𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 ┊ ┊ 𝐑. 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧

Chapter Twenty Four

I stood with my arms crossed over my chest and my back leaned up against one of the marble pillars at the front of the house. I yawned, watching my dad, Ward, and Rafe load containers of gold into the trucks. They had all gotten up much earlier than me to start loading everything. As I looked around I noticed the blue haze reflecting on everything. The sun had just barely begun to rise and it was still fairly dark outside. My eyes grew wide when they caught sight of the guards, and the large guns in their hands. Two of those guns put together would be taller than me. I would be lying if I said having them here to protect us and the gold didn't make me feel more at ease.

My attention was snapped away from the guards when I heard the loud bang of a truck door closing. I snapped my attention over to my dad. I saw him closing the bed of the truck he was driving and dusting his hands on his pants. "I'm heading out," he said, his attention still on his hands. I started towards him and wrapped my arms around him. "I love you Dad, please be careful." "And you—" he pulled out of the hug and ruffled the hair on my head, "—use that brain I know you have alright?" I rolled my eyes and gave him an annoyed smile. "I love you too," he said, "I'll see you in a bit alright?" I nodded and stepped back towards Ward and Rafe, letting my dad jump up into the truck he was driving. I gave him a small wave before he was out of sight down the street.

"Come here G," Rafe's hand grabbed my arm and he pulled me back up the front steps and into the house.

"I got you something that I want to give to you alright?"

I nodded, still too tired and zoned out to say anything. I watched Rafe reach into his back pocket and pull something out, bringing it around to show me.

"Rafe wha—"

"Just... just hold on okay," he hushed his voice and slowed his words, "I just want you to be as safe as possible. It's yours."

"I thought we were just transporting the gold, why would I need this?"

"It's just a precaution. You're not going to need it but—now, you can always be protected."

Rafe grabbed my hand from my side and placed the heavy piece of metal into it. I turned it over in my hand and examined it, feeling it fit perfectly in my grasp.

"Do you like it?" Rafe whispered.

I lifted my eyes from the gun in my hand to Rafe's eyes. I nodded as I felt the corners of my mouth begin to turn up.

"I thought you would."

I looked back down to my hands and admired the small revolver. The metal around the cylinder was wrapped with a light pink skin and I giggled, "Of course you got a pink one."

Rafe smirked and let out a laugh, slinging his arm over my shoulder and leading us back outside. I slipped the gun into my back pocket quickly and let him guide me out the front door.

"You kids ready?" Ward said, smiling as he clapped his hands together. Rafe and I nodded in return. He moved his arm from around my shoulder down to my hand as he squeezed it tightly and pulled me towards the truck.

I jumped into the back seat, Rafe taking the passenger seat, sitting right next to his father. I felt myself beginning to bounce my leg as the engine of the truck revved and Ward pressed down the gas pedal, driving us away from the security of their property.

I felt Rafe's hand grab my knee and I turned my attention from out the window forward to him. He shot me a smile and nodded, "It's gonna be okay." I forced a smile and nodded back before turning my attention back out the window.

I knew the plan. I knew the route. There wasn't anything to worry about. All we were doing was driving from point A to point B.

The sun had risen now and shone harshly down onto the island. I watched the bustling streets of Nassau through the window and tried to distract myself by people watching. There was a little boy fishing on the dock. A busy restaurant, all the patio seats filled. A bunch of children all standing together came into view as we halted to a stop at a stop sign. I watched all their small feet pick up and begin running into the street towards the defender truck ahead of us.