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''Rafe! Thank you!''

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THE TRUCK FINALLY rolled to a stop, the brakes hissing sharply. I glanced at Rafe, who shifted beside me, his hand moving to lift the tarp. 

Rafe stepped down first, his boots hitting the ground with a muted thud. He turned back, extending a hand to me. I hesitated for a second before reaching out, letting him help me down.

''Come on,'' he instructed, already moving ahead. ''My boat's down here.''

We walked along the weathered dock, the faint smell of saltwater and gasoline hanging heavy in the air. The wooden planks creaked beneath our feet, and the water slapped gently against the pilings.

Rafe stopped at a sleek-looking boat bobbing slightly in the water. ''Make sure your shoes are off,'' he warned as he stepped aboard, casually kicking his own shoes to the side.

I stayed put on the dock, my arms crossed as I watched him move about the boat with practiced ease.

''Okay,'' he called out after a moment, glancing back at me while untying one of the ropes securing the boat. ''We should have enough juice to get us to Saint Lucia, no problem.'' He tossed the rope onto the dock with a smooth motion before heading toward the steering wheel.

''Hey,'' he called again, his voice firm. ''Get in the boat.''

I narrowed my eyes, my feet rooted to the dock. ''You're not gonna pull anything?''

Rafe turned, his brow furrowed in mock offence. ''No, of course not,'' he replied. His expression softened as he added, ''I know I apologised like a thousand times and explained myself, but I understand why you still might be scared of me.''

He held up his hand, pinky extended. ''But remember the pinky promise?''

I sighed. For a fleeting moment, I thought about how hard this next move would be. His eyes held a rare sincerity, one that almost made me hesitate. Almost.

''Hey, uh, I... I can't get it,'' I called out, crouching down and pretending to fumble with my shoe.

Rafe tilted his head, confused. ''What?''

''I need some help,'' I added, my voice even.

''Yeah, yeah, sure,'' he agreed, moving toward me. He slid down the front of the boat with ease, swinging a leg over the railing and crouching down to untie the bow line. 

The second his hands were occupied with the rope, I acted. With all the strength I could muster, I shoved him backward. His body hit the water with a loud splash, the sound echoing off the quiet dock.

''I'm so sorry,'' I mumbled, guilt pooling in my chest even as I scrambled onto the boat and darted toward the steering wheel.

''Mavie!'' Rafe's voice was sharp, cutting through the sound of the motor roaring to life. ''Hey!''

I glanced back briefly, guilt twisting in my stomach at the sight of him treading water. ''I promised to get you out safely, right?'' I called over the noise. ''Now I gotta save my friends.''

''You don't know what you're doing!'' he shouted. ''Hey!''

I gripped the wheel tightly, steering away from the dock. ''Rafe! Thank you!'' I yelled, my voice carrying over the waves.

He didn't respond, his expression unreadable as he watched me pull further and further away.

As the boat surged forward, I felt a mix of relief and uncertainty. Rafe had told me to save my thanks for when he truly deserved it, and this time, he had. In some twisted way, we were even now. I hope next time we cross paths, he wouldn't be too mad about that.

As I swam further away from him, I wondered, why the hell was he so obsessed with that damn pinky promise?

I grabbed the phone again and checked the messages. I sent them a picture of myself on the boat. ''Just in case ya'll didn't catch up it's me yet, P4L''

The boat rocked gently as I tied it to the dock, securing the knot with hands that trembled slightly from adrenaline. The salty breeze brushed against my face, but it was the sound of my name that made me snap my head up.

''Mavie!''

The next thing I knew, JJ was sprinting toward me, his feet pounding against the uneven ground. He moved like a blur, outpacing everyone behind him as if his life depended on it. Before I could brace myself, he collided into me, his arms wrapping around me with enough force to make my ribs protest.

''Oh my god,'' he breathed, crushing me further against him.

''JJ,'' I wheezed, half laughing, half choking, ''I can't—breathe.''

''Shit,'' he muttered, pulling back just enough to look me over. His hands gripped my shoulders as his blue eyes scanned me for any injuries. ''Are you okay? You're not hurt?''

I shook my head, offering a small smile. ''I'm fine, JJ.''

''Do not ever do that again,'' John B's voice cut through the air as he stepped forward, his face hard but his eyes full of worry. He reached for me next, pulling me into a tight embrace.

''Oh, crap,'' I muttered into his shoulder, ''I had getting kidnapped planned for tonight. Guess I'll have to reschedule.''

Kiara snorted a laugh, shaking her head as she moved in to hug me next. ''You scared the crap out of us, Mavie.''

Before I knew it, the Pogues had formed a circle around me, their arms tangling as they each reached out to hold me. The warmth of their bodies and their relief made my throat tighten.

Kiara stepped back, her eyes scanning my dress. ''Wow, you look hot,'' she teased, nudging me lightly. ''Didn't know kidnapping came with wardrobe upgrades.''

''Yeah, about that...'' I trailed off awkwardly, tugging at the hem of the fabric.

JJ's gaze shifted past me to the boat, his eyebrows shooting up. ''Are you kidding me?'' he asked, his voice incredulous. ''Is this you?''

John B blinked at the sight of the sleek vessel. ''What—what is...''

Sarah let out a short laugh, her confusion evident as she gestured toward the boat. ''What's going on here?''

''That's a long story,'' I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck with a sheepish grin.

Before I could even start explaining, John B suddenly darted past us, leaping off the boat and heading toward the beach.

''Hey! What are you doing?'' Pope called after him, frowning.

''I'll be right back!'' John B yelled over his shoulder, his voice fading as he ran further away.

''What are—what?'' Pope repeated, exasperated.

John B turned briefly, throwing a hand in the air. ''Be right back! I love you, Sarah!''

''What the hell?'' Pope muttered, clearly baffled, before turning his attention back to me. His expression softened as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small package of brightly coloured bandages. ''Alright, I don't have your favourite Peppa Pig ones, but I've got Mickey Mouse.''

The gesture made me laugh. ''I won't ask where you got those,'' I replied, holding up my hands. ''But surprisingly, I don't need them.''

He shrugged, tucking the bandages away. ''I'll hold onto them, just in case.''

JJ crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing slightly. ''Alright, Mavie. Mind explaining where the hell you've been and how you got out?''

I exhaled, settling down onto the boat's edge as the group gathered around me. ''Okay,'' I started, the words tumbling out faster than I intended. I explained everything—the way Singh had obsessed over the diary, how he killed Jimmy beacause he tried to help me out, the panic that had gripped me during the escape, and how, against all odds, it was Rafe who had helped me.

When I mentioned that Rafe trusted only me, JJ snorted loudly, disbelief written all over his face. ''So you're telling me you shoved him off his own boat to get to us?''

''I had to,'' I insisted, my lips twitching with a small, guilty smile.

Pope and JJ didn't hesitate—they wrapped me in another tight hug.

''Guys,'' Sarah's voice broke through, ''you're actually going to choke her.''

''Worth it,'' JJ replied, grinning as he squeezed me one last time.

I let myself relax. Even though the storm wasn't over, for now, I was where I belonged.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

THE ORANGE GLOW of the setting sun cast long shadows over the deck as we waited. The gentle slap of water against the boat was the only sound until Pope broke the silence.

''I can't believe he just took off.'' 

I had been scanning the horizon, keeping an eye out for John B, but instead, a low rumble reached my ears. My stomach dropped as I recognised the distinct growl of motorcycles. The sound sent a chill down my spine, and my gaze darted toward the approaching vehicles.

''JJ,'' I called, my voice sharper than I intended.

He immediately spun around, his body tensing like a spring ready to snap. When he saw the riders closing in, his expression hardened.

''That's Singh's men,'' Cleo observed grimly.

Pope's voice wavered as he asked, ''Where's John B?''

''He said he'd be back by now,'' Sarah replied, but even she didn't sound convinced.

''Correction,'' I added dryly, trying to mask my growing fear, ''he said 'be right back,' and that usually means twenty to thirty minutes—unless you're John B.''

Kiara shot me a strained smile, but no one laughed.

''JJ, what are we gonna do?'' Pope asked, his tone rising with panic.

JJ was already pulling a gun from his bag, his eyes blazing. ''We gotta make a stand. That's the only option.''

Kiara threw up her hands. ''Are you serious right now?''

''We're not leaving John B!'' JJ barked. ''We are not splitting up again!''

Kiara's voice cracked with frustration. ''Did y'all not hear what Mimi said? He killed Portis! He's not messing around.''

I stepped closer to her, placing a hand on her arm. ''Kie, I love you, and trust me, I know how bad it was in there. But I'm not leaving John B.''

''No pogue left behind,'' Pope chimed in.

''Guys, they're getting closer!'' Kiara shouted, her wide eyes flicking between the motorcycles and the rest of us.

JJ's voice was a shout over the chaos. ''We're not splitting up again!''

''Shit,'' I muttered under my breath, rushing to the wheel and shoving the lever forward. The boat lurched into motion, but the men on motorcycles were relentless.

Kiara's scream cut through the air. ''We don't have a choice anymore!''

''John B! We need to get John B!'' JJ shouted, pacing back and forth on the deck like a caged animal.

''Shut up! Shut up!'' Pope hollered, his frustration boiling over.

Kiara tried to reassure him, though her voice wavered. ''We'll find John B later.''

''We can't just leave him like that, Pope!'' JJ protested, his voice cracking.

I stepped in, forcing my voice to stay calm despite the panic clawing at my chest. ''JJ, we can't help him if we get caught! Do you want to end up in a mansion with dogs and armed guards breathing down your neck?''

Kiara tackled JJ to the ground as gunfire erupted, forcing us all to drop to the deck. The shots echoed around us, splintering the tense silence. My heart thundered in my chest as I pressed my head against the wooden boards, the salty scent of seawater filling my nose.

When the gunfire finally ceased, we all cautiously lifted our heads. The men on motorcycles had stopped shooting as we swam away from them. Once we were at a safe distance, Pope took the wheel from Sarah.

JJ sat up, his jaw clenched tight. ''So this is what we're doing, huh? Sailing away and forgetting about John B?'' His voice was thick with bitterness. ''We should never have left him.''

''No!'' Cleo shot back. ''We all gonna get caught. What kind of plan is that?''

''It's a plan to stick together, Cleo.'' JJ argued.

''Then we are dead together.''

''You realise I only escaped because of you guys getting into trouble, right?'' I interjected, trying to defuse the tension. ''There were fewer guards at the gate because most of them went to kill you!''

Cleo nodded slightly, acknowledging the point. ''You did the right thing.''

My phone buzzed in my pocket, making everyone freeze. JJ leaned over to peer at the screen. ''Who's that?''

I glanced at the caller ID, my stomach knotting. ''It's Portis.''

JJ's eyes lit up. ''That's John B. That's definitely John B.'' He snatched the phone before I could argue, answering with a rush of words. ''Yo! Dude! Is this you?''

Kiara nudged him urgently. ''Speaker! Put it on speaker!''

''Yo, say it again,'' JJ pressed, switching the phone to speaker.

John B's voice crackled through the line, faint and distorted. ''Don't worry about me, okay? It's way too hot here. You gotta get out.''

''We do not copy,'' Pope said, leaning closer. ''Can you—''

Sarah grabbed the phone, her hand trembling. ''Let me talk to him.'' She held it to her ear. ''John B? Are you okay?'' Relief softened her features as she heard his voice. ''What happened?''

The connection sputtered, and Sarah's face tightened. ''Wait. What? John B? I can't hear you!'' Her voice grew more frantic. ''Kildare? When? John B!''

The call cut out abruptly, leaving us in stunned silence.

''You guys think he found his father?'' Cleo asked, breaking the quiet.

Pope shook his head slowly. ''He's been missing for almost a year.''

JJ looked to Sarah. ''Sarah, what do you think? Should we go back?''

Kiara chimed in. ''Sarah, we're sitting ducks. We need to make a decision.''

''He said go,'' Sarah murmured, more to herself than to us.

''Sarah—'' JJ pressed.

''Go!'' she snapped, walking off to the edge of the boat.

I nudged JJ gently, giving him a nod. ''John B said go. So let's go.''

Reluctantly, JJ gritted his teeth and returned to the wheel, steering us forward.