Pope nervously tapped his foot, having stopped pacing back and forth after JJ had told him to go jump into the water if he was that desperate to move around. The blond boy was sitting on the dock, swinging his legs back and forth as he watched his father's boat disappear from view.
Despite trying not to show it, Pope could tell how worried JJ really was. Sarah and John B were just teenagers, left to fend for themselves in a 40 feet boat in the middle of the ocean. If he wasn't anxiously waiting for a petite girl with a dancer's walk to appear in his line of vision, Pope would probably be cursing John B's stupidity and hating the world for the lack of choices it had offered them.
"I shouldn't have left her alone with him," he muttered under his breath, not planning for Kiara to hear him.
"You know she's going to be ok," she reassured him, although her smile was strained. "If she doesn't deal with Rafe now, it'll torment her forever."
The Kook's name was enough to make him tighten his jaw, a spark of anger lighting itself in his chest. He forced himself to relax, remembering Delilah's wide eyes and careful stance last time he had shown her exactly how furious he was. Rafe had scarred her more than they realized. He would have to be extra cautious in order to give Delilah some time to get used to him again.
More than anything in the world, Pope wanted to regain her trust. And with her trust, he prayed he could perhaps earn a bit of love.
His mind flashed back to her outburst at the gas station and how passionately she had snapped some sense into his heightened mind.
Out of breath, with wilderness dancing in her eyes, she'd looked so beautiful. And when her gaze had darted to his lips... Oh, he'd thought he'd officially lost his mind. It had taken so much restraint to move away, but he'd known it was necessary. Their first kiss had been magical, he didn't want their second to be when he was under the influence.
Even though he'd do nearly anything to taste her lips again, he wanted to kiss her when she was certain of what she thought of him. When she was certain of where they were going to take it from here.
Pope exhaled a sigh, tipping his head back to watch the sky as ink started bleeding into the blue.
He knew Delilah wouldn't stay here forever. She'd go back home and he'd be stuck here trying to get out of a life of misery.
He frowned. Unless he found a way to go out with her.
There would be countless opportunities if he only found a way to get out of the Outer Banks. He could finish his schooling elsewhere, show the teachers he had the skills needed, attend interviews, get a job.
It was doable if he actually put his mind to it. Left the question of how he was going to get out. His parents didn't have the money to pay for another rent and another set of groceries every week. He couldn't hope for it to be that easy.
Not yet.
But he'd try, he would not give up. He'd promised Delilah that much.
"Did John B make it?" said a clear voice.
Pope's head snapped to the side so quickly he might've gotten whiplashed.
There she stood, like an angel coming out of battle, her blonde hair dancing in the wind and with a determined look that made her eyes shine brightly against the setting sun.
He fell in love with her all over again.
"He just left with Sarah," answered Kiara.
He desperately wanted to run forward and wrap his arms around her, holding her tightly until she realized that he would always be there for her. Because his angel was tired. She stood tall, steady on her feet, but there was a heaviness to her movements that betrayed her.
He took a hesitant step forward, unable to help himself. He wanted her closer. He wanted to feel her warmth and the uneven beating of her heart.
A small smile tugged at her lips and she nodded, opening her arms in invitation. She didn't need to tell him twice.
Pope rushed forward, tenderly wrapping his arms around her petite frame and burying his face in her hair. She sighed against his neck, leaning into his embrace. She was there, safe and sound.
They were together. Everything else could burn in hell for all he cared.
The thought was selfish, but Pope had never been a selfish person, so he hoped God would understand.
It didn't take long before Kiara joined them, her curly hair spilling over Delilah's shoulders as she leaned her head against her. JJ squeezed Pope's neck, easily recognisable by the familiar smell of pot, oil, and a specific after-shave they had stolen from a kook store together.
For a moment, Pope allowed himself to think that everything would turn out alright. The fear and stress that had constantly weighed him down suddenly washed away, leaving only exhaustion in its wake. They all needed sleep.
"Where is the file?" asked Delilah, her voice muffled.
She made no move to push him away.
Kiara exhaled a sigh. "Hidden in my father's truck."
"We have to give it to my uncle to make sure Ward pays."
"Can we trust him?" frowned JJ.
"Without a doubt," intervened Pope, convinced that Mr Thompson was a rightful man.
"Come on, let's get this done and over with," said Kiara with a firm expression. "I want to sleep and forget this ever happened."
Delilah let out a soft laugh, still nestled in his chest. "I doubt that'll ever happen."
Kiara led the way, quickly followed by JJ, who was arguing about the positive impacts this adventure would have on their lives.
If Pope would have been given the choice, he would've gladly stayed still, forever keeping Delilah in his arms. But he knew she needed to finish what she had started.
Reluctantly, he untangled his arms from around her, moving away and preparing himself to follow their friends.
A slender hand grabbed his wrist, spinning him around until he was face to face with his angel. Her face was tilted up, so close he could feel her breath on his lips. It would take nothing at all to capture her mouth against his.
His cheeks heated. The thought was tempting.
"When this is over," she breathed, the words making the curve of her lips all too appealing. "We are going to a place where we will be all alone and I am going to kiss you senseless." She paused, letting the words sink in. "Because I'm selfish and I want it."
The words made his heart beat speed up to ten times it's normal pace. He slid his hands to her waist, pulling her close until there was barely any space left between them.
"And you're going to tell me exactly what you want from me before I go crazy," he said in a low voice, not trusting himself.
She chuckled, her cheeks tinted pink. "You have no idea what you're doing to me right now."
He smirked, despite the fact that his legs felt like jelly. It was a miracle that he was still standing. "I don't know what I'd do if JJ wasn't staring at us."
She groaned, ducking her head under his chin and hiding her expression. "I'm going to murder him one of these days."
He laughed, butterflies fluttering at the bottom of his stomach. "Murder takes too much time to plan. I want you all to myself before that."
He could feel her thundering heart beat against his own and decided it was the most beautiful musique he'd ever heard.
She smiled against his chest, and he could nearly picture how it made her glow. "You underestimate how good of an assassin I am."
Unable to help himself, he kissed the top of her head, grinning like crazy. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."
She laughed, shoving his chest before running up ahead to catch up with JJ and Kiara, who couldn't keep the smirk off of their faces.
He was left standing there like an idiot with the stupidest smile on his face. It was at that moment that he realised Delilah could ask anything of him and he'd be down on his knees, obeying her every command.
He was doomed.
And the fact didn't bother him at all.
A/N Well folks, seems like things are finally looking up for Pope. Wonder how this'll end up! Two updates in three days, let's hope I manage to keep this up ;p
Thanks for reading!
-Aella