voice was level. "of course you can."

"alright, good." Ward smiled. "listen, i've got some papers and stuff, you'll need to bring them when you go over—i'll tell you what to do."

Rafe helped his father stand.

"while you're gone i am gonna need that cross... i'm looking into it. we have that cross because of you two. you got it for us and you saved it. i just need you to be careful."

"we will be," i took Rafe's hand.

"you get in there, you handle business, and you make it back here safe, alright?"

we nodded.

"you're Camerons, that still means something." he turned and walked away.

i stared after him until he went inside, then glanced up at Rafe.

"we're really gonna help him? after the trouble we got in last time?"

"i'm gonna help him, after the trouble i am in after last time." he corrected.

"god," i gritted my teeth. "you're unbelievable!"

he touching my chin gently, forcing me to look at him. "you don't have to help me."

i rolled my eyes but he held my face.

"you've got a wedding to plan, after all."

my eyes widened and i glanced down at the ruby ring on my left hand.

honestly, with all that had been going on, id kinda forgotten about the engagement.

"well?" Rafe was looking at me expectantly.

i shrugged. "well what?"

"any ideas?"

"on the beach," i mused. "or maybe Wills Island... i don't know."

he raised his eyebrows. "i know you forgot about the wedding, Juno Cameron."

"Wills." i pinched him. "i've had a lot going on."

"i know," he smiled and kissed me gently. "what about the honeymoon?"

"somewhere far away..." i thought for a second. "Monaco?"

"alright," he grinned. "Monaco it is."

"perfect," i smiled a little.

"we've still got our place back in Kildare..."

"i wanna keep it," i decided. "i don't wanna be apart from Topper—or Suri or Kelce."

"i get it. we could make our new place out here our permanent home."

"maybe," an idea hit me. "we could sell our place and move into Tanny Hill."

"you love that place!"

"some of my best memories are there..." i smiled fondly.

"either way..." he tapped the rose quartz ring on my pointer finger that he'd gifted me not so long ago.

the engraving on the inside of the ring read 'home'.

"my home is with you," he kissed me gently.

i bit his bottom lip as he pulled back a little, staring into my eyes.

"i'll get this done quickly," he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "then we can have some time together."

"we are together,"

"time when our only focuses are each other..." he kissed the tip of my nose. "i think we should go to the Island."

"when?"

"soon," he rested his chin on my head. "before the wedding."

"i'll see if i can arrange something." i breathed.

Rafe smelled like he always did—of the sea, and smoke and our sex.

it was intoxicating.

"you done sniffing me?" he laughed.

the sound rumbled through me.

"upstairs," i whispered, grabbing his hand and dragging him after me.

he picked me up and turned around.

"where are we going?" i kicked my legs.

"remember after that party—when you almost cracked Klaudia Mirren's head open?"

"the one who was making eyes at you all evening?" i scowled.

he nodded.

i remembered alright.

i had smashed her stupid head against a brick wall and burned her with her own cigarette.

"remember how afterwards i fucked you on the beach?" his lips grazed my ear.

"i remember," i shivered. "i couldn't walk the next day."

he kissed my neck and set me down on the sand.

"here, really?" i traced his jaw. "with your family inside?"

"you can't see this bit of the beach from the house."

"ahh..." my fingers went to the buttons of my shorts and i slid them down my legs.

Rafe watched closely, his lower lip caught between his teeth.

"fuck, i love you, J."

"show me, then, Mr Cameron."