The waves crashed softly against the shore as you sat on the dock, staring at the Cameron estate in the distance. Your heart ached at the sight of them—Rafe and Sofia, walking side by side, putting on a perfect little show for his father. Ward had made it clear: you weren’t good enough for his son. He wanted Rafe with someone like Sofia—polished, obedient, from the ‘right’ kind of family.

But what Ward didn’t know—what Sofia didn’t know—was that Rafe still belonged to you. Late at night, when the world was quiet and the expectations forced on him felt suffocating, he still found his way to you. Sneaking through your window, his hands desperate as they cupped your face, his lips claiming yours like a man starved. It’s only you, he would whisper against your skin, and for a little while, you believed him.

But then the sun would rise, and reality would return. He would pull away, his jaw tight, his eyes full of things he could never say. And then he’d go back—to her, to the life his father chose for him, leaving you to watch from the shadows, drowning in jealousy and heartbreak.

But no matter how much distance Ward tried to put between you, Rafe always found his way back. And tonight would be no different. Because just as you were about to text him, your phone already vibrated in your hand. A single message glowing on the screen: ‘Meet me. Same place.’ Your heart leapt as you grabbed your keys, already knowing that no matter what the world said, Rafe Cameron was still yours.