Page 45 of Uprising

“I don’t want it. I don’t want any of that.” I spit.

He lets out a laugh. “That’s not your decision to make.”

“Why did you bring me here?”

“Because it’s time you understood.” He replies. “Time you stopped this pathetic attempt to fight me and just submitted.”

“I don’t want you.” I say back. “I’ve never wanted you. And I never will.”

He tilts his head smirking. “No? You’re bold with your words tonight. So perhaps it’s time for another reality check.”

He clicks his fingers and the girl is brought out in front of us. She stopped wailing now but she’s making awful whimpering noises instead.

“I had a mind to use her. I’m sure she’d fetch a good price. Her heart, her lungs, even her skin is worth something.” He states. “But then you’ve been a little bitch haven’t you?”

“What do I have to do with it?” I gasp.

“Everything.” He replies producing a gun from his belt pointing it at the girl and before I can do anything he’s pulling the trigger, blowing her head off right in front of me.

For a second it’s like time itself stops. Like my head can’t process what the hell has just happened. Her blood covers my face. Covers my skin. I blink and it’s there, in my eyelashes, in my mouth. I can taste it. I can taste the copper hint of it on my tongue.

I scream. I scream so loud as everyone around me seems to laugh.

Darius smacks me over the head with the butt of the weapon and the force of it silences me. But I crumble to my feet with my tears streaming down my face.

He just murdered someone, just killed them for no reason whatsoever that I can tell.

He grabs me by my hair hauling me back up only I’m too afraid now to even attempt to fight him.

“Let this be a lesson to you Rose.” He spits running his hand other over me, smearing the girl’s blood further. “It’s about time you understood that I am not fucking around. I own this city. I own everyone in it and most particularly I own you, do you understand that?”

I nod, whimpering.

He’s worse than I imagined. So much worse.

He yells for someone to clean up the mess and then he starts to drag me back out only I can’t walk, I can’t even stand and he’s forced to carry me because my feet no longer work, my body no longer works either.

But as we leave I see him.

In the shadows.

Lurking.

And just like the last time he witnessed something horrific, he’s not doing anything or saying anything.

Clearly he knows, clearly he’s well aware of where our family’s wealth is from, but apparently he’s made his decision. Ty is happy to stay, enjoying the Capulet party for all he can get, irrespective of who else gets killed along the way.

Roman

It’s not her screams that rip right into my soul. It’s her eyes. That fear, that pain, but most of all that betrayal.

Because I’m stood here, watching, witnessing everything he’s doing to her, every horrific violation of her body and yet I’m not moving.

I’m not stopping it.

He’s groaning, grunting, clearly enjoying every minute as he lavers her skin with his disgusting mouth.

“Roman.”