Rafe was evil—mean, ruthless, and cold. But to you? He was sweet, patient, and almost gentle. It was unsettling.

He was a Kook—rich, spoiled, and arrogant. You were a Pogue—poor, quiet, and shy. Complete opposites in every way, yet somehow, he wanted to be the one to hold you at night, to wipe your tears when you cried, to whisper sweet nothings in your ear as if you belonged to him.

He wanted to protect you, to love you, but there was one problem—you were John B’s little sister. Always with them. Always running around with JJ. And God, he hated it. Hated them.

He despised them, but he loved you. And that confused the hell out of him. How could he feel so protective over a Pogue? A shy, sweet, quiet little Pogue. And pretty. So pretty.

The six of you—John B, Kiara, Sarah, Pope, JJ, and you—were at the beach, finally relaxing for once. The sun was high, the waves rolling in smooth and steady, so you grabbed your board and paddled out for a surf. Everything was fine—until it wasn’t.

A massive wave came out of nowhere, slamming into you with brutal force. You lost control, tumbling beneath the surface as the current dragged you under. You fought, but the ocean was relentless. Darkness crept in at the edges of your vision until finally—it won.

When you woke up, you expected to see your brother hovering over you. Maybe JJ, panicked and cursing under his breath. But instead, it was him.

Rafe.

He sat beside you, arms resting on his knees, watching you closely. His usual smirk was there, but his eyes—there was something guarded in them. Something raw.

“Have a nice nap, princess?” His tone was teasing, almost condescending. But the worry in his eyes? That was real.