Page 78 of Uprising

I don’t know. I can’t fathom any reasonable explanation for why one person would hurt another the way he does.

“I gave you a chance remember? I gave you an opportunity to live the way you wanted, with Lara here.”

“No you didn’t.” I reply.

His fingers dig deeper into my jaw. “What else would you have me do? I tried to be nice, I tried to treat you properly and you threw it in my face. You don’t even try with me, you won’t let me love you.”

“Because I don’t love you. Because I’ve never loved you. I’ve never wanted you.” I state.

His eyes flash. “And there’s your answer, that’s why I hurt you, because you say shit like that. You refuse to accept this, you refuse to even compromise.”

“I shouldn’t have to.” I snap. “I shouldn’t have to do any of this. You forced me to marry you, you forced me to be here, you…”

His look silences me.

“I’m not letting you go. I will never let you go. This is your life, so you have to make a decision, do you want to be happy, or would you rather suffer this pain?”

“You’re not giving me a real choice.” I whisper.

“Yes I am. You just don’t like your options.” He replies. “If you behave then I’d treat you right, I’d spoil you the way you deserve and we’d both be happy. But you won’t do that will you? You’re too bloody minded, too fixated on some fantasy life you’ll never get, so I have to respond accordingly. I hurt you because you deserve it. I hurt you because you make me. I take no pleasure in it Rose. But your actions have consequences so stop acting like you’re the victim here.”

I pull my face from his grip. Turn my head away. He actually believes that doesn’t he, he actually thinks his behaviour is justified.

“You conspired against me.” He continues. “You and that Montague scum. You’re lucky I didn’t hurt you more. You’re lucky I’m not treating you the way Otto treats Sofia.”

“She isn’t a part of this.” I state. “She was never a part of this.”

He lets out a laugh. “She’s a whore, just as you were for that boy. She’d been playing my cousin for months with no intention of actually marrying him.”

“She’s barely more than a child.” I hiss. It’s not exactly true, Sofia is the same age I was when Roman and I met, the same age I fell pregnant. “Otto is over twice her age.”

He smirks. “She’s legal.” He states in a way that makes my stomach churn.

I open my mouth to argue but he cuts across me. “Enough. I’m done with this conversation. Done with explaining myself. Get back to my bed, you’ve woken me up so you might as well give me something in return.”

My eyes widen. Really? He wants sex right now?

He hauls me to my feet jarring my arm by the way he yanks on it and he stares at where my nighty dips low between my breasts. “Remember Rose you make the decisions, you can either have enjoyment or pain. It’s up to you.”

I clench my fists, hating his words, hating him even more as he leads me from what was my daughter’s room back to the suite at the end of the hall.

But as we walk, my stomach twists and I let out a groan, I’m cramping up. I can feel it. I’m finally having a period and the loss of Lara seems to hit me harder then. The memories of what I had, of what was stolen, of every moment that should have been joy but they turned to darkness. It twists inside me as bitterness fills my mouth.

Darius pulls me back scanning my face. I don’t want to tell him what this is, what this means. Because a period means my body is ovulating again. A period means he’ll be able to track it.

But as he looks at me, as he stares down between my legs, I know he knows. And I can see it in his eyes.

I am so utterly fucked now.

Rose

Something is going on. Something not good.

I don’t know what it is but Darius has been yelling, shouting, smashing shit all day. I stay out of his way. I stay out of all their way.

Carter seems to be coming and going and the few times he’s seen me I swear I think he might just hurt me too.

So I hide up in the rafters, stare out, practically day dreaming for what feels like hours, watching the waves crash below as the residuals from the storm continue to wreak havoc on the sea, as my insides twist with cramping.