Page 58 of The Ghost of Rage's War

“Who shot him?” I cried as my arm relaxed. I didn’t mean to stop aiming at them, it just happened.

“You know who. I don’t think you’ve been compromised here as Ghost headed away from you. Intel suggests that he was being observed at Rage.”

“Anderson, you sent Ghost there!” I accused angrily.

I was trying not to react and break down sobbing. Ghost couldn’t die; we needed him. I couldn’t lose another man to the Venomous Fangs and Fury.

“Yeah. Carmelle, I didn’t realise Rage was being watched. We missed something,” Anderson admitted. “Honey, Ghost would want you inside, come on, please, just go in where it’s safe. Chance wants to meet you and the girls. You’re cousins, which is why I called him.”

Finally, I sighed and stepped back. “Fine. Tell me exactly how Ghost is.”

“I will,” Anderson promised.

???

Chance puzzled me. On his behalf, there was no awkwardness. But Chance was a bossy fucker. He seemed to think he could order me about, and he was in for a rude awakening. Chance treated me like a younger sibling, and yet we barely knew each other. As Chance played on the floor with Sadie, Shannon watched carefully, and Bear approached me.

I tensed as this huge mountain of a man held hishands up. “Ain’t gonna harm ya, Carmelle, but I can see you’re puzzled.”

“Why is Chance so open?” I asked.

“Why is Chance acting like he’s been around all your life?”

“Yeah.”

“Because you’re blood. That’s all we need. You’re his cousin, you share blood, and you’re family. Simple as that,” Bear replied.

“Shame Drake doesn’t think so,” I retorted.

“Drake’s got his head up his ass. He’ll calm down eventually,” Bear said, and I thought he was trying to reassure me.

Bitterly, I laughed, and Bear was the one looking puzzled now.

“I don’t give a fuck if Drake calms down or not. Bear, I’m not seeking Drake’s approval or anything. He’s my brother, so fucking what? The girls and I don’t know him from Adam. If Drake and I never meet, that’s his loss, not mine. He misses out on those two babies,” I stated.

Chance pursed his lips from where he overheard and tickled Sadie as she bonked him on the head with her teddy bear.

“Drake is dealing with too much,” Chance interrupted.

I checked where Shannon was and narrowed my eyes. “Sorry, I didn’t realise that Drake’s wife was shot in front of him. Or that Drake was abused and assaulted before a load of strangers. I didn’t know that Drake was on the run for his fucking life with hiskids. How damn selfish of me,” I spat and left the room.

Anderson caught my eye and squeezed my shoulder as I passed by him. He was the only reason I could leave the girls with Chance and Bear, because Ghost trusted him, which meant I did. If Anderson hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t leave them alone with them.

“Drake’s an ass. But he does care,” Chance said as I peered out of the kitchen window.

“Don’t.”

“Carmelle, Drake’s dealing with a lot and trying to keep everyone safe,” Chance continued.

“Do not make excuses for Drake. Don’t do yourself a disservice. Drake could come and meet me, but he hasn’t even asked about me. In fact, I had to supply DNA for him to test because he suspected Ghost manufactured the original results. Who thinks like that?”

“Drake does.”

“Yeah, butyou’rehere.”

“Oh, I had doubts, Carmelle, but I knew our fathers weren’t angels nor virgins. Drake has Arrow on a pedestal and now he has discovered Arrow wasn’t perfect. Drake takes a lot longer than me to think shit through. He’s bit of a dunderhead for that.” Chance chuckled.

“And as for you, you’ve accepted me? Just like that?” I demanded.

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