happy place || jj maybank ON HOLD

chapter eleven

A/N: I know I said Rafe would be different in this book, but it's kind of hard to paint his character in a different way. I can't figure out how to portray him in a good light and still have important plot points work out, so I will keep him closer to how he is in the series.

⚠️ tw: sexual assault/harassment

I turn around and find Pope staring back at me.

"Pope?" I say, surprised.

"Where were you?" Pope questions. I walk into the kitchen, away form the bathroom that Rafe was currently hiding in, praying Pope didn't see anything.

"Are the others here?" I ask, ignoring his previous question.

"No, just me." He says, "Kiara's working. JB and JJ went back to the Chateau earlier to grab some more beers, then drank half of them and were too drunk to drive back over here." He says, rolling his eyes, obviously annoyed at the pair.

"No offense Pope, I'm glad you're here I haven't seen you in a while," I say, briefly hugging him, "but, why are you here?" I finish, laughing a little.

"JJ said you were better, so John B said we should surprise you with having a movie night here. But when we got here you weren't here. John's not happy, by the way, he thought you were staying in tonight."

"Well John's not my dad." I fight back.

"Don't be like that, Vienna. He's not your dad, but he's pretty much your brother. He's the closest thing you have to family and you know it."

"But I'm not a baby, Pope! We're the same age. I should be able to go out and make my own choices."

"I'm not disagreeing with that, V. But you have to see it from his side. You've been having a hard time and locked yourself in here for a week, he's just worried." He explains, calming his voice. "He just wanted to check on you and you weren't where you said you'd be. I've never seen him be so overprotective before." He laughs a little, lightening the mood slightly.

"Yeah, I know. He's always been like that with me. But now, with his dad and my parents and everything, I can tell he feels a need to keep me protected or whatever." I say, feeling a little guilty for worrying him so much. I'm so used to being destructive and reckless with no repercussions, I guess that stopped now.

"So where were you?" He asks again.

"Pope, please don't tell him you saw me, please. Just say you were tired of waiting for me and went home. I promise I'll never do this again. You can even take my car!" I rush out, handing him my car keys off the counter.

Pope contemplates my words for a minute, "Fine." He says, taking the keys. I get excited, and hug him again, thanking him. "But only if you explain to John where you were." He says, which I sigh to. "Tomorrow, Vienna. You said you'd be there tomorrow morning so you better be. Explain it to him first thing when you wake up or I will."

"You don't even know what happened, Pope. What would you say to him?" I say, shaking my head as Pope makes his way to the door.

"I'd tell him what happened" he repeats, now standing in the doorway, "That you came home drunk at 1 am with Rafe Cameron." He speaks, shutting the door before I could respond.

"Well fuck." I mutter, running a hand through my hair.

"Since when do you know the Pouges," Rafe scoffs, "and why do they care so much?" Rafe questions, coming out of the bathroom, obviously eavesdropping on Pope and I's conversation. He takes a seat on the couch.

"Since when do you care?" I say, smiling at him, moving to straddle his waist, hoping he'd just shut up, forget it happened, and stop asking questions.