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itneverendshere · 18 hours

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guilty conscience (+18)

chapter v

pairing: rafe cameron x female!reader

summary: when ward cameron, a renowned business man and millionaire specifically requested your services through an escort agency, you assumed it would be just another job—brief and straightforward. however, your entire world shifted when ward disclosed his true intentions and rafe cameron stumbled into your life. there were rules, and rules were meant to be followed. was money worth breaking someone’s heart?

author's note: shit goes down; there's a lot going on; drama queens 4life; IT'S STARTING BITCHES!!; jj's a little unhinged forgive him;

When you left your hotel, beaming with confidence over your achievements with the Camerons—especially after Ward deposited $1,563 into your bank account as a 'reward'—you never imagined the night would spiral into the personal hell you just crawled out of.

Rafe was the epitome of a gentleman, eagerly stepping out of his Jeep to open the door for you. The conversation flowed effortlessly, just as it had since that first day on the golf course. The party at Tannyhill was lively, with the perfect mix of guests and just enough booze. It promised to be a fucking great night.

So how come you ended up locking yourself in this stupidly, heavily, decorated bathroom, someone may ask? Well, you’re just too pretty to go to jail for murder.

It all started innocently enough.

The music was loud, the laughter even louder. You had just finished drinking a tequila shot with Rafe, when Topper called him over, a grin plastered on his face as he greeted Rafe with a slap on the back.

Rafe brought you into a quick embrace, a hand placed on the back of your head as he pressed a faint kiss to your forehead. “I’ll be right back. You’ll be okay on your own?”

You flashed him a quick smile, despite the tequila still burning your throat, and gave a nod, feeling pleased inside by how caring Rafe was being. Maybe you’d already won him over.

Once he went off with Topper, disappearing into the sea of people, you took a beat to check out the scene around you and just as you contemplated another shot from the table, a light tap on your shoulder pulled you from your thoughts.

Turning around, you were met with a face you didn't recognize, softened by a bright expression that contrasted with your own residual tequila-induced one.

"Hi there!" she chirped; her voice filled with what felt like genuine warmth. "I'm Aria, Kelce’s girlfriend. Just wanted to say hi and make sure you're not alone.”

You returned her smile, feeling a wave of relief that she seemed so friendly. "Nice to meet you, Aria.”

She beamed at your words, and you could see a genuine sparkle in her eyes. "Likewise!” her hands moved expressively as she spoke, “Kelce told me he met you last week. It's nice to finally put a face to the name."

You chuckled, "Well, hopefully I live up to the hype."

She eagerly, her gestures punctuating her words, “’ Course you do. I’m so glad you’re here, it’s kind of exhausting to put up with these boys all by myself.”

Aria threw you off with her openness, but honestly, it was kinda refreshing. Like, there was this girl you never met before, and she was just laying it all out there. But even though you were partying, you were still very much working, and your brain easily caught onto her words. Was she not friends with Sofia? You were dying to know.

You leaned in slightly, the loud music urging you to speak louder than necessary, “By yourself?”

“Huh— Guess there’s Sofia. But it’s kinda awkward now, y’know? After the whole Rafe fiasco.”

Consider yourself locked in.

You had to keep yourself in check, making sure you didn’t sound too eager as you asked, “Rafe fiasco?”

Aria’s eyes widened slightly, as if she'd let something slip. She hesitated, glancing around the room to ensure no one else was within earshot. Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, "Yeah, it was this whole thing last summer. Rafe and Sofia used to be...well, you know, a thing."

Oh my fucking god. Son of a bitch.

He lied to your face.

Was that his plan all along? Use you to make Sofia jealous? What a fucking joke. You were supposed to be playing him, not the other way around. You gripped your cup until your knuckles went white and nodded, encouraging her to continue.

She sighed, "It got messy. Real messy, okay? Rafe thought they were serious, but Sofia, well….When she broke it off, it was pretty harsh. He took it really hard."

A surge of anger shot through you and told yourself it was strictly professional.

So fucking what if he dated her? You were only pissy because that asshole had been lying to you the whole time. Which was very hypocritical of you, but to be fair, but he didn’t know that.

You tried to keep your cool, pretending to be just concerned and not about to blow the whole place up. You forced a sympathetic expression, even though inside you were fuming. "Really? I had no idea."

Aria sighed, clearly relieved to be sharing the gossip. "Yeah, he's a good guy. It's just...complicated."

Before you could answer, Rafe reappeared out of the blue, his muscular arm sliding around your waist like he'd done it a million times before.

"Hey, what are you two talking about?" he asked, flashing that charming smile that now just made you want to punch his perfect teeth.

"Just girl talk," Aria said with a wink. "I'll leave you two lovebirds alone." She gave you a quick hug and disappeared into the crowd.

Lovebirds my fucking ass.

You couldn’t believe you fell for his shit. You’d been doing this for years and all it took for you to blindly believe a man, was a pair of nice eyes and a tiny waist?

Rafe turned to you, his boyfriend-like attitude still in place but his eyes searching yours. "Everything okay?"

No.

You wanted to scream at the top of your lungs in his face but contained your rage. Your brain was scrambling for ways to come up with a new game plan.

You swallowed your feelings, focusing all your energy on the money Ward dropped on your account. "Of course. Aria’s really nice."

He nodded, pulling you closer. His hand slid down your back, warm and strong, and despite everything, a shiver of pleasure ran through you. "Yeah, she is.”

You smiled up at him, even though you were still seething inside, “I think I need to hit the bathroom. Where is it?”

"Down the hall to the left," Rafe said, his hand lingering on your back as if he was reluctant to let you go. "Want me to wait for you?"

You forced a laugh, hoping it didn't sound as fake as it felt. "Nah, I'll be quick. Besides, you should catch up with Topper." You muttered, slipping away from his touch and ducking down the hall.

His fingers left a confusing trail of sensations on your skin, stirring up a mess of emotions that you weren't ready to confront just yet.

And that's how you ended up here, hiding in this ridiculously pink bathroom, staring at yourself in the mirror and wondering if you could plead temporary insanity.

You click the lock shut and slump against the sink, feeling the weight of the evening crashing down on you. Pressure simmers in your chest, making it hard to breathe as you try to make sense of the tangled mess Ward Cameron has dragged you into.

But one thing's for sure: you can't let this night end with you in handcuffs.

You straighten up and splash cold water on your face, letting the shock of it clear your mind— it’s a good thing you’re wearing waterproof makeup. You straighten your shoulders, letting the tension leave your body.

So, Rafe wants to play? Oh, you can play. You can do a lot worse. He isn’t going to derail your plans with his smooth talk and empty promises. It's nothing personal. At least you tell yourself that.

As you step out of the bathroom, your brain races with anticipation. If Rafe thinks he can use you to make Sofia jealous, he's got another thing coming. You need to find out the truth, and fast.

Spotting the first guy in your peripheral vision, you take a deep breath and summon every ounce of charm you possess. With a confident stride, you make your way over to him, ready to flash him a dazzling smile as he turns.

And just to your luck, you recognize him immediately.

He's the guy who hit on you when you first arrived at the Outer Banks, the same guy Rafe intervened with to save you from his relentless flirting. JJ Maybank. Funny how things come full circle.

“Well, well, well,” There’s a shit-eating grin on his face as he leans against the nearest walls, eyes shamelessly trailing down your body, “If it isn’t Miss Not Interested.”

A smirk tugs at the corner of your lips. Men are too easy. "Looks like you've got a good memory," you reply, your tone teasing yet confident. "Sill torn about it?”

“Hardly. Just nice to see a pretty girl like yourself come to her senses.”

You chuckle, batting your mascara-coated eyelashes playfully. "Oh, is that what you think this is? I'm just here to make you feel good about yourself?"

He laughs, the sound barely making it over the loud music as he steps closer to you, his gaze lingering on your lips. "Whatever it is, it's working," he quips.

You have to give him credit. JJ’s a natural flirt, and the surfer boy allure he brings to the table is tempting. Maybe you would’ve given him a ride in another life.

You tilt your head, "Flattery will get you nowhere," you take a step back to maintain some distance between the two of you.

He tsks you, confidence unwavering. "We'll see about that.”

You flash him a coy smile, enjoying the game of cat and mouse. "Maybe we will.”

With a matching expression, JJ gestures toward the bar, invitingly. "I promise I'll behave."

You arch an eyebrow, considering his offer for a moment. What's the worst that could happen with one more shot, right? Plus, it could totally help take the edge off your body. You're just about to agree when a voice cuts through the noise of the party, breaking the moment.

“What the fuck are you doing here, pogue?”

Oh, for the love of—there goes your fun. That worked faster than what you expected.

You turn to see Rafe striding towards you, his expression darkening as he locks eyes with JJ. It's clear from the intensity in his eyes that he's not pleased to see the two of you together.

Rafe's attention flickers between you and JJ, his jaw clenching as he sizes up the situation. There's a steely edge to his voice as he addresses the other blonde again, his words dripping with thinly veiled hostility, “I said, what the fuck are you doing here?”

JJ's grin remains firmly in place, though you can see the hint of amusement in his eyes. “Sup crazy. Nice house by the way, love what Rose did with the décor.”

You resist the urge to roll your eyes at their thinly veiled jabs. Men and their dick measurements.

Rafe's nostrils flare, his patience wearing thin as he squares his broad shoulders, “Get away from her.”

JJ looks at him like he just escaped from some sort of institution, “Away from who?”

You're surprised Rafe hasn't punched JJ yet as he takes a step closer, his eyes narrowing into a dangerous glare. You can barely spot any blue in them. "Are you trying to get killed?”

JJ's grin widens, a hint of defiance flashing in his eyes as he leans back against the wall, seemingly unfazed by Rafe's threatening demeanor. "She came to me. I gotta say sweetheart, your boyfriend’s a real charmer."

Your tongue gets a mind of it’s own, and before you can really think about it, you’re letting the words slip out, “He’s not my boyfriend.”

Rafe's reaction is immediate, his gaze snapping to yours as he studies you, searching for any sign of deception.

"Is that so?" JJ asks as if he's really interested in whatever is going on and totally not trying to stir shit with Rafe.

You don't look away from Rafe, refusing to back down. You want to see if you can hurt him, if he cares a little.

"Yes." You reply, your tone firm but controlled.

Rafe's expression softens slightly, though you can still see the shadow of hurt lingering in his gaze. "Right." he mutters, his voice barely audible over the thumping bass of the music.

Okay, so maybe you didn’t think this through. It feels like you opened Pandora's box and now you’re stuck here.

Before you can say anything else, JJ interjects yet again, his smirk widening as he steps forward, effectively inserting himself into the conversation.

"Well, isn't this just precious," he says, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "I’ll let you two cuties work this out.”

JJ saunters off, leaving you alone with Rafe. You didn’t expect your simple declaration to have such an effect on him, and now you're left wondering if you've blown everything out of proportion by assuming shit instead of just talking to him.

He still hasn't stoped staring, eyes burning with an intensity that sends a nervous flutter through your body, and for the first time in weeks, you don’t know what to do.

"You—“ he starts, his voice trailing off as he struggles to find the right words. You hold your breath, waiting for him to continue, unsure of what to expect.

But before he can say anything else, a voice breaks through the tense silence, pulling your attention away from Rafe and back to the present moment.

What’s with people interrupting your conversations tonight?Jesus fucking Christ.

"Hey, there you are!"

You turn to see Topper approaching, a drunk grin on his face, "Sorry to interrupt," he says, "Everything okay?"

Bless him and his lack of social skills to read the room.

Rafe's jaw tightens, but he manages to summon a smile, although it looks more like a grimace, for Topper's benefit.

"Yeah, everything's fine," he replies, though his tone lacks the usual warmth.

Topper eyes him skeptically for a moment before shrugging it off. "Aight, just wanted to let you know that we're heading down to the beach for a bonfire. You coming?"

Rafe glances at you and you want to die. Surely, he doesn’t hate you now? You didn’t just ruin everything you’ve worked for?

After a moment's hesitation, he nods, his smile returning though it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, I'll be there in a minute."

Topper claps him on the back again, his grin widening. “See ya there."

The tension between you is still palpable, thick enough to suffocate you if you let it. And then, the cap spills open and he snaps.

“JJ? Really? I invite you to my house, my house!” He all but grits out as he sticks his fingers into his chest with each word, “And you flirt with fucking Maybank of all people?”

You feel a violent urge to verbally put him to shame. A bitter laugh escapes your lips as you shake your head in disbelief "Why do you care?" you shoot back, your voice rising in tandem with your feelings. "We're not together."

Rafe’s eyes blaze with anger, and for a moment, you think he might lose control, but then he takes a deep breath, visibly trying to calm himself. "I care because I—" He stops, struggling to find the words. "Because I thought we had something."

You laugh again, the sound harsh in your own ears. "Oh, so now we have something?” You mock, bringing a hand to your lips, “Funny. How convenient that you lied to my face about Sofia, hm?”

Rafe’s face pales slightly. "That’s different."

"How?" you challenge, stepping closer. "You lied to me. You used me."

Hypocrite.

He opens his mouth to answer but then closes it. The silence between you stretches, and you want to shake him stupid. You can feel your heart pounding in your chest.

"I didn’t mean to lie to you," he finally says, his voice softer, almost pleading. "I just didn’t know how to tell you."

You tilt your head, unable to believe his excuses. "That’s bullshit, and you know it."

He turned away from you, pacing a few steps before whirling back around, his face a mask of conflicted emotions.

"I never wanted to use you. I—" He stopped again, slamming a fist into his open palm as if trying to physically force the words out. “You’re different.” Your face must tell him exactly how you feel, because before you can tell him to fuck off, he’s rushing to speak again, his hands gesticulating wildly as he tried to make you understand. “I know that sounds fucking insane, okay? You think I don’t know that?"

You swallow hard as he inches closer with every word, crossing your arms in an attempt to shield yourself from the raw intensity of his words. This is everything but professional of you. You know better than this. “You expect me to believe that?”

His hands drop to his sides, fingers twitching as if he wanted to reach out to you but didn’t dare. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen,” he said, his voice breaking slightly. “When I met you, it wasn’t supposed to be like this. You’re not a part of some great scheme, okay? You’re—”

“Different?” you interrupted, your voice dripping with skepticism. “That’s the best you can come up with?” Your brows pinch together at the sight of him, the rise and fall of chest.

“I don’t know how to explain it, but you make me feel things I didn’t think I could feel anymore.”

Oh god, no.

This isn’t right. It's like his confession snaps you back into your realm.

You’re getting more than what you barged for. You’re gonna break his heart. You take a step back, itching to run away from this stupid town, his words hit you like a punch to the gut, leaving you reeling.

“Rafe, I can’t—”

He closes the distance between you in two quick strides, his hands still cold from being outside gripping your shoulders.

“Please, just listen,” he begs, his eyes searching yours for any sign of understanding. “It feels right, okay? You feel right. And it’s fucking crazy because we just met and— I don’t know how to do this again. She ripped my heart out, I don’t talk about it because then it never happened. Do you think I want to feel this away about you? No fucking way.”

You can feel his grip tightening on your shoulders, the desperation in his eyes cutting through you like a knife. He’s opening up, laying his soul bare, and you are standing here, lying to his face.

Pretending to flirt with someone else to get a rise out of him. Getting closer to him because his father is paying you to do so.

The guilt gnaws at you, a relentless force that makes it hard to breathe.

“Rafe, I—” Your voice trembles again. You want to tell him the truth, to come clean about everything, but the words caught in your throat, it’s almost like they’re eternally stuck there. You let out a breath as a blush crept up your cheeks.

“I really care about you, pretty. ‘M sorry I didn’t tell you.”

You watch him, a little mesmerized by his honestly, each apology killing you inside. You are here for money, not for him. So why are you feeling like this?

You nod, feeling a lump form in your throat. "I care about you too, but I’m only here for the summer.”

Your eyes flutter shut trying to reason with yourself. It's not a lie. But it's not the whole truth either.

"I know," he says softly.

You take a deep breath, trying to keep it together. "Rafe, this is getting complicated."

He steps closer, looking so serious it only makes the blood in your veins pump harder, "I don’t care how complicated it is. I want to be with you, even if it's just for the summer."

His words hit you right where it hurts. You can hear how genuine he is, see it in his eyes, like he's about to fall in love right then and there.

And for a moment, just a fleeting moment, you're tempted to let yourself get swept away by the sincerity in his voice and the earnestness in his eyes.

But then reality crashes back in, reminding you of the mess you're already in. You can't let yourself fall any deeper, no matter how tempting it is.

So, before you can overthink it, before you can stop yourself, you close the distance between you and him. Your entire body tingles as you lift your hand to cup his cheek, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath your fingertips, the subtle tingle of his stubble against your thumb.

And then you press your lips to his, his mouth slotting over yours naturally— needy and eager.

Rafe presses you against the wall JJ was leaning against just ten minutes ago, hands roaming eagerly over your body. One hand finds its way to your waist, pulling you closer to him with an iron possessive grip, and you match his intensity as you lean into him, drawing him impossibly closer by clutching his polo and pulling him closer with a firm grasp at the nape of his neck.

And it’s right then and there you decide: You're gonna tell Ward Cameron to go fuck himself.

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