His Choice - Rafe Cameron

13. Passcode

I pull up to the carpark of the Mariner. This is priority parking and I am most certainly not allowed to park here, but I don't care. I'm only going to be here for a few minutes while I wait for JJ to finish work. 

I remove my helmet and place it on the back of the bike before taking out the spare helmet from the back because JJ and I will be riding home together. While I am fiddling with the helmet attached to the back of the motorcycle, I hear the gravel moving beneath somebodies feet in the near distance. I look up, expecting to see JJ but instead I see Rafe with takeout swinging in a bag in his right hand. I always see him with takeout. I don't think this guy ever cooks. 

My facial expression must have been sinister because he holds his hands up in surrender. "Relax, I'm just here to ask one simple question."

"The answer is no." I place the helmet down on top of the seat and turn my back away from Rafe. I lean back on the motorcycle and mentally pray that I put the stand up properly because it will be humiliating if I fall backwards right now. 

 He walks around to the front and stands in front of me. I can smell fish and chips coming from his bag of food. The scent makes me hungry. 

"I found another book."

"Unless it's a book on 99 reasons why Rafe Cameron should not be trusted, I'm not interested."

He rolls his eyes. "I found it on North Island at our other property there. Anyway, that's not important. What is important, is the fact that the book is the second part to that sailor... what was his name?" He clicks his fingers a couple of times before pointing to me. "Gerald, it was Gerald's journal. However, since the idiot doesn't know how to write like a normal person, the book is filled with more of those stupid riddles and-" he pauses and scratches the back of his neck before speaking. "I need your help solving them." It almost looks like it was painful for him to ask me for help. 

Scraping my foot along the rocks in the road, I cross my arms over my chest and answer him firmly. "No."

He raises an eyebrow at me. "No?"

"You heard me correctly."

His reaction to my answer all but confirms that no isn't a word that Rafe is used to hearing. 

Rafe reaches out to touch my arm, but I push his hand away. He takes a voluntary step backwards from me. "Look." He says calmly. "I'm sorry okay. You're pissed at me because I wouldn't let you come with me to the lighthouse. You have to understand it from my perspective. I'm not the bad guy here."

"And I am?"

"No." He says defeatedly. "It's always been my Dad and I. Don't take it personally, I can't trust any-" 

"Hey Scarlett, is this asshole bothering you?" JJ's voice cuts off Rafe mid-sentence. JJ walks over to where we are standing and moves protectively close to me. He places his arm around my shoulder and leans into me. 

I shake my head at him. "Hey JJ. No, Rafe was just leaving."

Rafe lets out a hostile snicker. "You always follow her around, don't you? Like a little bitch. You know, Scarlett is quite capable of making her own decisions of who she wants to talk to."

"And judging from her body language, I know that she doesn't want to talk to you."

"I don't know about that." Rafe smugly glances from JJ, to me and raises his eyebrow. "Right Scarlett?"

JJ removes his hand from around me and takes a step forwards, glaring straight at Rafe. "If I were you, I would shut the fuck up and walk away before I shut your mouth for you."