Josephine

Everything within me feels dead. Lifeless. Broken. Shattered into a million pieces. Somewhere in the middle of the whole thing something inside of me snapped and the lights went out. I lost consciousness but I didn't lose their interest in me.

Because when I wake up, I'm fully naked with sperm all over my body.

But I don't feel pain. I feel nothing. There's no ache pulsing in my body. There's no heart beating in my chest. There's only emptiness.

I don't know how long I sit on the checked tiled floor of the kitchen but eventually my brain switches on again and I start using the logical part of my brain, my frontal lobe. It controls reasoning, planning, voluntary movement, and some aspects of speech, says Rory's voice in my head. I guess quizzing her and George for the medical tests pays out in some weird, twisted way.

Because it actually makes me function instead of collapsing into a emotional breakdown - which the limbic system is known for. Within the limbic there's the amygdala, which assesses the emotional value of stimuli. It's the main part of the brain associated with fear reactions - including the "fight or flight".

I fought. And then I lost consciousness.

I get up from the floor. How I've gotten here, I don't know. But I manage to rise from the cold tiles and start looking for my phone. Everything's blurry. It's like I'm looking through frosted glass. I need help. I need someone to preserve the traces. Someone to clean this mess up. Someone to bring me fresh clothes after taken all the traces off of me.

And I need a medical examination.

And there's only one person I can call for all of that.

I find my iPhone in the full sink of the kitchen. Thankfully it's waterproof. I get it out of the water and unlock it with my code because the face recognition doesn't work. I call the number one on my speed dial and wait. I try to not look at anything made of stainless steel or let alone a mirror because I'm afraid of my reflection. I don't even look down at myself. I look at the calendar. Today's Sunday. November the seventh.

It's November the seventh of 2049. I keep repeating the words in my head as I wait for the person to pick up the call. I don't even know what time it is. I don't know how long I was unconscious or how long they... how long it lasted. It's November the seventh of 2049.

"Everything alright?"

The sound of my brother-in-law's voice makes my throat tight and suddenly my legs give in and I crash on the cold titled floor in the kitchen.

"Jo? Jo, what's wrong?"

Tears start streaming down my face uncontrollably. My amygdala awoke. I'm no longer fighting. Maybe I never ever was.

"I'm coming to get you. Stay where you are." I can hear bed rustling sounds but I can't bring myself to say a word.

I can't even move if I wanted to. This is a crime scene. This is a place where a rape happened.

No, not one. At least six.

A mass rape.

I snap out of my thoughts and feel how my frontal lobe kicks in again. "I need you to wake Della. I need her as well. And a pair of fresh clothes. Underwear, sneakers, jeans, sweater, socks... and a hair tie. I need a hair tie."

"Okay... what else do you need?" My brother-in-law is trying to keep me talking, to make sure I don't lose consciousness.

"I need you to stay on the line until you're here. I need to hear you breathe and not call another soul. Not my husband. Not my father. Not my other siblings. And not Leo. Definitely not Leo." I explain and for a second my brain starts imagining Leo sitting in his car, listening to a romantic audiobook with coffee and biscuits.

The scene almost makes me laugh.

Leo, my security man, bawling his eyes out because he listens to some Shakespeare drama while I was getting raped again... and again... and again... until eventually my body went into protective mode and shut down.

It's not really working right now either. It's weird.

I don't know how I'm alive.

"I need cotton buds for smear tests. I need people to come by after we're done, to persevere the traces. I need cleaning people. Good cleaning people." I'm speaking on autopilot. "I need you to wake Della. I need her as well. And a pair of fresh clothes. Underwear, sneakers, jeans, sweater, socks... and a hair tie. I need a hair tie." I start sounding like a broken record and I'm aware of that but I just can't make it stop. "I need you to stay on the line until you're here. I need to hear you breathe and not call another soul. Not my husband. Not my father. Not my other siblings. And not Leo. Definitely not Leo."

"Jo, we're nearly there."

"I need cotton buds for smear tests. I need people to come by after we're done to persevere the traces. I need cleaning people. Good cleaning people. I need you to wake Della. I need her as well. And a pair of fresh clothes. Underwear, sneakers, jeans, sweater, socks... and a hair tie. I need a hair tie. I need you to stay on the line until you're here. I need to hear you breathe and not call another soul. Not my husband. Not my father. Not my other siblings. And not Leo. Definitely not Leo." My eyes keep staring at the calendar. Still November the seventh of 2049. Or maybe it's November the eighth. I'm pretty sure it was after midnight when I was done with cleaning the floors and tables. And then these men came in... "I need cotton buds for smear tests. I need people to come by after we're done to persevere the traces. I need cleaning people. Good cleaning people. I need you to wake Della. I need her as well. And a pair of fresh clothes. Underwear, sneakers, jeans, sweater, socks... and a hair tie. I need a hair tie. I need you to stay on the line until you're here. I need to hear you breathe and not call another soul. Not my husband. Not my father. Not my other siblings. And not Leo. Definitely not Leo."

Suddenly, I can hear the bells that hang above the front door ringing again and a loud cry escapes my lungs.

"Jo?" I recognise this voice. It's the voice of my brother-in-law. What is he doing here?

Or am I imagining this? Is my mind playing tricks on me?!

Suddenly, my big sister appears across me. Della. She's so beautiful in her outfit. These jeans really suit her. Just like the black cashmere jumper and the chestnut coloured moccasins. I love cashmere, it's so soft and snuggly...

Her navy eyes widen as she sees me. "Jo, what happened?"

I snap out of my thoughts and wrap my arms around my bent legs. I start rocking from side to side. It's something I can't control. "I need cotton buds for smear tests. I need people to come by after we're done to persevere the traces. I need cleaning people. Good cleaning people."

"What the fuck happened here? Who did this?!" I can hear Wlad saying but I can't stop repeating myself over and over again. "What's going on with her?"

Della bends down so we're on eye level and places a big bag next to me. It is only now that I see the big leather bag. "It's a coping mechanism. Her body's using only the minimum of capacity. Frankly, it's a miracle she called you let alone get something out that actually made sense."

"I'm going to kill Leo!"

"I need you to wake Della. I need her as well. And a pair of fresh clothes. Underwear, sneakers, jeans, sweater, socks... and a hair tie. I need a hair tie."

"I brought you your hair tie." Della says while holding out a big black scrunchy in front of my eyes.

"Hair tie." I repeat.

"Yes." She shows me a big smile as I touch the scrunchy.

It feels like I'm holding life in my hands. For some odd reason this old scrunchy feels like it's the most important thing in the world!

"She stopped rocking." That's Wladimir's voice.

"Don't touch her or do anything quickly. She's at a very fragile state right now. Call your guys, kill Leo and get to work. I'm going to make sure she's on her feet by the time your men arrive. But don't do anything hectic and bloody remove those bells from the front door!" My sister says to her husband.

"We should get her to the hospital. She's full of blood."

"She's also full of traces. She needs to get those off of her first before doing anything."

"That's why she asked for cotton buds."

"Yes. It seems like her frontal lobe is somehow still working." Della says with a worried look on her eyes.

"The frontal lobe controls reasoning, planning, voluntary movement, and some aspects of speech." I repeat Rory's voice that's still in my head.

My sister smiles, "Yes it does."

"How does she know that?"

"I think from Rory. Her brain is protecting her from a nervous breakdown. She keeps repeating the same things to stay sane."

"I'm going to call my guys. You... figure her out." Wlad says before leaving us alone.

My sister sits down across me. She doesn't say a word. She just sits across me and studies my face.

I still haven't seen my reflection.

"We'll get up when you're ready." She whispers to me while my hands keep playing with the scrunchy.

I can't stop my hands from moving. I have stopped my body from rocking side to side but I can't stop my hands from playing with that hair tie.

My sister opens the bag that's next to me. It looks like a really vintage doctors bag. It has a brass lever closure and is brown. Cognac coloured. "I'm going to start with some smear tests okay?"

I want to nod but I actually can't.

Della gets out cotton buds that are in a long tube. She opens one of the tube and carefully takes off something from my face. It's white and sticky. Semen. It's probably semen.

Nothing within me reacts. My hands keep playing with the scrunchy and my mind keeps repeating Rory's words about the brain. It's a vicious cycle.

While my sister does one smear test after another. Some are white and sneaky. Others full of blood or dirt. She trails the cotton buds over my face, neck, along my hairline, my chest and arms. She even makes sure to get the evidence from underneath my nails by clipping my long nails. It's the only time I can't play with the scrunchy.

She places most of the used tubes back into the vintage looking bag. "We can do the vaginal swap in the hospital."

"It's November the seventh."

"No it's actually November the eighth." My sister corrects me.

It's Monday. Not Sunday.

My hands stop playing with the scrunchy. "I need clothes. I need a doctor."

"Good thing I am a doctor." She smiles at me. "Do you think you can get up from the floor?"

I nod and she helps me getting off the floor. Suddenly, I start shivering.

My sister pulls out a long bathrobe out of the bag and hands it to me. "I'm going to get you to the hospital now, okay?"

I look around myself and notice my ripped clothes. I notice a lot of blood and all sorts of things laying on the floor. I cleaned it and now it's a mess. It looks like a battlefield and I don't know which side won. Pots. Pans. Knives. Forks. Broken glass. Broken plates. Keys.

I notice the keys. They're covered in blood.

And then I see teeth. Five teeth. Are they mine? I don't know.

I have an iron-like taste in my mouth but I feel no gaps in my jawbone when I run my tongue I've my teeth.

The jawbone is the largest, strongest and lowest bone in the human face. It forms the lower jaw and holds the lower teeth in place. The mandible sits beneath the maxilla. It is the only movable bone of the skull.

"I brought you some slippers." My sister says before helping me into a pair of black slippers.

The moment I start to walk, I feel a sharp pain going all the way from my feet through my hips and spine until reaching my skull.

I cry out.

And everything turns black.


The flashlight of the camera is bright. I'm in a hospital room, but there's just Della, a nurse and me here. The nurse is taking the photos of the bruises on my body while Della assists. They work in a routine. The last hour and a half is a blur. I don't remember how I got here or what's the name of the red haired nurse. The woman has a friendly face with full lips. She's in a navy uniform. It's from the Lindo Wing.

I'm in Paddington. Della brought me to the Lindo Wing.

"Okay, that would be all. Thank you so much, Nancy." My sister thanks the nurse.

The woman in her fifties nods before placing the camera on a table and leaving us alone. I'm in a private hospital wing of St. Mary's. I'm at the Lindo Wing.

Where I got born. Where Rory and I got born. Where Nate got born. And Della. And Elias. And Gideon and Cal.

"I think we can get you all clean now." Della says to me. How my sister did what she did in the last hours I don't know. She's amazing in more than one way.

It's the first time I really hear what she says. "I'm pregnant."

To my surprise my big sister smiles, "I know. You said so in the car."

"I did?"

"Yes. You kept saying cherry. You kept saying that the cherry needs to survive. It doesn't take a wonder child to figure it out. After we did the vaginal smear tests, we also did an ultrasound."

"Is it dead?"

"No and that's probably the most wonderful miracle I ever got to witness."

"The cherry's alive." I breathe out in shock. It's alive! It's bloody alive!

My sister nods, "Perfectly fine for nine week's worth of developing."

"You did the ultrasound?"

"I wouldn't let anyone else touch my little sister. Does Oliver know?"

"Yes."

"When will you tell Mum and Dad?"

"When there's something worth telling about. For now only my husband, you and me know." I mumble. "And the royals. But I had to tell them because the King wanted to move us into Nottingham Cottage."

My sister nods again, without asking another question. "We should get you clean."

"Did you call anyone?" I ask her as we walk into the en-suite bathroom. I feel a slight pain in my hips and legs but I can walk. Walking is a good thing. It means nothing's broken.

"No. Wladimir's still at the soup kitchen."

The soup kitchen. For a second, moments of what happened flash in front of my inner eyes. The six men. Their grins. Their voices. Their tattoos. "I can't talk about it yet. But they had tattoos. I want Wlad to find them and not touch them until I'm done with them."

"Okay but for now you need to have a shower." Della insists before opening the door of the shower.

I get out of the bathrobe and step into the shower that's floor-level. "Do I look scary?"

"Not after the shower." My sister responds before putting on the water.

The warm water comes rushing down on me. I close my eyes and feel how the warm water washes off everything that isn't mine. For minutes, I just stand there and let the water stream down my body. When I open my eyes and look at the floor, I see lots of blood and dirt getting sucked into the drain. "I don't feel pain." I whisper as I watch how the drain sucks everything in.

"You're still high on adrenaline, which is a very good thing."

"Do I have broken bones?" I ask my sister. I'm sure I would feel it but my body's doing things I can't explain. I'm standing in this shower without pain or fear in my body. I'm functioning when I shouldn't be.

"Bruised bones. Just because you don't feel pain right now doesn't mean you won't. Your hips, your left radius and right ulna are bruised. Severely bruised." She says as she pours shampoo into her hands. "You have several haematoma all over your body. You have a black right eye and a blood filled left eye. Your lower lip has been ripped by your own teeth. And there's a grade three concussion. You've vomited six times and lost consciousness twice. Your blood pressure went through the roof once as well. But I'm taking care of you. Description enough?" She asks me in typically Della style. Then she starts washing my hair. They're sticky and full of knots.

Her description gave me a pretty clear vision in my head. That explains my blur vision. "Maybe we should just cut it all off." I mumble.

My sister chuckles, "I'm a wonder child but no hair dresser. Tilt your head back. I promise to be gentle with your hair. "

I tilt my head back and allow the water to wash out the shampoo.

Then she pours shower gel on a wash cloth and wets it under the shower. Without a word she starts cleaning my body. She gentle but also rubs at some parts thoroughly.

She hasn't done that since I was a toddler.

At least, I still have my cherry.

My nine week old cherry.

Oliver

I get woken up by an unpleasant shake. At first I think it's an earthquake because it gains in intensity but when I open my eyes and see my sister-in-law I know the earthquake is her. "Della?" I ask with a yawn.

Adaline's navy eyes are full of worry. "Get up and dressed we have to go."

I frown, "What are you doing here?"

She walks into the wardrobe my wife shares with me, leaving me alone for the moment.

For a second, I think I'm dreaming but then a rustling noise comes out of the wardrobe and I know I'm awake.

Especially when I hear Russian cursing words. I couldn't dream of these words because I've never heard them. I can't speak Russian so I can't dream in that language.

I'm awake.

I yawn and stretch my limbs before having a look at the clock on the nightstand. It's half past three - at night. Why is she waking me at this hour?

Josephine! And the baby!

I jump out of the bed as if a lightning stroke me. "Is something wrong with Josephine?"

I can hear rustling noises coming from the wardrobe and I walk over it. Della is stuffing a chestnut coloured leather bag with my wife's clothes. Underwear, jumpers, socks, joggers, cardigan - most of them are made of cashmere. It's only now that I notice Della is dressed in a pair of jeans and a black jumper. Her moccasins have a chestnut colour, just like the travel bag in which she's still stuffing clothes into.

"Della, what's wrong?" I ask her.

"Jo's at my place. I came to pick you up. You're going to stay at my place for at least a night so maybe you want to pack a bag for you as well." Della answer's like a machine before rushing out of the room and probably into the en-suite bathroom to get Josephine's toiletries.

I stand in the wardrobe for a moment, my brain not being able to process what she said. Why is Josephine at Della's place? What the fuck has happened?!

I rush into the en-suite bathroom and watch how Della is packing everything with a routine. It's like she's checking off a list in her head. "What happened?"

She looks at me, "I told you to get dressed."

"And I asked you what the fuck happened to my wife!" I explode in front of her.

She winces at the volume of my voice. "She's alright. I'll tell you everything once we're in the car okay? How about you get dressed while I pack you a bag as well? I'm going to start in the bathroom to give you some privacy."

She didn't answer me and that scares the shit out of me. "Della,"

"Get fucking dressed! I don't have the time nor do I have the nerve to explain what has happened until you're finally sitting in my car!" She yells back at me.

"She's alright?"

"Yes. They both are." Della promises me.

I nod before turning on my heel. I stop in the doorframe as her words unfold their full meaning. They both are. Della knows of Jo's pregnancy. Why does she know of her pregnancy? Who told her? Did Jo tell her? If so, why?

"Get dressed!" Della hisses at me.

I walk into the wardrobe and quickly get dressed before getting another black leather travel bag from one of the top shelves and stuffing some clothes and shoes into it. I don't know what I'm packing for but I do it anyway.

They're alright and that's all that matters to me.

My wife, our baby - my family - is safe and sound.

Josephine

I wrap the big white cosy cashmere blanket closer around my body. I'm sitting next to the lit fire but I'm still horribly cold. The fear has almost frozen my bones, my muscles and my heart. I feel like an ice statue that's only slowly starting to melt. After getting all the tests done, Della checked me out of the hospital and Wlad brought me to their place while Della picked up Oliver.

I'm sitting in an armchair with Luna curled up in my lap. She's giving me comfort. I'm connected to a vitamin and NaCl drop that's standing next to the chair. Morphine wasn't an option because of the cherry, so I have to suck it up. I've got an IV in the left backside of my hand. My wedding band is gone. The rapists stole it. I didn't notice it until I wanted to start playing with the ring.

It brought me to a whole new level of anger.

"Like this?" Wlad asks me before turning his iPad around. He's sitting on the beige couch across me.

I look at the drawing of the tattoo. It shows a snake with an open mouth. I didn't know Wladimir was such a good artist.

I nod, "Yes."

"And it was on the inside of the right wrist?"

"Yes it was wrapped around like a bracelet. All six of them. I saw it before they attacked me." I explain and shiver from my own words. I still haven't looked in a mirror and I'm not looking forward to. Della gave me something natural to ease the pain in my body. The pain has not yet kicked in fully but I'm getting prepared for some awful days and weeks.

"Okay. That should make it easier for me to find them. That and the stolen wedding band."

He's going to look out on the black market for my ring as he couldn't locate it yet. It should be easy to defect my ring as it's unique. I designed it after all. "Do you think they knew who I am?"

"I don't know. You're going incognito whenever you're there. Not even paparazzi recognise you. You're excellent at hiding."

"Yeah, well I wasn't excellent in defending myself."

"If they knew who you were they had taken you. These bastards raped you, when from their point of you, they could've gotten billions on the black market for you. Your father has lots of enemies. The Royal Family has lots of enemies. You'd be invaluable." Wladimir puts the iPad on the coffee table before walking over to me. "The only two persons that could have saved you from that were your father and me. Both very far away at the moment. You did the best you could. You fought. You made sure to create enough traces as possible. There're strands of six different hair sources. Teeth from different mouths. Fingerprints and blood. You've given me enough to find them and when I will, I promise you they will never see the light of day again."

I did all of that subconsciously. Guess, Wladimir's training was good for something after all. "Find them and leave the rest to me."

My brother-in-law nods, "I will."

"What about Leo? What happened to him?" I pray that he's alright.

"The men ambushed him as well. They injected him something that paralysed him for the exact the amount of time they were going to need to rape you." Wladimir's silver eyes turn dark.

"But he's okay?"

"He's in the hospital, getting checked but he should be fine. It's not that bad-"

"Please don't fire him! He didn't do anything wrong. It was me who said that he didn't need to come inside, that he could stay in his car. I mean, Ralph always did the same thing! He parked across the entrance and waited in the car. I didn't... If I had known-"

Wlad embraces me, "Sh, everything's going to be fine." He calms me in fluent Russian. "It's not his fault and it's not yours either. We'll find them. You'll get your revenge." He promises me just as the front door of the house swings open.

"Josephine?!" That's my husband roar which rings through the house. It fills me with strength and love.

Luna's ears shoot up but she doesn't lift her head.

Wlad lets go of me and squeezes my hands before lifting to his full weight. Wladimir's build like a brick wall, nothing can tear him down. Ralph looks just the same, but not Leo. He just started that job a little over a year ago... he doesn't deserve what had happened.

Being in my life is dangerous.

A moment later my husband is standing across me. He is in grey joggers, a black T-shirt and black moccasins. His eyes are a deep emerald green and his beach blonde hair is messy. His nose is red from him blowing it out all night. He's still sick but I couldn't care less right now.

For a moment, he just stares at me. I watch the emotions going wild in his eyes. From a deep emerald green that's full of rage to a forest green that's confused about how this happen, to a sage green that's full of pain and sorrow.

I can feel how Luna leaves my lap but I can't take my eyes off of him. I'm under his spell.

And suddenly everything within me breaks lose. The tears start streaming down my face like they haven't in the last hours. I kept myself together but I can't do it in front of him.

In front of my soulmate, my other half... the man I love with every single heartbeat.

He wraps his arms around me and I feel a strong wave of pain overcoming me but also a wave of comfort and strength. I look broken, I feel weak but I know I am strong.

It feels so good to have his arms around me.

"Tesoro..."

His voice brings me even more tears. I could've died tonight. Those men could've done things to me that are far worse than what they did. I could've lost the time on this earth that I have with my husband in the blink of an eye.

But they didn't kill me. Instead they raped me. They used me like a toy.

And when they were done, they left me alone in this mess.

I bury my nose in the nape of his neck as his arms hold me close. He is careful not to hurt me but at the same time his grip is strong, just how I like it. It feels so good to be in his arms. I never want him to let go of me again.

"Are you in pain?" He asks me while still holding me close to him. I missed his smell. I missed the way his body feels when he holds me.

"I'm still in shock. I don't feel much." I answer and inhale his scent deeply again. "The baby survived. It's alive." I whisper into his ear.

"I know, Della told me."

I let go of him and look into his sage green eyes, "The baby didn't die."

"The baby didn't die." He echoes my amazed words.

I rest my forehead against his as I stare into his sage green eyes with trembling lips. The shock and the adrenaline are slowly fading in my system, so I know I'll feel pain.

Pain in my body, but not pain in my heart.


I take another sip of my lavender tea as I rest in one of the guest rooms here. I wanted to go home but Della refused to let me go. She said I needed medical supervision for at least 24 hours so I'm stuck here. But I've got my husband and my cherry, so I'm happy.

In pain, but grateful.

"Your wedding band is gone." My husband breathes out.

"It was the trophy they wanted to take with them after they were done." I mumble as I touch my naked left ring finger.

"Wlad's going to find them."

"I know. I'm not worried about that. I'm just sad that the ring is gone and there's a high chance I won't get it back."

"Then we'll have the same ring made again."

"It's not the same." I insist. "And even if I got it back, I don't even know if I would wear it. Because it's now connected to them. They made it theirs and that's what's upsetting me so much."

My husband is silent for a moment. "I can understand that. But you can design a new one whenever you're better."

I nod. It's my only option. "Have you called my parents?"

"Yes." My husband says with a nod. "They'll be here shortly."

I place my hand on his and feel his platinum wedding band. How much I miss mine. Out of everything they have done to me, all the bruises, the rape, blood and tears, this is the worst. Losing my wedding band was like getting a part of me stolen. I sigh, "I feel like we're going from one catastrophe to another. First your mother's cancer and now this."

"You've cured my Mum and you will heal from this as well. Once we find them, you will get your revenge. And by the summer we will have our baby. We have us and that's all that matters."

I squeeze his hand and smile, "Can you bring me a mirror? I haven't had the courage to look at myself yet."

He nods before getting up from his chair and walking towards the en-suite bathroom, "You're still beautiful."

I'm not so sure about that. It's not that I'm superficial, I just know how it's going to affect those around me when the paparazzi catch me looking like that. The headlines will range from Swan with broken wings to domestic violence victim. Some will say I got what I deserved, others will call it a tragedy. Either way it will damage my reputation, my parents', the royals', Rory and George's and Char and Nate's.

It's going to have a butterfly effect.

Suddenly, the door to the guest room swings open and I watch my parents walking in. My father enters the room first and I watch how his navy blue eyes light up into a very bright blue that's almost white. He clenches his jaw and his hands form fists. My father's wide shoulders hide my mother's view of me for a moment but when he steps away, she gasps and places her hand on her mouth. Tears starts streaming down her face.

I don't need a mirror to know how I look.

"I've found a small mirror!" My husband comes back with a pocket-mirror in his hands. Then he looks to his left and sees my parents who can't hide the shock in their faces. "Oh, hi!"

My father stares at Oliver for a moment before stepping forward and attacking him. Before I can blink, the mirror has fallen out of his hands and my father is pressing him against the wall with his left hand squeezing his throat.

"Troy! Stop it! Let him go!" My Mum tries to calm my Daddy down. She rushes over to him and tries to pull his fingers off of my husband.

My husband is totally calm as he stares at my father. It's their fourth meeting and Daddy has his hands already wrapped around my husband's neck. It's no gun, but it's just as bad.

"It wasn't my fault." Oliver says to him in a high pitched voice because my Dad's squeezing his vocal cords.

I don't know why but I start seeing the similarities between the two most important men in my life. They share the same broad shoulders, have a similar height and presence. They have the same energy as well.

I don't know how my husband can stay so calm.

"Daddy!" I cry out in anger. "Let. Him. Go."

But my father doesn't move a millimetre.

"Daddy!" I put all my anger into that one word.

He finally lets go of my husband.

"Good and now get out!" I hiss at him.

That's when my father swings around. He stares at me with wide eyes as if I was the one who did something wrong. "Jo,"

"Get out or apologise to him." I demand.

My father stays silent.

"Troy," This time it's my Mummy who has found her voice.

My father clenches his teeth before looking at my husband. Oliver's neck has a fire red ring from my father's fingers. "I apologise."

"Better." I demand again. "I am the one who got raped. I am the victim and my husband's not the one who did this to me."

My Dad inhales deeply, "I'm sorry. I overreacted. I'm full of anger and I let it out on you."

"Good." I say and look at Oliver. He doesn't even seem angry. How can he be so understanding?!

He looks down and notices the broken pieces from the mirror. "Seven years of bad luck." He mumbles.

"We'll just light seven white candies on the first night and you guys blow them out at midnight in one breath." My Mum says. "Stay here, Troy and I will get the candles and something to clean this up. Don't touch anything. We have to bury the pieces in the ground very deeply. Under a tree on a full moon night. Which is today. And throw a few pieces of the broken mirror into the Thames. That should purify it all and so let the entrapped soul come out."

Has my Mum turned into Ana?!

"Come on." She grabs Daddy's hand. "It's Monday which means the broken pieces stand for financial problems. That's not so bad. It would be worse if today were Wednesday."

"What happens then?" I ask her but she has already rushed out of the room.

"It means trouble with your loved one." Oliver answers. "In Brazil we collect the pieces in a black bag, tie three big knots and throw the bag as far away from the house as possible."

"The Russian also do it this way." I remember one of the many conversations I've had with Sergej.

Suddenly, Oliver storms out of the room.

Oliver

"What more do you want from me?!" I ask as I watch how Gabriella and Troy walk down the long hallway that's on the third floor of this house.

Gabriella and Troy stop. The petite brunette let's go of her husband's hand and walks down the spiral staircase, leaving us alone.

"What do I have to do for you to accept me?!" I ask my wife's father again.

He clenches his teeth as I walk over to him. "I've said it before. I overreacted."

"No, you didn't. You just chose the wrong moment. You don't like me and I don't know why. I haven't done anything wrong. I have given you everything you wanted from me. I'm trying my best."

"The best is not good enough!" He yells at me. "The best means my daughter, the sunshine in my life, gets raped six times by six different men! It means she-"

"I wasn't there because I'm sick."

His navy eyes travel down me. "You don't look sick to me."

"Ana's tea helped." It's a magic trick and I need to know how it works.

"So, you were in bed then?"

"Yes."

Troy's silent for a moment and I brace myself for another fight. "You'll need to start training with Wlad."

What?!

"Do you know how to shoot?"

"Shoot?"

"With a gun."

Does that mean he has accepted me?! "No."

Troy nods, "Alright, we'll start with that when Jo's asleep. First the gun and then the close combat techniques."

"I'm sorry?!" He is joking, right?

"You're clean. The test results didn't show me anything I didn't know already."

"Just as I said."

"I don't trust strangers that convinced my daughter to marry him so he could be rich!"

I chuckle, "Okay, there are several things that are wrong with that. First, I didn't convince her, she had to convince me. Secondly, I didn't marry your daughter for her bank account, I did it because I love her! I had no idea how rich Josephine was until she told me - which was after I had signed the prenup. Money was an issue between us. Obviously because of our different backgrounds. But this has changed. She loves me as well. Very much. You're just too blind to see that!"

Gabriella comes back with a bucket, "I suggest you guys pick a room and continue your yelling in there." She hisses at us while walking past us and into the room that Josephine is staying in.

Troy opens a door and walks in, expecting me to follow him. Perhaps it's time to clear this once and for all.

I follow him and close the door. We're in another guest room, that looks just like the room in which my wife is staying in. A big king sized bed with white linen bedding and two nightstands, a built in wardrobe, an ensuite bathroom and a white marbled fireplace. There are big transom windows that overlook the backyard.

"Why didn't you fight me?" Troy asks me after a moment of silence.

"I'm sorry?"

"Back in Jo's room. I've had you against the wall - and your blood pressure didn't even increase." He raises his left eyebrow without asking the question out loud.

"I know I shouldn't upset her father. She's the only one she has." I answer him. I wish my father was still alive, but sadly he isn't. He's missing out on everything that has happened and will happen in my life - and that gives me the greatest sadness. Being responsible for Josephine's father doing the same to her is not something I ever want to do."I know you only played nice the last time we saw each other because you knew we didn't have a choice. Just like you knew if you were going to keep fighting me you were going to lose her. You can hate me all you want but know you're not hurting me. You're hurting her. She's already pretty vulnerable after tonight and you just made it a million times worse!" I explain to him in a calm voice. "You wanted to provoke me so I'd lose control in front of her. You wanted me to fight you just so she sees how bad I am? You think you have to prove her that marrying me was the wrong decision? Well, guess what! It wasn't the wrong decision. And I am not one of the monsters that you've allowed to marry your daughters! I don't have dirt on my fingers. There are no skeletons in my closet because I was busy surviving each day, trying to provide my family with as much money as possible so they'd be able to go to school or have at least one meal a day. I didn't have time to walk around killing people. Every second of my life was devoted to them!" I hiss at him. "I won't go away so you better get used to me because we will see each other on lots of Easters and Christmases. We will see each other at lots of birthday parties and lots of Thanksgivings. I am not leaving her no matter what you do or say." I run my fingers through my hair. "And just so you know, I will never lay a hand on you. Or hold a gun to your head. Because unlike me, Josephine still has a father and I won't take him away from her. I'd do anything to have one more second with my father. And I won't destroy your relationship with her. I am not the bad guy here." I turn on my heel but Troy grabs my wrist.

"I've had an assassin falling in love with my daughter. I've had a King fall in love with my daughter. And my best friend, security guard and 23-years-older-than-my-daughter fall in love with my daughter. I faced mafia bosses, royals and a very stubborn old man named Sergej but never have I come across someone like you."

I try very hard to stop myself from rolling my eyes. He's going to start throwing shade at me as well. Homeless. Immigrant. Gold-digger.

"Someone with a white vest. It's highly unusual for these kind of men to find their ways into our tightly woven net."

"I'm sorry?"

"You're a good man. Humble. You shouldn't wine and dine with dangerous people like us. That deal with the King, that Royalty thing is the best that could've happened to you and Jo. There are currently hundreds of people wanting our death or be in our position. We're one of the most powerful families of the world. But also one of the most dangerous."

Is he warning me from himself and his family? "Josephine told me about her family. I am very aware of what kind of environment I'm in."

"She doesn't know everything. She only told you a fraction of what's really going on."

"Nothing you say or do will change my decision."

Josephine

I watch how my Mum removes the last pieces of the broken mirror before handing Wladimir the bin. I don't know where my father and my husband are but I know my Dad won't kill the man I love. They need to work things out and maybe it's better to let them do it alone. Man to man or whatever.

"I'll do the rest." Wladimir says to my Mum before leaving us alone. My Mummy hasn't properly looked at me since the moment Daddy freaked out. She avoided my presence.

It makes me feel even worse.

"Mum?"

My Mummy gulps and closes the wooden door before turning around. Tears are rolling down her cheeks and her chest is rising with her heavy breath.

Shit, she's falling apart.

"Mummy,"

She rushes over to me and falls on her knees next to the bed that I'm laying on. Then she inhaled deeply. "I'm sorry, I just... When I look at you, I see myself. You remind me of me after I came home from Rio."

I gulp, "I survived."

She runs her long fingers through my hair, "And I did too but that doesn't mean I didn't suffer. It didn't mean I wasn't hurt. Because I was. I was in a pain like no other. I was in pain because of my injuries but more so because I saw your father's pain clearly in his eyes whenever he looked at me. And I know you're feeling just like me."

It's remarkable how similar we are.

"I'll be alright." I am not a victim. I'm a survivor.

"I know." She says with a small smile on her lips. "Because you are my daughter."

"Wlad and Daddy will find them."

"That's not what I'm afraid of. I know they're going to find them. It's what you're going to do to them, how you're going to react, what bothers me. Promise me to not do something you're going to regret for the rest of your life okay? Taking a life is not something you decide spontaneously. If you choose to go that far, make sure to consider the consequences."

How can my Mum read me so well? "I promise to take your words into careful consideration."

She shows me a smile and squeezes my hand, "Good."

I don't have to kill the bastards that did this to me.

But I have a whole family waiting in line to do that for me.

Oliver

I carefully wrap my arms around my wife as she rests her head on my chest. I'm never ever going to let go of her again. She's been up for hours so Della gave her a pill to help her fall asleep. Her parents have left us alone and are downstairs with Della and Wlad, probably looking for these bastards.

My heart is bleeding so heavily. She's in so much pain. Physical and emotional. It's too much to watch and too much to feel. She's hurting and I'm hurting just as much.

I will kill whoever did this to her. I don't care what the bible says. God couldn't have wanted to let this happen. He shouldn't have allowed it to happen. He should've done something.

But he let it happen.

Just like I let it happen. I let her go, I encouraged her to go to the soup kitchen, not aware of the hell that she was going to walk into. I can't even begin to imagine what it was like - and I don't want to because that makes me bloody angry. The scars of what happened will forever be in her heart, if not on her body. Della has stitched up a few tears on her forearms and upper thighs but given the fact that Della is a very skilled surgeon and the tears in the skin were not so deep, the chances are good that my wife isn't going to have visible scars from this. Josephine's left eye is filled with blood and her right eye has had a hit as well. There are scratches on her forehead, chin and cheeks. Her arms and legs are full of effusions of blood. Bones are heavily bruised, but at least nothing is broken.

She survived. Because she's a fighter.

She's a Bolton.

After a few minutes, my wife has fallen asleep on my chest. She's still holding on to me. Being so close to her, hopefully giving her at least a little comfort is all I want to do right now.

Although, I know I won't be able to sleep tonight.

I know we've agreed to not take the titles but suddenly this seems the only way to make sure this won't be repeated. Having the protection of the palace walls is stronger than any weapon. They're going to protect her and our unborn child.

Josephine

A ray of sunshine wakes me up the next morning. While last night, I didn't feel a lot, I surely feel everything today. My hips are aching, my calves and thighs are burning like I had just ran a marathon, my rip cage aches with every breath I take, my arms are aching and my fingers are all bruised and swollen. But the worst pain is in my vagina and head. I feel so nauseous that I fear I'm going to throw up any moment. As for my vagina, well sex is definitely off the table now and giving birth is going to be a piece of cake.

I open my eyes and stare at the harsh sun that's coming through the white transom window. For a moment, there's a swooshing sound in my ears. It's bright, too bright for my taste. I close my eyes and exhale. I turn my head to the side and see that the cream coloured king sized bed in one of Wlad and Della's guest rooms is empty. Oliver's not there.

Panic starts rising in my chest to rapidly that tears start streaming down my face immediately. My hands and legs start shaking uncontrollably, giving me one wave of pain after another as my throat tightens. My heart starts beating a million times per hour. The pulse is hammering in my ears as everything around me starts to vanish.

It feels like I can't breathe. It feels like I'm going to die. It feels like... it feels like last night before my brain shut down and the blackout started.

I wince as suddenly big hands embrace my shaking fingers.

"Tesoro," my husband's roar silenced the humming sound in my ears.

I blink and suddenly see my husband's sage green eyes in front of me. "Oliver," I breathe out before wrapping my arms around him. Breathing, living, still hurts but it hurts a little less in my husband's arms.

He rubs circles on my back and I can feel how my blood pressure lowers. For minutes, he holds me and we breathe together until I'm calm again.

"I woke up and you weren't there..." I mumble while resting my chin on his shoulder. I never want to be without him again.

"I was downstairs and made myself a coffee."

"What time is it?"

"Half past one. You slept for a good nine hours. How are you feeling?"

"Horrible. Everything is aching. My arms, my legs, my rip cage, my head, my hips and my vagina. There's nothing that doesn't hurt."

"Do you want to have some painkillers?"

"No. I can't take opioids because they could turn our baby into an addict. Even as little as the lowest dose. I can't take ibuprofen either because that could lead to a miscarriage and God knows this baby's life is on a knife edge. The same goes for acetaminophen. So, unless you know any other way to relief my pain there's nothing I can do but grit my teeth and wait it out."

"We could go the natural route. Essential oils: lavender for your nerves and migraine, rosemary for your bone and muscle aches, eucalyptus for the swelling of your eyes and cheeks, a warm shower or bath and inflammatory foods."

I lift my chin off his shoulder and look at him, "How come you know so much about this?"

"I've been up all night, reading as much as I could on what can be done to help you."

My lower lip starts trembling at his words. He was up all night? For me? "Oliver,"

"I wish I could do more-"

"You're doing exactly what I need. I need you to be by my side. I need you to give me comfort. And you're being exactly what I need you to be."

He licks his lips, visibly touched by my words. "Okay..."

"Okay..."

"Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something?"

"I really have to use the loo and then I would like to walk downstairs and have breakfast downstairs." I explain and lick my lips. "I could use your help with both. I don't think I can sit down on the loo-"

"Of course, no problem. It's through sickness and health, remember?"

I don't know why but these words make me cry. Whether it's the hormones or what happened or simply the fact that I am incredibly lucky to have him as a husband, I don't know.

"Hey, everything will be fine. You've got me and our families. We'll find the bastards who did this to you." He promises me as he wipes the tears from my face.

"I love you with every single heartbeat, Oliver." I whisper and wrap my hands around his wrists as he cups my face.

"I love you, too."


I finish the last slice of the grapefruit and look at my plate. I've eaten lots of different fruits as well as an omelette. I haven't had coffee. Instead I drank a big mug of tea. Camomile. Walking down the stairs was brutal and it took me a long time but I know I have to move. I can't lie in bed all day otherwise my mind might drift back to last night and my subconscious starts freeing some of the memories that I've buried deep down in my brain. I can't risk that. I have to stay busy.

"I want to talk to Wlad." I tell my husband and big sister. Della has checked on my injuries and allowed me to go on walks - even if it's just for half an hour.

My family has been hiding in Wladimir's study. I bet my parents didn't sleep at all.

"They haven't found anything yet. Give them time. They'll come to you." Della says to me in a calm voice. She and Oliver drank coffee and ate oatmeal with berries and honey.

"I don't care. I want to talk to him and my parents as they're probably in there as well. I will not lay in bed all day and moan from my pain. I am not a bloody victim. I am a survivor!" I hiss before rising from the chair very carefully.

"Josephine,"

"No!" I interrupt my husband. "Stay here with the cats or come with me. I don't care."

"I don't want to keep you from going in there. I was going to inform you that your father and I are going out."

"Out?"

"Yes. He says I have to learn how to shoot."

That's a sentence I thought I'd never hear out of my husband's mouth. "He's going to give you shooting lessons?"

Oliver shrugs, "I'm not sure he's going to be successful though."

I stare at my husband with wide eyes, "He's teaching you how to use a gun?"

Oliver nods, "I think we've cleared all misunderstandings yesterday... and he's started to accept me, I think."

"It certainly sounds that way."

"He used to train Jo as well." Della says to Oliver with a wink.

"He did?"

I nod, "And Della as well. Before Wlad took over."

"Yeah, he made us get up very early and we would drive into the woods of Oxfordshire to shoot tins and stuff." Della explains. "But never real animals."

"Do you think he's going to take him to the house in the woods?"

"Ah, I doubt it." Della says while waving her hand. "The house in the woods would be your last option."

"House in the woods?" Oliver asks confused.

"It's a cottage located in the woods in Oxfordshire. It's sort of like a safe house. If hell breaks loose and everything gets too much we either flee to French Cay, Swansea or the house in the woods." I explain to my husband.

"Is that were you hid when the news broke on Rory's relationship?"

"No, but it's where we hid when the Arabs were trying to get to me." Della says with a shrug.

"What?" Oliver asks me shocked.

"There's a reason why we have security with us, Oliver. And I guess my Dad wants to make sure you can protect me." I tell him. "This is a good thing."

Della nods in agreement, "Exhale when you pull the trigger. That helps."

"Okay. I'll try to remember that." Oliver says with a nod just as the door of Wladimir's study opens and my parents, Sasha and Wlad walk out.

If Sasha's here than they're desperate. Shit, this is not good. This is not good at all.

My father's navy blue eyes turn into a bright blue as he eyes me. "How are you?"

"I'm holding up. I just wanted to talk to Wlad, actually. And as I've heard you have plans with my husband as well." I say with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes. Time to turn him into a true Bolton before he becomes a Duke, I guess."

That sounds like he is really trying to give him a chance. "Promise to not shoot him." I insist.

My Daddy holds up his hands, "No ill intentions here."

"And I'm going with them to make sure it stays that way." My Mummy promises me with a nod. "Have you eaten?" My Mum's chocolate brown eyes are filled with worry.

"Yes." I say before looking at Wlad.

He nods before waving at me. "Let's talk in my study."

"Have fun with the guns." I say to my parents and Oliver before walking into Wladimir's study. It's a big room with lots of white panelling and glass. There's also a grey sofa across the marbled fire place. Sunshine is coming through the two white transom windows that are on each side of the glass desk.

"Sit."

"I prefer to stand." I decide as Wlad closes the white wooden door. "I want to hear about the progress you made."

"My team's currently in Wessex."

"Wessex?"

He nods, "Omar, Hamid, Amir, Ibrahim, Ahmad and Sahar - that are their names. Given the research, I think they're hiding in an old house. Sasha is going to supervise them. He's taking the helicopter there."

"And the ring?"

"That's the mystery I cannot figure out. I can't track it down. Either it's destroyed, which I don't think, or it's held in some kind of metallic box."

"Like a safe?"

He nods, "Somewhere from where the tracker in your ring doesn't work."

"But then the person has to know that the ring has a tracker. Otherwise it doesn't make sense."

"Yeah but no one does except for our family and your husband. And those are all not on the list. It's very strange."

It sure is... I think for a moment. There's got to be somebody else... somebody-" Oh my God!" I breathe out in shock.

"What?"

"It's Edward!" I tell him. "He knows of the tracker because the wedding bands we chose had those trackers. He bloody-" suddenly anger starts boiling in my chest. "That bloody bastard! He fucking threatened me on the vernissage but I had no idea what he meant! This monster hired these Arabic men to fucking-" I shake my head in disgust. I'm going to kill him! Like actually kill him! "Find that bloody ring! I don't care if you have to burgle his home or his parents' home in Bath. It has to be somewhere. He has that ring. He has my ring! I can feel it deep in my gut. This was Edward's doing. It was his plan. Maybe not the rape but definitely the larceny. The ring is his trophy!"

"I have to watch his home here in London for a few days before doing anything. We can't risk getting caught while looking for your ring." Wlad tells me.

I nod. "Good. But trust me, you will find the ring in his custody."

"But Jo, even if I did... It's not like we can get him behind bars. The Rothschilds are untouchable."

"I don't want him behind bars. I want a bullet in his heart." I hiss.

"Jo,"

"Bloody hell, Wlad! Do something! Just anything! I will not let him get away with it!" I yell at my brother-in-law. "I will not allow him to destroy me!"

"And he won't." Wlad promises me. "But as far as I know the Rothschilds are excellent at hiding their traces."

I run my tongue over my lips and feel how they're still torn from last night. "Then find these men and bring them into the rabbit hole."

"You will have a go with them first." Wlad promises me.

"Good. Let them rotten for a day or so. I'm too weak to do to them what I want. I still need some time to recovery."

"We can keep them alive as long as you want."

"Good."

"You know, maybe becoming the Duke and Duchess of Clarence is a good thing anyway."

Except we had ruled that out. Oliver and I agreed to not take the titles and try to only get the jobs... but now... Now I'm worrying it's not enough protection. Perhaps palace gates are the best option there is. Because Edward will strike again, I know he will. I've hurt him and now he wants revenge.

And I don't think this was his end game yet.

Oliver

Just like Della said, Troy stopped the Range Rover in the middle of the woods, right next to a wooden mansion that's nothing like a cottage. It's a big two story wooden house that has lots of windows to let in the light that's shining through the birch trees. It sounds like there's some sort of pond or lake behind the house. It looks rather magical. It's the perfect hideaway. It's a rather cold and gloomy autumn day. With the fog here, I don't know how I'm going to hit a tin with a bullet.

Troy unlocks the front door with a special code before it swings open. I follow him and Gabriella into the house. Normally, I'd find it very strange to get driven to a house in the middle of nowhere, but not anymore. Because Della and my wife had warned me.

With the Bolton Family, and now certainly being a part of them, is really second to none. Everything I experience, everything I get told... I couldn't even come up with this in my wildest dreams. It's a whole different world, they're in a class by themselves. Financially and socially, there's no family like the Boltons in the world.

And now I'm a part of it. Which means, I have to adapt. It means I have to learn how to fight and how to use a gun. It's scary.

I haven't even hit someone at the beach when I was a toddler. Violence is not something my father and mother taught me, it's something they taught me to avoid. I never raised my hands against anyone, certainly not against a woman. Caio, on the other hand, has a different view of the world. He got into more than a handful of fights at his school in Rio but I assume that was because it was located in Rocinha. A part of Rio where violence is on the agenda every day. I grew up in the Fatima neighbourhood but Caio and Johna got raised in Rocinha. While both neighbourhoods are in the same city, they couldn't be more apart: one is the most dangerous favela of Rio while the other one is being praised for its authenticity and soulfulness.

Still, doing this is a bit scary.

It's a beautiful house that's full of warmth. It's perhaps the smallest house the family owns but it's very cozy with all the woodwork. It even has a fireplace. The smell of wood lingers in the air. "It's very pretty." I comment as I walk through the foyer and into the open living area.

"We haven't been here in ages. I can't believe it still looks so... so untouched." Gabriella breathes out. During the two hour drive here, it was her who did the talking. I think she's coming to make sure Troy is not going to shoot me.

I'm glad she's here. Saying something is one thing but actually doing it is another. And everyone knows that actions speak louder than words.

"I'll get some different shotguns. We're going to start with tin and bottles before moving on the clays."

"Clays?" I ask Troy confused.

"Discs made of clay." Gabriella explains to me. "They're fun." She adds with a smile on her lips.

She's going to shoot as well?

"I'll explain Oliver the basics while you get the guns, okay?" Gabriella doesn't ask, she directs.

And to my surprise Troy nods and disappears into another room.

"Don't worry, it's not so hard. It took me quite a while to hit my first tint so don't freak out if you don't get it the first few shots. I know you're not a violent kind of man but know that these trainings are only for emergencies. If our security men fail us, we want to be able to protect ourselves."

"That didn't help Josephine last night."

"No, but it did help her to provide us with all the traces we need to find these men. Sasha and Wladimir's team are currently in Wessex to get those bastards. When we have them, and I promise you we will get them, you're going to be grateful for what we're going to teach you today."

"You won't give them to Scotland Yard?"

"No. At least not right away. We want to have our revenge first."

"Good. Because I want to make them pay for what they did as well."

Suddenly I can hear Troy loading up three different guns. One is a pistol, the other two are long shooting guns. I really have no idea what they're called but they look dangerous.

Because they can take lives.

But so can hands and legs. Whether I get my revenge by using my body or a weapon doesn't really matter in the context of getting revenge...

So, perhaps it really is time to learn how to use one of those.

Josephine

I'm all shaky. My fingers are shaking. My legs are constantly wiping whether I'm standing, sitting or laying. I have this huge amount of anxiety within me. Because of Edward. Because of what he did.

But I can't kill him. No matter how much I actually want to kill him, the bloody Rothschilds are off-limits. But that doesn't mean I can't make their life a living hell. Edward thinks he is powerful but he has no idea how powerful I am. He's got high profile connections but I've got those and royalty. British, Spanish, Swedish, Monégasque, Japanese, Thai, Norwegian, Dutch... there's so much more power. I am so much more powerful than him.

And I will not get him away with it.

"Do you want another pill to calm you down?" Della asks me as her navy eyes see my shaky fingers.

"No, the lorazepam last night was enough. I don't want to take any more."

"Then another cup of tea." She says before rising from the couch in the living room and walking into the kitchen.

I look out of the window front in her living room. It has just started to rain so big drops are splashing against the windows. I've left Wlad alone in his study and spent most of the noon with my sister. We didn't really talk much which I appreciate. I was watching mindlessly whatever soap opera was on the telly while she read some medical journals. We didn't talk, but she stayed by my side.

Just like Lily and Luna. I never had cats but I've always loved them. They're so calm.

"Jo,"

I turn around at the sound of my name. My older sister Ana is standing across me with trembling lips and tears in her bright green eyes. I didn't even hear how Ana got here but maybe Della called her because I haven't really talked. Maybe she thinks I would rather want to talk to Ana.

Ana...

Before I know what's happening, my right hand has slapped her. "Fuck you!"

"Jo,"

"Why didn't you tell me that this would happen?!" I ask her in a shaky voice. "Why didn't you prepare me for it?"

"Because I didn't know."

"Bullshit! You knew about Oliver and me the moment you saw me but you didn't see this hell?!"

"It's the truth." She whispers back. "Jo, I had told you if I knew. You're my sister. No one deserves this kind of pain! I didn't know!"

"Okay, I believe you." I give in. "And I'm sorry for the slap. I just... it's been-"

Ana wraps her arms around me and suddenly the tears within me break loose.

For a moment, I cry in silence. I let the emotions within me go.

And it feels so good.

"You'll be alright." Ana whispers into my ear as she rubs circles on my back.

"I'm scared." I admit.

"You don't have to be scared. You've got us to protect you. Your family."

"That's not what I'm afraid of." I say and let go of her. "I'm afraid of his next step."

"Whose step?"

"Edward's. I'm confident it was him. His... his idea."

My sister's bright green eyes widen, "He sent those men to rape you?"

I lick my lips, "I don't know. I don't think they should've raped me. Ed wouldn't do that. Or maybe he would. I don't know. Perhaps the men should just scare me off. Or... I don't know. He wouldn't... When I met him at the vernissage he wasn't just angry. He was heartbroken, Ana. He threatened me because I moved on - I moved back to Oliver's arms - while he is still stuck with his emotions. Ed wouldn't want to hurt me. Not physically. But emotionally."

"Do you think he's after Oliver?"

I lick my lips and shrug as my throat tightens. "I want to think otherwise."

"Do you think that's why Daddy's out with him right now?"

I nod, "I think he's sensing Edward's plans as well. But Oliver's not like us, Ana. He has no violent cell in his body. He has never raised his hands against a person, let alone use a gun. He is not like us. He can't even kill a fly or a spider! Or a bloody mosquito! Everyone hates mosquitos but Oliver can't even kill those bloody creatures!"

Ana grins before licking her lips, "Well, it's different when your wife and child are in danger."

"Maybe so but still... I don't want to be the reason why his good side disappears. You know maybe you and Della did it right. You guys fell in love with a Russian assassin and a Russian bodyguard. You fell in love with their dark side before peeling that layer off and revealing the good side. But what happens when I peel off Oliver's good-side-layer? What if that is going to break him?"

"Give him more credit than that."

"I don't want to destroy him, Ana."

She tilts her head to the side, "You are the strongest of us all. You're like Mummy the most. Try to see it from his perspective for a moment. It's not you that's going to destroy him. You are his strength just like he is yours. But you are also each other's weaknesses. You won't destroy him because he won't let you. Just like he will never destroy you. And that has always been the difference between Oliver and Edward. He was never your weakness because he was never your strength. And I think Edward sees that. He can see how Oliver is not a threat to him but he is your perfect match. He is everything Ed always wanted to be."

"You're not calming me down if that's your intention."

Ana licks her lips, "Can't you see what was Ed's plan? He didn't want to hurt you but he hurt you to hurt him."

"He wants Oliver to leave me?"

My blond sister nods, "He wants to be in his place."

"He knows about my pregnancy. How does he know about it?"

"I don't know. But what I do know is that Oliver needs as much protection as you. Because Ed is going after him as much as he wants you to think he's going after you. He's playing the two of you at the same time."

I gulp, "Ana, what did you see when you met Ed for the first time?"

"I saw you guys being engaged." Ana whispers back. "And then I dreamt of you and Oliver standing at the Christo Statue in Rio, being married, while I was pregnant with Valentin. I was confused, very confused. Were you ever torn between these men?"

"I thought I loved Edward. I really did. And he obviously loved me as well. But now I realised that I wasn't ever in love with Edward. When I first met him, he was my distraction from Oliver. I slept with Edward in France because I was hurt that Oliver had rejected me. I asked him to join me in Paris and he said no before even considering it."

"Edward was your way to hurt Oliver."

"I know it was childish and wrong... and then when Oliver confessed his feelings towards me I got scared and pushed him away. I broke up with him, got drunk on French Cay for a week and then called Edward. Because I wanted the distraction again - and I knew that Edward was the best distraction there is. Because when I was with Ed, I didn't think of Oliver. At least that's how it was the first time. But when we started dating, I couldn't shake Oliver off of me. I dreamt of him every night and instead of acknowledging my feelings and dealing with them, I held on to Ed even harder. I guess that's why I said yes when Ed asked me to marry him."

"And then you had the panic attack right in front of the cathedral."

I nod and lick my lips. "I created this whole mess, so maybe this is karma getting back at me. I played with two hearts and now six men raped me." I shrug, "Perhaps I deserve what happened."

Ana shakes her blond head, "No, don't say that. It's not your fault. What happened was probably Edward's doing. He threatened you and you shouldn't take this lightly. No one but our family and him knew where you were yesterday evening. It was him. If your gut is telling you this than believe it."

Oliver

I put on my glasses and ear protection. Then open and load the barrel with two cartridges and mount my gun. After practicing for two hours, Troy thinks I'm ready for the birds that are really clay discs. We're standing in the middle of a field, about ten miles away from the house in the woods. "Pull!"

Gabriella releases two clays that soar up in front of us. I squeeze the trigger and pop off the top barrel, then the second, hitting both clays so that they shatter, the shards falling to the ground like hail.

"Shot." Troy says in a neutral voice.

"You hit them!" Gabriella exclaims while I grin like a Cheshire Cat.

This is so much fun!

"Another round. This time with three." Troy demands.

"Three?!" I ask him shocked.

Troy loads the barrel of his gun, ignoring me. "Pull!" He yells and Gabriella relaxes three clay discs into the air. With quick and efficient shots, he shatters all three of them. He puts the gun down and looks at me. "We won't leave until you can do that."

What?! "What about Jose-"

"Jo will be fine!"

"But I am not fine without her!" I hiss back at him as suddenly everything around me gets to much. My wife got raped by six Arabic bastards while I was sleeping peacefully at home! I was dancing around in my dreamland while she was getting raped for at least six times! Her whole body is full of bruises! She has a black eye and one eye that's full of blood! She looks so fucking broken, so barely alive!

"This is not the right time to break down." Troy explains to me in a calm voice before putting his free hand on my shoulder. "You can break down in the shower. You can break down with Jo by your side. But I will not hold your hand and tell you everything is going to be fine because it bloody won't. This is war so you better prepare yourself for it. I don't care how long we will stay here but you won't leave this place until you can shoot perfectly with your eyes closed. My daughter didn't pick a softie as her husband, she picked a bloody warrior. So be a warrior. Be invictus. Be what she needs you to be right now."

"You trained her all her life and you expect me to be just as good in a bloody few hours?"

"Not just as good, but better." He insists. "And now do it again. Feet apart. Your weight on your back foot. Good. Look at the trap. You've seen the trajectory of the clay, you'll want to follow it up in a smooth movement. Mount the stock as hard against your shoulder as you can. You don't want any recoil. Here are your cartridges." He hands me three, and I load them into the chamber and charge the gun.

Troy takes a step back.

I inhale deeply and mount the gun. "Pull!"

Gabriella releases the three birds and they sail up before us quicker than I can react. I fire the first shot, miss the bird but fire again and catch the last two. Two out of three.

"Again!" Troy demands before handing me another three cartridges.

I sigh, I might as well be here all day. Not for Troy or Gabriella.

But for Josephine and our unborn baby.

For my family.

Josephine

I stare out of the window front in the living room and watch how the sun sets. The sky is filled with bright pinks and oranges but I cannot seem to find the beauty in it. Oliver has been gone the whole day. My parents have kidnapped him. They told me some bloody lie about shooting lessons but I'm not believing it. Not anymore.

They can't be gone for the whole day! I called my parents and husband several times but they didn't pick up. All three of them. Something is seriously wrong.

And I will not sit around and wait for the bad news to come.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Della asks me with a worried expression.

"I'll either do it by myself or you will drive me. I don't care. But what I won't do is sit here and wait for my husband to get home like some bloody housewife!"

"Jo, you're in no condition to drive. Your headache is still pretty strong-"

"Stop being my doctor and start being my sister!"

"Fine. But I'll drive." Della insists. "And we'll take the Ferrari because it's more fun." She adds with a smirk.

I grin, "I love you, Della."

She grabs my hand, "I know. I love you, too."

Oliver

The first thing I do when I get into my room is pick up my phone. As predicted my wife has called me multiple times but I was out in the cold the whole day with Troy and Gabriella, my in-laws. They taught me everything they could, from how to shoot to how to fight. It was an intense time. Intense hours. My whole body is aching and my ears hurt from the shooting sounds although I wore protection.

It's now dark outside and while my in-laws are cooking dinner, I told them I needed a shower - when all I really need is my wife.

I call her and wait for her to pick up. "Hi."

"Are you alright?"

"Still whole." I answer.

"No broken bones?"

"A few bruises but I'll be fine."

"Did Daddy attack you?"

"Yes but only for training purposes. Your Mum's quite the fighter as well."

"You're in the house in the woods?"

"Yes-"

"Good, I'm going to get you." She says before hanging up.

I stare at the phone in confusion. What did she just say? I frown before walking out of my bedroom for tonight and into the open kitchen. Troy and Gabriella look like nothing world changing happened today. The veggies are sizzling in the pan and the quinoa is cooking in the pot. It looks like bloody everyday life!

Troy looks over his shoulder, "I thought you wanted to go take a shower."

"I think Josephine's on her way here."

"What?!"

"I just got off the phone with her. She-" I stop talking when Troy holds up his finger.

I can hear how the engine of a car gets killed and a moment later the front door swings open. Footsteps rush down the hallway until they reach us.

My wife is barely walking but she is here. She is standing across me with a stuffed black leather bag. I can't believe she is here! I blink, but she's still here.

"What are you doing here?" Troy asks her.

"Do you really think you could kidnap my husband and keep him away from me for that long? I gave you the bloody afternoon but I will not stay away from him any longer!"

"Who the hell drove you?"

Suddenly Della comes in my view. She's holding a car key. "That would be me. And before you start yelling at us, you know she would have done it with or without me. And she's got a bloody good point. She's still healing and you bloody tear her person away from her? What did you expect? She wasn't going to sit at home and wait around. She has your genes after all."

Troy looks from Della to Josephine, who shrugs in response.

"Good thing we're cooking so much food." Gabriella says with a wink.

"You knew she'd be coming with Della?" Troy asks his wife.

Gabriella shrugs, "I had a feeling they were going to show up. They're our daughters anyway."

Troy sighs and waves with his hands. "Fine. Let's have dinner together."

"Oh, I'm not staying. I was just the driver. I want to be with my husband myself."

"But it's already dark outside. Are you sure you can navigate yourself through the woods? It's about three miles until you reach a road that's in your navigation system." Gabriella reminds her.

Della waves with her hand. "Wonder child, remember? I'll be fine."

"Alright but don't be too proud to call me for help, okay?" Troy asks her with worry in his eyes.

Della nods before embracing him. "I promise."

Troy kisses her left cheek. "Be careful."

"I'm always careful." Della jokes before letting go of her father.

"I don't want to pick you up from a police station again."

"What?" I ask them confused.

Della chuckles, "Jo's going to explain it to you."

My wife giggles, "I'll save that for bedtime stories." She winks at me.

"I love you!" Gabriella throws a kiss at her daughter before she turns away and walks out of the house again.

"And thank you for driving me!" Jo yells back.

The front door shuts with a loud bang.

And the four of us are alone.

"Do you need any help?" My wife asks her parents.

"No. Relax on the sofa. You must be pretty exhausted." Troy says to her. "We still need about fifteen minutes. You can go have your shower." He says to me.

I nod and turn on my heel.

"I'm coming with you." Josephine says before following me into the guest bedroom.

"How are you?" I ask her as I close the door.

"I'm holding up." She says with a shrug before sitting down on the soft bed. "I was worried my Dad wouldn't hold up to his word."

"Has he ever not hold up to his word?"

"He promised he would never leave Mum. And then he did it anyway." She says with a shrug.

I remember how Troy is the root of Josephine's trusting issues. I shouldn't have been surprised when she said she would show up. She doesn't trust him. Not after he hurt her mother that badly. While Gabriella forgave him - just like the rest of the family - Josephine is still holding a grudge against him.

"I think it's time you forgive him." I say as I get out of my clothes.

"I brought you some fresh clothes." Josephine says before holding up the bag. She opens the zipper and gets out a fresh pair of black boxer briefs. She completely ignored my words.

I grab it out of her hands, "What about pjs?"

Her sky blue eyes dance down my body, "Oh, I don't know. I really like this view."

If she's already joking, then she clearly feels better. "I love you so much, Josephine."

Her eyes soften at my words, "I love you as well. More than you will ever know."

I want to kiss her until we are both out of breath but I restrain myself. I haven't kissed her since the rape happened. Because I'm afraid it might trigger some sort of memories that her body is working so hard to hide. "I'm going to go shower."

She nods and kicks off her shoes, "I'll be here when you come back."

I watch how she lays down on the bed before I go into the en-suite bathroom.

I have a feeling when I come back she's already fallen asleep.


After a quick shower, I quietly open the door of the en-suite bathroom and see that my wife indeed has fallen asleep. Her chestnut curls are cascading on the pillow as her chest is lifting and rising with her deep regular breaths. She deserves to get some rest.

I fish out a pair of joggers and a black T-shirt before changing into it. I leave the door ajar because I fear she might wake up with another panic attack like this morning. I walk into the open kitchen where Troy and Gabriella have already set the table. There's a salad, steaming quinoa and grilled veggies.

"Where's Jo?" Gabriella asks me.

"She fell asleep."

Troy nods, "She's okay?"

I don't know why he is asking me that. I'm not her. "She will be."

"Let's eat." Gabriella says before sitting down.

I sit down across her just as Troy sits down next to his wife. It's a bit weird to eat with them solo. The plate, cutlery and glass for my wife will be unused.

"Della got out of the woods?" I ask as we start filling our plates with the delicious food.

"She didn't call-" Troy gets interrupted by his ringing iPhone. He gets up from his chair and walks over to the clean kitchen island on which his ringing mobile is laying on. He grins, "Speaking of the devil." He picks up the call, "Are you okay?" He asks his oldest daughter.

Gabriella fills Troy's plate with steaming quinoa and grilled veggies.

"Are all your children so stubborn?" I ask Gabriella.

"Pretty much. Just pray your future children with Jo won't inherit that because it gave us zillion bloody heart attacks over the last decades." She grins before digging into her food.

I shove quinoa into my mouth just so I don't accidentally say that Josephine is already expecting.

"Alright, stay where you are. I'm coming to get you. You're not that far away." Troy says before hanging up.

"Della's lost?" Gabriella asks him, being as calm as Buddha.

"She's got ahead of herself again." Troy says with a shrug. "We'll be back in twenty minutes. Eat without me."

"Oh that's only going to be half as fun as it would be with you next to me. Our first dinner with our daughter's husband!" Gabriella waves with her hand.

Briefly, I wonder if she's meaning that in a negative way.

"She's joking." Troy says before walking past us into the hallway.

"I was joking. I like you, Oliver and I look forward to having dinner with you. Maybe you can tell me some childhood stories?" She asks before starting to eat while Troy gets dressed in the hallway.

I can hear how the front door shuts. "I had a nice childhood."

"How did you guys end up in Rocinha?"

"My father got shot on his way home because he carried bags full of groceries."

She stills, "That's horrible."

"After his funeral we had to move. I had just graduated from high school and I was looking forward to start college as I had a scholarship... but I guess life got in the way and I started to work to provide at least something for my family."

"How did you get to London?"

"My Mum found a lottery ticket on day on her way home. When she checked the numbers she found out that she won a couple of thousands pounds. Instead of getting us out of Rocinha she hose to invest that into an illegal ticket to enter Europe. Dover was the first town the ship reached. I arrived in a container with 32 other illegal immigrants. Not all were alive when we reached Dover."

Gabriella places her fork on the edge of the plate while I just continue to eat. "Y-you arrived in a container?"

"Yes. I was in that thing for 16 days."

"And you survived?"

I just shrug, "I try not to think about it."

"How did you get to London?"

"I used what God gave me. My two feet."

She gulps, "I don't know what to say."

"I'm just answering your questions, Gabriella." I say before eating the rest of my salad. That trip was the hardest trip I ever made. So I'm grateful for everything I have. Meeting Josephine was like God's gift to me. He rewarded me for this horrible trip. I had to go through hell to find an angel but I'd do it all over again. Because she's worth everything I had to go through to get to the point of meeting her.

Gabriella runs her long fingers through her hair. "How did you meet Jo then? How long had you been in London when you met her?"

"About a year and a half later, I met her in that cafe in Battersea. I was there by accident. I thought it was a great Sunday morning so I went for a walk. It was my first day off for a few months as well. I had three jobs at that time."

"I think we all know that this wasn't by accident. It was by fate." Gabriella reaches over the table and grabs my hand. "I can see how much she loves you and I can also see how much you love her."

"Can Troy see that as well?"

"I think he's getting there. Bringing you here, training you, teaching you how to shoot - that's his way to show you he cares."

"You mean that he cares about Jo."

"I don't think there's a difference between caring for her and caring for you. You are a team. You're glued together. You're soulmates. There is no Jo and Oliver, you two have become one."

"I don't know if that's true. Josephine is still very much her own person, just like I am."

"But you're better together. You bring out the best in each other." Gabriella smiles at me before picking up the fork and starting to eat again.

We eat in silence for a few minutes. "How was Josephine as a child?"

"Very stubborn but that didn't change. She was also very protective of Rory. Before attending Le Rosey, she would forget to do homework because she enjoyed being outside so much. She was very active. Even enjoyed gardening. She loved going on sailing trips with her father. She also loved helping out in the soup kitchen. She's a true humanitarian so I think these new roles for you guys will be a perfect fit."

I noticed that Jo is more of a Daddy's girl, which is contradictory because she has trust issues because of him. "Was she ever violent?"

"No. Nate got into fights during the time when Troy wasn't with us, but never Jo. She let out her anger when she trained with Wlad."

"Is Wlad going to train me as well?"

"Yes. He also trains with my husband and I."

"You're quite good with the gun."

"I've had a lot of practice but I wish I didn't had to learn how to use it." She sighs. "I always knew we lived in a dangerous world but I had no idea how dangerous until I met my husband."

"But you don't regret meeting him."

"No! No at all." Gabriella shakes his head. "Troy Bolton is the best that has ever happened to me."

I nod, "I feel the same way about your daughter."

Gabriella smirks, "And I think she feels the same way about you."

The unborn baby is the best proof.

"Can you tell me more about your time in London?"

"Sure. What do you want to know?"

"You said you had three jobs. What were they? One was at Luigi, right?"

"Yes. Luigi was the best job by far. The other two were at a pub in Covent Garden and at a souvenir shop near Buckingham Palace."

"So you sold souvenirs of the royals? Kind of ironic that you're becoming one of them now." She chuckles, "You knew who Jo was when you guys met then."

"No, I didn't. I mean, yes I did sell souvenirs but the only photo of Josephine that I sold was the one from the balcony appearance of Buckingham Palace on Rory's wedding day. Plus she looked quite different when we met. She wore gym wear, a baseball cap and no makeup." I smile as I remember how Josephine looked like when we first met. My heart skipped a beat and my breath got stuck in my lungs when I first laid eyes on her. I was under her spell from the very first second - and she was as well, even though she didn't realise it.

"Jo can really hide in the crowds very well. She blends in almost seamlessly. That's why she can walk around London without getting noticed by the paparazzi. But that will of course change once you're the Duke and Duchess of Clarence."

If we become the Duke and Duchess of Clarence.

Suddenly, a bad feeling overcomes me. I turn around and look at the door that I've left ajar. I have a feeling something's wrong. I don't know what but I know something's wrong.

"Everything okay?" Gabriella asks me worried.

"I don't know..." I mumble before placing my fork next to the plate. "I'll just check on Josephine real quick. I'll be right back." I mumble before rising from the chair and walking into the bedroom. The light coming from the hallway is enough to show me why I had this bad feeling. My wife is sitting on the floor next to the bed, rocking from side to side with her arms wrapped around her bent knees.

Shit!

"Josephine," I rush over to her and touch her hands but suddenly she hits me in the face with her right elbow. It hurts even though she didn't even use half of her strength.

She starts hissing words in foreign languages. Russian. Italian. French. Arabic.

I don't understand a word but assume they're not compliments. She's having a nightmare. She's having flashbacks.

And she's stuck in her own hell.

"Tesoro," I whisper. "Look at me. I'm right here." I shouldn't have left her. She's not ready to be alone.

But she doesn't react to my words. Her eyes are open but she's not responsive. She doesn't see me.

And I don't know what to do. Should I try to touch her again? Should I splash water into her face? Or should I just stay where I am and wait until it's over, watch how she's torturing herself?!

I lick my lips, totally helpless. But I know I can't watch her any longer. I grab her hands and put them on my face. "Tesoro, I'm right here. You're dreaming."

She winces at the touch of my face and I can feel how her thumb runs over my stubbles on my chin and cheeks. "Oliver," She whispers as she runs her fingers over my lips.

"Josephine,"

She wraps her arms around me and I pull her on to my lap. She rests her chin on my left shoulder. She's shaking.

"You've had a nightmare. I'm right here." I whisper into her arm as I run my fingers up and down her arm.

It takes her a while to calm down. She's drenched in sweat and her face is soaked in tears. By the time she moves in my lap, my legs and feet have gone completely numb but I don't care. "Are you okay again?"

"I never had nightmares before. Not like this. Not so active. I have no idea how I've gotten down from the bed." She says before lifting her head off of my shoulder. "I'm sorry for hitting you."

"Don't worry about it. Do you remember what you dreamed about?"

"No and I'm glad I don't. I grateful that my brain is doing everything to keep the memories of last night far away from me. I don't want to remember what happened. I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to think about it. I don't want to waste my energy on it. I want to focus my energy on here and now. On you and me... and our unborn child. That child survived more than most people survive in their lives and it isn't even born yet."

I run my fingers through her chestnut curls, "I love you."

"I love you, too." She whispers back. "But I don't think I can go back to sleep without you."

"How about you go take a quick shower while I say goodnight to your parents?"

She nods, "Okay."

"Are you in pain? Do you need help-"

"I'll be alright. I might need more time than usually but I want to stay independent."

"I'm your husband. You can always rely on me."

"I know. But I want to try and see if I can do this myself. I'll call you if I need help."

I nod before rising from the floor with her still wrapped around me. I place her on the edge of the bed. "I'll be quick."

Josephine

I carefully climb out of the joggers and panties that have pooled around my legs before daring to look at the full-length mirror across me. I used to feel confident in my skin. I used to feel sexy, adored, desirable when I saw my naked reflection but now... now I see a broken woman. A woman that has been beaten almost to death. A woman that has been raped.

A woman that isn't me.

My whole body is full of bruises, countless wounds that have started to heal and cuts that have been stitched up. I have a black right eye and my left eye is still bloodshot. My lower lip has been ripped by my own teeth. It's one of the wounds that Della had to stitch up. My whole body looks like a giant mess. I literally look like a train wreck. I don't know how my family can look at me and not freak out. The slightest bruise, the slightest chance to have a dent in my thighs or to scar my picture perfect skin, used to freak me the hell out. I was so superficial, so focused on my outer layer, on my looks... but now...

Now I look exactly how I feel. Broken. Torn to pieces.

Shattered.

No wonder my own husband hasn't kissed me. I look scary. Pitiful. Broken.

"You're still beautiful."

I meet my husband's green eyes in the mirror. He's standing behind me in the doorway. "I don't feel beautiful right now."

"The bruises will heal. The wounds will heal." He promises me before walking over to me.

"But the scars will remain. The scars on my body and the scars on my soul."

Oliver sighs before placing his hands on my shoulders. "You see a broken woman when you look in the mirror but I see a freaking warrior. I see a fighter that's not ashamed of the bruises. I see the woman I love."

I place my hands on his, "Is that why you haven't kissed me in nearly 24 hours?"

He looks at me with confusion in his bright green eyes. "I was worried it would trigger some sort of flashback. I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't hurt me." I promise him. "But I don't want you to kiss me out of pity now." I let go of him and get into the shower. I close the door behind me and turn on the water. The hot water starts running down my body. I grab the bottle with shower gel but wince as I feel Oliver's hand on mine. I turn around and look at my husband, who is standing in the shower fully dressed. "What are you doing-" his lips on mine shut me up. He kisses with me such force that I can feel his body weight pressing me against the wall. I can feel how my whole body awakes to new life. I wrap my arms around his neck as our tongues start dancing together. For minutes, we explore each other's mouths until we're both out of breath.

"I will never kiss you out of pity. You are my woman. My wife. You're the most important thing in my whole life. You're my soulmate." His lips move against mine as he speaks in a hoarse voice.

"You don't have to treat me like a raw egg." I whisper back. "I need this to feel alive. I need your lips to feel like a woman again." I admit.

"I don't know what to do or say. I've never... I've never been in a situation like this." His green eyes are full of insecurity.

I run my fingers through his hair that's soaking wet. His clothes are sticking to his body, but neither of us care. "Stay with me. That's all you need to do."

"I wish I could do more." The green in his iris lights up.

I lick my lips as they start trembling. I don't know why but his words make my throat tight. Seeing his struggle is far worse than my struggle. "I'll be alright." I promise us.

He nods with tears in his eyes. "We will take the titles. I don't care what we agreed to before. I don't want something like this to happen to you again."

"Okay." I agree with him. Being the Duke and the Duchess of Clarence, all the critic, the scrutiny and the limelight - it's nothing compared to what I had to experience. The crown will protect us better than anyone else.

The crown will keep Edward Rothschild away from us.


Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it!

Do you think it's the right decision to take the titles now?

What's Edward's plan?

Please review!

In gratitude,

Nicole