Page 55 of The Ghost of Rage's War

After he’d spewed all his pent-up emotions and thoughts over Carmelle, Ghost expected her to back off. Instead, it seemed to have drawn them closer. Ghost noticed Carmelle looking to him for approval on certain things. Before, she’d cooked and never cared if Ghost liked it or not. Now Carmelle checked Ghost would eat what she put in front of him.

When they watched the girls play, Carmelle moved closer to him on the swing. If fishing, Carmelle leaned into him as they sat quietly. Ghost wasn’t sure how to read her actions. He loved her, had done ever since living at Romeo’s mansion. Carmelle didn’t think she was brave or resilient, but she was in spades.

Even while shocked and completely out of her comfort zone, Carmelle had put the children first. Abused, battered, grief-stricken, Carmelle held on to the faint hope of freedom. Ghost knew that she had considered killing the girls and herself. But she hadn’t been able to. People might hate Carmelle for contemplating that thought; Ghost didn’t. Herespected the fuck out of it.

Strangers would look at Carmelle and shake their head in disgust. What type of mother would contemplate murdering her kids? How could Carmelle kill her children? Ghost knew exactly how. Those girls would have been tortured, abused, even raped. It wouldn’t have mattered that they were two and six months. A couple of the Fangs were kiddie fuckers, , they were until Volcano had killed them.

Carmelle, by smothering them, would have eased their passing and not let them suffer. It would have destroyed her, and he’d no doubt that Carmelle would have followed straight after. Show Ghost any mother who’d subject her kids to physical abuse, being beaten, raped, starved, and lord knows what else. Ghost would damn them to hell. Carmelle’s job was to protect those babies, and she’d been prepared to, no matter what it cost.

Ghost thought that was fuckin’ brave. Nobody had the right to judge her. And fuck anyone who did. He’d go toe to toe with them.

“Ghost!” Carmelle shouted, and he looked up from where he’d been reading a book with a blanket over his lap. Carmelle and the girls were wrapped up snugly as they played in the snow.

“What’s up?” he called. He was frowning as he tried figuring out what on earth Sadie was doing. Carmelle started laughing as he watched Sadie talk to herself and kiss the air.

“She has a pet worm,” Carmelle exclaimed.

Ghost began to laugh. How the hell had Sadiefound worms while the ground was rock hard with a covering of snow? Only that kid would kiss a pet worm. Wait a minute… “Sadie, no!”

Carmelle spun round and screamed as Sadie put the worm in her mouth and sucked.

“Mama, dirty, bath,” Sadie cackled.

Carmelle raced towards her, and Sadie’s eyes grew huge. She took to her heels as Carmelle gave chase. Ghost laughed, and Shannon squealed as Sadie ran and threw her pet worm at her.

“Save, save!” Sadie yelled.

“Mama! She threw a worm at me!” Shannon screamed.

Shannon jumped about on the spot in distress and anger, and Sadie paused to watch. Thinking Shannon was playing a new game, Sadie started copying her sister. Amused, Ghost began to laugh as Carmelle tried to help Shannon find where the worm went. Meanwhile, Sadie put her hand in a pocket and pulled out a handful more.

Shannon paled and took to her heels, with her sister behind, holding out a fistful of worms, and Carmelle followed after both of them.

“Ghost!” Shannon screeched, heading straight for him.

Ghost bent just in time to pick Shannon up. In fact, for a moment, he wasn’t sure if he had picked her up or if she’d flown into his arms. Shannon kept climbing until she reached his shoulders and held onto his head.

Now out of reach of the worms, Shannon relaxed.

Sadie pouted. “Wanna give Shan one.”

“I don’t think Shannon wants a pet worm, baby girl,” Ghost replied as Carmelle arrived, slightly red-faced. Ghost had managed to hold in the laughter when he saw her. Giving chase to Sadie, Carmelle had stepped into a hole that Sadie had clearly dug on her worm escapade and tripped with a shriek. Now covered in mud, Carmelle didn’t look happy.

“Sadie put the worms back, and no kissing or sucking them. It’s unhygienic,” Carmelle ordered.

“Huh? What un…un… geenic?” Sadie demanded.

“Dirty!” Carmelle explained.

Ghost gently eased Shannon’s grip on his hair. It felt like Shannon was about to pull it out by its roots.

“Yup. Me bath them,” Sadie agreed and opened her mouth.

Carmelle squealed and grabbed her daughter. She shook Sadie’s hands until the worms fell into the grass and then emptied every pocket she could find. Ghost didn’t ask why there were worms in Sadie’s socks or shoved down her top. Carmelle looked disgusted as she finally stripped Sadie naked and carried her upstairs to be bathed.

“Aw shit,” Shannon said sadly, shaking her head.

Ghost froze and moved Shannon from his shoulders into his arms.

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