Faking It To Survive
Chapter 20 -The End

Ryan

I don’t know how long I sit on the floor with my arms wrapped around Rose, and I don’t care how long it takes. I rock her and whisper, “I got you,” over and over again.

It’s a good thing Travis came looking for her with me. He handles the sick bastard that had her pinned to the ground. I couldn’t bear to leave Rose all alone like this, no matter how badly I wanted to see that monster locked up.

If Travis hadn’t called the cops, I’m pretty sure my punches would have killed the bastard. I wouldn’t have regretted it at all.

Walking in and seeing Rose completely helpless under him as he tried to undress her … my soul left my body. I couldn’t think of anything but putting an end to his existence. I wanted to break his arms and legs, and then gouge out his eyes so he never touches or lays his eyes on her ever again.

Scum like him shouldn’t be allowed the privilege of breathing the same air as her.

Rose’s hiccups die down, and she stops rocking in my arms, but she doesn’t let go of me. I don’t want her to. I don’t want her to let go of me ever again.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” I ask.

She shakes her head against my chest.

There are so many other things I want to ask her, but not until she’s ready to tell me everything. I have an idea of what happened, though.

When Rose talked to me in Travis’s office about being caged and trying to escape, I can only assume it had something to do with this.

Rose pulls back a little to stare at me, but she doesn’t take her arms away from holding on to me. “How did you replace me?”

“I started from the bus stop where I usually drop you off at and traced you from there. I kept showing everybody we ran into your picture, hoping someone would recognize you. I know you said I shouldn’t come looking for you, but I couldn’t help it, Rose. I could tell something was wrong from the way you sounded on the phone. Thankfully, Travis and I ran into a woman who claimed to be your neighbor, and she told us your apartment number.”

“Let me guess,” she mumbles. “She’s short, petite, has an annoyingly high-pitched voice, and goes by the name of Lisa.”

“Yes. She seemed surprised that I was looking for you. She said you were here, and I knew there was a problem when she said you had a visitor.”

“I suppose I should be grateful to her. If you hadn’t shown up, he would have …” She swallows the words.

I pull her closer. “Rose …” I trail off. I don’t want to push her too hard. “I need to know.”

Rose lets out a shaky breath, and her eyes dart to my face before she looks away. “I suppose I’ve kept this in for too long, huh?”

“You don’t have to tell me until you’re ready, but I do need to know.”

“No, I want to. I don’t want to be scared of him anymore, and the more I hold it in, the more terrified I get. If I talk about it, maybe I’ll start seeing him as the weak one and not the other way around.”

I grit my teeth to keep my temper under control. I want to head over to the police station and finish what I started.

“You are not weak, Rose. You are a survivor, and you are the strongest, fiercest, most amazing woman I know.”

“He convinced me otherwise.” She sighs before telling me, “For a long time, it was just my mother and me against the world. My father died before I was born, so I never knew him.

“My mother was the most beautiful woman in our hometown, and every man wanted her. Eventually, she started seeing this very kind man. He was the town’s mayor. He had a son, but my mom didn’t mind, just like he didn’t mind that she was a single parent, too. Everything was perfect, and when he asked her to marry him, my mother was over the moon. I was just glad to have a real family for once.

“But that dream didn’t last long. The mayor died just after the wedding. He had a heart attack. So, it was just Mom, me, and CJ. We were happy, even though we had to deal with the loss of my stepfather, but CJ handled it worse. He became a totally different person, nothing like the sweet, caring brother I had come to know. He didn’t show his true colors until after my mother passed away.

“He would come into my room every night …” Her breath hitches, and I hold her even tighter. I need to remind her that I’m here and that I’ll never leave.

She doesn’t say anything for a few seconds, and then she says, “It started with subtle touches here and there, and he would make me do things to him. I knew it was wrong, and when it escalated, I cried for help every single night, but nobody came for me.”

“I’m sorry,” I breathe and hold her tighter. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”

“One time, I ran to the cops. It was the worst mistake of my life. They laughed at me and sent me right back to him. It only got worse from then on.

“When I finally summoned the courage to run away, I grabbed his knife and gave him that scar. Then I ran and never looked back. I’ve been running ever since.”

A raging storm churns inside me, getting stronger with every passing second. How could they do that to her? The people who were supposed to protect her ended up taking advantage of her and causing her so much pain.

“I will make them pay—all of them.” I mean every single word.

Rose slips her hands up my chest and around my neck. “I never wanted you to see me like this, Ryan. There’s so much darkness in my life, and I’m too damaged—”

“You are far from damaged, Rose. You are the only thing that makes sense in this messed-up world. You are light. You are the moon, the sun, and the stars. You are my life. I’m nothing without you.”

She lowers her eyes, but I tilt her chin up so she looks into my eyes.

“I love you, Rose Bloom. You have captured my heart, body, and soul. How can a damaged person do that?”

“Ryan …” Tears fall from her perfect eyes. “I don’t deserve you.”

I shake my head. “I’m the one who doesn’t deserve you, but I promise to spend every single day of my life showing you how much I love you. I promise to spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I promise to give you the life that he took away from you. I swear it.”

“How is it possible to feel this much love for someone?” she asks, and my heart tumbles in my chest. She cups my face in her hands. “I love you so damn much, Ryan Baker, more than I’ve ever loved anything or anyone.”

“Marry me, Rose.” I didn’t plan it, but it feels like the most natural thing to say.

Rose nods without a trace of hesitation. “Yes.”

That one word makes me whole.

THE END