Poison Ivy

Ch 20

ROSE

Sunday Morning

Towards the end of my relationship with Jesse he wouldn't take no for an answer. He would force himself on me and in me. My body wasn't my own. What finally brought me to my senses was the night he drugged me to get what he wanted. Alberta was the one to find me the next day when I didn't show up for work. I had no memory of what happened, just the bruises to show it did. That day she packed up my stuff and took me to her place.

Since then I haven't wanted to be touched by anyone, not even a hug. The thought of having sex with someone scared the shit out of me. Kissing Dimitri had been a big step. I knew he wouldn't take advantage of me, but in the back of my mind I kept reliving what happened with Jesse.

Last night I had invited Dimitri into my loft in hopes that he would stay the night. I wasn't planning on doing anything with him, I just wanted him to stay. Hold me in his arms where I felt safe. We were currently wrapped in each other's arms, my head laying on his bare chest. I didn't want to move and wake him up, I wanted to spend all day here.

Saturday Night

"I'm sure." Dimitri followed me into my loft and I shut and locked the door behind me. I told him to make himself at home on the couch while I went to put something comfy on. I stood in my "room" trying to figure out what to put on. I could go for something sexy and revealing or something comfy. I chose a little bit of both, putting on some boy shorts and an old t-shirt that came to my knees.

"Hey I hear Tasha finally made an honest man out of Ivan." I called out as I was getting dressed.

"Yeah. I helped him move out of our apartment earlier today." I came out of my bedroom and plopped myself down on the couch next to him.

"What are you going to do with yourself now that you live all alone?"

"I don't know, maybe I should get a dog or I can have my girlfriend come over."

"I like the sound of you saying girlfriend."

"I like saying it and you being my girlfriend." I leaned over to kiss him and he pulled me onto his lap. We were slow at first just a sweet lip to lip kiss then things started to heat up. I parted my lips so his tongue could enter my mouth.

He was gentle at first. Then our tongues started to fight for dominance. He put his hand behind my head and pushed me closer. It wasn't anything forceful, but it did make my heart speed up.

I let out a moan and started to grind on his crotch. Let's just say a not so little friend that was making himself known. My hands crept down to his jeans to start unbuttoning them. His hands made their way up my shirt and to my breast. This felt so right, at that moment I was ready to go all the way.

"So beautiful." He moaned out.

It was like ice water had been thrown on me. Those two words stopped me dead in my tracks, I quickly shot off his lap and started to panic.

"STOP!" I screamed out.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"No, no it's…" I couldn't catch my breath to say it wasn't him and I started to hyperventilate

"Slow breathes Roza. In and out." He tried to reach for me. I stepped back from him not wanting to be touched at the moment.

"Ok, no touching." He raised his hands.

"Can I help by talking you through this?" I nodded my head yes, not able to speak.

"Sit down, pull your knees up to your chest and lay your head in between them." I did as he instructed.

"Now we're going to take some deep breaths. Inhale and hold it 4,3,2,1. Now exhale 4,3,2,1. Good now repeat that." I did that till I felt my heart rate slow down. I sat there for a few more seconds before raising my head. I looked over to him to see his face full of concern.

"Better?"

"Yes. I'm sorry I didn't mean to freak out and scare you."

"Don't be Roza, I know a panic attack when I see one. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Yes and no."

"You don't have to, but sometimes it helps to talk about it."

"You deserve the truth." He got off the couch and sat down in front of me, which was funny to watch someone of his height do.

"No one knows about this, even my therapist. I have always been so embarrassed to tell anyone, because I know the old Rose would never have let this happen."

"Towards the end of my relationship with Jesse things got more violent. He wouldn't take no for an answer." I started to tear up and he grabbed my hands.

"It became a daily thing, he would come home from work and demand sex. No matter what, at first I tried saying no, but after a while I just gave up and let him do whatever he wanted. This went on for some time." I had to stop and collect myself because even repeating the words set a panic in me.

"While he was on top of me he would always say "so beautiful." Realization hit his face.

"Oh Roza I'm so sorry."

"You didn't know no one did. The last time he assaulted me was the worst. I was finally starting to see that I was in an abusive relationship. That night I stood up to him and said no, he didn't like that and decided to slip something in my drink. I didn't wake up till the next day when Alberta came looking for me. She packed my bags up right then and there and took me to her place." It felt so good to get that out, he was right it did help.

"Do you know just how amazing you are Roza?" It didn't feel that way, who lets someone do that to them?

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are. You have overcome so much. Jesse is a piece of shit. Don't let what happened that night set you back."

"You're right, it's just hard right now. I guess one good thing came out of that, I met you." I yawned, lack of sleep was starting to set in.

"It's been a long day and you need to get some rest." He gracefully stood up and grabbed my hand to help me up.

"Please don't go. Stay with me?"

"Are you sure?"

"I am."

SUNDAY MORNING

DIMITRI

"Would you please answer your phone, comrade? It's been going off for like an hour now." I was currently laying in her bed and she had her head on my chest. I didn't want to move and wake her up. She was so peaceful looking. I reached over to grab my phone, trying not to move her too much. I didn't look at the caller ID, I just answered.

Belikov

Belikov, it's Croft, sorry to bother you on a Sunday morning, but we have a problem.

That woke me up real quick, I slowly sat up trying not to jostle Rose too much.

What's going on?

She sat up and kissed my cheek. Got out of bed and headed to the bathroom, mouthing she would be right back.

Jesse's family decided to press charges against you and Ivan.

What! What are they charging me with?

They are aledging in was you and Ivan that went and beat him up. They are using the footage from the club against you two to show you both had motives.

Of course we did, a lot of people do.

By that time Rose had come out of the bathroom with a worried look on her face.

Also he is out and at home. Somehow they talked the courts into letting him be on house arrest while he recovers.

I thought I was going to throw up.

There's more.

What else could there be?

Does the name Randall Orlov sound familiar to you?

Son of a bitch

I take it, it does.

Yeah, that's my good for nothing father.

I don't know what stake he has in this but he has come forward saying you assaulted him years ago.

Yes I did and I don't regret it, I was only thirteen at the time. He was an alcoholic and very abusive to my mother and I finally had enough.

He beat her so badly we thought we were going to lose her. He never came back around after that day.

Say no more, I don't blame you one bit. But they will probably use this to say you have a violent past. I've been trying to get a hold of Rose. I need to make sure she's safe and aware of what's going on.

I'm with her right now.

Good. Is there any way you two could come to the station?

We will be there in about an hour.

I hung up the phone and collected myself.

"Comrade, what's going on?"

"I'm sorry to have to do this to you, but you're going to be meeting your dad today."

AUTHORS NOTES

I ALMOST MADE DIMITRI'S DAD AND IVASHKOV, BUT DECIDED AGAINST IT BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE STORY A WHOLE DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

I ALSO HATE TO LEAVE YOU HANGING HERE, BUT THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER TILL DECEMBER. I HAVE ALREADY STARTED ON MY WRITING FOR NANO.

THANKS.