Page 163 of Uprising

“…Knowing that she willingly fucked them both.”

I try to turn my face away but Roman doesn’t let me, he cups my cheeks in his hands, silently telling me that he loves me, that none of her taunts are affecting him.

“She knelt there.” My mother says. “Sucking his cock while they defiled your sister. While they raped her.”

I tremble. My legs give me away but Roman doesn’t let it me go. Was she there? Was she at that club and I didn’t see? Or did Darius tell her after? Did he gloat about it? About what he’d done. What he’d made me do?

“It wasn’t like that.” I say blinking back the tears. “He threatened Lara, he…”

He kisses me, silencing my excuses.

And then he looks at where my mother is still tied, on her back, sneering at us.

“Nothing you say can change what I feel about your daughter.” He says. “I love Rose despite everything you put her through, everything you forced her to do.”

“And what about Lara?” She hisses. “What about the fact Rose wanted her aborted?”

I go for her then but Roman pulls me from the room, slamming the door shut, putting his hand on it to stop me from going back in. “Enough.” He says. “We don’t need to hear it. We don’t need anything else from her.”

“She knows where Darius is.” I say.

He cups my cheek, shaking his head. “It’s not worth it. She is not worth it.”

Roman

She lets me lead her away. She’s shaking, she’s so close to falling apart.

When we reach our bedroom she stops, facing me like this is a battle she has to get over with. “I didn’t want her aborted. I never wanted that.” She says.

I tilt my head. “I didn’t believe it for a second.” I state.

“I was trying to run, after I found out I was pregnant. I had some money, I was going to leave Verona. I thought you’d abandoned us and I was going to go somewhere far away and raise her alone.”

“It’s okay Rose.” I say cupping her cheek. I know what she’s been through. I’m not stupid enough to believe the hateful words her mother has said because it’s obvious what she was trying to do. She was shit stirring. Trying to drive a wedge between us. Only that’s not going to happen.

She shakes her head. “Carter was the one who caught me. He was the one who dragged me back.”

“Rose.”

“I did suck his cock. I did.” Her words don’t even sound like her now. She sounds like a ghost. Like she’s spiralling so badly out of control. “I tried to stop him going back too, I did everything I could to stop him from being there, from hurting Sofia.”

“Rose.” I say placing my hands on her shoulders. The thought of her being there, of both of them in that situation makes my blood boil. “You are not responsible for what happened.”

“I should have fought harder.”

I shake my head, unsure how on earth I can get through to her.

“I saw the needle. I watched Otto drugging her. I watched…”

“Stop.” I growl slamming my fist into the wall and she flinches as she falls silent. “You didn’t do this. You are not responsible. You need to stop carrying this guilt. Stop fooling yourself that you could have prevented it.”

“But I should have…” Her voice trails off as she cries.

I grab her, pulling her into my chest. “You did everything you could.” I state. “You saved Sofia, you are the reason we rescued her. You are the reason we even found out about it.”

She wraps her arms around my neck. “I just want it to stop hurting.”

I carry her to our bed, laying her down. She’s got herself so worked up she’s sobbing. I walk to the bathroom, get her a glass of water and come back.