Chaotic Hope.

~Chapter Two~ LENA

"What happened down there, Lena?" Ariz asks me the moment I walked into our shared room.

I didn't need to look up to know the other foster kids were gathered around her, eagerly waiting for my reponse. Some were terrified of me, but curiosity kept them in here. While others wished it was them, envious that a little shrimp like me managed to overcome a big man like Travis.

From all their thoughts, I can tell Mr Sinclair's men explained the situation to them. Our social worker's will be here within the hour to collect, and take us on to our next foster homes.

I glance at each and everyone of them, sad to be leaving them but at the same time happy. The Delaney's weren't the worst foster parents I've had in my short time wondering this planet, they just made bad choice's and in Travis' case it cost him his life.

"Travis sold me to Mr Sinclair, or well planned too. Only Mr Sinclair had no intentions of following through. He simply agreed to meet me in order to learn more about the situation." I finally say on a sigh, my eyes looking with Ariz's, "Apparently he does this often, selling kids like us to the highest bidder. Other's he keeps as playthings until he tires of them and then they just disappear; never to be heard from again. No one knows if he kills them himself or what happens to them. They're there one day and then simply gone the next."

And I do mean no one.

For some reason Travis was able to hide that little nugget even from me. Which was strange, because I know all.

The younger ones all gasp in horror, while a couple of the older kids who have been here the longest, look completely unsurprised by this news. Hell, two of the girls even looked relieved, and they should be since their time was almost up.

"Mr Sinclair and his people have been investigating his illegal human trafficking operation for 5 years now, but somehow Travis kept slipping through their fingers until today. Until—"

"Ms Drake?" A deep familiar voice says from the open doorway, interrupting me.

"No." I reply without turning around, already knowing what he's about to say.

"How can you say 'no', when you don't even know what I was going to ask?"

This causes Ariz to giggle softly, and I roll my eyes at her, but smile all the same.

God, how I've missed that sound.

"'Cause she doesn't need to, sir." One of the older boys, Kyle Hendrickson, says when the silence stretches out uncomfortablely, "I don't know the sisters that well, I'd only been with the Delaney's a week before they arrived, but from what I can tell is they're a packaged deal—you can't have one without the other. Travis was stupid thinking otherwise. "

I so could have kissed him in that moment, because I couldn't have said it better myself.

Mr Sinclair doesn't say anything for a moment, but from his thought's he has no clue who Kyle's even talking about. Seems Rebecca Clarke, the incompetent fool she is, has once more failed to remember how many kids she placed in the Delaney's care. I mean, come on, if you hate your job that much then quit already. It's people like Rebecca, who make hard for kids like us, to hold onto the hope of ever surviving this hellish life we call ours.

"But your social worker, Ms Clarke, said your an only child?"

This comes out more a question then anything, and I can feel his anger rising by the second.

'Why is it that everyone around me these days seems incapable of doing their bloody jobs? t***s the whole damn lot of them'

It's in that one thought I detect his Irish brogue he tries so desperately to hide, and I couldn't help but giggle.

"Those of us without families, Mr Sinclair, make do with what we can. In saying that, Ariz and I may not be blood related, but we're sisters in every sense of the word," I say, finally turning around to face him. "So the only way I'm going anywhere with you, is if Ariz's comes too. And if you think downstairs was all I got, you'll be in for the rudest awakening ever if you dare try taking me by force."

He looks me up and down, his lip twitching as he fights not to smile, but it's gone just as quickly as I feel Ariz moving to stand at my side. She reaches down, unclenched my tiny fist closest to her and laced her fingers through mine, giving me a squeeze. Her way of telling me to calm my s**t.

I close my eyes momentarily and take a couple deep, even breathes. Although I reckon I could take him and his men, there is no reason to start a war. Because that's exactly what would happen if I killed Mr Sinclair, you know, being the Don of the Irish Mob.

Yikes!

"...again, I'm so sorry about my sister. We're just...kind of really...protective of each other." I hear Ariz saying and realised I've missed out on half their conversation.

"I completely understand. Family is everything. You kill for family. You die for family. Because you can't trust anyone else," Mr Sinclair says, appreciation and something akin to respect glinting in his eyes as he takes us both in, standing side-by-side. "Well, then, what do you say girls? Would you both like to come home with me?"

If I didn't already know he didn't mean it how it sounded, he'd be another undead added to my collection. Obviously being the only one, Ariz pulls me with her as she takes a step back, shaking her head. Fear rolling from her in tidal waves.

Sensing exactly where her mind is, and all the horrific scenarios that could possibly happen to us playing over on a loop inside her head, Mr Sinclair holds out his hands, his face emotionless. But his thoughts range from sympathy to rage at everything we've had to endure, or Ariz in particular, to warrant such an reaction.

"Whoa, no! Absolutely not! That's not what..." He stumbles over his words to reassure her. "I'm a happily married man with four sons, Ariz. Unlike other men, my wife us enough for me..." His inner monologue was hilarious and I just bet it's not every day you get to see such a powerful man like him at a complete and utter lost as what to say to a terrified teenage girl—A sight to behold it was.

He sighs heavily, running a hand through his hair and starts over.

"What I meant is, would you two like to come live with my family and I. We have a big enough house that you'd each have your own bedroom. And eventually if it's alright with you both, my wife and I would like to officially adopt you?"

I c****d my head and studied him for a moment...I already knew what my answer was, but this is Ariz call. She needs to feel in control again, after having so little over the years. So if she agrees to leave with him, it'll be one step closer to finally taking back the reigns of her life. Whatever she decides, I'll follow her lead; always.

"I'll go with you, Mr Sinclair, if they're too frightened." Monique Riley, the only who to have ever enjoyed Travis' nightly 'beatings', says in a sultry voice. And boy did she make sure we could all hear her...I shoot the b***h my most deathly glare and she sneers back at me, "What!?! I'm more woman than either of you two could ever dream to be. Besides, none of you know how to handle a men like them, anyway."

She bat's her heavily made-up eyes at Mr Sinclair, who visibly shudders. If only he could hear her thoughts...if only.

I open my mouth to retort, but Ariz's reply cuts me off.

"Okay."

"Okay?" Mr Sinclair asks, looking between the two of us.

I just shrug, and return to glaring at Monique.

"Okay. Lena and I will come live with you and your family, but only if we can share a room. I don't like the idea of her being alone in a strange place, and I'll feel safer too knowing she's close."

I look back at Mr Sinclair to see a breath taking smile split across his handsome face.

"Deal." He agrees and becomes all business like again. "But just so you both know, nothing or no one will ever hurt you girls again, not while I'm around."

Again, if I didn't know what he was thinking, I'd assume he was plotting to weaken our defenses, get us to trust him before he rips the rug out from underneath us. But this man is a walking contradiction, because his promise isn't empty; he says what he means and means what he says.

I didn't know it at the time, but would eventually come to realise that Grayson Sinclair's word was law and anyone who dared cross him found themselves making friends with the fishes before they even knew what hit them. He'd also carve out a place in my heart, claiming a piece just for himself, as one of the first men I would ever love.

After a while Mr Sinclair tells us to pack our things, before excusing himself to call his wife. Monique trails after him, in hopes to get an invite too. Her thoughts make me feel dirty even though I've just had a shower. Kyle and the others stay for a bit longer, the girls all gush over how lucky we are, before leaving to do the same.

And then one by one, Ariz and I watch them leave with their social worker's. Monique is the last, much to her disappointment and I couldn't help smirk at her last minute attempts to try and get one of Mr Sinclair's men to offer her placement.

The girl really had no shame.

"Tell me I'm making the right decision, Lena. That this time is forever, and we're finally getting our happily ever after," Ariz mutters on the bench across from me, in the town car we've been sitting and waiting in, while Mr Sinclair finishes up with the police inside.

I glance back at the house we briefly called home, and even though neither of us will ever step foot in it again, forever is a long time and I've never believed in happy ever afters—their just make-believe in my opinion.

"I have never lied to you, Ariz, so I'm definitely not going to start now," I say and look back at her. In the rearview mirror, I find the man who tried to disarm me in the living room, Fillipe Rivers as Mr Sinclair introduced him, his right-hand-man, watching me like a hawk. Obviously listening into our conversation, "I don't know what our future looks like, and I honestly could care less, so long as your with me I know I'll be okay."

"We'll be okay," She corrected, meeting my gaze as she adds with a small smile, "Lena and Ariz against the world!!"

"You and me; forever always!"

"Forever infinity!"