The streets felt darker, and more suffocating as you trailed behind Rafe and Kelce. Your arms still ached from the way Rafe had gripped you, his anger barely contained, bubbling beneath the surface. You tried to steady your breathing, to calm yourself, but the tension in the air was almost unbearable. You knew Rafe was spiraling, and the more John B slipped through his fingers, the worse it would get.

Rafe moved with a determined, frantic energy, his eyes constantly scanning the streets, as if John B or Sarah might appear at any second. He was so consumed with rage that he barely seemed to notice you anymore, his focus entirely on his twisted sense of duty—to protect his family, to prove himself.

Kelce, though not as volatile, followed along with Rafe, clearly uneasy but unwilling to challenge him. He glanced at you every now and then, as if silently asking why you were still here, but you had no answers to give him. All you knew was that you couldn't leave Rafe like this—not when he was on the verge of something dangerous, something that could destroy him.

"They're probably already halfway to the Cut by now," Kelce muttered, glancing around as if expecting to see Sarah and John B emerging from the shadows.

Rafe's eyes flickered with irritation. "We'll find them," he said, his voice sharp and determined. "We have to."

As the three of you walked down Banks Road, you tried to figure out what to do. Every instinct screamed for you to run, to get away from the storm that Rafe had become, but something kept you tethered to him—fear, loyalty, or maybe the hope that you could somehow reach him before it was too late.

You stole a glance at Rafe. His jaw was clenched tight, his hands balled into fists at his sides. There was no trace of the boy you had known—the boy who could make you laugh, who cared for you in ways no one else had. All you saw now was a man unraveling, pushed to the brink by anger and desperation.

"Rafe..." you said quietly, trying to break through the wall he had built around himself. "Please, just stop for a second. We need to think this through."

Rafe didn't respond at first, his eyes fixed ahead. But then, without warning, he spun around, his gaze locking onto you. "Think this through?" he repeated, his voice filled with frustration. "There's nothing to think about. They have to pay for what they did."

"What they did?" You asked, your voice trembling. "Rafe, they didn't do anything to you. Sarah—she's your sister."

"She's chosen them," Rafe spat, his face twisting in anger. "She's chosen John B over our family, over everything. And you—you're choosing her too."

"No, Rafe, I'm not choosing anyone," you said, stepping closer, trying to keep your voice calm despite the fear swirling inside you. "I'm here with you, aren't I? I just don't want to see you hurt."

Rafe's face softened, just for a moment, and you thought maybe you were getting through to him. But then his expression hardened again, and he shook his head.

"It's too late for that," he muttered.

Kelce shifted uncomfortably beside him. "Rafe, man, maybe we should just chill for a second. It's getting late, and the cops are all over the place."

Rafe shot him a sharp look but didn't argue. His breathing was heavy, his mind clearly racing with thoughts you couldn't decipher. He glanced down the street, his eyes narrowing as if he was still calculating his next move.

For a long, tense moment, nobody spoke. The silence stretched between you, heavy and suffocating, until finally, Rafe exhaled sharply, his shoulders slumping slightly.

"Fine," he said, his voice low. "We'll go back to Tannyhill. But this isn't over."

You felt a small wave of relief wash over you, but it was quickly replaced by a sinking feeling in your chest. Even though you had managed to get him to stop for now, you knew this wasn't the end of it. Rafe's anger wasn't going to just disappear. This was only a temporary reprieve—a brief pause before the storm hit again.

••••••

Rafe loosened his grip on your arm but didn't fully let go until the two of you were safely inside his room. The walk back to Tannyhill had been silent, the failed attempt to find John B hanging over you like a dark cloud. You hadn't protested as he dragged you back here. A part of you thought that if bringing you to his house stopped him from chasing after John B, then maybe this was the better choice.

Once inside, Rafe pushed you into the room. He still hadn't said a word, nor had he really looked at you. His face was unreadable as he turned to lock the door behind him.

You gulped, feeling a strange tension. You knew deep down that Rafe would never hurt you, but this version of him, the one pacing like a caged animal, felt different—more unpredictable.

He took a deep breath before turning to face you. His cold blue eyes flickered over your body, and he stepped closer. Instinctively, you backed up until your back was pressed against the wall.

"Tell me you don't hate me," Rafe demanded, his voice low but intense.

"You know I don't," you said softly, barely above a whisper.

"But I want to hear you say it," Rafe continued, stepping closer until he was towering over you. His arm came up, resting on the wall beside your head, and his other hand gently lifted your chin so your eyes were locked on his.

"I don't hate you, Rafe," you repeated, meeting his gaze. For a moment, he smiled, but the weight of the moment was too much. You felt like you needed to cut through it. "But you are the biggest idiot that I know," you added, your voice laced with frustration.

Rafe chuckled, his head hanging for a second as if your words had offered some brief relief. "Yeah, I know," he mumbled, his voice softer now, almost resigned.

His thumb grazed your cheek, slowly tracing down until it hovered over your bottom lip. The touch sent a shiver through you, and you gasped softly, your body reacting to him despite the swirling emotions inside.

Rafe's hand continued its descent, resting gently on your throat. The pressure wasn't forceful, but the intimacy of the gesture made your breath hitch. A soft moan escaped your lips, and Rafe's eyes darkened with desire as he bit his lower lip, barely containing his own need.

"Are you sure this is the right time for this?" you asked, your voice trembling as he slipped the thin straps of your dress down your shoulders.

"I don't know about you," Rafe whispered into your ear, his breath hot against your skin, "But I would feel a lot better with my dick inside of you."

The desperation in his voice made you weak. You could see how badly he needed this, and despite the chaos of the day, you needed him too.

Your dress slid to the floor, pooling around your feet as Rafe's hand roamed down your body, his fingers tracing every curve like he was memorizing you. His smirk grew as he felt your body react to his touch. You bit your lip, trying to stifle the moan building inside you, knowing his family was just downstairs. But it was getting harder to hold back.

You wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Your fingers tangled in his hair, tugging softly as you pressed your lips against his. The kiss was desperate, heated, your bodies gravitating toward each other, seeking relief in the only way you both knew how.

Rafe's hands gripped your waist, pulling you flush against him as you ground your hips into his, eliciting a low moan from him. His mouth moved to your neck, trailing hot kisses down to your chest, leaving marks along the way, claiming you in every sense of the word.

His fingers found the waistband of your panties, sliding them down slowly, torturously. You were already drenched for him, your body responding to his every touch.

"I want you," you whimpered, your nails digging into his shoulders as you pulled him closer.

Rafe hummed in response, his fingers brushing over your slick folds, teasing you. When he finally slid a finger inside, you let out a gasp, your body arching into him. He added another finger, curling them just right as he began thrusting them in and out.

"Rafe... Rafe..." you moaned, barely able to hold back the sounds that threatened to escape.

Rafe chuckled darkly, pulling his fingers out abruptly. He brought them to your lips, his eyes locked on yours as he ordered, "Taste yourself."

Without hesitation, you parted your lips, taking his fingers into your mouth. His taste mingled with yours, the intimacy of the moment sending a fresh wave of heat through you.

"You taste so sweet, don't you?" Rafe whispered, his voice thick with lust.

You nodded, sucking gently on his fingers until he pulled them free. His hand returned to your throat, squeezing lightly, "I want you so badly.."

You moaned again, your hands traveled down to his shorts. Quickly pulling it down, wanting to please him. Rafe stepped back and took off his shirt, then the last piece of clothing left, his boxers. His erection was hard and swollen, desperate for relief. He took a condom from his drawer and slid it over his length, his movements quick and efficient.

Without another word, he grabbed you, lifting you off the ground. Your legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, your core pressing against the tip of his cock. You whimpered, "Please, Rafe. I need you."

That was all he needed. In one swift motion, Rafe thrust into you, filling you completely. His hand tightened around your throat, making your moans more breathless as he pounded into you relentlessly.

"Fuck," Rafe groaned, his voice rough as he watched your face contort with pleasure. Your eyes were wide, innocent in a way that drove him wild. "You like that, don't you?"

You nodded frantically, needing more, needing everything he could give. But you couldn't hold back the sounds any longer. As your moans grew louder, Rafe shoved his fingers into your mouth, muffling your cries.

"Yeah, that's it baby. Take my fingers and my cock," Rafe growled, his thrusts growing more erratic as he felt you tighten around him.

You slipped a hand between your bodies, rubbing your clit as the pressure built inside you. Your entire body trembled as you felt your orgasm approaching, and Rafe wasn't far behind. His hips stuttered, his grip tightening as you both fell over the edge, your moans and whimpers mingling with his groans.

Rafe's fingers slipped from your lips, his hand moving to the hollow of your throat, his breathing heavy as the moment between you lingered. Both of you were catching your breath, the intensity of the moment still clinging to the air.

"You are so fucking hot," he whispered breathlessly, leaning down to kiss you. This kiss was soft, unlike the heated ones before, returning to the gentle Rafe you knew. His touch became tender, and the tension that had built up between the two of you was finally easing.

"Let's take a shower," he suggested, his voice steady as he gently placed you on the ground, still holding onto you, making sure you were steady on your feet.

"You want me to sleep here?" you asked, watching him closely, your thoughts racing.

Rafe looked at you, his expression confused, furrowing his brows. "Of course. You don't?"

"I do," you reassured him quickly, not wanting him to misunderstand. "I was just thinking about how your parents don't even know about us."

Rafe's lips curved into a small, thoughtful smile as he considered your words. "Do yours know?"

You shook your head. "No. I didn't tell them anything yet."

"So only Sarah and Wheezie know," he said, half to himself. "We'll tell them if you want to," he added with a smile.

The thought of sharing your relationship with others made you smile as well. "I would like that," you admitted, feeling a warmth grow between the two of you.

Rafe smiled back, his expression soft and full of affection. He kissed your forehead gently, lingering there for a moment, before he took your hand and led you toward the bathroom.

Two of you took a relaxing shower, the warm water washing away not just the tension from your bodies but also the weight of the events that had transpired. For a little while, it was just the two of you, wrapped up in the quiet comfort of being close, allowing yourselves to forget all the bad things that had happened, if only for a few precious moments.

You liked that feeling—being with Rafe and slipping back into a sense of normalcy. No chaos, no fear, just the warmth of his presence beside you, grounding you in a way only he could.

After the shower, Rafe handed you one of his oversized shirts. It felt soft and smelled like him, a mixture of his cologne and something familiar that brought a sense of peace. "Here, you can sleep in this," he said, smiling as he passed it to you.

You slipped it on, feeling the comforting fabric drape over you. The shirt was too big, but you loved that. It felt like a little piece of him was wrapped around you, a shield against everything else going on outside those walls.

Rafe slid into bed first, pulling the covers back for you. You followed, lying beside him as he wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling you close. The bed felt warm and safe, and as you nestled against him, you could feel his steady breathing begin to slow, signaling that he was finally beginning to relax.

In the quiet of the room, it was just you and Rafe, no words were needed. You laid there in silence, enjoying the simple pleasure of being together without any of the drama or the fear that had been haunting both of you. For the first time in what felt like forever, you could both let your guards down, even if only for a couple of hours.

With his arm still wrapped around you, his breath soft against your hair, you closed your eyes, allowing yourself to drift off, knowing that for this moment, everything was okay.