Page 45 of The Ghost of Rage's War

“We’ll see, Carmelle, but you’ve a brother, a sister-in-law, and nieces and nephews. A shit load of those fuckers,” Ghost said, amused.

“Don’t push me,” I warned, and Ghost nodded.

Ghost would understand why I had an aversion to MCs. Four months in Fury’s hellhole of one was enough to scar anyone for life.

Ghost

He looked at the house and studied it carefully from a security point of view. There was one road in and out. The property backed onto a lake, which meant he could have a boat there and park a car elsewhere for escape. On two sides, there were trees, which gave someone running shelter. The place was in decent condition.

Ghost turned to the relator.

“Confirm the monthly rental,” he asked.

The woman’s eyes glowed, and she repeated the figure.

“I’ll pay six months up front in cash. No questions,” Ghost stated.

The realtor bit her lip. “I can’t condone anything unlawful,” she finally said.

Anderson sighed and pulled his badge and identification. “This isn’t illegal.”

“Oh, oh!” the woman exclaimed, studying his credentials. “We can work around the paperwork.”

“Yes, you can,” Ghost agreed.

The realtor beamed, and Ghost rolled his eyes.

Carmelle - August - 2020

The girls raced around the garden, screaming. Watching them, I sat on the porch swing and rocked back and forth, loving the noise they were making. We’d moved in four weeks ago, and the kids loved it here. There was room to run freely, and Ghost took them to the lake for swimming, fishing, and boating.

I was concerned, though.

Four-year-old Shannon should have started school while Sadie was two and a half. Much like Shannon, Sadie hadn’t interacted with other kids, and it worried me. The girls and I never left here, but we went for walks and did other activities. While some might view this as another prison, I didn’t. This was freedom. Maybe not on the scale I was used to, but that would come.

Ghost was running in the garden with the children. He held a bubble wand, and as he ran, the girls chased the bubbles. It was bittersweet; it shouldn’t be Ghost doing that, it should be Beau, but my babies were laughing again.

Sadie wasn’t familiar with any man other than Ghost, and she adored him. Shannon, too, felt the same, and I doubted they remembered Beau, and Beau didn’t deserve to be forgotten.

I’d not got anything of his. But Beau’s parents were alive, so one day, I would be able to reconnect, I hoped. While I hated the fact they were worrying, I was too frightened of contacting them. If Fury had someone watching them, and they changed whatever they were doing, it would set alarm bells ringing.

Sadie screeched as Ghost caught her up and swung her around before placing her back on the ground and running off. Shannon paused, a little worried, but Ghost did the same to her, and Shannon broke into smiles again. While her smile came more often, it was clear Shannon was damaged and traumatised.

I’d never questioned Shannon over what she remembered of Beau’s death. Hell, how could I when I shied away myself? In the back of my mind, I understood I required therapy, but how could I reach out and tell someone? Fury was still searching for us; there was no way I was going to trust anyone… apart from Ghost.

To Ghost, our safety was imperative. He’d bought a boat and parked an escape car on the other side of the lake. Ghost had set up motion sensors, bright lights, alarms, all to make us safe. He paid for everything cash and had changed his appearance. Ghost’s hair was a blonde so pale it was white. He’d also cut it.

Ghost’s beard, which had always been long, was now short, shaped, and trimmed. A scar had appeared on his cheek. It bemused me how Ghost’s beard was dark and his hair was blonde. It made no sense.

He constantly wore jeans and tees, and Andersonhad delivered a motorbike to the house. I initially dismissed it. But then Ghost ran his hand down it, and I sensed a deep emotion coming from him. This Harley meant a lot, and he’d missed it. With it came a cut with Rage MC on the back.

The first time Ghost had worn it, Shannon had melted down.

Ghost had removed it instantly and reassured her it was him. He’d made the changes to his appearance gradually so he didn’t scare the kids, and now Ghost was taking his time introducing his cut to them. It surprised me at how desperate Ghost was to get them to accept it. He didn’t force it on them, but he shrugged it on and off and ensured they saw that.

After Shannon’s first traumatic experience, Ghost ensured that she never come across him wearing it if she hadn’t seen him put it on. Ghost had been on several long rides with his cut, and he was a different man to Sharp. Sharp had been intense and focused. Ghost was no less, but he smiled and laughed more.

Like his Sharp persona, Ghost swore to protect us, come what may. He’d no intention of letting us suffer again. When the girls were in bed, he taught me how to shoot, fight and how to maim someone using anything within reach. Ghost had me running laps and building my muscles. I was probably the fittest I’d ever been, but I knew it would serve me well.

---