Chapter Quatre
It was not until Christian was showing her to her room that she felt she had enough courage to ask him the question that was burning in her mind. The air seemed heavy as her lips parted to speak.
"Why did your mother not question before agreeing to let me stay?" She looked at Christian, awaiting an answer. He chuckled.
"My mom and I have this understanding. She trusts me and, in return, I don't give my father the verbal beating that he deserves. I trust you, so she trusts you. It's quite easy," He chuckled again. The sound made the air seem lighter.
"But how do you know you can trust me?" She asked. He stopped walking and turned her gently so she faced him.
"I'm a poet, Satine. I have to look beyond the obvious and see into the souls of those who I write about. I see your soul…it's quite pure…beautiful," Satine hadn't realized just how close they were until she felt his breath on her lips. She looked shyly into his eyes and saw that they were filled with something that she had never seen before when someone looked at her. She closed her eyes, waiting for his lips to touch hers. She wanted his lips to touch hers.
"Am I interrupting something?" Came a voice that was unfamiliar to her. She heard Christian groan and she knew he had moved away.
She opened her eyes.
In doing so, she saw a man who was obviously Christian's brother. He had lighter hair and eyes the color of chocolate. He was taller then Christian and a bit less handsome.
"Wonderful timing, Ryan," Christian said, sighing. The corners of Ryan's eyes wrinkled, just as Christian's had, and Satine knew he was laughing.
"Who, may I ask, is this, little brother?" Ryan asked. Satine froze as he came closer. He may look like Christian, but she didn't feel like she could trust him like she did Christian. And yes, she did trust Christian, much to her own surprise.
"Satine Bertram. She's staying with us for a while," Christian said simply. His tone was lighter and Satine felt like the brothers were sharing a joke silently. They both chuckled and Ryan approached her, extending his hand.
"Ryan James. It's a pleasure to meet you," Satine exhaled the breath she was holding and pumped his hand.
It was cold.
Cold like his hands had been. Cold like the touch of the man in the alley.
She shivered and, without realizing it, let out a sob.
She sank to the ground and let her pain flow down her cheeks.
What was wrong with her? Christian asked himself as Satine let out a quiet sob. His eyes widened as she sank to the floor, tears flowing like a river from her eyes. He stooped down so he was level with her face.
"Satine, what's wrong?" He asked, his voice shaking. She had been fine only a second ago.
"He…I…" She choked out before a new set of tears erupted from her eyes.
"Christian, what happened to her?" Ryan asked as he squatted beside him. Satine backed herself up against a wall.
"Shh…Satine. Tell me what's the matter," He whispered, ignoring his brother's question. She looked tearfully into his eyes, her small form shaking.
"He tried to rape me," She whispered.
Suddenly Christian understood. She was still shaken from the incident in the alleyway.
He moved closer and tried to bring her into an embrace, but she pushed farther away.
His brow furrowing, he whispered, "It's ok, Satine. The man from the alley won't hurt you. You're safe here."
Satine stood up abruptly, tears flying down her face like children on sleds down a snow-covered hill.
"NOT HIM!! Not him! The man…from the Moulin…when I was ten!!" She lowered her voice and dropped to the floor again.
"What man?"
"The Moulin Rouge?"
Both he and Ryan had spoken at the same time and, if the scene hadn't been so serious, they would have laughed.
Satine wasn't laughing…she was crying again, her sobs filling the hallway.
Before she could answer, his mother came up the stairs. She looked at the scene before her and walked so she was above Satine.
"Satine, let me show you to your room, hmm? How does that sound?" Elizabeth James gently took Satine's arm and lifted her from the ground.
Both he and Ryan looked on as though they didn't exist. They were waiting for their mother to yell at them, though they hadn't done anything. When Satine was out of sight, the two turned to look quizzically at each other.
What had they done to make Satine react this way??
