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Four

I realized Jess was talking about me. My face heat up and my heart was racing. Shame flooded me, I felt embarrassed. The person she is talking to Roman must think I probably asked for it. Roman is Beau's older brother by 3 years and a successful businessman Jess said, even though they come from a wealthy family they acquired their own wealth and Roman was the brains of the two brothers an Beau apparently had the looks. I slowly backed away from the and ran as fast as I could to the bedroom where I woke up this morning. My muscles were stiff and it felt like I had a good gym session yesterday, meanwhile I was actually thrown against a wall, bitten and manhandled. I climbed in underneath the crisp covers and covered my head with the blanket laying in a fetal position. I fell asleep and woke up to a dark room. My stomach was growling, and I felt my stomach eating at its nonexistent contents. I got up slowly and started to walk down to the kitchen, through the house I could see a light glowing and it happened to be the kitchen light. Relieved, I made my way there and just gawked at the beauty of the house. The kitchen was a chef's dream, or atleast if I was a chef I'd be dreaming of a kitchen like this. I opened the fridge and spotted tomatoes, lettuce and some kind of fancy bread. Making myself a sandwich and a cup of tea, I thought about how I'm going to tell Jess that I don't want people knowing about what happened. As I walked to the couch I slept on earlier someone cleared their throat. I froze.

ROMAN

Jess is a real piece of work. She has been blowing up my phone all morning. I flew in from Portugal and I just landed, couldn't a man have some peace and quiet after a long week of work. I opened her messages and saw that some girl is staying for the week and that I need to call her as soon as I can she needs to tell me something important. It's about Sean. My blood started to boil, Sean, a guy I met while studying we all thought he was a solid guy till he r***d my best friend's sister at a party and got away with it on a technicality. I pinched my nose as I could feel a headache coming on. I got home quite late and Jess stopped me in the kitchen. "Roman, I'm sorry for the messages, Beau has been out working all day and he's staying in the city tonight. I'm so glad you are here." I sighed as Jess rambled on pouring myself a drink I leaned over the counter and grabbed a cloth to clean a spill when Jess grabbed my arm. "He assaulted her Roman!" I grew cold "If Beau hadn't stepped in who knows what could have happened! She is so beautiful and innocent, she doesn't deserve this!" I looked at Jess and I saw fear in her eyes, her pupils were dilated and I could have sworn I saw tears. "Who are you talking about Jess?" I asked her as I took a much needed sip of my drink. "Hannah, my friend who is staying over. I think he bit her and she has bruising all over her body, her back." Jess' eyes started tearing up. I walked over to her and hugged her. "I'll call Paul in the morning to get her statement." Jess went to bed and I sat down to nurse my drink. I looked at my laptop for a moment and decided against working for tonight, an hour passed and I was feeling like I could sleep at any moment. I settled into an arm chair and started scrolling through my phone to look for Paul's number as I was about to type I heard light foot steps. A small figure appeared in the dim lighting that the kitchen's light afforded. Thinking it was Jess I was about to ask if she can't sleep when I laid eyes on brown flowy hair instead of Jess' blonde hair. I swallowed my words and held my breath. She tip-toed into the kitchen and I heard her rustling through the fridge. She was beautiful. My heart stopped when I noticed she was wearing my hoodie, my hands balled into fists as it dawned on me that I had a hard on. She made her way to the couch and in an attempt to adjust myself I cleared my throat. She stopped and I instantly regretted it. Did I want her to notice me? "Jess?" she slowly turned to me and I felt my heart race. She stepped back to the kitchen and I saw her face in the light again, she was scared. "It's Roman, I am Beau's brother! Sorry for scaring you." I thought she would relax but her shoulders remained tense, she kept retreating back to the kitchen. I got up and walked to the kitchen and as soon as the light hit my face she gave me a small uncertain smile. "Hi, I am Hannah nice to meet you. I appologise for the interruption I was a bit hungry so I made myself a sandwich and some tea." she slightly lifted her contraband and I could see how her hands were shaking. I gave her a smile and felt my body rushing all the blood to places I really didn't need it. "It looks really good!" The words came out of my mouth sounding suggestive. I balled my fists as I realized what she had just gone through the night before and here I am sounding suggestive. " I will make you one too!" Her shoulders relaxed and she put her plate and cup on the counter, and opened the fridge. I was about to tell her its no need when she shook her head and smiled at me. "It's no bother at all!" I took a seat at the counter and followed her every move. She was so stunning, her hair falling effortlessly around her shoulders and her hands knowing exactly what she is doing looked so eloquent, her faint smile on her lips as she made me a sandwich in that moment I couldn't help but stare at her. She made me a cup of tea and looked up at me innocently. "Sugar?" My whole body tensed the moment our eyes met, she had me captivated with every move, every small smile, every blink of her beautiful blue eyes. "None for me, thank you." She placed the plate and cup down in front of me and I could smell her hair as she moved past me, that alone sent my blood into a frenzy. "There you go, enjoy!" she picked up her plate and with the cup in hand she was about to leave. I didn't want her to leave, she hasn't even left the room and I felt the room grow cold. "Join me?" I said in a low voice hoping she stays a moment longer. She turned around and gave me an almost puzzled look, with her blue eyes looking at me she smiled and sat down on the edge of the counter that left a seat open between us. It was too much space between us and I didn't like it, but I dared not move. As she took a bite of her sandwich I saw it, my hoodie's sleeve ever so slightly fell down as she lifted her hands to her mouth. A massive purple bruise. Right in that moment I wanted to uproot the foundation my house was laid upon and start digging hole to bury that

piece of s**t, I could feel myself get angry and I had to check myself because it felt like I could kill in that moment. She saw me looking at her and stopped chewing, as she turned her head she noticed I was looking at her bruised wrist. She quickly covered it and continued eating in a way that looked very uncomfortable. My hoodie was so big on her small frame she had to hold onto the sleeves to have hands, it reached mid thigh and she pulled it off effortlessly. I couldn't get over how sexy she looked, and in my clothes. I looked at her seriously. " You don't have to hide it from me, that man will pay!" I tried to sound as assuring as I could. She stopped chewing and looked down at her plate, it looked like shame. A few moments passed and she spoke in a soft voice. "It was my fault." My mouth fell open, couldn't believe those words just passed through those beautiful lips! How in the hell is it her fault? That man has no self control and he has no respect for women he isn't even scum of the earth, even that term is too good of a term to describe him. If I had been there he would definitely no longer draw breath. "Hannah, this," I pointed to her wrist "This isn't your fault! You are the victim here. You were wronged, you were taken advantage of, you were hurt . From what I heard Beau didn't even get a chance to get involved, that man, the coward that he is got off lightly! He should be ashamed of what he did, not you!" I wanted to reach for her hand but held myself back, she must have no trust in men after what Sean did. I sat back and looked at her, she didn't move a muscle. Suddenly she jumped up. "Uhm, I think I need some air." she got up and I could see her shaking, she scrambled putting the plate down near the sink and I could see she was in a state of panic. Her breathing got louder and she braced herself on the counter. My first instinct was to run to her, and as I approached her she flinched. I immediately stopped mid step and looked on as she held onto the counter. "I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry!" she said in a panic filled voice. I was so confused, why is she sorry? I slowly put my hand on her shoulder and her eyes darted to mine, her eyes were dark, pupils dilated and her breathing erratic. I gave her a soft look and tears rolled from those dark

pits that were no longer the beautiful blue I admired earlier. "Hey, hey, it's okay." I tried to assure her. I wanted to say that it's okay because I am here now, but that might sound a bit too forward. She placed her hand on mine and her cold hand sent a shiver up my arm. "I'm good, thanks. See you around." The words came out sounding nonchalant, she put on a smile that didn't convince me. She walked out the kitchen and I immediately felt empty.