The catering staff went home after cleaning up and I gave them a bonus for a job well done. Then I watched alpha males argue over who did the grilling. The women rolled their eyes, as they argued, there were twenty large barrel grills for petes sake! What was there to argue over! Marsha and Diana were howling as they gave each team five grills each, Hellfire, HQ, Rage and Security.
The women let them get on with it and I began ordering the kids to put stuff away. Micah and the elder ones stored the ATV’s and dirt bikes away. The younger ones gathered up water guns and so on and put them back on their hooks in the shed.
Eddie threw a tantrum as she didn’t want the hoppers put away, but one look from Chance and she did as she was told. Once everything was put away, the older kids got out the garden board games we had and commenced playing chess and snakes and ladders. The smell of the grills drifted on the air and I listened to calls of cheat and you can’t do that from the board games.
Tony ran off carrying a pawn that was just as big as him. Eddie was trying her hardest to roll dice’s that was half her size and she ended up kicking it to make it roll. Stefan was in fits as Tony got the pawn to the pool and pushed it in drowning Bernard at the same time. Everyone was grinning as Bernard pretended to be disgruntled and Tony giggled.
“Good day.” A deep voice I was beginning to know well said, as Drake sat next me.
“Yeah. This is family.”
“Didn’t know what to expect, thought beers, talk and a grill. When Chance told us to get here early, I still didn’t have a clue. Judged you wrong woman.” Drake’s voice made me shiver, and I wondered if he’d seen it. I glanced at him and saw him watching me with that focussed attention I recognised from Chance.
“Yeah, you did.” Drake’s mouth tilted up.
“Think it’s obvious why Chance got his ass here for this weekend. Chance said you don’t always use catering?”
“No, usually me and Mrs Ames manage and maybe a couple of extra chefs, but with the number of people here we decided to be lazy. Usually start baking and cooking two days before but got to admit this was easier for us both.”
“Mrs Ames been with you long?”
“Five weeks after we moved to the U.S. I bought the house in Ouray first, then Camden and with five kids, and getting things up and running I knew we needed help. I couldn’t do everything and learned to lean on other people.
Before Hellfire there was only a few I trusted, Albert’s one, Mr and Mrs Ames two more. Liz my security manager has been with me ever since…” I broke off and changed direction but I saw Drake had caught it. “Sally, you haven’t met, she’s my second in command. If I’m not available, Sally is the next port of call. I used to enjoy doing meet and greets, but as the kids got older and my family expanded, they became impossible to do. Sally does them now, she loves it.”
“Albert’s your dad?” Drake asked with a question in his tone. He was curious as to the man’s relationship to Phoenix and the children. Drake was letting Phoe know, he was going to let her change of direction pass for now.
“No. My parents are dead. Albert comes a damn good runner-up for Dad though. The kids think of him as their grandfather and he’s family. Albert helped Micah and me before we moved here. Never seen a purer heart for love than Alberts.” I explained.
“Trusts mean a shitload to you.” Drake changed direction, not liking the sudden sadness that crept over her face. Phoenix lit up. That inner light was exactly what Drake wanted to see. Phoenix deserved to be lit up with happiness. Sudden doubt crossed his mind around his decision to rope her into Rage and then shrugged it away. Rage had love to give same as Hellfire did. They just didn’t show it openly.
“God yes, the men and women the P.T help, they risked everything so I can sit here and do this. Wounded, they come home and are thrown aside because they are broken and injured. They’re real heroes not those idiots often lauded as heroes. How they are treated is so wrong. So very wrong.
The men, women and kids who use the R.T, they don’t deserve the abuse they suffer. Been there and done that, I’ve been in their position. Forced to choose whether to get my kids safe and lose them or let them watch me get beaten. I got lucky, I got very lucky.” Ouch, I realised what I said and immediately carried on as Drake’s beautiful eyes darkened and he opened his mouth to speak.
“That doesn’t mean I can sit on my pile of money and keep being lucky, that level of money comes with a responsibility and I take that seriously. Many rich and powerful people don’t react, don’t help and take the easy way out.
Look after number one and ignore those less fortunate. Not in me to do that, I won’t do that. I won so much money that giving back is the least I can do. My kids have it good, my family have it good and now I help others have it good.”
“Beaten?” Drake finally growled, the darkness in his eyes touching fury. I ignored him.
“Tell me what child asks to be kidnapped, raped and tortured and sold into the sex slave trade. No, no child asks for that. These assholes steal their innocence, steal their childhood, which should be safe and beautiful.
We’re looking at expanding the E.T. I want to get a group of badasses together who can track these slave traders and then complete rescues. But, it’s not something Trusts can advertise, but it’s something I can research into paying for personally. I’ll find those kids, I will!” I stared at the sun beginning to sink low in the sky.
“Believe you. Will it make you happy?” Drake appeared genuinely interested. For a moment he was distracted from what I’d unintentionally revealed. He was actually listening.
“Yes.” I whispered.
“Then I hope you find your rescue team.”
“Me too. I’ve someone in mind, just need to get Artemis on board. She’s done work for me before but she had a variety of interests but she’ll go out after kids for me.” I looked up as Bear approached and lifted me up off my lounger. Bear grunted as he sat and pulled me down and turned on his side and cuddled me into his. We were both facing Drake, and I knew he caught my sigh of relief, he wouldn’t be able to probe over the abuse.
“Eddie is trying to get in the paint ball shed.” Bear told me.
“Good luck with that. I have it fingerprint locked. She can try all she wants.” I grinned at Drake, he gave me a dark smile back, one filled with a promise that he wasn’t going to let my slip drop.
“Tell me about the kids? How did you find them?”
“It’s a sad story, today is a happy time.”
“Not sad Phoe, look at those kids. It would have been tragic if they hadn’t found you.” I took a deep breath.
“Three weeks after we moved into the house in Maine, I saw Carmine going through our bins. I made sandwiches and put them out. Carmine watched me watch him but he snatched them up and ran with them. Next day I put out a hot meal, but he rolled it up in the bag the sandwiches were in and ran off again. I figured out pretty quick he was feeding someone else, so I made extras and waited.”
“Christ.” Drake bit out and Bear’s arms tightened around me.
“I put a coat, hat and scarf out until Carmine came back wearing them. Carmine had taken responsibility for three people. So each morning I put food out for four people to eat for breakfast and lunch. Cooked hot meals that I put in stay hot containers for four in the evening. This carried on for approximately six weeks. I slowly earned his trust.
We put out clothes and shoes, socks and toothbrushes and whatever else we could think of. Then one day he didn’t come, I knew something was wrong. Around three in the morning, he finally approached my door and banged on it. He said one word, ‘Help.’ Carmine had never spoken to me until that night. I can’t explain the sick feeling that hit me, something had to have been very wrong, for Carmine to come for help.
I followed him down the streets and into back alleys where I found Harley very sick. Serenity and Tye were with him, guarding him with bits of wood. Took one look, called my lawyer, called Sally and called an ambulance. Made Carmine, Tye a
nd Serenity go to my house and followed Harley in the ambulance.
Harley had pneumonia, he was damn lucky to have survived. Steven got the ball rolling, and I’d enough clout to get what I wanted and that was those kids. They’d been on the streets for years and they’ve been mine four years. After I checked Harley would make it, I told those four they were mine, were staying mine, and the rest was history.
Carmine being the eldest took responsibility for Tye, Harley and Serenity. I know he and Tye did shit they won’t talk to me or anyone about, I don’t care what they did to survive. I will never, ever judge them. They’re my kids.” Phoe spat the last defensively and her gaze challenged Drake to condemn her boys.
“Jesus Christ.” Drake swore again. He looked into her eyes and recognised the fierceness of a mama lioness protecting her cubs. Drake had a damn good idea of what Carmine and Tye may have put themselves through. The fact Phoe did as well, hit him hard in his stomach. He didn’t want Phoe to know the ugliness of the streets for kids, but he knew she did. His admiration for the older two escalated.
“When we holidayed to the cabin in Colorado, Carmine began to disappear. Then one night he walked in with Cody and so I got Cody. Carmine and Tye stated Cody was going to live with us. They’d seen Cody on the street and worked for ten days with him to get him to trust us. Carmine won’t leave a kid on the streets if he can help it.
Eddie and Tony, I met at an orphanage, each Christmas we buy a load of stuff and take it to our local one. On one visit, Eddie tottered up to me and looked at me with those eyes. Announced loudly, I was her new mama and weeks later I had her and Tony.”
“That’s cool.” Drake said, he looked into my eyes. “You’d adopt them all, wouldn’t you?” He meant every orphan, I gave a nod. Drake saw the soul deep inside me, he saw what I tried to do by helping everyone. Drake understood my motives. Bear’s arms clenched tighter around my waist.
“I’ve a friend who does lots of pro-bono work for the Trusts, he works in a hospital. Timmy and Scout’s incubator was a drug addict, hard core, the twins were born at thirty weeks and born addicted. I got involved to pay for their care and two months later they came home with me.”
“Incubator?” Drake asked me. I looked at him fiercely.
“What else would you call a drug-addled woman carrying twins? She’s not a mother, doesn’t deserve to be called their birth mother. No mother will harm their kids like that. She was an incubator and not a good one at that!” I snapped and Drake held his hand up in peace.
“I agree Phoe.” He said gently. My anger faded, and he smiled gently at me.
“Jake and Garrett have the same story, only difference is they were born at twenty-four weeks, borderline survival even with the best pre-natal care. That they didn’t have until I came along. Spent several weeks at the hospital willing and praying for them to pull through.
The four have severe medical problems but I’m hoping time, love and the best damn medical care money can buy will fix that. If not, they’re going to grow up in a house full of love and when I die their brothers and sisters will see to their care. They’ll not ever be put into a home, because I’ve raised my kids right and Micah will annihilate anyone who gets in his way.”
“Lot of love in those kids.” Bear said. I nodded in his arms. “Micah, being the eldest will literally take anyone down in his way. He’s real protective of them. Phoe has a point of view that blood doesn’t matter, family is what you make it. Blood means shit to these guys. Love does.”
“We try, wherever we live to find the local orphanages or child centres. Once we do, I find out information on the kids there, their birthdays, etcetera. Make my kids go out and buy them presents for their birthdays, Easter, Christmas.
My kids got lucky, each one of them, I don’t want them to take money for granted, they will work, and they will earn their own money. Doesn’t mean to say I haven’t secured their futures. I have. I want them to remember there are children with less than them and that what they have means something.”
“What’s Micah, Jodie, Christian, Jared and Aaron’s story?” Bear’s arm got tighter, and I felt him give Drake a warning glare. I clammed up.
“Life is shit until you make it not shit.” I told Drake as an answer. Men began putting plates of food down distracting me. “Looks like food is ready.” I said and got to my feet, conversation ended.
The night was a good one, drink and chat flowed. Kids had fun and adults did too. I mingled with everyone staying away from Drake and his penetrating eyes. I felt them on me and knew he wanted more answers, I’d given him all I intended too.
Chance didn’t need to warn me that Drake was interested in me, I was picking that up loud and clear. Difference was as much as I felt an attraction to Drake, I couldn’t act on it. The monster had done such a number on me and my self confidence that I doubted every man that showed a genuine interest in me.
The party continued until late and I put sleepy babies and tired children to bed with Chance and Bear helping me. I put on their intercoms and carried the receivers around with me.
Chance finally wound the party up and told everyone that breakfast was at nine if they wanted to come. People began getting in their cars and on their bikes and leaving. I saw Drake hovering, but he realised that Hellfire was staying the night and so he left too. Completely missed Chance watching me, watching Drake, as the dratted man tried to get past my defences. I had tonight to shore them back up!
Pipes sounded in a loud roar and I pulled my pillow over my head and moaned. I looked at my clock and nearly threw it across the room. With a groan I opened my eyes and saw Timmy sleeping curled up and surrounded by pillows to stop him rolling off, on my bed. He’d had a rough night, a real nasty night, and I’d been up most of it with him. Poor baby finally fell to sleep two hours ago.
I got up and walked to the shower as I heard a noise from downstairs. Jodie came in as I was dressing, with a plate of food, checked Timmy and curled up next to him. Resembling a zombie, I made my way down, snarling good mornings at people and heading straight towards the coffee. Normally, I wasn’t a huge coffee drinker but today I needed it. Rudely, I grabbed a bacon sandwich and walking past everyone, I curled up on my porch swing with it.
“Christ babe.” An amused voice said, and I raised bleary eyes to Chance.
“Timmy had a terrible night.” I muttered.
“How bad?” He asked, crouching next to my swing.
“Bad.”
“Go back to bed, Mum, I got him.” Jodie said carrying a smiling Timmy. I narrowed my eyes at the baby and wondered how he could be so cheerful. Timmy blew bubbles at me and I collapsed on my side in my swing and pulled cushions over my head and closed my eyes.
“Funny bed.” Chance said amused, I flipped him a finger and dragged the blanket off the back of the swing and wrapped it around myself. Chance put my cup and sandwich on the floor and let me be. Snuggled up and swinging gently, I fell back to sleep.
“Die evil storm trooper!” A voice yelled from the trees and I opened my eyes and saw Aaron belting Slick and Celt with a paintball gun. Oh hell no! In horror, I looked at the paintball shed and saw it wide open and empty. Adults and kids were darting amongst the trees. Christian and Jared were up on a platform shooting at anyone’s heads who popped up.
I looked up and saw Liz (head of security) and her second in command, Matthias shooting from behind haystacks that had been pulled around, they were damn good shots! Chance popped up and shot what looked like Slick in his ass to a huge roar and then Mac shot Chance in the chest five times. Slick shook his head and began making his way in our direction.
“Bedlam.” I muttered and heard a chuckle. Drake and Tiny sat in front of my swing and fed Jake and Garrett.
“Feel better?” Tiny asked.
“How long have I been asleep?” I asked.
“Three or so hours.”
“Yeah, I feel better. Not up for paint balling though.” I grinned as I saw Pyro launch out of a tree
and crash down on top of Levi and Shotgun. “That never gets old.”
“Think they’d learn.” Tiny agreed. Jake pushed his bottle out and Tiny threw a burpee over his shoulder and began whacking Jake on his back. Jake let out a tremendous burp and looked shocked.
“There’s my tiny biker dude.” Tiny rumbled.
“Watch out for…” I was too late as Garrett scrunched his face up, burped and threw up over Drake’s chest. Drake’s nose wrinkled and Garrett let out a second burp. “Sorry, he does that.” Tiny smirked and Drake shrugged and laying Garrett back in his rocker, whipped his top off and my mouth went dry.
His skin was smooth and tanned with a light sprinkling of hair, his chest well-formed and his abs were rock hard and he had a six-pack. A really lickable sick pack! Tattoo’s covered his back and chest and he had full sleeves. Oh boy, did I look at his tattoo’s or his body?
Why did Drake affect me so differently from Chance? Both men were nearly identical, yet Chance didn’t make me heat up the way Drake did. Drake met my eyes and whatever he saw in mine made his flare and I looked away.
Slick sat in front of me and chucked Garrett under his chin. He looked uncomfortable, and I looked at him curiously. I expected him to say that Eddie had got him too. He checked with Drake before glancing at me, whatever he wanted to ask me, Drake silently approved.
“Your library.” Slick stated. I frowned puzzled.
“Yeah?”
“I like readin’. Your boy, Tye, he said you have those boxes in the library and loads more in the attic and in the garage on a mezzanine level. Was wonderin’ if you wanted help to shelve them?”
“That would be grand.” Slick broke into a shy smile. I blinked, he was hot.
“Like readin’, figure I help you stack them, you wouldn’t mind me borrowing or coming and readin’.” I laughed and gave him a nod.
“Welcome whenever you want Slick.” Drake gave his brother a dirty stare, and I laughed again. I don’t think Drake expected my offer to Slick and warmth filled me at his disgruntlement.
“Ouch, the fucker gonna feel that.” Tiny commented on a head shot from Chatter on Ace. Ace popped back up and shot Chatter in the balls.
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