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“Wait. Not safe,” he says. I don’t care. If it’s not safe I need to get to Phoenix. I tell Ace this but he won’t let me go. “Rebel has her.”
A moment later we hear raised voices out in the hallway and I have to go and investigate.
At the front door are two people dressed in sharp black suits; a man and a woman.
“Charlotte McLintock?” they ask, and I cringe away from the name but acknowledge that that’s me. “We’re from social services.”
It’s lucky Ace is holding me because I feel faint.
“We have a Court of Protection care order to take Phoenix into protective custody, with immediate effect.” The woman speaks, nodding to a stack of papers in Jax’s hand. Thorn looks dumbstruck, like I feel, but Baxter and Jax look ready to kill.
“Wh...what’s happening?”
“The care order has been issued because the court believes that within these walls a child is suffering or is at risk of suffering significant harm.”
I violently shake my head. No. This can’t be happening.
“What does that mean?” I hear Rebel growl, in a real effort to keep his temper under wraps.
“It means, Sir. That we are here to remove the child, Phoenix Elizabeth McLintock, from the property with immediate effect.”
“No!” I cry.
“And where will you be taking her?” Rebel demands.
“I’m not at liberty to say,” comes her snotty reply.
“BULLSHIT!!!” Rebel roars.
“Come on Marge, give them a break,” the suited guy prompts. Marge doesn’t even blink. He sighs. “We’re taking her to her grandmother’s house, okay?”
Fear like nothing I’ve ever known before in my life takes root. It wraps itself around every fibre of my being and threatens to choke the life out of me. I can’t speak, can’t move, can’t think. I’m fucking uselessly standing there, gaping in disbelief like a fish, wondering how the hell this has happened.
“When?” Jax asks.
“With immediate effect.”
“Can someone go with her, in the car?”
“It’s highly unusual, but I don’t see why not, so long as it’s not the mother.”
“I’ll do it,” Baxter immediately says.
“Are you Mr Branson?” The guy asks.
“I am.”
“You are on Phoenix’s approved list of visitors so it’ll be fine for you to come with her.”
“I’ll follow in the car behind,” Jax offers. “So that you have a lift back.”
The social services duo nod and the woman - Marge? - claps her hands together as if to say let’s get this show on the road. I loathe her.
“Can we pack a bag of some of her things?”
“Quickly.” She tuts impatiently, checking her watch.
“What’s going on, Mommy?” Phoenix’s small voice calls from behind me. I turn around to see her standing beside Rebel, her tiny hand held tenderly in his ginormous paw.
