A/N: Sorry for the delay! Please, take part in the poll on my profile.
The wind was blowing heavily outside, rattling at the blinds. Rose, still asleep, was drawing the bed sheets closer to her feet, while Roger sat up in bed. He looked over at the angel sleeping peacefully beside him and took a curl of her hair in his hand, rolling it around one finger.
That didn't wake her.
He thought of the first time he had laid eyes on her. She had been so shy back then and so completely submitted to him. There hadn't been any place she could've run to and now that she had he was certainly going to make sure that she wouldn't enjoy it.
She should remember him forever.
He got up from the bed, quickly getting dressed and more importantly stuffed the precious diamond back in his coat pocket. Rose still was totally quiet, save for her breathing.
Outside it had started raining now and surely it would soon be bucketing. He couldn't stand the heat anymore and with a rush walked over, opening the window.
This made Rose steer a little, twisting around.
She was so beautiful. Her now completely red hair was laid out openly behind her back and she looked a bit like an ancient goddess. Roger knew by now that he wouldn't be able to let her go this easily.
What would her stupid husband do?
And Mr Hockley?
Caledon Hockley was surely more of a threat to him than this good-for-nothing Dawson. However, Roger and Mrs Pearson had already made up a good plan that would keep both of them away.
After all which millionaire wanted his fiancée in the newspaper with material like – Rose Dewitt Bukater found to be a whore?
Certainly even Caledon Hockley would succumb to that.
He looked at Rose again, who was slightly shivering. Roger moved the covers up over her shoulders.
"Thank you, Jack," came a whisper.
Roger though not surprised was still angry.
Did he mean anything to her at all?
'You've to understand. I'm only doing this for him.'
How could he forget? Yet, he still wanted her, now more than ever, because he couldn't have her. Ella, his wife, she was nothing compared to his Lygia. She was such a bore in the bed, while this woman here – she was perfect in every way. Since setting eyes on her for the first time, he had known that he needed her – now and forever.
He had almost gotten rid of Jack and now all he needed to do was convince Rose that she was better off with him. He wouldn't blackmail her; he would simply show her what kind of man Jack really was.
She'd come crawling to me on her own accord.
As expected before it was raining heavily now.
Where the hell was Mrs Pearson? What was taking her so long?
Rose twisted around once more, bringing the covers even tighter around her.
She was much more steadily now that she didn't need to worry about her next diet and domicile. Roger remembered how innocently she had looked at him back then at Mrs Pearson's home.
'Please don't hurt me,' she had begged him silently.
Of course he wouldn't.
Who could ever hurt her?
"How much time is it?"
Finally, her eyelids were about to open.
Half asleep still, Rose sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes.
"Did you sleep well?" Roger asked her.
Momentarily Rose was taken aback. Then she remembered, looking at him with sudden surprise.
"I forgot…," she stated more to herself than to him.
"Never mind, I'm not angry. Would you like to have something to eat?"
Rose silently shook her head, turning her head to the window.
Was it raining?
"Don't worry; I'll have the driver take you home."
He wondered when she'd come up with the question. At the moment she looked in fact rather content. Had the lovemaking meant as much to her as it had to him? Maybe she really longed for a strong man at her side, someone, who could indeed care for her, not like that good-for-nothing?
"No, thanks," her voice rang out. "I mean the breakfast. I want nothing. I just want to go home to Jack and I…I want the diamond."
There's it…
Now certainly it was kind of unfair what he was going to do, but then again he had never given her his word – right? And if so, what did it matter? After all she had proven that she was nothing, but a whore – even if a magnificent one.
"I'm sorry, but I can't do this," he stately calmly.
Rose's head shot up in alarm.
Did he really just say…?
"What do you mean, you can't?"
She didn't hear the door open, only her dark voice full of hatred again.
"You heard him, dear."
Mrs Pearson?
What was she…?
With a loud noise Rose jumped up from the bed, almost tripling over, Roger catching her in time.
"Don't touch me!" she hissed drawing back, breathing in and out as suddenly the realized what was going on here. "You planned this whole thing," she snapped at them her hands now resting on the window ledge.
Jack…Jack she could never look him in the eyes again without…she had betrayed him…she had…
Tears began streaming down her face, as she had come fully to her senses.
"Why did you do this?" she wanted to know, her voice cracking. "Why did you…?"
"I simply couldn't let you go, Rose. You're far too god with men to just leave you to the likes of your poor common husband," Mrs Pearson answered. "Besides business isn't going this well these days and I desperately need someone to bring money in."
Despite her shaking hands, Rose's fear converted to hatred. This woman was the most evil person she had ever met in her life and she had done things to her that no one else – not even Cal – seemed to be able to do.
"You can't decide any more for me. I'm going to tell Jack…I'm…," her voice died down.
She couldn't tell him.
"You're telling him what?" Mrs Pearson provoked her. "That you've been disloyal to him? While he was lying in bed ill and sick?"
"That's not true. And he'll know!" Rose screamed.
"Oh, it isn't? You know, my dear, we've thought of everything and Lucy, she's been instructed of what to say, when asked. She'll make up a nice story about you and Mr Lindsay."
"Jack is never going to believe you. He knows me," Rose shouted on top of her lungs.
"Oh please, now who cares about him? You're being pathetic. I'm almost certain however that you won't want your fiancé to be told about what you've been doing. You realize that I could call him, don't you?"
Cal? What she talking about Cal?
"You're wondering, aren't you? Really, it wasn't hard to find out. Your photograph was in every society paper – the millionaire Caledon Hockley mourning his poor dead betrothed Rose Dewitt Bukater," she laughed up again looking at Rose, who had slammed her shoulders in defeat.
She had truly been tricked. If they told Cal, he'd come here and drag her away from Jack and…her reputation and more important those of her family it would be ruined forever.
"I'm sure you wouldn't want anyone to know what you've been doing the last weeks. I mean how would it read to society – the supposedly dead Rose Dewitt Bukater working in a brothel?"
She was right.
"Rose, it isn't…"
Roger stepped forward, offering to help her up, but Rose just glared at him. They had tricked her into this and now she couldn't get out anymore without hurting other people dear to her.
"Alright you've got me. I'll do what you want," she said in defeat.
"Fine, you can go now if you want."
Rose couldn't get out fast enough, hastily putting on her clothes and storming out of the house.
"Wait, I'll get you…," Roger shouted her. "The rain…"
But Rose had completely forgotten about it and maybe she deserved to get wet for she had done.
Roger turned to Mrs Pearson, when Rose was gone.
"Do you think she'll him?" Mrs Pearson was still uncertain about Jack. After all she knew about those overprotective husbands or suitors, who suddenly had come up in gentlemanlike manner, trying to save their beloved.
How ridiculous!
"If I'm done with him there's nothing she can tell him," Roger answered smiling evilly. "In fact she's far too frightened to mention a word to anybody. And you know I've still not played out my whole cards. I can be quite charming, if I want to." He stopped for a moment, thinking. "However there's another person we should think about. I fear that she could get us into trouble."
"You mean…?"
"Yes, I do," he nodded approvingly.