「 ✦ TOUCH ME ✦ 」

────

RAFE'S EYES BURNED WITH INTENSITY as he gazed at Sutton, his desire for her evident in every fiber of his being. He could see the spark of attraction in her eyes, and he knew that she felt the same way.

Without a word, he reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards him. Sutton didn't resist, instead, she let him lead her to the bed. As they stood beside it, Rafe's hands began to roam over her body, tracing the curves of her waist and the swell of her breasts.

Sutton's eyes flashed with excitement, and she let out a soft moan as Rafe's fingers brushed against her nipples. He smiled, his eyes gleaming with desire, as he leaned in to kiss her.

Their lips met in a fiery explosion of passion, their tongues tangling as they devoured each other. Rafe's hands continued to explore Sutton's body, his fingers tracing the contours of her skin, and his palms cupping her breasts.

As they kissed, Sutton's hands began to wander, her fingers tracing the lines of Rafe's chest, and her palms brushing against his nipples. Rafe groaned, his body responding to her touch, as he deepened the kiss.

Finally, they broke apart, gasping for air, as Rafe's hands began to undress Sutton. He ripped off her clothes, exposing her naked body to his gaze. Sutton's cheeks flushed with excitement, as Rafe's eyes devoured her.

Sutton's body began to respond, her nipples hardening, and her pussy growing wet. Rafe's eyes lit up with excitement, as he leaned in to kiss her again.

This time, their kiss was slower, more sensual, as Rafe's hands began to explore Sutton's body. He traced the curves of her waist, and the swell of her breasts, his fingers brushing against her nipples.

As they kissed, Rafe's hands began to wander, his fingers tracing the contours of Sutton's skin, and his palms cupping her breasts. Sutton's body began to tremble, her orgasm building with every passing moment.

Rafe's eyes gleamed with excitement, as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. "I want you, Sutton. I want to fuck you, to make you mine."

Sutton's eyes flashed with excitement, as she nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "I want you too, Rafe. I want you to take me, to make me yours."

He pulled her close again, his lips finding hers in another searing kiss. His hands moved urgently, roaming over her body, his touch both demanding and reverent. Sutton moaned softly into his mouth, her hands clutching at his shirt, her nails digging into his back as she pressed herself against him.

With a growl of frustration, Rafe tore his lips from hers, his hands moving to her clothes. Her blouse was unbuttoned in a rush, the fabric falling away to reveal the lacy bra beneath. His breath hitched at the sight, his hands cupping her breasts, his thumbs brushing over her nipples, already tight with need. Sutton arched into his touch, her head falling back as a soft cry escaped her lips.

"Rafe," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Please."

Rafe closed the distance between them, his hand reaching out to cup her chin. His touch was electric, sending a jolt of heat straight to her core. "What do you want then, Sutton?" he murmured, his lips a hairsbreadth from hers.

"I want you," she whispered, the words tumbling out before she could stop them.

His lips crashed against hers in a searing kiss, his tongue delving deep to claim her mouth. Sutton moaned, her hands fisting in his shirt as she arched against him. Rafe's hands roamed her body, tracing the curves of her hips, her waist, her breasts. His touch was firm and demanding, leaving no doubt as to who was in control.

 Sutton propped herself up on her elbows, her chest heaving as she watched him undress. He shed his clothes with deliberate slowness, revealing a body that was lean and muscular, his skin tanned and smooth. Sutton's mouth watered at the sight of his thick, hard cock, already standing at attention. When he was finally naked, Rafe crawled onto the bed, his body hovering over hers.

"Touch me," he commanded, his voice low and rough with desire.

Sutton reached out, her hands exploring the hard planes of his chest, his abs, the thickness of his shaft. Rafe groaned, his hips bucking into her touch as she stroked him, her thumb swirling around the sensitive head.

"Enough," he growled suddenly, grabbing her wrists and pinning them above her head. "I need to taste you."

With that, he descended upon her body, his mouth trailing hot kisses down her neck, her collarbone, the swell of her breasts. He paused at each nipple, sucking and nipping until they were hard, aching peaks. Sutton writhed beneath him, lost in a haze of pleasure, her mind emptying of all thoughts except for the feel of his mouth on her skin.

Lower and lower he went, his hands pushing her thighs apart as he settled between them. Sutton gasped as his tongue ran through her folds, tasting her essence. He lapped at her like a man starved, his tongue delving deep inside her before flicking against her clit. Her hips bucked as the first wave of pleasure crashed over her, crying out as the sensations built to a crescendo.

But Rafe was merciless, continuing his assault until Sutton was shaking with the force of her climax. As the aftershocks subsided, he climbed back up her body, positioning himself at her entrance.

"I'm going to fuck you now," he whispered, his eyes burning into hers. 

"Yes," Sutton breathed, wrapping her legs around his waist. "Please, Rafe. Fuck me."

With one powerful thrust, he entered her, filling her completely. Sutton cried out at the delicious stretch, her body adjusting to his size. He began to move, setting a hard, fast pace that had the headboard slamming against the wall.

Sutton matched him thrust for thrust, their bodies moving in perfect sync. The sound of their flesh slapping together mixed with their moans and cries, creating a erotic symphony that filled the room.

Rafe changed his angle slightly, hitting a spot deep inside her that had stars bursting behind her eyelids. "Oh God," she keened, her nails digging into his shoulders. "Right there, Rafe. Don't stop."

He complied, pounding into her relentlessly as the pressure built inside her. Sutton could feel another orgasm approaching, more intense than the last. She clenched around him, urging him on.

"Come for me," Rafe commanded, his voice tight with his own impending release. "Be a good girl, Sutton."

With a final cry of his name, Sutton shattered, her body convulsing with the force of her climax. Rafe followed shortly after, burying himself deep inside her as he found his own release.

They collapsed together, their bodies slick with sweat and sated with pleasure. Rafe gathered Sutton into his arms, cradling her against his chest as they both caught their breath.

────

The sunlight streamed through the cracks in the blinds, casting long, angular shadows across the room. It felt harsh against the soft stillness, almost mocking the quiet confusion in Sutton's head. The lingering warmth of the sheets tangled around her body made her feel trapped, like she couldn't fully escape the intensity of the night before. Her skin was sensitive to every movement, every inch of the fabric, every breath she took. She felt a dull ache in her body—a combination of physical exhaustion and an emotional weight that made her stomach twist. She didn't know when she had fallen asleep, or how long she had lain there afterward, replaying everything over and over again in her head.

She slowly stirred, trying to shake off the fog in her brain, but the effort only made her feel more disoriented. The night had blurred into a series of half-formed thoughts and stolen moments, but it had ended with something undeniable: a decision she hadn't thought through, a choice that had irrevocably changed everything between her and Rafe.

Her eyes flicked to her side, her heart pounding painfully in her chest. Rafe lay next to her, still asleep, the rise and fall of his chest slow and steady. The tangled sheets barely covered his body, the scene somehow intimate and distant all at once. Sutton's gaze flickered over him, but she couldn't meet his eyes—not yet. She immediately averted her eyes, focusing on the soft texture of the comforter beneath her fingers, afraid to acknowledge what had happened between them. The truth of it hit her like a punch to the gut—more than she could handle in the moment. It was hard to accept that the line they'd crossed was no longer a question of if but when. The space between them had finally closed, but in doing so, Sutton felt the weight of it crushing her. She wasn't sure if it was relief or regret, or if she was simply too overwhelmed to feel anything concrete.

Her heart raced, and her mind felt scattered, disconnected from any coherent thought. Guilt pressed heavily in her chest, suffocating her, and the truth was, she had no one to blame but herself. Why had she let this happen? Why had she given in to that undeniable pull between them?

The temptation had always been there, buried beneath years of unresolved chemistry and the unspoken words that had built up between them. But she had promised herself she was done with it—done with Rafe, with the emotional rollercoaster he brought into her life. She had fought it. She had pushed those feelings deep down and moved on, convincing herself that there was no future for them. But here they were, tangled in the sheets, her body aching with the aftermath, her heart still caught in the crossfire.

She felt the weight of that decision crashing down on her now. The flash of memory—the heat, the pressure, the way he had felt so different in that moment, so present—rushed back, too much, too soon. Was this just a moment of weakness? Or had she done something she truly wanted, something she needed? She wasn't sure. It wasn't clear, and the confusion only made everything worse.

Sutton's breath hitched as she realized that the feelings she thought she had buried for so long were still alive inside her. They hadn't gone anywhere. The longing, the ache for him, it was still there—undeniable, raw, and unyielding. It was a slow burn, simmering beneath the surface, and now that the dam had finally broken, she didn't know how to put it all back together. How could she let herself be so vulnerable again?

She carefully tried to shift out of the bed, moving quietly to avoid waking him. But even as she started to slip away, the rustling of the sheets was enough to stir Rafe from his slumber. His eyes blinked open slowly, as if the weight of the moment was still heavy on him as well. His gaze found her instantly, sharp and focused, as if nothing had changed—except everything had.

Sutton's pulse quickened, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him. His presence was overwhelming, and she wasn't sure if she could face him after what had just happened. She wrapped herself in the robe she had hastily grabbed from the chair by the window, the familiar fabric giving her a fleeting sense of comfort. She moved toward the door, her heartbeat thudding in her ears.

"Hey," Rafe's voice was low, rough with sleep, but there was something else in it—a subtle tension she couldn't ignore. "You okay?"

The question hung in the air, and Sutton couldn't tell if it was genuine concern or just a way to acknowledge the awkwardness between them. She paused, her hand on the door, but she didn't look back at him. She couldn't. "I'm fine," she said, her voice steadier than she felt. But the words felt hollow, like she was trying to convince both him and herself. "Just need some space."

There was a long moment of silence, an unspoken understanding between them that neither one could quite name. Sutton thought he might say something else, but he didn't. Instead, she heard the soft rustle of the sheets as he shifted. She heard his steady breathing, and for a second, it almost felt like he was pretending it had never happened. Like he didn't care. But then why hadn't he stopped her from leaving?

Sutton opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, closing it softly behind her. She needed distance. She needed time to think, to breathe, to make sense of what had just unfolded.

The silence of the house was oppressive as she walked down the hallway. Her feet felt heavy with the weight of the night's events. The walls seemed to close in around her as her mind spun in a million directions. She had no idea how she'd let herself fall back into this cycle. How had she allowed herself to get caught up in this again? She thought she was stronger than this. She thought she was past it. But now, she was tangled in a web of emotions and decisions she wasn't sure she could untangle.

She thought of everything she had done to move forward—of how much she had convinced herself she was done with Rafe. And now, everything felt like it was crumbling. She wasn't sure if it was guilt, frustration, or the yearning she had always felt for him that had led her back to this moment, but she knew one thing for sure: She had crossed a line, and now there was no going back.

Rafe had become an even bigger complication in her life than she could have ever anticipated. And as she stood there in the empty hallway, feeling the weight of her decision press down on her chest, Sutton didn't know how to escape it.

Sutton stood frozen in the hallway, her back pressed against the cool wall. The silence around her was thick, almost suffocating. The weight of everything—the night, the decisions she'd made, and the overwhelming pull between her and Rafe—was settling in on her like an immovable force. She could still feel the ghost of his touch, the heat of his body beside hers, the lingering echo of his breath on her skin. It was like an invisible chain, tethering her to him, and no matter how far she tried to push herself away, it always seemed to pull her back.

She closed her eyes, her breath shaky as she leaned her head back against the wall. Why had she let it happen?

Her mind churned, replaying the way everything had unfolded. The tension had been building between them for so long, each unspoken word and lingering glance creating a web that had eventually trapped them both. But last night... last night had felt like something different. Something far more dangerous.

She pushed herself off the wall and took a few unsteady steps down the hallway, toward the living room. She needed to get out of her own head, needed to distract herself. But no matter how fast she moved, her thoughts followed. Rafe. The one person she should've stayed away from. The one person who had always been there, in the background, pulling at her heartstrings with a kind of recklessness that had always terrified her.

Her chest tightened, and for a moment, she felt like she might suffocate under the pressure of her own confusion. She should have been stronger. She should have known better than to give in. But the truth was, she had wanted it. No matter how much she tried to convince herself that it was a mistake, that she didn't need him in her life, the fact remained: she had wanted him. And now there was no going back.

As she walked into the living room, she noticed that the house was quiet, almost unnervingly so. She felt like the walls were closing in again, the heaviness of the situation making everything feel too close, too personal. She needed air. She needed space to breathe.

She opened the back door and stepped outside, the cool morning air hitting her skin like a welcome relief. The quiet of the backyard felt like a small reprieve, but it didn't take long before the weight of everything came rushing back.

She didn't know how long she stood there, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, staring out at the distant horizon. The thoughts in her head were a jumble of confusion and frustration. And then—unexpectedly—she heard footsteps behind her.

Sutton's heart skipped a beat. She knew who it was before she even turned around.

Rafe stood in the doorway, his silhouette framed by the light behind him. His gaze was steady, unreadable. He didn't say anything at first, just watched her with a look that seemed to pierce right through her, stripping away whatever fragile façade she'd been holding onto.

Finally, his voice broke the silence, low and guarded. "You've been avoiding me."

Sutton didn't respond right away. She couldn't. She wasn't sure if she even had the words to say to him. The memory of last night was still fresh, still raw, and the tension between them hung in the air like an electric charge.

"I'm not avoiding you," she said quietly, but her voice betrayed her—shaky, uncertain.

Rafe took a step forward, his eyes never leaving hers. "Really? Because it sure as hell feels like it."

Sutton swallowed hard, turning her gaze to the ground. "I just... I need some time to think," she muttered, unable to face him fully. The guilt she felt was suffocating. She hadn't expected this. She hadn't expected to feel so lost, so torn.

Rafe didn't say anything for a moment. He was close now, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off him. She hated how much she wanted to close the distance, to feel his presence again, to erase the space that had grown between them. But she couldn't.

"Are you a virgin," Rafe said, his voice quieter now, almost softer. 

Sutton turned to face him, her eyes meeting his for the first time since the morning. The intensity of his gaze made her heart race, and for a split second, it felt like everything else in the world had faded away.

But that's when the reality of the situation hit her like a freight train. What had they done?

She opened her mouth to respond, but the words caught in her throat. She was angry with herself. She was angry with him. And the worst part was, she was angry because she couldn't deny that part of her—some deep, hidden part of her—had been craving this. Craving him.

Sutton's heart slammed against her ribs, her mind a storm of confusion. She didn't know how to process any of this. The pull between them was undeniable, and it scared her more than anything. She was walking a razor-thin line, and she didn't know if she was strong enough to stay on it.

The world seemed to stop for a moment as they stood there, inches apart, both too scared to take the next step and too drawn to each other to turn away.

"Rafe..." she started, but he silenced her with a simple look.

"I wouldn't have done that if I had known, Sutton," he said, his voice low, intense. 

Sutton's heart fluttered in her chest, but she didn't know if that was excitement, fear, or something in between. The world around them felt like it was fading, and all she could focus on was him. Rafe. The one person who had always made her feel alive—and terrified—all at once.

And maybe, just maybe, that was the problem.

Sutton's pulse quickened as Rafe's words echoed in her mind. Her breath caught in her chest as her emotions swirled around her—guilt, desire, frustration, and confusion all blended together into one overwhelming force. She couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't keep pretending she was in control of the situation.

Without thinking, she stepped closer to him. Her hands trembled slightly as she reached up to touch his jaw, her fingers grazing his skin. Rafe's eyes flickered to her lips, and something in them darkened—something dangerous, something familiar. Before she knew it, she found herself pulling him in, her lips crashing against his.

It wasn't gentle. It wasn't soft. It was raw, driven by all the things they hadn't said, the years of unresolved tension and the complicated mess of their history. The kiss was everything—desire and anger, frustration and longing. Sutton couldn't stop herself. She kissed him like she was drowning, like he was the only thing she could hold onto.

When they finally broke apart, breathless and disoriented, Sutton's heart pounded in her chest. She stepped back, her body still tingling from the intensity of the moment.

"I'm leaving," she said, her voice shaky but resolute. "I can't do this anymore. I can't be with him and... be here with you. It's too much. I'm going to break up with Even."

Rafe's laugh was low, almost mocking, as he leaned back against the doorframe, a smug grin spreading across his face. "You're leaving Even? Well, you're real good at this whole cheating thing, huh?"

Sutton's stomach dropped. She hadn't expected him to be so indifferent, so... Rafe. But she felt the sting of his words, even as she tried to shake it off.

"Are you seriously laughing at me right now?" she demanded, her voice rising. "You know what happened wasn't planned. You don't get to judge me, Rafe."

He shrugged, looking completely unconcerned. "I don't date, Sutton. You know that." His tone was dismissive, his eyes gleaming with something almost cruel. "You've been playing this game for a while now, haven't you? And now you're just playing it with someone new, trying to get some satisfaction that you're not getting from your precious boyfriend."

The sting of his words hit harder than she expected, and she tried to swallow the knot that formed in her throat. But he was right—this whole situation, the tangled mess of feelings she couldn't untangle, had been her fault. She'd known better. She had known better than to get caught up in it again.

Sutton turned away, anger rising within her. "You're a real piece of work, you know that?"

Rafe's smirk deepened as he stepped toward her, a hint of something darker in his eyes. "You act like you don't know what you're getting into. But you do. You always have."

She didn't say anything more, too hurt and too angry to even process what he was saying. Instead, she grabbed her jacket off the chair and started toward the door.

"I'm done with this," she said, her voice firm but laced with all the confusion and emotions swirling inside her. "I'm leaving."

Rafe didn't stop her. He didn't try to make her stay. Instead, he watched her go, his expression unreadable. The door clicked shut behind her, and Sutton found herself outside, her heart still pounding, unsure of what she had just done or what was going to happen next. 

────

Sutton's thoughts were a chaotic whirlwind as she drove home, trying to calm her breath after what had just transpired with Rafe. Her heart was still pounding in her chest, the ache in her chest growing with each passing second. She had made a mistake, she knew that. But the confusion, the pull of desire, the anger—everything felt so unresolved. And she didn't know how to fix it.

She pulled up the driveway and got out of the car, the weight of the tension between her and Rafe still heavy on her shoulders. She entered the front door, her head already filled with the impending confrontation with Gabrielle. She wasn't sure how much more she could handle of her mother's constant judgment.

And then she heard it. A scream.

It came from the front entryway, high-pitched and frantic. Sutton froze. It was Gabrielle.

She rushed forward, heart pounding, and found her mother standing at the top of the staircase, her face flushed with anger and distress. Her eyes were wide, her breath coming in short gasps as she paced back and forth, her hands wringing in frustration.

"What's going on?" Sutton asked, her voice shaking slightly with the shock of seeing Gabrielle like this.

"You—" Gabrielle's voice cracked as she looked at Sutton, her gaze sharp and full of something close to fury. "I can't believe this. You—are you even listening to me anymore?"

Sutton felt her stomach drop, her already fragile emotions spiraling. "Mom, what's happening?"

Gabrielle's voice raised again, her words coming faster now. "You think you can just go off and do whatever you want, make decisions like this, and not affect the rest of us?! Eli—Eli!" she shouted, her voice breaking as she turned her attention to her younger son, who had appeared at the top of the stairs.

Eli stood frozen, confusion and concern written on his face. His eyes flicked from Gabrielle to Sutton, unsure of what was going on. Sutton's heart twisted for him. He had already been through so much, and now this?

"Mom, what are you talking about?" Sutton demanded, her voice raising with frustration. "Why are you flipping out like this?"

Before Gabrielle could answer, there was a loud crash from behind them. Sutton spun around to see Olivia, looking panicked, standing in the doorway to the living room. "Sutton!" Olivia's voice was strained. "You need to come quick, it's Eli—he's—"

Sutton's heart stopped. She immediately rushed past Olivia, her feet barely touching the ground as she bolted toward the hallway. Her mind raced. Was Eli hurt? Was he—

The sight that met her in the living room stopped her in her tracks. Eli was standing by the coffee table, clutching his chest, his face pale and contorted with pain. His breathing was shallow, ragged, his body trembling as if he were struggling to stay on his feet.

"Eli!" Sutton cried out, rushing to his side. She grabbed his arm, trying to support him as he stumbled, his face breaking into a grimace.

"I don't know what happened," Olivia said, her voice shaky. "He just collapsed, Sutton. I tried to help, but—"

Gabrielle's face drained of color as she rushed toward her son, her hands shaking as she tried to steady him. "Eli, baby, talk to me," she whispered desperately, trying to get him to respond.

But Eli's body went limp in her arms. Sutton's blood ran cold. "Eli? Eli!" she screamed, panic rising in her chest.

"We need to get him to the hospital!" Olivia shouted, her voice breaking. "Now!"

Without hesitation, Sutton scooped her brother into her arms, adrenaline coursing through her veins as she rushed him to the car, followed closely by Olivia and Gabrielle. Her mind was a blur as she tried to remain calm, trying to keep Eli from slipping into unconsciousness.

As they drove toward the hospital, every second felt like an eternity. Sutton's hands shook as she pressed them against her brother's chest, feeling the shallow rise and fall of his breath beneath her palms.

"Please, Eli, stay with me," she whispered, her voice cracking. Tears burned at the edges of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Not yet. Not when Eli needed her to be strong.

When they finally reached the hospital, the chaos only intensified. Nurses and doctors rushed around them, pulling Eli from Sutton's arms and rushing him into the ER. Sutton felt like she was losing control of everything. She had no idea what was happening to her brother, or why it was happening, but all she could do was wait and hope.

As they sat in the sterile waiting room, the tension was suffocating. Gabrielle was pacing, her hands pressed to her forehead in obvious distress. Olivia sat beside Sutton, her face pale as she tried to comfort her, but Sutton could hardly register anything except for the fear gnawing at her insides.

Hours seemed to drag by before a doctor finally appeared. Sutton leapt to her feet, her heart in her throat.

"Is he going to be okay?" Sutton asked, her voice thick with worry.

The doctor gave a sympathetic glance. "He's stable for now, but we need to run more tests to determine exactly what happened. It appears there may have been some complications with his heart. We'll need to keep him overnight for observation."

Sutton's breath hitched. Heart complications? Her mind reeled with the implications. Eli had already been through so much, and now this? What if it was worse than they realized?

She felt her world crashing down once more.

"This isn't happening," she whispered, unable to fight the tears anymore. "I can't lose him."

Gabrielle finally collapsed into the chair next to Sutton, her face crumpling as she broke down, sobs wracking her body. "I'm so sorry, Sutton. I—" She choked on her words, unable to finish her sentence.

Sutton pulled her mother into an embrace, trying to offer some comfort, even as her heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces.

But amidst the fear, the panic, and the uncertainty, there was one thing Sutton knew for sure—she was going to do everything she could to protect Eli, no matter what it took.

────

Now, in the too-bright waiting room, Sutton was left with nothing but the lingering panic and the unbearable, crushing guilt pressing down on her chest.

Her phone buzzed in her lap, breaking the silence.

She glanced down.

Rafe: 

Heard you had a rough night, S.

Her stomach twisted violently.

Of course, he knew. Of course, he had to insert himself, even now.

Her fingers clenched around the phone, the screen's glow sharp against her skin. She stared at the message, feeling a mix of anger and something else—something dangerous and pathetic—curl in her gut.

Why did he always have to be right there, waiting for her to break?

She locked the screen without responding, shoving the phone into her hoodie pocket as the door to the exam room opened.

A doctor stepped out, his expression unreadable.

"Elijah Hayes?"

All four of them shot to their feet at once.

Sutton's heart slammed against her ribs, the sterile scent of the hospital suddenly too strong, too sharp.

The doctor stood in front of them, his expression carefully neutral, but Sutton knew bad news when she saw it. She could feel the weight of it pressing down before he even opened his mouth.

"We've run tests," he began, his voice even, measured. "And we have a diagnosis."

A pause. Too long. Too heavy.

"Elijah has epilepsy." 

The air was sucked from the room.

Sutton barely registered the sharp inhale Olivia took beside her. Gabrielle, who had been pacing, demanding answers, firing off questions at every nurse and technician who crossed her path, went deathly still. Even Zach—who had spent the entire night trying to act like he had everything under control—dropped his head into his hands, exhaling slowly, like he was physically trying to hold himself together.

Eli.

Sutton turned her head to look at him, but he wasn't looking at any of them. He was staring straight ahead, jaw clenched, expression carefully blank.

The doctor kept talking, but his voice blurred into static.

Seizures. Neurological disorder. Medication. Lifelong.

Permanent.

Sutton felt like the floor had disappeared beneath her.

The fall.

The one that put Eli in the hospital in the first place. The one that had made her break up with John B. The moment she had replayed in her head a thousand times, convinced that if she had just been there—if she had just stopped it—none of this would have happened.

And now it wasn't just an accident.

This wasn't temporary.

This wasn't something he could recover from and move on.

This was forever.

A noise broke through the ringing in her ears. Gabrielle's voice—sharp, urgent. She had snapped back into control, pressing the doctor for details, for treatment plans, for options. Because that's what Gabrielle did—she took control. She managed. She fixed things.

But she couldn't fix this.

Sutton's stomach twisted violently.

She barely noticed Olivia, silent and rigid beside her. She barely noticed Zach, who was rubbing a hand over his face, his knuckles white from the pressure.

Her fingers curled into the fabric of her sleeve.

Everything was slipping.

And for the first time, she wasn't sure if there was anything left to hold onto.

Sutton barely had time to process the weight of Eli's diagnosis before the next blow landed.

"Because Eli is still a minor," the doctor said, his tone gentle but firm, "we are legally required to notify his father."

Gabrielle's entire body went rigid.

Sutton's stomach bottomed out.

No.

Not him.

Not Carl.

Not again.

Not the man who had walked out on them, who had left their family in pieces and never once looked back.

For the first time since they'd stepped into the hospital, Eli reacted. His head snapped toward the doctor, his face twisting in a way Sutton had never seen before.

"You're calling him?" Eli's voice cracked, a mix of disbelief and panic.

The doctor hesitated. "Legally, we have to inform him of the diagnosis—"

"Legally?" Eli laughed bitterly. "Where was the law when he left? When he didn't give a shit about us for years?"

"Eli," Gabrielle warned, but there was no conviction behind it. She was just as furious.

Zach let out a curse, running both hands through his hair. "This is a fucking joke."

Sutton was frozen, the walls of the hospital pressing in.

Carl was going to come.

After all this time, after all the silence, after leaving them to pick up the pieces of what he destroyed—he was going to show up because the law said he had to.

Like he suddenly had a say in Eli's life.

Her pulse thundered in her ears, her hands clenched so tightly her nails dug into her palms.

Gabrielle must have felt it too because she inhaled sharply, as if making a decision. Without a word, she turned on her heel and strode out of the hospital room.

Sutton barely had a second to register it before Zach followed. "Where are you going?"

Gabrielle didn't stop walking. "I'm calling Ward."

That made Sutton snap out of her daze. "What? Mom, why—"

"Because if Carl is coming, I want someone here who can actually protect Eli."

Sutton stopped short.

Gabrielle never asked for help. She never reached out to anyone—she was always the one in control, the one managing everything. But right now, she looked desperate.

And Ward Cameron was the kind of man who got things done.

Fifteen minutes later, everything spiraled even more.

Ward didn't just show up—he brought the entire Cameron family with him.

The moment they stepped into the hospital, everything changed.

Rose, always poised, surveyed the scene with quiet calculation, while Sarah lingered beside her, exchanging a glance with Sutton that was unreadable.

But it was Rafe who Sutton's gaze locked onto.

He stood beside his father, hands shoved into the pockets of his hoodie, looking effortlessly unbothered—except Sutton knew him too well. She caught the way his jaw tightened when he saw her. When he saw the way she was gripping her sleeve, barely keeping it together.

His sharp blue eyes flicked to Eli, still pale in the hospital bed, then back to Sutton.

There was something in his gaze.

Something dangerous.

Something that said if Carl so much as looked at Eli the wrong way, he wouldn't make it out of the hospital in one piece.

And for the first time that night, Sutton wasn't sure if she wanted to stop him.

Because Carl was coming.

And this was about to get so much worse.

────

The air in the hospital waiting room was suffocating, thick with an unspoken tension that stretched between them all. The sterile white walls felt colder under the fluorescent lights, and the quiet hum of machines in the background did nothing to ease Sutton's growing sense of dread.

Carl was coming.

Sutton wrapped her arms tightly around herself, trying to suppress the trembling that had started in her hands. The weight of everything pressed down on her—Eli's diagnosis, the memories of his fall, the fact that this was permanent. She hadn't even begun to process it, and now she had to brace herself for the arrival of the last person she ever wanted to see.

Across the room, Gabrielle stood with her arms crossed, her nails digging into her sleeves, her usual composed expression cracking at the edges. She was furious. Desperate. And that's why she had called Ward Cameron.

He stood beside her now, the very picture of power and control. Even in the harsh hospital lighting, he looked untouched by the chaos around him, his crisp button-down unwrinkled, his presence commanding. If anyone could handle Carl, it was Ward.

But Sutton wasn't sure anyone could stop what was coming.

Rose hovered just behind him, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against her arm as she scanned the room with a sharp, assessing gaze. Next to her, Sarah shifted uncomfortably, glancing between Sutton and Eli. There was a flicker of something in her expression—concern, maybe—but Sutton barely registered it.

Because Rafe was watching her.

He leaned against the far wall, arms crossed, his blue eyes unreadable. He hadn't said a word since arriving, but his presence alone was enough to make the air feel heavier.

Sutton met his gaze for only a moment before looking away, her chest tightening.

She didn't have the energy for whatever this was.

Not after last night.

Not after the way he had laughed at her, dismissed her, reminded her that she had cheated on her boyfriend like it was nothing. Like she was nothing.

She didn't have time to think about the way his touch had lingered or the way her body still remembered the way he felt against her.

Not now.

Because the sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway, and everything stopped.

Sutton felt her breath catch in her throat as Carl walked into view.

He didn't look how she remembered him. He looked different than last time, like with in the weeks he had gotten his shit together. 

Gone was the disheveled, unkempt man who reeked of alcohol and regret. Instead, Carl Hayes walked into the hospital with an air of confidence, dressed in a neatly pressed polo and slacks, his dark hair trimmed and graying at the temples. His face was clean-shaven, his skin clear—healthy. Almost too healthy, like a stranger wearing her father's face.

And he wasn't alone.

Beside him was a woman, tall and blonde, dressed in an elegant but understated wrap dress. She carried herself with ease, her expression unreadable as she walked slightly behind Carl, scanning the room like she was assessing a business deal.

Sutton's stomach twisted.

He had moved on.

She shouldn't be surprised. He had walked away from them years ago, started over somewhere else, built a life that didn't include them.

But it still made her sick to see it.

Carl's gaze swept the room before landing on Eli. His lips pressed together, and for a split second, Sutton thought she saw something like concern flicker in his expression.

Then, his gaze shifted to Gabrielle, and his jaw tightened.

"Well," he said, exhaling sharply. "I wish I could say I was surprised."

The words cut through the room like a blade.

Gabrielle's back went ramrod straight. "Excuse me?"

Carl gestured toward Eli's hospital bed. "This is the second time he's ended up in the hospital in a short amount of time, isn't it?" His voice was even, calm—but there was something pointed in the way he said it.

Sutton stiffened.

Ward Cameron's expression didn't change, but she felt the tension radiating off of him.

Gabrielle, however, didn't waver. She tilted her chin up, her eyes like steel. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

Carl let out a humorless laugh, shaking his head. "I think I do. I get a call saying my son is in the hospital—again—and I show up to find out he's been diagnosed with epilepsy." He turned back to Eli, his expression softening just slightly. "I'm sorry, kid. I really am. But you have to admit—this is serious."

Eli said nothing.

Carl sighed, rubbing a hand over his jaw before looking back at Gabrielle. "I hate to say it, but I have to ask—are you sure you're capable of handling this?"

Gabrielle sucked in a sharp breath.

Sutton's stomach lurched.

"You have some nerve," Zach cut in, his voice like ice. He had been silent until now, standing just to the side, his posture tense. But now he stepped forward, his eyes blazing. "You walked out on us. You don't get to come back years later and pretend you suddenly give a damn."

Carl exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "That's not what this is about, Zachary."

"No?" Zach's fists clenched at his sides. "Then what is this about?"

Carl's jaw tightened. "This is about whether or not your mother is in a position to take care of Eli properly. And if she's not—"

"Don't you dare," Gabrielle snapped. Her voice was sharp enough to cut glass.

Carl's new girlfriend finally spoke. "Carl just wants to make sure Eli has the best care possible." Her voice was smooth, measured. "Surely, that's not unreasonable."

Gabrielle let out a sharp breath, her eyes flashing. "He has the best care. He has me."

Carl's lips pressed into a thin line. "We'll see."

The tension in the room was unbearable. Sutton's nails dug into her palms as she fought the urge to scream.

He couldn't do this.

He had no right.

And yet, the way he stood there—the way he spoke like he had any authority, any claim on their lives—it made her blood boil.

She opened her mouth, ready to say something, anything—

But then Eli shifted in bed, wincing slightly as he sat up straighter.

And then—

His body jerked violently, his eyes rolling back.

The heart monitor started beeping erratically.

"Oh my god," Olivia gasped.

Gabrielle let out a choked cry, rushing forward just as a nurse burst into the room, calling for a doctor.

Eli's body convulsed, his limbs thrashing against the sheets.

Sutton's stomach dropped.

A seizure.

This was happening.

"Do something!" Gabrielle shouted, panic cracking her voice.

Zach's face was pale, frozen in horror.

Carl took an instinctive step forward, his expression shocked—but it was Ward Cameron who moved first, quickly guiding Gabrielle back as the medical team descended on Eli.

Sutton couldn't move.

She could only watch, her heart hammering against her ribs as her little brother's body betrayed him.

This wasn't just a diagnosis.

This was real.

This was happening.

And there wasn't a damn thing she could do to stop it.

"Out—everyone out now!"

The doctor's voice was sharp, urgent. Nurses flooded into the room, moving with a precision that sent a bolt of fear straight through Sutton's chest.

She couldn't move.

Eli was still seizing.

A nurse grasped her shoulder, urging her toward the door, but it felt like her feet were stuck to the floor. She didn't want to leave. She couldn't.

But then Zach was at her side, his hand gripping her wrist. "Come on."

Somehow, she let him pull her away.

The moment they were in the hall, the tension exploded.

"He is my son," Gabrielle snapped, her voice razor-sharp. "And I will not stand here and be questioned like I'm some negligent mother—"

"I'm not questioning, Gabrielle," Carl said smoothly, folding his arms across his chest. "I'm stating facts. This is the second time in weeks that Eli has ended up in the hospital under your watch."

Gabrielle took a step forward, her hands shaking at her sides. "How dare you."

Carl's new girlfriend—what was her name?—exhaled through her nose, stepping up beside him like they were some unified force. "We just want to make sure Eli is in the best possible situation."

Gabrielle let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "You mean you want to make yourself feel better for never being around? For disappearing for years?"

Carl's expression didn't waver. "The past isn't what we're talking about right now. We're talking about Eli's future."

"His future," Ward Cameron interjected, his voice calm but laced with authority, "isn't up for discussion. He has a stable home, a mother who has been there since day one, and siblings who love him. That's not changing."

"This isn't your business," Carl bit out, turning to Ward, eyes narrowing.

"I made it my business when Gabrielle called me." Ward's expression didn't shift. "And as someone who's known this family for years, I can confidently say that Eli is in good hands."

Carl scoffed, shaking his head. "Of course, you'd take her side."

"Oh, please," Rose cut in, her voice dripping with condescension. "You show up here, after years of not giving a damn, with some woman who doesn't even know Eli, and you expect to be taken seriously?"

Carl's girlfriend bristled. "I think I've heard enough from you."

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm just getting started," Rose shot back.

Gabrielle let out a sharp breath. "None of this is about you, Rose."

"No," Carl said, leveling her with a look. "It's about you. And your ability to parent."

Gabrielle's eyes flashed dangerously, and for a second, Sutton thought she might actually slap him.

"Enough!" Zach's voice rang out, sharp and commanding. "This isn't about any of you." He looked between them, disgust written all over his face. "Eli is in there, fighting for his life, and you're out here arguing about who's the better parent? Do you even hear yourselves?"

For a split second, there was silence.

Then Olivia stepped forward. "Zach's right," she said, voice softer but firm. "Fighting won't change anything. It won't help Eli."

Sarah nodded, arms crossed tightly over her chest. "Can we just focus on what actually matters?"

No one answered, but the tension still lingered, thick and suffocating.

A choked sob suddenly broke through the air.

Sutton turned toward the sound and spotted Weezie.

She stood a few feet away, her arms wrapped around herself, her shoulders trembling. Tears streamed down her cheeks, her normally bright, mischievous expression twisted with worry.

Sutton felt something deep in her chest crack.

Without thinking, she moved.

"Weeze," she murmured, crouching down in front of her. "Hey. It's okay."

Weezie sniffled, rubbing at her eyes with the sleeves of her sweater. "It's not okay. Eli's sick. He's—he's not going to be okay."

Sutton's throat tightened. "He's going to be okay. He has the best doctors, and he's strong. Stronger than all of us."

Weezie bit her lip, looking away. "But what if he's not?"

Sutton hesitated, searching for the right words. She wasn't sure there were any.

But then, a voice cut in.

"Hey."

She glanced up.

Rafe.

He had stepped away from the wall, his usual arrogance stripped away, replaced by something quieter, something more measured.

"I was gonna grab a coffee," he said, nodding toward the hallway. "You two wanna come?"

Sutton blinked.

Of all the things she had expected him to say, that wasn't one of them.

Weezie sniffled again, glancing between them. "Really?"

Rafe nodded. "Yeah. Get out of here for a sec. Clear your head."

Sutton hesitated.

Rafe had been a thousand things to her—an irritant, a complication, a source of constant tension.

But right now, in this moment, he was just... there.

Offering a way out.

A break.

She looked at Weezie, who was still pale and sniffling, her small shoulders hunched like the weight of the world was on them.

And she made a decision.

"Yeah," she murmured. "Let's go."

Rafe didn't smirk, didn't gloat. He just nodded, slipping his hands into his pockets and leading the way down the hall.

────

Rafe led them down the hallway, past the sterile walls and the muffled sounds of the hospital. He moved with an ease that Sutton couldn't quite understand, like none of this chaos had any effect on him. Or maybe he just knew how to mask it better than they did.

They reached the hospital café, which was mostly empty, save for a couple of nurses on break. The overhead lights buzzed faintly, the air thick with the smell of burnt coffee and cheap pastries.

Weezie sniffled beside her, her arms still crossed over her chest. Rafe moved toward the counter, glancing at them. "What do you guys want?"

Sutton shook her head. "I don't—"

"Hot chocolate," Weezie mumbled.

Rafe nodded. "Hot chocolate it is." He looked at Sutton again. "You sure?"

She hesitated, her throat still raw from everything that had happened in the last hour. "Yeah. I'm good."

He didn't push, just ordered two hot chocolates and a coffee for himself.

The three of them slid into a small booth near the window. Outside, the world continued on, oblivious to the disaster unfolding inside the hospital.

Weezie cupped her drink between her hands, staring down at it. The silence stretched between them for a moment before she blurted out, "What if Eli dies?"

Sutton's stomach clenched.

"Weezie," she started.

"No, really," Weezie pressed, her voice rising slightly. "What if he dies, and—and I didn't even get to kiss him?"

Sutton blinked. "What?"

Weezie's face turned red. "I mean, not like a real kiss! But, like, a kiss! Just once. Just to know what it's like." She let out a frustrated sigh, slumping against the seat. "I've had a crush on him for forever, and now he has epilepsy and a brain injury, and he's probably never going to look at me like that, and what if he dies and I never even—"

Sutton cracked.

A laugh burst out of her before she could stop it.

Weezie turned to her, scandalized. "Are you laughing?"

Sutton tried to stop, but she couldn't. She pressed her hand to her mouth, but the sound kept slipping through. The more she tried to contain it, the worse it got. Tears pricked her eyes, her shoulders shaking.

"Eli's not going to die," she managed, still laughing, but there was something unhinged about it, something desperate.

And then, just like that—her laughter twisted into something else entirely.

The tears that had started as part of her laughter suddenly weren't funny anymore. Her breath hitched, and she pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes, but it was useless.

It all hit her at once.

Eli in that hospital bed. The doctors rushing in. The way Gabrielle and Carl were at each other's throats. The way it felt like everything in her life was completely and utterly out of her control.

Sutton let out a sharp breath, trying to keep it together, but she was shaking, her chest tight and burning.

Then, unexpectedly—Rafe's arm was there.

It wasn't some dramatic gesture. He didn't say anything. He didn't pull her into him.

But his arm was there.

Right against her back, solid and warm.

Awkward as hell.

But steady.

She let out a shaky breath, forcing herself to get it together, but it was hard. She was exhausted and raw, and she couldn't cry in front of Rafe Cameron, of all people.

But he didn't tease. He didn't smirk.

He just sat there, his fingers drumming against the table, his gaze fixed somewhere across the room.

Weezie wiped at her nose. "So, um. Anyway. Do you think Eli would ever—"

Sutton groaned, shaking her head. "Weeze. Please."

Rafe exhaled a laugh, shaking his head as he leaned back in the booth. "Jesus Christ," he muttered. "This is the weirdest emotional breakdown I've ever witnessed."

Sutton let out a breath, shaking her head, but there was a ghost of a smile there.

Weezie suddenly went stiff, her hands gripping the paper cup like she just realized what she had said out loud.

Her eyes darted between Sutton and Rafe before she cleared her throat, shifting in her seat. "I mean—hypothetically—if I did have a crush on Eli, which I don't—"

Sutton raised an eyebrow. "Weeze."

Weezie's face turned even redder. "I'm just saying! Maybe I meant another Eli! You don't know that!"

Sutton let out a small laugh, finally wiping away the lingering wetness on her cheeks. "Weeze, every girl has a crush on her best friend's brother at some point. It's, like, a rule of life."

"So I am your bestie!" Weezie huffed, blowing a piece of hair out of her face. "Well, if it's a rule, then technically that means it goes both ways."

Sutton just rolled her eyes, about to respond, when Weezie tacked on, "I mean when we were younger, it was actually the other way around."

Sutton blinked. "What?"

Weezie shrugged, looking far too pleased with herself. "I mean, you're over here saying every girl likes the best friend's brother, but when we were little, it was actually Rafe who had the crush on you."

Rafe choked so violently on his coffee that he nearly dropped the cup.

Sutton turned to him just in time to see him pounding a fist against his chest, coughing hard. "The fuck?" he wheezed, barely getting the words out.

Weezie smirked. "Oh, please, don't act like you don't remember."

Rafe set his coffee down with more force than necessary, still clearing his throat. "I literally have no idea what you're talking about," he muttered, shifting in his seat.

Weezie leaned her chin into her hand, looking far too entertained. "Sure you don't."

Sutton crossed her arms, fighting back a smirk of her own. "Oh, this is interesting. I'd love to hear more."

Rafe shot her a glare. "There's nothing to hear because it never happened."

Weezie shrugged, all innocence. "I mean, if you say so..."

Sutton turned her attention back to her. "How young are we talking?"

Weezie's grin widened. "Mmm... maybe, like, seven? six? It was when I was still playing with dolls and you used to come over all the time. I remember because Rafe would always act so weird when you were around."

Rafe groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. "I swear to God—"

Weezie ignored him. "Oh! And there was that one summer where you got a scrape on your knee, and he ran inside to get you a Band-Aid before you even said anything."

Sutton turned to him, amused. "That's oddly thoughtful of you."

"It never happened," Rafe gritted out, exasperated.

Weezie just hummed. "If you say so."

Sutton shook her head, leaning back against the booth. "This might be the highlight of my entire night."

Rafe groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "I hate both of you."