Madeline POV
I watched the credits roll on the third movie we’ve watched today. I was kind of getting tired of staring at the TV, but I didn’t want to stop watching. It’s been ages since I’ve watched a movie, and I was excited. The last movie I saw was some kind of cartoon. It was when I was back in a group home. I didn’t even remember the title.
"Did you like it, Mads?" Max asked, making me look at him.
I nodded and smiled. "I did. Is there more?"
"Yes." Max said, grinning at me. There are five more movies."
"Five?" I asked, my eyes widening.
"How about lunch before we continue?" Sam interfered. "Maddie needs to eat."
I wasn’t really hungry, though. My stomach was still full from the pancakes I ate a few hours ago.
"I could eat." Zack said.
"You could always eat." Milo scoffed. "Your stomach doesn’t have limits."
"Look who’s talking." Zack said, frowning. "I’ve seen you eat two pizzas and three burgers in one night."
I gasped and looked at Milo. He chuckled and shook his head.
"Gasp all you want, Mads." Max sighed. "It’s true."
"Your brother is a pig, Addie." Ryan mumbled as he started picking up mugs and glasses from the coffee table.
"Hey, all of you are pigs too." Milo argued. "I’ve seen all of you eat a mountain of food. Don’t make Maddie believe that I am the only pig in this room."
I chuckled and shook my head.
"I am not the only pig in this room, love." Milo said, looking at me.
"I know." I mumbled, giving him a little smile.
Max, my cousins, and Zack gasped, faking shock.
"Did you just call us pigs, Mads?" Max asked, smirking down at me.
A part of me got scared. Did I make them angry? Would they punish me? Would they hurt me?
"I think a punishment is in order." Sam said, making my heart stop beating.
My body tensed up. A huge lump formed in my throat.
Max raised his hands.
I was so frozen that I couldn't even move. I couldn't even protect my head.
Max placed his arms on my waist and started…
Tickling me.
What?
I was so shocked that I couldn’t even feel his fingers for a few seconds.
And then I did.
I started squirming and trying to get away from him. I didn’t even realize that I had started laughing.
"Are we pigs, Mads?" Max asked, laughing with me.
"No!" I exclaimed as my lungs tightened. "I am sorry!"
"Who is the only pig?" Max asked, grinning at me.
My cheeks started hurting from all the laughing I had to do. I’ve never laughed this much before.
"Milo!" I said, trying to catch my breath.
"Hey!" Milo exclaimed.
Max stopped tickling me, and he pulled me into his arms. He hugged me tightly and kissed the top of my head.
I was still giggling.
"That’s as bad as the punishments go in this family." Max said softly.
I looked up at him and smiled. He kissed my cheek gently.
"Did he hurt your ribs?" Sam asked softly. "I thought that he was going to tickle your feet."
I looked at Sam and saw that he was frowning at Max.
"He didn’t." I said, shaking my head.
"I am not an idiot, Sam." Max sighed, rolling his eyes. "I didn’t touch her ribs once."
"Good." Sam said, smiling at me. "Hungry?"
I gave him a small nod, and he smiled at me.
"How about pizza?" Milo asked, making Sam sigh.
"That’s not really healthy, Milo." Sam mumbled.
"Blame Zack." Milo said as he stood up. "He mentioned it."
All of us started standing up. We walked to the kitchen together. Max never moved his arm from my shoulders. I was glad. I felt safe and comfortable with him.
Well, I felt safe and comfortable with Milo and my cousins too, but there was something about Max that brought calmness into my body and soul. I didn’t know what it was, but I didn’t care. I needed it.
"I know where they are." Milo mumbled just as we entered the kitchen.
I looked at him with a confused expression on my face.
What was he talking about? He knew where who was?
"Where?" Sam asked immediately.
He clenched his fists, making me lean more into Max. Why was Sam so angry all of a sudden?
"They recently bought a house up North." Milo said, looking at Max. "Do you remember? We heard them talking about it when we came from school about a month ago."
I looked up at Max. His eyebrows were furrowed, but then his eyes widened.
"I remember." Max mumbled.
"Where is the house?" Ryan asked as he pulled the phone out of his pocket.
"I don’t know the exact address, but I know the area." Milo said as he grabbed his phone from the kitchen island.
Who were they talking about?
"What is going on?" I asked Max, as I watched Ryan and Milo staring at Milo’s phone.
Ryan nodded, unlocked his phone, and walked out of the kitchen.
"The police caught your foster parents, but our parents ran away." Sam said, making me look at him. "They couldn't find them, so they asked us if we knew where they could have gone to. Milo just remembered a possible location. Ryan is calling his friend at the police station to inform him."
My heart raced.
"My foster parents are in jail?" I mumbled, trying to swallow the lump in my throat.
"Yes, baby." Sam said, giving me a small smile. "They are never going to hurt you again."
Shivers went up and down my spine.
"Will I need to testify against them?" I mumbled quietly.
I didn’t want to. Just thinking about facing them had me ready to throw up.
"No, love." Sam said softly. "They found enough evidence to lock them up without your testimony."
Evidence? Did they find the photos and the videos?
My stomach turned.
Did my brothers and my cousins know about it?
Oh, God, no. I hoped they didn’t know. I didn’t want them to know that he recorded everything.
Max tightened his arms around me. I buried my face in his chest, seeking the comfort only he could give me.
"We love you so much, Mads." Max mumbled as he kissed the top of my head.
My heart was racing.
"The police are on their way." I heard Ryan’s voice.
I raised my head and looked up at him.
"My friend will call once he knows something." Ryan added.
"Okay." Sam mumbled. "Let’s make pizza."
Max placed another kiss on the top of my head and guided me toward the kitchen island.
I sat down and took a deep breath. Milo wrapped his arms around me and leaned his head on mine.
My whole body was trembling. I tried to take a deep breath to calm down, but it was pointless. The only thing that really helped were my brothers’ arms around me.