ROSE ||18+ (on hold) (Fatal #1)

1

ROSE

TW - Mention of abuse. 

My fingers brushed the soft petals of the pink rose. I am sorry, he had said while handing me this. His voice had been soft, so loving.

He is sorry. 

I kept the rose down. He had always assumed my favorite flowers were because of my name. I didn't like roses. I didn't like myself, either. 

I sat down on my chair, putting my feet on the table. My body hurt. I am sorry. 

I sighed, looking down at my fingers. They were sickenly slim, looking like they'd break any second. There were faint bruises on my writs, dulled by makeup yet I had not done a very good job. 

I looked into the small mirror on my desk, a vintage victorian mirror that my grandmother gave me on my graduation months ago. My green eyes were dulled, looking tired. My blond hair was down, braided in a lazy braid with strands framing my face. My face was slim, cheekbones jutting out as if not even a part of my face, and my skin were pale - an outcome of not knowing how to do makeup. 

I had spent most of my morning trying to hide the bruises on my face.

This has to stop. 

It never did. 

My phone dinged, the soft sound echoing in the large bookstore which was yet to be filled with the staff and customers. I picked it up, glancing at the message. 

Adam - You got smut for me? I'm in the mood of reading a hot orgy. 

Rolling my eyes, I replied. 

We are out of orgy books at the moment. 

Adam - Why do you even have a book store? 

I sighed, keeping the phone back on the desk.

The phone dinged again. I chuckled. He needed to read smut. 

My smile disappeared as soon as my eyes fell on the message. 

Jeffery -We are having lunch together. 

I let out a breath. 

Okay. 

The entrance bell of the store dinged and I heard light footsteps walking towards the desk. I sat up, eyes still on the text Jeffery had sent. "Hello. How may I-"

"I'm here for the interview." 

I hummed, pointing at the door on the left of the store where my mom was. "Go there." I looked up and almost took a step back at the sight of him. 

A fucking giant. 

Dressed in a leather jacket, white t-shirt, and dark jeans, he looked to have escaped one of the many bad boy romance novels we had. His dark brown hair was tied in a ponytail, strands escaping it and brushing against his sharp face. His green eyes were framed by thick dense eyelashes which could not be real. He looked familiar, yet I couldn't remember when I had seen him. 

"Okay," He said, he had a little tilt to his accent which would have gone unnoticed if I wasn't paying attention. He walked away to my mom's office gracefully. Tall, broad, handsome. He didn't look like a guy who'd want to work at a bookstore. He should model. 

I shook my head, sighing. If Jeffery found out...If Jeffery saw this guy here, he'd go ballistic. 

I hoped he wouldn't get the job. 

. . .

"Fuck." 

I watched as mom and the giant walked out of her office, laughing at something. His laugh was melodic, a deep sound. They walked towards where I was setting up the books. I clasped my hands together behind my back, nails digging into my skin as I looked at my mom. 

She smiled at me, a smile which looked like mine. Her eyes were similar to mine, too and her strawberry blond hair was down in a braid, too. We Candella women had a thing for lazy hairstyles and clothes. But my mom, unlike me who was dressed in a dark blue hoodie with light blue leggings, was dressed in a shirt and pants. A meeting with the lawyers was going to happen again, it seemed.

"This is Alexander Hill, he is going to be working here starting from tomorrow. Alex this is my daughter, Rose Candella."

Alexander Hill extended his hand towards me, his rings glittering. I took his hand in mine, noticing the scars which were nothing but thin lines on his wrist as I shook it. His hand was warm and rough. I looked up at him and his green eyes held mine captive.

"Hello, Miss Candella," He murmured, eyes flickering over my face. 

"Hello." I let go of his hand and clasped it with my other, my nails again digging into my skin. 

"Well," mom said, excited as ever. "Rosie will take care of everything now. She'll tell you everything you need to know. Come an hour before the opening time tomorrow and get settled in, yes?"

Alexander nodded, giving mom a dazzling smile that would have made any woman blush but my mom, loyal as ever to my dad, just nodded at him and walked back to her office. 

Alexander leaned against the wall as I resumed putting in the books. I raised my eyebrows at him. "Did your modeling agency throw you out? Or did you just get out of prison?"

He let out a chuckle, eyes widening in surprise for a second. "What?"

"You have that 'I may be a model or an ex-prisoner or maybe both' face."

"Your mother wouldn't have hired me if I was a criminal," He said softly, picking up some books from the cart and putting them on the shelf. His shoulder brushed against me. I stepped away from him a little.

"True. You can go. Just come early tomorrow." 

He hummed, looking down at me. I raised my eyebrows. Could he see the bruises? "See you tomorrow, Rose."

"Okay..." He walked away, confident steps which made everyone look at him. He stepped out, disappearing into the traffic. 

My phone dinged, a reminder to get home to make lunch and bring it to Jeffery at his shop. 

I took my car keys from the table and walked out of the store after informing my mom of my plans. She just hummed, focused on a file with her reading glasses on. 

I got inside my car and started the engine, driving away unaware of the eyes on me, eyes which had been on me for the past month. 

. . .

First chapter. Yep, I did it. 

Thoughts on Alexander?