𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃─𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙧.

─☼☼☼─

"𝙅𝙀𝙎𝙐𝙎 𝘾𝙃𝙍𝙄𝙎𝙏, 𝙍𝘼𝙁𝙀," Charlotte muttered, slowing the Rover as she pulled up to Tannyhill, her eyes surveying the scene. Turns out "a little get together" meant half of the damn island in Rafe's eyes. 

There was no part of Charlotte that felt up for a party as such after her conversation with Pope. But she had promised Rafe. She could pretend to have fun for a little bit, right?

Letting out a deep sigh, Charlotte killed the engine, parking the Rover as close to the front door as she could managed within the sea of cars. Reaching for her phone, she prepared to text Rafe to get him outside to help her with the kegs he had ordered. She would try to have fun, but there was no way she was doing all the work by herself. 

As her lockscreen lit up, her eyes scanned the few texts that had come in from her drive home. Most were from her mother, begging Charlotte to come home and reminding her about her parents' anniversary party that was happening the next night. Even if she wanted to, Charlotte could not and would not miss it. 

But atop her mother's texts were another couple from someone else. 

jj: charls please come home. what pope said was fucked up but he was just upset 

jj: i know ur with rafe and thats whatever but it doesnt mean you have to stay away from us

jj: just let me know ur okay at least

Charlotte felt a lump lodge itself in her throat as she read over his messages. She hated being apart from the Pogues. But she didn't feel like she belonged anymore. They had spent six weeks with only each other's company...and where was Charlotte? Cozy in a villa on Guadeloupe, getting back together with her ex-boyfriend who had tried to kill all of them at one point or another. She didn't deserve the Pogues. 

But JJ didn't deserve to be worrying about her. 

With quick fingers, Charlotte typed out her response. 

charley: im okay j. thanks for checking. 

He responded within seconds, as if he had been waiting by his phone for her to answer him. 

jj: good.

A moment passed. The bubbles to indicate that he was typing appeared for a moment before disappearing. They reappeared briefly before his reply popped up. 

jj: big john is missing. think its singh. jb and me r gonna track him down. would love your help when the time comes 

Charlotte's heart jumped in her chest. Big John was missing...again? And if Singh was in America, that was no good for anyone. 

charley: be careful. 

She didn't know what else to say. She wanted to help, but didn't feel like she would be welcomed. Maybe it was best to take a back seat for once. 

A knock at the car window caused Charlotte to visibly jump, almost dropping her phone in the process. 

On the other side of the glass was a grinning Rafe, clearly already drunk. He pulled open the door, the smell of the whiskey on his breath hitting Charlotte.