AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That’s a nice way of helping the community,” I responded.
“It’s what we believe in. Rage was dirty years ago, and we got clean. Now we are about protecting our city—and our people,” Slick murmured as he stroked my hair. He seemed fascinated by it.
“Tell me about Rage’s past,” I mumbled as I wriggled against his chest and found a more comfortable spot.
“It’s dark.”
“And if we’re dating, I should be told the truth,” I challenged. “Isn’t it better if it comes from you?”
Slick sighed and then began telling me about the history of Rage.
Carmelle
I gazed at the woman who was my sister-in-law. Two days later, I remained unsure about Phoenix. In return, she stared back at me, patiently waiting for me to speak.
“Are you going to keep Drake away?” I asked finally.
“When he gets his head out of his ass, he can come home. Until then, it’s crucial that you, Shannon, and Sadie have a safe place to stay. This is it.”
“Drake’s your husband,” I stated.
“Yes, he is. And I’m completely in love with him. However, that does not mean he gets a pass when he is being an asshole. I’ve told him multiple times to go and meet you, but he’s struggling with having a sibling. It was him and Chance against the world for years. Drake has no idea how to handle a sister,” Phoe said.
“He doesn’t have to do shit with me. I have money… if I can visit a bank.”
“And get caught by Fury? Come on, Carmelle, you’re not stupid. Fury is hunting you even as we speak. He won’t attack here after he lost last time. And Reading Hall is a fortress when we need it to be.”
That wasn’t a lie. The girls and I were staying in the Lilac Room, which had a hidden panic room in a closet.
There was also their… well, I suppose it would be called a basement. It had a heavy bomb-proof door; another panic room. Although it wasn’t a room, but an entire level. There was a bowling alley, cinema, indoor swimming pool, and muchmore down there. Anyone locked inside would be extremely comfortable and entertained.
There were also the prominent security personnel that milled around the estate. And the motion sensor cameras alongside infrared ones. Phoe took protection very seriously. It felt good—safe—for Shannon and Sadie, knowing they were so highly protected, and the estate boasted a lot of things for them to do, distracting them from the chaos of our lives recently.
But this wasn’t home; our home was gone. Home had been Beau, and he was dead. The memory of Fury firing a bullet into his head as we sought to leave through the back was one I’d never forget.
“Carmelle?” Phoe asked, jolting me from my train of thoughts.
“Drake doesn’t want to know me, let alone have me in his house. He’s not bothered about the girls or me. All we are, is a reminder his dad found comfort with another woman before dying,” I snapped.
“That’s not true. Drake is a family-minded man, but with the craziness happening recently, life has been extremely unsettled. And we just lost a good friend. Drake hasn’t mourned properly. Justin Goldberg meant a lot to many people. Plus, it takes time to understand and accept Fury being your grandfather.”
“Phoe, I appreciate all you’re doing for me and my girls. But I’m not asking you to put your marriage on hold.” I felt tired suddenly.
“Drake is a man. A good guy. But he has flaws. Like most men, he’ll make a mistake and take time to chew it over before making amends. That doesn’t mean Drake doesn’t care. He’s juggling plates on sticks and trying to keep everything up in the air so it doesn’t crash around our ears. Our own children have been targeted, too.
“I know you lost your husband, and he sounds like a good man, too. I can’t imagine the horror of watching him be killedin front of you and the girls. Then being held captive, with the threat of harm hanging over your head, yeah, that I can understand. I lived it too. My second husband did similar; only he beat me—and often. Things turned my way, and we escaped. But even now, I wake sometimes in the night sweating and scanning the bedroom for him.
“He’s dead, but not forgotten. Martin is like an insidious wraith, waiting for me to get comfortable, and then he pops up. Drake deals with that and reassures me when I bolt upright, it’s not as often, but it still happens. When it does, Drake takes the guilt on himself because the last time I got hurt was because we fought. Your brother, despite his rampant complexities, remains a man. And Drake will make mistakes and then fight to ensure he corrects them.”
“He hasn’t contacted me for a year, Phoe,” I denied.
“Because he didn’t want to endanger you.” She sighed. “We all know Fury has spies on us. Drake could have led them straight to you. He also wants to stick his head in the sand because he has no clue what to do with a sister who has already lived a life. You were married, had children, and were happy. Drake is wrestling with the idea of having a sister and having missed out so much. Yeah, he has gone about it in an asshole way, but that doesn’t mean he does not care. He’s unsure how to show it.”
“You understand a lot about him,” I said.
“Honey, I know your brother like the back of my hand. Drake cares. He’s conflicted and confused, guilty and stubborn, but he does care. Just let Drake work shit out in his little mind. As it’s so tiny, it won’t take too long.”
“Took him a year,” I retorted.
