Worlds Colliding (Outer Banks) Book 2

chapter 10 - The Coastal Venture

"He did kick your ass," Kaylee corrected. "And you and I both know that you did help Tod drug me."

"And stopped him from raping you," Rafe replied.

"After you left me vulnerable to him in the first place," Kaylee retorted. Rafe didn't answer. "So, what, you gonna make excuses for that now?"

Rafe looked down. "I fucked up. Let him get in my head, convince me that you needed to be taught a lesson, for humiliating both of us."

Kaylee swallowed. "And because you wanted to start another game that you could keep me trapped in since I told you to fuck off and play with your yourself with your first stupid game that didn't work on me."

Rafe walked over to sit in front of Kaylee with his drink. "True. You were the only girl that wouldn't fall for the first game. The usual one I played. Using girls, sleeping with them, dropping them and moving on. The way you told me off made me realize how different you actually were. Just had to have another game with you, one that you couldn't get out of or avoid. I realized how badly I fucked up as soon as I did it. Stopped Tod from taking advantage of you. Took you outside away from him after beating him down."

Kaylee barely remembered that part, but saw flashes of it now, frowning. "You weren't gonna stop... until I said your name." Rafe raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement, looking away. "Then why use him against me later?"

"I snapped," Rafe answered, glancing down. "Every time he hurt you too much, I hurt him back. Scared him off so much that he never showed his face again after Midsummers." Kaylee swallowed, knowing that was true. "After that, I spiraled more... couldn't control myself around you. Hurt you... without meaning to. Blacking out and losing control." Kaylee glanced down. "That night, when it spiraled out of control... that girl Cassie found you and used your phone to call whoever for help. I saw JJ come, and he and Kiara take your home. And at the party after that, mocking JJ about looking for you... about how maybe I just needed to fuck you myself, and that got him to explode. That's what started this whole game. You know that, right? Or did JJ leave that little detail out about what I said?"

Kaylee did look surprised by what Rafe said about what caused JJ to fight Rafe at that party since JJ hadn't told her in order to try and protect her back then, looking away, avoiding Rafe's gaze. "Stop."

Rafe chuckled. "I thought so. Knew that JJ wouldn't tell you that part. Knew that JJ would want to try and protect you from that part." Kaylee closed her eyes in disgust. "That's what started this whole thing. Now look where we are, Kaylee."

Kaylee covered her uncomfortableness to seem unfazed so that he didn't get the satisfaction he wanted, nodding sarcastically. "Oh, yeah. On a ship in the middle of fucking nowhere going God knows where."

"You would've ended up here one way or another," Rafe replied.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kaylee asked.

Rafe raised an eyebrow. "You really think I don't know that JJ, Kiara and your little friends were gonna end up on this ship somehow? I wouldn't put it past them. I know those assholes. And I know you. All of you were coming anyway, for the cross, for Lia and Sarah. The explosion in the shipyards only proved that, to both you and me, that they're here." Kaylee swallowed but didn't answer. "So either way, you would've come onto this damn ship. At least this way, even if I had to take you against your will, you're locked away safe and sound." Kaylee frowned. "The captain and the crewmembers are on lookout for stowaways. And you don't know the captain. He's got a reputation for helping smuggle girls like you, and like Lia and Sarah, without question, and for torturing and killing stowaways, but he follows orders of the people that hire him. So this way, even if I had to take you with me, you're not in danger from being caught and killed and tortured by Eberhini. You're not putting yourself in danger and risking everything all over again for people that don't deserve it, and don't deserve you. At least now, the men on this ship have orders not to hurt you, because you're mine. The princess locked away in the tower by the big bad dragon."