𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃─𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

one hundred twenty four.

─☼☼☼─

RAFE

RAFE TORE INTO the driveway. An equal measure of terror and blind rage flowing through him. He was going to kill Chandler Groff if it was the last thing he ever did.

When Kiara had called him in tears, Rafe was thankful he had already been on his way to the Pogues' property. Charlotte had hung up too quickly with him earlier and hadn't responded to any of his texts. He'd known something was wrong. But he never would have imagined it was this wrong.

He felt like he was going to throw up as he ran into the house, throwing the door open without any regard, "Lottie!" He scanned the house, looking for any sign of her.

"We're in here!" Came a voice that sounded like Charlotte's but wasn't hers. It was Kiara's, and it was thick with tears.

Rafe swore he'd never moved so fast in his life as he rounded the corner to the living room. His eyes instantly found her, and a mixture of emotions flowed through him, so strong he swore he was dizzy.

Charlotte was awake and seated on the couch, Kiara and Sarah both stuck to her side, each of them wore tear stained, anxiety ridden faces. The other Pogues watched on, they too bubbling with worry. Relief, that Charlotte was okay, was Rafe's first emotion.

But then he saw them—the bruises in the shape on fingers on her neck, the split of her lip, blood pooling. Blinding hot anger overtook him at the thought of what Groff did it her.

"Rafe?" Charlotte questioned, her tired eyes raking up to meet his. The voice sounded nothing like her own, it was gravelly and hoarse as if she hadn't spoken in days.

Rafe ignored the others in the room, pushing past them so he could kneel in front of Charlotte. "I'm here, baby," he promised, not at all caring that he shouldn't be calling her that right now. He placed once hand on her knee, the other hand reaching up to gently wipe the tears from her cheeks. "I've got you."

Kiara, who was still clutching one of her sister's hands, spoke. "She needs to be taken to the hospital."

"No," Charlotte instantly argued, wincing in pain at her assertion. "We need to go get JJ."

Rafe took a moment to survey the room. Huh, guess the Maybank kid wasn't here.

"You need to be seen by a doctor, Char." Sarah said softly, her eyes meeting her brother's for a moment. "We'll get JJ."

Charlotte looked around the room at her friends, biting down on her bottom lip. Rafe really hoped she was going to make the decision on her own, because otherwise he'd be dragging her to the hospital whether she wanted to go or not. "Okay," she finally croaked out. "Go. Now. Text Rafe when you find him...my phone is toast."

That was all Kiara needed to hear. Rafe glared at her for a moment, wondering how she could leave her sister, who'd just almost been killed, so easily. But then again, he'd do it for Charlotte if he were in Kiara's shoes.

"I will," Kiara promised her sister, leaning over to press a kiss to the top of her head. Her eyes then swivelled to Rafe. "Text me when she sees a doctor," she ordered, less than pleased that she had to elicit his help. Rafe fought the urge to smirk at her displeasure, it really wasn't the time. Instead, he gave her a small nod, instantly taking her seat on the couch next to Charlotte.