A Rose Bound

Author's Note: I would like to thank everyone who read and enjoyed the first installation of this story. My particular gratitude to those who took the time to comment as your feedback means so much to me and I love hearing your thoughts. This chapter is longer than the last and hopefully you'll find it satisfying!

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Awakening with a dreadful fear that something was very wrong, Rose looked blearily up at a ceiling that was not her own. She rolled over onto her face but a groggy awareness of her own body registered a level of pain and discomfort which would not allow her to sink back into oblivious sleep.

Movement at the end of the bed prompted the sudden and terrifying memory that she was not alone in this unfamiliar room. Her legs shot up as she pulled herself into the foetal position at the head of the bed. "Arrgh," She groaned as her abrupt reaction caused the aching in her body to intensify.

The man perched on the edge of the bed watching her chuckled to himself, "Awake at last sleeping beauty." His greeting sent shivers of fear blossoming within her (as his mocking tone reminded her of how she had been spoken to and treated by him the night before). "I brought you painkillers," he held out his hand offering two small white tablets.

Rose was now pressed defensively against the headboard, peering at him over the top of the duvet which she clasped around her naked body. "Where am I?" She asked bluntly.

"In your bedroom," he answered flatly, as if this should be obvious to her.

"No it's fucking not," she hissed at him despite her perilous situation. She shook her head trying to gain control of her still drowsy thoughts.

Be careful, you can get yourself out of here, stay alert.

He didn't seem at all perturbed by her visceral reaction, "In your

new

bedroom, I should say Princess, in my apartment."

She tried to breathe as the implications of what he was saying sent her thoughts cascading into panic. A calm pocket of her consciousness coached her and focused on how to get herself out of danger.

Don't challenge him, change the subject, keep him talking, calmly.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"12 hours."

No way, can't have been, can it?

She shook her head again.

"I must have tired you out, I was so excited at having you here finally, I got a bit carried away I'm afraid. You should really have these," He waved the hand still offering the pills and scooted closer towards her.

Too many of his words were sparking shrieking questions within her.

Tired

me out?

Finally

here?

Bit

carried away?

He's

afraid?!

She blinked her eyes, trying to focus, and saw his hand bobbing directly before her.

Get away from me!

"No!" she panted out.

"No, what?"

"No, thank you, I don't want them," she eyed the pills in his palm suspiciously despite the fact that every moment of wakefulness was bringing the aches and pains wracking her limbs, and other areas, into more vivid reality.

"Don't be silly," he snapped, "You need them." When she did not respond he sighed, "You're hurting I know, so don't worry they're just normal painkillers, I promise."

Suddenly she had an idea, "My bag! I had some in my bag, please bring my bag?" She tried to look him in the eye and keep her voice from shaking as she made the request.

"That's really not necessary, I have some right here for you," his tone was frustrated but not angry and she was surprised when he leaned back down to the end of the bed and picked up something that was on the floor there. Her bag. He handed it to her, disapprovingly rolling his eyes and scowling as if offended.

She grabbed at the cream bag eagerly, releasing the top of the duvet and letting it fall against her chest as she clutched the bag like a life float. Her watched her as she started to swim through its contents; pushing aside her lipstick, tissues, mirror, painkillers, powder, hairpins, hair ties, change purse as she searched for...

Slowly realising that he had

of course

already been through her bag and removed her phone and apparently also her wallet. Steeling a glance at him through her eyelashes she saw him expectantly scrutinising her. She swallowed and, without feeling that she had much of a choice, begrudgingly (completed) the charade by grasping the painkillers in her hand and drawing them out of the (achingly) empty depths.

He nodded his head and leaned towards her. She dropped the bag and slide to the side to avoid him but he also veered off, leaning across the corner of the bed to the bedside table. Depositing his white pills he picked up a glass of liquid and offered it to her. He looked amused by her look of abject fear at his increased proximity and took a noisy gulp from the glass with an exaggerated "Ahhh," of thirsty appreciation.

She cracked open the seal on her painkillers and popped two into her mouth before reluctantly reaching to take the glass from him. She delicately wrapped her fingers around the glass, careful not to even graze her skin against his as she took it from his hand.

His left hand crushed her wrist as she drew the glass towards herself. She froze and looked at him across their suspended hands. She held her breath as his eyes held hers and a bitter taste spread over her tongue from the slowly disintegrating tablets.

He let go.

She gulped down water and swallowed the tablets with relief. She only then became aware that her heartrate had risen alarmingly and light-headedness threatened as she drank down the rest of the water.

He watched her appraisingly as she emptied the glass and as his eyes moved down towards her chest she realised she had let the blanket fall down, revealing her bare breasts. He lips curled as he drank in her nipples almost as thirstily as she attacked the water.

Rose grabbed up the duvet and pulled it back up to her chin.

"No, no, no," he tutted under his breath, "that just won't do sweetheart. Why do you want to hide your body anyway? It's so beautiful, you shouldn't be ashamed of it."

The way he spoke made her skin crawl, it was the kind of thing she would have loved to hear from one of her boyfriends which just made it more upsetting to hear in such a context, from this man. "I'm not ashamed." She said, forcing herself to be brave and stand up to him, "I'm scared, of you."

"Hmm," he said thoughtfully, "I should really clear some things up for you, about our relationship."

Relationship? What the fuck?! This is deluded!

"I meant to explain to you before, but you distracted me, you are so beautiful Rose." He reached out and stroked her cheek, it took all her strength just to stay still and not flinch under his gentle touch. His hand travelled down to where hers gripped the duvet. He began prying her fingers free one by one. She resisted, clamping her fist back onto the duvet when he moved across to release the next one. "Rose," His eyes burned into hers, the warning in his voice and look was clear. She dropped the protective shield and let her fall down to her waist, leaving her chest exposed. "So beautiful," he sighed to himself.

His hands cupped her breasts, just about covering the soft mounds. His fingers started to squeeze and massage her breasts and all she could think to distract herself from the fear and disgust was

at least he isn't making eye contact anymore

. It wasn't much of a silver lining.

She whimpered as he leant down towards her chest, prompting him to crane his neck to look up at her. His breath tickled against her left breast and her nipple began to harden under the cool breeze. He smiled at her as his tongue flicked out and licked the sensitive nub. She turned her head to the side but didn't dare move away from him.

One of his hands was still playing with her other boob and she felt a warmth spreading across her skin where he touched her gently. His cool tongue flicked back and forth against her nipple, bringing the blood rushing to it and to her cheeks as she ineffectively willed her body not to respond to him.

This does not feel good. This does not feel good.

The futile mantra circled in her mind as he pulled her nipple against his lips and into his warm, wet mouth.

Her breathing deepened as he sucked on her engorged nipple, sending waves of pleasure along her nerves. His mouth clamped tightly over her breast and she felt herself being tugged forward as he pulled her further into him. The pleasure he was causing the spread across her skin was undeniable and closed her eyes against the light in the room, trying to imagine she was anywhere else, anywhere but here.

His teeth clamped down for a second and she gasped at the unexpected pain. Her back arched, pushing her breast into his face. His chuckled was muffled and vibrations bounced across her sensitive skin. Blood rushed into her nipple and his soft tongue soothed from when his teeth had bitten her.

She moaned and the sound was a guttural mix of pain and pleasure which made her cheeks flush with shame.

He pulled away and the cold air hitting her hot, wet skin felt shocking after his warmth. She opened her eyes, surprised that he had halted his assault. Something low in her protested the absence on his touch.

"So beautiful," he sighed, smiling at her. He came closer and she tensed against the headboard as he lifted himself above her. He hovered above her, straddling her legs which were still pulled up defensively. "Straighten your legs."

She did as she was told and he came down to rest on her upper thighs so that she was pinned by his weight. He pulled his shirt off over his head so that when he could feel her skin against his.

"You distracted me again Rose," he looked down at her, his hands rested against her waist as his hips began to grind slowly onto her.

His musk surrounded her and invaded her nostrils as she tried to remain calm, partly because the straining movement of her chest rubbed her still hard nipples against his strong pecs. She leaned her head back and looked up into his face, trying to think of something to say. The lust in his eyes dissolved any orderly or sophisticated scheme she might have concocted and sent her into a panic again.

"Please, please let me go," she begged him as he rubbed himself against her.

His movements stopped at least and his lust ebbed slightly at the desperation in her strangled voice. She saw pity and maybe a flash of regret cross his handsome features as he looked down at her pinioned and pathetic form. "Rose, you need to understand, I have been waiting for this for a very long time," he said slowly and clearly, "waiting to have you here."

She shook her head in disbelief, "I didn't even know you before last night."

One hand moved from her to stroke along her jawline and come to rest against her cheek, "I had seen you Rose, watched you so many times." His eyes glazed over slightly and the nostalgia in his tone left her with no doubt as to the truth of his words.

Where?! There was something familiar about him

, but she couldn't put her finger on it then or now.

"The first time I saw you, you were so pissed," he smiled as he reminisced, "Angry girlfriends and wives are not unusual in our joint, Rose, not at all, but you were something special. No screaming or shouting, some women are just

so

crude nowadays, you know? But not you, wow, you were so composed. I mean, I could tell you were mad, your fists were clenched at your sides and your eyes burned as you searched the room. I remember thinking, oh boy, do I pity the bloke who has crossed her."

She hadn't been in a relationship for over a year and although she knew at least one of her two exes had cheated on her she had never actually caught him at it so at first she was confused.

Jarred! The casino, he's talking about the casino. Who is he? Does he work there?

She had been to the brightly lit place many times in search of her brother and she dragged those memories up, scanning them, trying to place him.

"And you soon found him, at his favourite wheel. He was actually up that night, unusually, so he was not happy to see you. Yet you never raised your voice, Rose, just planted yourself next to him, stiff as a board and I watched your lips move as you hissed at him. He tried to ignore you but you stood your ground and did not back off. He actually had the gall to push you, the little scrote, so I sent one of the boys over to remove him. I had half a mind to have him beaten and banned just for touching you so disrespectfully but then I realised, if I banned him then you'd have no reason to come back."

Anger boiled in her belly as she took in his words,

he must be the manager or something? To call a push disrespectful, while he holds me here against my will. Fuck, this is so fucked. He's fucking insane!

"So I watched him from then on, whenever he came in; which soon became once, then twice, a week. I waited for you to come in again as I watched the dumb fuck fritted away hundreds of pounds. I started to think you'd broken up with him, which wasn't surprising considering how blatantly out of his league you were."

"He's my brother," she managed to choke out.

His hand moved to the back of her neck almost absent-mindedly as he looked down at her, still lost in his reminiscence. "I know that now baby," he told her, his voice calm and soothing. "But to begin with I just had to watch, as he took and then ignored your phone calls, as you paced outside angrily trying to get him to answer you and then steeled yourself to come inside."

The frosted glass doors, that busy foyer.

How many times had he watched her?

"Always with that same delicate composure that I so admire in you. Really Rose you should have just cut the loser out, gambling's an illness you know, and I've seen it ruin so many lives."

"And yet you work in a casino? Making money of it!" She couldn't keep the anger from her tone as she seethed at his hypocrisy, the contemptuous way he spoke about her brother's failings when he himself had deliberately caused her so much pain in such a small time. How long has he been planning this?

"I own it, Rose, like I own Ruse."

The club they had met in. The butterflies in her stomach took flight and clouded her mind.

"I've booked you and Sadie a taxi to Ruse. Go out, enjoy yourself, it's your birthday Sis, you deserve it...

" Her brother's voice resounded in her head.

What have you done Jarred? That can't be a coincidence can it?

*****************

Jared had stuffed a few notes in her bag and hugged her as he pushed her out the door, towards Sadie waiting in the cab. "Basil needs to be put to bed now. The others can each have an extra hour up since it's the weekend. But do not let them eat anything else, maybe some grapes. Watch them brushing their teeth, especially Poppy. Don't listen if..."

"Go on and enjoy yourself, Rose, it's your birthday Sis. I love you and I will take care of them, OK."

Sadie whooped from the taxi, "Hurry up Rose, he's gonna charge us extra if we wait here any longer!"

"I'll be back around 1. See you in the morning." She hugged her brother back, "Thanks Jare, I'll try to have fun." She stuck out her tongue as she backed into the cab and flopped down next to Sadie.

Jared watched from the doorway as but she didn't look out the window and catch the pained expression on his face as they pulled away.

"I'm so pooped, Sade, it's been a

loong

week. I apologise in advance if this turns out to be a lame night."

"It's your BIRTHDAY, babe!" Sadie had obviously had a few drinks already, "No apologies, more DANCING!" She bumped her hips into Rose as she bopped and shouted for the driver to turn up the music.

Rose laughed at her friend and wiggled, shaking her hands in the air and plastering sarcastic excitement on her face. Really she was happy to get out the house and have some fun. "This was pretty sweet of Jare to set up actually," she said as she accepted the bottle of liquor Sadie pushed into her hands, bedecked with a cheap pink bow and already half drunk.

"Yeah, he's a bit of alright really, your big bro," Sadie wriggled her brows suggestively.

"EWW!" Rose laughed and pushed her friend then took another swig which burned the back of her throat. She pulled a face, "No talking about my brother like that tonight, it's my birthday and I set the rules. And my first act is to approve your motion for

more dancing

!"

*****************

"Anyway, after a while it became clear the boy needed some help. I had him brought into my office. He had had a terrible night, he just kept on digging himself into a whole and he confessed that he couldn't afford to leave because he couldn't pat what he owed the house. So I offered him a loan and the boys dropped him home to get some sleep. He could have stopped then, he could have got a job and paid me back, but instead he came back. He came back again and again, Rose. Sometimes he left with you dragging him, sometimes I bailed him out and sent him packing but sometimes he left on a high, his pockets lined for a night. And so the cycle of addiction goes. And so his debt to me grew."

"How much does he owe you?" Rose's stomach churned as she wondered just how much of a hole Jarred had gotten himself into.

Taking me must be some kind of warning, he'll send me back and I'll make sure Jarred works of his debt.

"Nothing, anymore." His hand stroked her head as he grinned down at her, waiting for the ball to drop.

She was confused, "Then why..."

"I offered him a way out: you." He looked down at her, his eyes soft as hers widened, trying to make sense of what she was hearing. "He gave me you Rose."

Oh fuck.

She gulped, her head span. His hands held her against him and she would probably have slammed her head against the bed in a faint if he wasn't cradling her against him. "He can't," eventually she managed to form words, "he can't do that. You can't. I'm a person."

"It's an unusual arrangement, indeed. That's why I waited until he was deep, I mean

deep

Rose. I could have taken your house, everything, and I probably still wouldn't have got it all back."

Jared's drawn eyes and gaunt face floated into her vision, she had known he was doing badly for months. She hadn't realised just how bad. She had been frustrated and worried by the gambling but she had never given up on building him back up to who he'd been before their parents had died. Died and left the house, along with the care of their younger siblings, to Rose and Jared. Jared had never been particularly reliable but after that he had gone off the rails. She grown up fast and she had always thought that he, her older brother, would too. Just as soon as he recovered from the shock he would help her shoulder the responsibility for raising the little ones.

This man prayed on his weakness.

Her blood boiled and she glared up at the despicable man. "I am not property. Whatever Jared owes we will pay you." Or you can rot in prison to pay for what you've done to me.

"But I've got you haven't I? And who's going to know? Your brother is calling your work and telling your friends you've been swept away in a whirlwind romance. And who could blame you for being the irresponsible one, for once? For leaving him to look after the kids for a while?"

"Don't talk about them," she spat the words, venomace in her need to protect her four younger siblings.

"Don't you see, Rose? This is the best thing for all of you? If I took that debt back in a more conventional manner you'd be homeless, they'd be taken into care, probably split up. This way your family gets to stay together. I've already sent Jared money to look after them."