AN: This was a hard chapter to write. Remember that this story is rated M. The flashback in this chapter is very dark. Please skip it if you need to. You will get the gist as the chapter continues. You have been warned. Review and let me know what you think.
Rose POV
I could hear him still on the other side of my door. Why can't I be normal for once and just open the door?
"Rose, Rose please. Open the door." I had already told him to go away. I wouldn't say another word to him. He would get the hint and leave eventually. I didn't want to hurt him but that is what I do. He'd move on.
He knocked a few more times and then it got quiet. Finally, he had gotten the hint and left. I leaned back against my front door and slid down to the floor. It was still dark in here as I hadn't taken the time to turn on the lights. As tears fell down my face memories from that horrid night came to the surface. I barely heard the sobs coming from my throat as I recalled the reason I could never let him in. This was both my sanctuary and my own hell.
EPOV
I don't know what happened. One minute we were joking around together. We walked from my truck hand in hand. As we reached the porch thunder clapped in the distance. Immediately she froze with her keys in her hand before turning to me and telling me to leave.
Before I could ask what was wrong she was in her house with the door shut behind her. I stood on the porch and knocked her door to no avail. She told me once to go away then she didn't speak again.
Now I am sitting against her door, listening to her sobs coming from the other side. I don't know if she realizes I am still here or not. But there is no way I am leaving her.
I settled against the door and closed my eyes as I listened to her. I would give anything to be beside her right now. I would pull her into my arms and help her get past whatever was wrong. I don't know what happened to make Rose so jaded but I wanted to kill whoever was the cause of it.
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RPOV
I stretched my arms before I opened my eyes. I was asleep on my couch. Before I could wonder why I ended up on my couch my mind recalled last night. Emmett walking me to my door, me panicking, him leaving. I owed him an apology. Not that I expect him to accept it. I wouldn't blame him if he didn't.
I made my way into my room and changed into fresh clothes, letting my dress fall to the floor. I felt like Cinderella, with my clock striking midnight. My night with Emmett had been perfect. He was such a wonderful friend. I know that one day he would make someone so happy. Too bad that someone wouldn't be me.
Emmett had been nothing but wonderful to me and he deserved an explanation. I needed to clear the air with him. He didn't deserve for my demons to pull him down. I threw my hair into a messy ponytail then made my way back into the living room. I bent to pick up my keys from their spot on the floor. I put my hand on the knob and turned.
A gasp escaped my lips as Emmett's form fell into my doorway. He shot up, looking around in confusion. I reached out to him and put my hand on his arm.
"Emmett, what are you," My words trailed off as a realization hit me. Emmett was still in his suit. It was wrinkled. I furrowed my brow as I looked him over. Had he been on my porch all night long?
Emmett was returning my look with a worried look of his own. He ran a hand over his face, I assume to wake him up. As he opened his mouth to speak I realized that we were standing in my foyer. My hands began to shake. I took hold of his arm with a shaky grasp and led him onto the porch.
We sat beside one another on the top step. I looked down at my hands nervously. I didn't know what to say to him. I felt bad last night for shutting him out and I felt even worse today knowing that he stayed on my porch. I watched as Emmett brought his hand to mine and intertwined his fingers through mine.
"Rose, I don't know what happened to you but I'm sorry." I looked up at his face. His eyes locked onto mine. Something about Emmett made me feel so calm. I could feel my hands stop shaking. I leaned my head onto his shoulder and let out a sigh.
"I'm sorry Emmett." I felt a tear slide down my cheek. Emmett brought his free hand to my face and wiped away the lone tear.
"Don't apologize Rose." I shook my head as I looked up at him.
"Emmett, you slept on my porch last night. I can't even let you into my house so that we can talk. Emmett, I am sorry." I heard a sigh escape his lips. He tightened his grip on my hand as he began to talk.
"Rose, I don't care that I slept on your porch last night. I couldn't leave you. I heard you crying. I don't know who hurt you Rose but I am so sorry." He let go of my hand and wrapped his arms around me. I fell into his embrace, pressing my face against him. My tears began to fall freely. Emmett held me while I cried, shushing me quietly.
I felt so safe in his arms. Like no one could hurt me. I knew then that Emmett deserved the truth. I sniffed as I stopped crying. My mind filled with images that I had fought so hard to keep at bay.
Flashback
I should have realized that Royce had too much to drink. He was never this dominant. I had foolishly gone along with his little game, allowing him to tie my wrists to my bed post. Now here I am with tears streaming down my face.
The things he said to me. The filthy things that he wanted to do with me, or rather to me. I have never been scared of Royce before. He had never given me a reason to be scared. Until now.
He fingered the hem of my skirt before roughly tugging it down past my ankles. He smiled at me as though he was doing me a favor. He frowned at the sight of my tears.
"What the hell Rosalie? I don't want to see you cry. I just want to give you what you want."
He trailed his hands up and down my thigh. He ran his hands up to the hem of my shirt, pulling it swiftly over my head. He leans into my breasts, kissing each one. I tell him no. I beg him to stop.
He doesn't stop, instead he trails his kisses down my stomach until he is down by my pelvic bone. I cry out to him as he caresses my inner thigh. I beg him not to rape me.
He looks up at me with lust in his eyes. With a smile on his face he tells me that it is only rape if there is penetration. I don't know if that is true. I just know that I want him to stop.
His hand moves upward. He moves his body lower so that his face is between my legs. I sob now, begging him not to. He slaps me hard across my face and tells me to shut up and enjoy what he is giving me. He breathes on me between my legs and I bite my lip to keep from screaming.
He uses his tongue at my entrance then makes his way to my clit. At his contact my body bucks into him. I hate that my body is betraying me. I am being violated and yet I react as though I want more.
Royce chuckles into me at my movement. It seems to spur him on. My body is conflicted. As I cry out for him to stop traitorous moans escape my lips. He touches my breasts as he works. I lean into him even though my mind is screaming to pull away. I whisper no over and over as he speeds up. I eventually lose the battle with him and myself, releasing into his touch.
I sob as he kisses me goodnight and releases my hands. He holds them in his own and tells me to say thank you. His grasp tightens until I say thank you for fear of him snapping my wrists. He lets go. I should attack him. I should make him pay for what he did. I said no. But I do nothing. I was so disgusted with myself for giving him the satisfaction of my orgasm that I only curled into a ball and listened quietly as he let himself out.
As the image of that night played through my head I held onto Emmett tighter. Finally, I took a deep breath and pulled away from him enough that I see his eyes. I began to tell him about my night with Royce. As I finished Emmett's eyes grew wild with fury.
"I'll kill him." His statement was laced with venom. He stood and began to pace the length of my porch. He ran his hands through his hair and muttered to himself. I cried silently as I watched Emmett become enraged.
I knew that he wasn't angry at me but I couldn't help but feel guilty. Emmett was so angry and I hadn't been even been able to control myself with Royce. I turned my back to Emmett as I couldn't look at him anymore. I curled into myself on the stairs and began to cry yet again.
I jumped when I felt Emmett's arms wrap around me. He rocked me as I sobbed. He whispered into my ear.
"I'm so sorry Rose. I am sorry." As he leaned his head against my bare neck I felt his tears on my skin.
EPOV
I woke up on Rose's porch, or rather in her doorway. I hadn't meant to fall asleep. I noticed her hands beginning to tremble as she led me back onto the porch. I had never seen Rose so vulnerable. I held her hand then pulled her into my arms. I wasn't sure what was causing her breakdown.
When Rose looked back into my eyes hers were filled with an eerie calm. She looked detached. As she opened her mouth and told me her story my vision turned red. What type of a son a bitch would do that to a woman? I could tell as she spoke that she blamed herself. It sickened me.
I stood and paced to channel my fury. All I could think about was someone hurting Rose. I wanted to find him and kill him. I wanted to torture him so that he knew what he did to Rose. I heard a sob coming from Rose and it pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to her and saw that she was hugging her knees to her chest with her face buried.
My heart broke for her. Without a thought I sat behind her and pulled her into my arms. I shushed her and whispered into her ear. I needed her to calm down. I felt like she was slipping away.
I told her how sorry I was. I told her that I was here. That she was okay. I rocked us back and forth as I told her that I would never let her go. I felt my own tears running down my face. I wanted to take this away from her.
Finally her sobs lessened. I held her against me as she trembled. She brought her hands up to my arms and began to run them up and down. Her touch was cold. I leaned into her ear.
"I should get you inside honey. You're freezing." She shook her head sternly. I could only imagine why she didn't want to go into her house right now. She didn't have on a jacket and her feet were bare. I needed to get her inside somehow.
"Will you let me take you to my place?" She nodded softly. I stood and lifted her into my arms. Instead of fighting me like I would have expected her to she lay her head against my chest as I walked to my truck. I opened the passenger door and slid her in.
The drive to my house was made in silence. Rose looked out the window with a blank stare. It didn't escape my notice how different this drive was from last night. Before we had ridden in a comfortable silence, just enjoying being together. Today was the opposite. The air was thick with tension and the silence felt forced.
I pulled up to my trailer and went around to Rose's side. I picked her up and carried her inside. I passed the living room and went straight to my room. I laid her on my bed and pulled the covers over her. Her eyes were open but she never made a sound. I told her that I would be right back as I headed to the kitchen. I made her a cup of warm tea that she had bought at our trip to the store.
By the time I returned with her tea her eyes were closed and her breathing had evened out. I sat the tea on my side table and knelt on the floor beside her. Gently I ran my knuckles down her jaw. She sighed against my touch.
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Rose slept for a few hours. I wanted to stay by her side but I was wary of how she would react to find me there with her. I forced myself into the living room. I stared aimlessly at the television before flipping the power off and going to the kitchen. I knew that when Rose woke up she would be hungry. To my knowledge she hadn't eaten breakfast before coming outside.
I rummaged through the cabinets and refrigerator. It was a lot easier to navigate when I did my grocery shopping alone. I skipped over the canned corned beef as I smirked at Rose's aversion to processed meat.
I ended up pulling out ingredients for macaroni and cheese, thankful that Esme had insisted on teaching me the basics of cooking. Even I could whip up a dish like mac and cheese. It was the perfect comfort food. And I wanted to offer Rose all the comfort that I could. I boiled water for the noodles then poured them in. I stirred them while they cooked, needing a reason to stay busy. As I drained the noodles in the sink I heard the water in the bathroom running.
I went to work quickly adding ingredients to my noodles before mixing it all together and putting the dish in the oven. I turned around in time to see Rose coming through my bedroom door. Her eyes looked tired, even after the sleep she had just gotten. They were rimmed in red, likely from our time on her porch. She stood in place and looked at me with caution.
Without a second thought I crossed the room to her and pulled her into my arms. I heard her sigh as she fell against me. I ran my fingers through her hair that she had taken down from its ponytail. We stayed that way for a while, just taking each other in. Finally, she broke the silence.
"Thank you Emmett." I furrowed my brow at her words. Before I could ask what she felt she needed to thank me for she continued.
"Thank you for listening Emmett. Thank you for holding me, for making me feel safe." She led me to the couch then curled up into my side as she sat beside me. While we waited on the macaroni to cook she told me about her dad and brother living so far away. I scowled as I thought of Rose living here all alone. She had to men in her life that should have been taking care of her. I felt my rage beginning to grow as I entertained the thought of anyone ever hurting Alice. I would have killed them with my bare hands.
Rose's voice brought me back to the present. Her dad and Jasper might not be here but I was and I would make sure she never hurt like that again.
"Where is he Rose?" she shrugged her shoulders.
"He realized how badly he screwed up. Told me he was sorry and that he'd never bother me again. When he left he took all of our friends with him." I remembered Rose talking last night about the girls she used to hang out with. Then it dawned on me that Royce must have been high class. Someone who would have taken her to a place like Giovanni's every weekend. Regret filled my soul as I thought I had taken her to somewhere that she tried to steer clear of. I began to apologize for taking her uptown when she put a hand to my cheek.
"Emmett, last night was wonderful. Royce could have taken me out a hundred times and it would never amount to being out with you last night. Uptown is his scene, yes. But being there with you made it our place." I leaned into her hand as she talked. I loved the way her touch felt.
"I wouldn't want to be there with anyone less than a friend like you Emmett." I pulled from her touch as the reality of her words hit me. A friend like me. Because that is all that I would ever be.
