Carmine (Rage MC: The Prospects #7)

Chapter Nine.

Carmine

“C armine, a chat show request from Lara Storm is nothing to be sniffed at,” Freddie announced, and I sighed.

“Freddie, I said no to all of that shit,” I replied.

“You need to listen. The press may not be putting shit in print, but it’s out there. And I can fucking guarantee that the next story will have more shit. You gotta get ahead of this, and Lara Storm is the best host around. She isn’t judgemental nor out for gossip, she wants facts. Lara’s a rare one,” Freddie pushed.

“And have the world judge me?” I asked.

“You were a victim, Carmine. Let everyone understand that and let them see you now. You survived some horrific stuff, my friend. And made a success of your life. Tell them. And Lara also wants Molly. Give your woman a platform, and shut those crazy rumours up,” Freddie said.

“Freddie, I don’t know. What happened was personal, and I don’t want it splashed all over the media,” I replied.

“Carmine, it’s out. You need to reply. Phoe’s statement is a stopgap, but the paparazzi are going to dig. You do this interview and get the public on your side, then the media stops,” Freddie argued.

“Nothing stops those assholes,” I rejected that.

“Public opinion does. If they see it swaying to you, they won’t write shit because it will not sell papers.”

“Let me talk to Molly,” I finally said. “Her decision is final.”

Molly

I flinched as the makeup lady came at me with the brush again. “Don’t I have enough on?” I asked.

“Just a touch up. Relax, it’s not as much as other celebs wear,” Hilary replied.

“But I’m not a celeb.”

“Right now, you are,” Hilary responded, and I paused, and then panic kicked in.

“What was I thinking? I can’t do this; this isn’t my life!”

“Hi, Molly,” a voice called, and I turned to see Lara Storm heading towards me. Damn, she was beautiful and confident. Everything I wasn’t.

Lara nodded at Hilary and dismissed her.

“Hello,” I replied shyly.

“Molly, I’m so happy you agreed to do this. And if I’m a judge of character, you said yes, for Carmine’s sake. But I did read the two packs you sent in. I’m appalled at how you were treated, and those assholes need calling out. I’ve a list of questions here that I’ll be asking, I thought you might want them before we start recording?” Lara offered me a piece of paper.

As I scrolled down, I began to relax. The questions weren’t as prying as I assumed.

“Ignore the camera and the audience and concentrate on me. This lucky charm was given to me for my first interview, I hope it helps you as much as me.” Lara handed me a small horseshoe on a keychain.

“This is very kind of you,” I murmured.

“People like Carmine and I get used to interviews. But we never forget how scary our first was. I’m not out to make a name for myself stirring up trouble. I’ve been on the receiving end of that myself. My chat show will always stand for integrity and honesty for as long as I am in charge and presenting it,” Lara said with a smile.

“And the viewing numbers show that the public love that. You have gritty subjects but treat people with respect,” Carmine stated, approaching. He dropped a kiss on Lara’s cheek and wrapped an arm around me, hauling me close. “Are you okay, my sweet girl?”

“A little panicked,” I replied.

“I’ve had the usual armchairs removed, and a sofa is being brought in for you to sit on. I could see Carmine settling you on his lap if he thought you were distressed.” Lara laughed.

Carmine shrugged. “Yeah, that’s something I’d do.”

“See you in twenty minutes. Molly, check those questions over. I may ask extra, but they will be based around them.”

Lara left with a swish of hips and a lingering scent of perfume.

“You can back out,” Carmine offered.

“Leave you to face this alone? No!” I retorted, indignant.

“My sweet girl has a fierce side.”

“You’re not facing this alone,” I said firmly.

◆◆◆

Twenty minutes later, I wished I’d taken up Carmine’s offer. I stood behind a screen with him, and he held my shaking hand. The audience was clapping and cheering as Lara took her seat. Carmine dropped a lingering kiss on my lips and pulled me close as Lara began to speak.

“These two individuals have recently been in the media for different reasons. Some of the headlines and stories have been particularly cruel, forcing family, friends, and colleagues to rush to their defence. In order to deal with the shocks they were handed, both of them retreated from media and refused to comment. However, tonight, Carmine Michaelson, ball player extraordinaire and brilliant volcanologist, Dr Molly Balfour-Cherlyn, have agreed to speak with us. Please welcome Carmine and Molly.”

Carmine gave me a wink, snuck one last kiss, and led me out. The audience clapped, but I did as Carmine suggested and focused on Lara. Lara rose to her feet and offered kisses and handshakes, and we all sat down.

“So, guys, this has to be pretty nerve-wracking for you. A week of sensational stories, some of which touch on highly personal subjects; how are you both feeling?” Lara asked.

“Me? Personally, I’m worried about Molly and the impact that article had on her career,” Carmine replied, holding my hand.

“I’m reeling,” I said honestly. “Having the media focus on me and then Carmine and then all that nastiness was frightening and a violation. I’m not a public person, so it was overwhelming.”

“Molly, you’ve been called a crackpot by the head of the GS and by your own parents. I can imagine that was incredibly hurtful,” Lara said.

I began to settle under Lara’s gentle questioning. With Carmine adding his own comments about what was happening in South Dakota, I thought I gave a pretty good representation of myself. Carmine made sure to mention Phoe funded the project and not the GS head office. And he pointed out the team of top-notch scientists working on the puzzle South Dakota was proving to be.

Lara gently ridiculed my parents and Dr White for stating I claimed there was a volcano. She also pointed out that she had read the presentation pack from three years ago and the most recent one. On TV, Lara categorically denied that I mentioned a volcano or any of the other allegations that had been laid at my doorstep.

Lara did point out that both packs stated that there was volcanic activity and that I had the data to prove it. She then questioned the ethics of my parents and Dr White and wondered how many other theories they’d torn down that had merit. All in all, Lara did a complete hatchet job on them and their colleagues while boosting my own self. It was very cleverly done, and I finally felt like I had vindication.

After a break, Lara turned her attention to Carmine. This was the part that worried me. We’d discussed his revelations beforehand, and I knew what he would say and admit to.

Lara started off very gently and began the interview asking Carmine’s thoughts about the recent article. He openly said how upset he’d been at the lies and sheer nastiness behind it. Carmine also mentioned the trolls on his social media and that he’d shut it down due to the overwhelming hate aimed at him.

“The allegations you were a child prostitute?” Lara inquired.

“It’s no secret that I was a street kid that Mom adopted. Without her, I would have died. What many don’t know is that my biological mother was a crack addict. I went days without eating and learned to rely on myself at an early age. When she overdosed and died, I was already virtually living on the streets,” Carmine replied.

“How old were you?” Lara asked.

“Eight.”

“You were homeless at eight?” Lara gasped.

“It was safer for me there than at home. In all honesty, I’d say I started spending nights on the streets at seven, but I was eight when I moved to them full-time. Luckily, I fell in with a group of older men who helped watch over me, and I slept in the middle of them at night, away from predators. When I was ten, I met my brother, Tye, who was the same age. Six months later, Serenity and Harley came along.”

“Serenity would have been…?”

Carmine looked Lara straight in the eyes. “Serenity was eight, and Harley was seven. Their stories are their own. But Tye and I took them under our wing and watched over them. We did our best to keep them warm and fed.”

“You were kids looking after each other on the street?” Lara whispered.

Lara’s horror came through very clearly, and the audience was also reacting. I glanced at the looks on their faces and knew Carmine was reaching them.

“Yeah. As we grew older, the guys we hung with died off or moved away. By the time I was thirteen, I was in charge of us without the protection we’d previously had. That frightened me because men had begun looking at Serenity with lust,” Carmine replied.

“But Serenity was eleven!” Lara said, doing the math.

“Doesn’t matter on the streets. Lara, I was thirteen when I was first raped. I’d been hunting for food and had found some and was taking it to them when a guy dragged me into an alley. That half an hour was the most terrifying I had ever known. When finished, he threw twenty bucks at me and ran off. The asshole left me bleeding and beaten in a pile of rubbish. And that’s what I was: trash. Nobody cared what happened to me or the others. People walked past and ignored us. We didn’t exist,” Carmine continued in a low voice.

“What happened afterwards Carmine?” Lara asked gently.

“I picked myself up, threw my torn boxers away, and returned to the alley where we were staying and fed my family. I left the money where it was. I couldn’t touch it. For a couple of weeks, when I went to the toilet, I shed blood. In all honesty, I probably needed a doctor or medical help, but I couldn’t afford that. I was raped nine more times before we found Phoenix,” Carmine said honestly.

“Carmine, I’m lost for words for once.” Lara’s voice held horror and distress.

“Lara, it happens every day on the streets. It could have been worse. A pimp could have collared me. I could have been gangbanged, kidnapped, anything. I was lucky it was just ten straight rapes. After the fourth time, the guy dropped twenty, and I thought, ‘I’m taking it. My pain has to cost something.’ And I bought Tye, Serenity, and Harley McBurgers. I’ve never forgotten the looks on their faces when I showed them the food,” Carmine broke off and took a deep breath.

Sensing his distress, I shoved closer. Carmine looked down at me and smiled before wrapping an arm around my shoulders and holding me close. I leaned my head on his shoulder and stared calmly at Lara.

“How do you feel, Molly, knowing this?” Lara inquired.

“Proud.”

“That’s a strange emotion,” Lara said.

“No, it’s not. Carmine stands as a beacon to those children who’ve suffered similar,” I turned and spoke directly to a camera. “Look at Carmine, he experienced the same as you, and he made it. If you believe in yourself and fight, you can beat them too. Don’t let those disgusting rapists and paedophiles pull you down. Push against what they did and show them they’ve not beaten you. Rise up, appeal to the Eternal Trust; they are there for kids like you. Reach out to someone and ask for help.

“Carmine could have let his childhood destroy him, he didn’t. Don’t let the actions of the warped ruin your self-worth. Support is there for you; you just have to reach out and grab it. And when you get that chance, revel and build on it moving forward. Take whatever is offered to you and win. I’m proud to be Carmine’s girlfriend. Someone will one day say that about you.”

“That was heartfelt,” Lara murmured.

“I meant it. Ask the Eternal Trust for help, and let them boost you up,” I said, still staring at the camera before relaxing back into Carmine. He squeezed me tightly.

“How does it feel when you hear Molly say that, Carmine?”

“Molly inspires me to become a better person. Lara, I was lucky. Phoenix Michaelson found me, Tye, Serenity, and Harley. To say my mom is a special person is an understatement. She’s an angel in a human skin. There’ll never be another like her and I’m so proud she’s my mom.

“Mom discovered the other children she adopted and gave us a good life, but she also founded the Eternal Trust. Honestly, Mom would adopt every kid going if possible, but it’s not. The Eternal Trust is Mom’s way of reaching those she couldn’t. Plus, I’ve a lot of adopted cousins.” Carmine laughed.

“You belong to an MC,” Lara stated.

“Rage MC. Dad, Drake Michaelson is the president,” Carmine said proudly. “Growing up, I desired two things. To play ball and to become a brother. The brothers in Rage are my uncles, and when Mom and Dad got married, boy, did us kids get a huge family. Now, I’d say a good third of the children there are also adopted. But blood means nothing to Rage; that isn’t important. If a man claims a youngster, that’s their kid. They don’t have to share DNA.

“Ask Dad how many kids he has; his answer is eighteen, even though only two share his blood. If you talk to some of the others, they’ll say the same: any child, born to them or not, is a blessing,” Carmine ended with a smile.

“Can I ask, just directing you back, what do you say about the prostitute allegations?” Lara asked.

“Lara, I took cash when it was thrown at me; that happened twice after the first time. When I was raped the seventh time, I demanded money, and the guy gave me it. The money was used to buy medicine for Serenity, who was seriously sick. The eighth rape I was attacked, I requested payment. If they were going to hurt me, then they’d pay me for it. I got fifty bucks.

“That bought Tye, Serenity, and Harley winter jackets and thick socks from a thrift shop. Oh, they also got woolly hats.” Carmine laughed. “Tye hated his. The damn thing was a sickly green, but it kept Tye’s head warm. And the last time I was ever raped, I robbed the guy’s wallet and took one hundred. Guess that makes me a thief. But the money was spent getting them some new clothes, and I put fifty bucks away and they had warm meals for two weeks.

“There was a restaurant, it’s shut now, but the owners used to let the homeless buy leftover food for a few bucks each night. They would only have binned it, and I guess they still made money. Two bucks for a hot meal that filled you up was a good deal. And if you only had fifty cents, well, they’d let you off and give you the leftovers.

“So, I don’t know. Yeah, I took cash for being raped. Does that make me a prostitute? Can a child and a victim of rape be one? You tell me. At thirteen, I didn’t have rights; I couldn’t vote, I needed parental permission for everything. That newspaper that claims to have witness statements, actually, they aren’t.

“They are confessions of rapists and paedophiles. If there was anybody decent working there, they’d hand them over to the cops. And in fact, the law in Maine states that there is no statute of limitations for a sexual assault on anyone under the age of eighteen. Which means the newspaper is hiding criminals and condoning the rape and abuse of a child,” Carmine pointed out.

The people watching hissed, which made me jump, and Lara turned her gaze to them.

“Seems our audience has strong feelings about that,” she commented. “You, the chap with the brown top, what are you thinking?”

“Dude, I can’t get my head around what happened to you. Gotta say I’m sorry to hear it, but you got my admiration. You’ve done an amazing job changing your life for the better,” the guy praised.

“The lady in the green,” Lara pointed to the next person.

“Carmine, I’m not a fan of baseball. But it’s not prostitution; you’re correct. And I’m so sorry for what happened to you. I’d like to meet them in a dark alley with a baseball bat, no pun intended.”

I watched the audience carefully as they offered words of support, and I hoped that those watching had similar sentiments.

“Okay Carmine, now please can you answer this because I’m sure the people want to understand. What was the relationship between you and Carmen, the model?” Lara asked, her eyes gleaming with an unholy light. I got the sense that Lara didn’t like her.

“There wasn’t one. Carmen and I had three public dates. I’ve no idea why she’s carrying on and wailing like I broke her heart. Sheesh, if Carmen honestly feels like that… then hell… bunny boiler vibes! Come on,” Carmine turned to the audience. “If you took someone out for a few meals, would you consider yourself in a relationship?”

Everyone laughed and called out negatives.

“Now let’s talk about the Michaelson Scholarships. This is something you set up with your brothers, Micah and Tye, and sisters Jodie and Serenity. Can you tell me about this project?” Lara questioned.

I snuggled against Carmine as he pulled me even closer to his body and listened as he spoke about the special school he and his siblings had started. By the end of the interview, I knew that Carmine had turned public opinion his way.

Lara asked us to stay and talk to the audience, after filming ended. Graciously, we did for an hour, answering some further questions before taking our leave and heading to our hotel.

Carmine

I glanced at Molly; she was curled up on the seat of the plane, asleep. Her phone had been pinging, and I grabbed and answered it.

“Molly, this is Susan. There’s been a huge increase in quakes, and we need you back soon,” Susan said.

“Hi, Dr Jones-White, it’s Carmine, Molly’s asleep. We are on our way now; we should land within the hour. Would you like us to come straight to the command centre?”

“Yes, please. Carmine, we’re looking at possibly evacuating those in the red zone,” Susan answered, and my stomach knotted.

Whatever was happening was occurring right now.

“Has search and rescue been alerted?” I asked.

“Axel and Chief Howser are currently on site and are informed about the incoming data. I honestly believe we’re going to see a lava flow, but I don’t understand where or how. I have everyone out in the Hills monitoring the possible routes,” Susan said.

“Okay, Doc, we’ll be home soon,” I reassured her.

“Good, because Molly might see something I am missing,” Susan replied, and cut the call.

Gently, I shook Molly awake and informed her what was going on. She immediately dragged up her laptop and logged in to begin reviewing the data.

“I’m positive it’s going to be a laccolith,” Molly said, tapping her chin. “We don’t have signs for a new volcano forming. There’s no ground movement, and there would be. The quakes would also be stronger.”

“You think a laccolith is gonna explode?”

“Not explode, but become active, yes. But I can’t formulate how or when, except it’s imminent. And when I say that, I mean within the next twenty-four hours.”

“Molly, Dr Jones-White is in charge, but I think you are going to have to make the call to evacuate. We’re aware of the paths the lava can take, and the quickest one to civilisation only gives us half an hour evac time.”

“I’d rather not decide. What if I’m wrong?” Molly asked, biting her lip.

“And what if you’re correct? Err on the side of caution, sweet girl,” I urged, believing in her.

Molly studied her data and then, thirty minutes later, picked up her phone.

“Susan, it’s me. I’ve studied the latest meeting, and I’m gonna call it. Evacuate the areas we guessed are in the risk zones. This is going to happen within the next twenty-four hours. That’s my recommendation, and I’ll also email it,” Molly said strongly.

I knew she had doubts, but Molly wasn’t letting them show in her voice, and I was so proud of her.

Molly conversed briefly with Susan before ending the call. “I may have just caused a storm in a teacup,” she murmured.

“Or saved hundreds of lives. Trust the data and your gut,” I soothed.

“Yeah,” Molly replied and looked out the window.