Remembering Rose

Chapter Fourteen: A Shared Moment

Her POV:

"Adam," I laughed as my world spun wildly around me, "you have to put me down before Stepfather sees us!"

"You've been skipping out on me, babe, so you're old man can just get over us having a little fun," he  snickered as we danced through the empty ballroom. His hands were setting fires to my skin and his gorgeous silver eyes were singing to my soul. I was completely lost in mind-blowing bliss.

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"Evie," I screamed as my world blurred with salty tears, "don't leave me. I'm begging you! If you go I'll be left alone in this horrible house of death."

"I have to go, Love, otherwise he'll kill you," she sobbed, pushing back the wild hair away from my face and caressing my tear-stained cheeks. The callouses of her hands reminded me that neither of us had lived a life of leisure and her matching ice eyes were breaking just like mine. I was completely lost in heart-wrenching sorrow.

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"Charles," I roared as the world around me turned red, "I will kill you! I will tear you're black heart out of that bloody body and I will destroy you! I will murder you!"

"I dare you to try, Urchin," He laughed before throwing her limp body to the floor. Blood splattered on his boot and a terrible scream tore from my throat. Pain seared through every inch of my body and my skin suddenly felt as though it was splitting to let my inner demon escape. I was completely lost in blind rage.

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Peony's POV:

It was a scream that woke me up, one that chilled my blood and sent panic surging through my heart. I jolted up from my blankets fully planning on rushing to the source of the sound, however the two strong arms wrapped around my waist stopped me. "Peony, go back to sleep; Galen is taking care of her," came a gruff voice from the darkness.

"No," I argued, still disoriented from sleep. I thrashed wildly, clawing at muscular limbs that held me captive, and attempted to run to where I knew Rose was sleeping. My body was suddenly turned over and I found myself pinned under Walker's scar-covered body. It was at that precise moment that I actually realized he was there...in my bed...with me. Instantly I stilled and my cheeks heated to a brilliant tomato red, "Walker? What the hell are you doing in my bed?!"

I felt him chuckle, "I wasn't feeling the couch tonight so I decided to hop into bed with you, Peony." His breath skirted over the skin of my neck causing a wave of goosebumps to break out across my arms. Just the sound of my name falling from his lips was enough to make my heart race. For a moment all I could was stare up at his mint green eyes and think of how much prettier his shade of green was than mine. "Peony," his whispered, the tone of his voice bordering between a question and an answer.

"I-I-I'll sleep on the couch," I stuttered in panic. Smooth one, I thought to myself with a cringe. Walker sighed, but allowed me to escape from his warm clutches and flee from the room. It was as I made my way to living room, questioning my heart and cursing my cowardice, that I passed Rose's room and decided to take a quick peek. As I peered through the crack in the door I found a surprising sight waiting for me.

Rose and Galen sat together in the bed, bathed in the gentle white light of the waxing moon, talking with quiet voices. Rose, wearing one of Walker's massive shirts, was tracing the large tattoo that covered Galen's left shoulder. Her delicate fingers traced the dark ink and Galen watched her with warm affection. "What this one zatly," she asked scrunching up her nose.

Galen gave her gentle pinch on the cheeks. "What do you mean 'zatly'? It's the rings of a tree trunk," he laughed. Upon seeing Rose's confused look he elaborated, "I got it to remind me that some things last for longer than the will of men."

Rose's eyes shifted from Galen's tattoo up to his eyes, and there they stayed for a long moment. I watched in fascination as Galen reached up, seemingly unknowingly, and brushed Rose's wild curls gently from her face. His large hand trailed her cheek, her neck, her shoulder, and glided down to the hand she had fisted in the blankets. Rose in turn leaned her forehead onto Galen's shoulder--the one bearing the tree tattoo--and closed her eyes. "Galen, please never leave," she mumbled as he began to stroke her hair with his free hand.

"I would never leave you," he answered.

I pulled my eyes away from them and stood in the hallway for a brief moment. How, I wondered, had Rose become such a central part of our lives? I was beginning to realize that she was no longer just important to Walker and I, but she mattered to Galen, to Knox, to Lil and Farley. She had just appeared one day, and I couldn't imagine life without her anymore. My pondering made me stand there until the sound of my bedroom door opening sent me sprinting to the living room couch. I was not about to be caught creeping on Galen and Rose, especially not by Walker who would undoubtedly hold it over my head and tease me mercilessly. That damn attractive jerk...
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Hello my loves!!! So it's been a really long time...sorry. I really am, because all you wonderful people that read this story mean the world to me. I know I don't update very often, but the truth is that I when I write RR I'm doing it on a whim. This story is one I just sit down and spill my soul out on, I don't really have a plan for most of it, but I do my best to make it something you all would like. I was inspired to start writing this again after reading a story and realizing that I'm not the only writer on wattpad to do this. So I hope you amazing readers enjoy this chapter!
-agirlmadeofstars ❤️