Page 15 of Carmine

“No. I meant my brothers and sisters when I said that. But for the parents who have multiple youngsters, watching them is a task,” Carmine explained.

“We all help out. We babysit for each other and have sleepovers. There’s always someone around, which is fantastic. Axel, Rage’s only founder remaining, he’s grandparent to them all,” Klutz added.

“I can’t imagine living like that. I was an only child and homeschooled as my parents dragged me around. When I got to be too much of an effort, they packed me off to boarding school. I rarely came back after that. I had the odd Christmas at home, but my mother and father were often away,” I said.

They looked at me in horror.

“You grew up in boarding school?” Aurora whispered.

“Yeah, and I didn’t fit in there. I was an academic, always studying and… well… I didn’t fit in,” I replied with a shrug.

“And that’s why when you were chased out of your team, it hurt so much,” Carmine surmised.

“Yup. I thought I’d found a home, a place I could be myself, and instead, they were worse than the girls at school.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that,” Aurora offered, placing a hand on my leg and then removing it.

That tiny comfort gesture meant everything. No one had ever offered me comfort before.

“Well, stick around Rage. We’re always adopting people,” Klutz said with a wink.

Honestly, despite how frightening the Hellions appeared, Rage seemed a very nice place indeed.

Chapter Four.

Molly

It was nine o’clock, and the meeting was starting in half an hour. I’d been in the car park for forty minutes, trying to get the courage up to enter. I’d thrown up twice this morning with nerves, as memories of last time had assaulted me. And now I sat shaking like a leaf. There was a knock on my passenger door, and then it opened, and Carmine slid inside.

“You can’t hide here all day,” he stated, grinning.

“I’m terrified,” I blurted, and Carmine reached out for my hand. Taking it, he ran his fingers over mine.

“Yeah, I can see that. Consider this. Those assholes we’ve invited from EROS already spat their shit at you. They can only repeat the same from before. But if they fail to act, then trust me, Mom and Dad won’t. You’re trying to save lives, not look like someone important, Molly. So, fuck them and their stuck-up attitude. We need one person to take you seriously,” Carmine said.

“Just one,” I muttered.

“You have firepower in your corner. Use it. Mom believes in you, and Rage does, too. Dad went back to the club and called church. They’ve already created plans to support you. If EROS don’t listen, fine, we are,” Carmine soothed.

“I can do this,” I whispered.

“Yeah. Because your data isn’t supposition, it’s fact, so remember that!”

“Thanks for the pep talk!” I said, throwing my arms around him in a hug.

Carmine hesitated, and I went to pull back, but he held me tightly against him. “You won’t be alone, I’ll stand with you,” he murmured.

Blushing red from my impromptu behaviour, I nodded.

“And nobody pisses Mom off,” he added with a laugh. “Come on, Molly. Let’s get this done.”

???

I almost rushed out when I saw the crowded room I walked into. Phoenix was waiting by the door with Drake, and they made it very clear they supported me as they followed me to a podium on a small stage. Carmine and Klutz handed out the packets I’d created, and Phoenix began making introductions as I set up my laptop and holographic projector.

“This is Police Chief Andrew Howser and two of his detectives, Ramirez and Ben,” Phoenix said as I nodded a hello.

The chief gazed at me steadily, but Ramirez sent me a cheeky wink, which relaxed me a little.

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