Page 104 of Uprising

“Everyone knows.” He says.

“Knows what?” I reply.

“That you’re not dead.”

“Of course daddy isn’t dead.” Lara says looking between us. “He’s my daddy, he can’t die.”

It’s hard not to react to that statement, I can even see Holden who’s the toughest bastard I know melting at her words. Yeah she’ll have that effect on you mate, she’ll melt even the blackest of hearts.

“How do they know?” I ask quietly.

“Someone recorded the whole thing on their phone. It’s all over social media.” He replies.

“Show me.”

He pulls his phone out, brings up an app and flicks through until we both see it, the action replay of everything that went down.

I can see myself, in the streetlights it’s hard to make out that it’s me unless you know my face well. But the thing that damns us is Ben, when he hollers ‘Roman’ not just once, but twice. If they don’t put it together then they have to be an idiot.

“Fuck.” I murmur.

“Daddy that’s a bad word.” Lara admonishes me.

“Sorry Sweetpea.” I say.

And I am sorry. I’m sorry this has been viewed over a quarter of million times already.

I’m sorry of what the consequences will be.

That Rose is there, and that ultimately Darius will make her pay for all of this.

“What do you want to do?” Holden asks.

I shake my head slightly as I think. I need to do something. I need to do something big. Darius knows, there’s no use making small gestures anymore. No use simply poking the dragon.

I have to make a statement, I have to kick the hornets’ nest and fight with everything I’ve got. Fight for Rose now, fight because both our lives depend upon it.

“We blow the whole thing open.” I say.

“What does that mean?” He replies.

I give him a grin, before planting a kiss on my daughters head. “You’ll see.”

Roman

Itype fast. My fingers striking the keys one after another as I work away.

Tia sits behind me, peering over my shoulder. She’s been watching me work, trying to learn from me. In her lap Lara is dozing. I know I should have tucked her into bed first, that it’s way past her bedtime but I didn’t want to leave her to sleep alone.

And more importantly, I wanted her to witness this. To realise what this will mean for us.

“You sure about this?” Holden murmurs.

He’s been stood cross armed watching me as well but he doesn’t have a clue about technology beyond anything weapons based.

“It’s time.” I reply, not taking my eyes from the screen. No wanting to pause for a second.

It is time. It’s more than bloody time.

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