Page 59 of Explosive Union
I nod and quickly switch off the shower before I sit down on the cold floor beside her. “That’s fine,Mia cara, but I’ll be right here while you take that time.”
She looks at me. Her usual bright blue eyes hold so much pain and suffering that I reach out to hold her. I can’t sit here and not comfort her. She recoils from my touch, and pain slices through me.
“Principessa, I won’t hurt you.”
She nods. “I know that,” she says immediately. “But, Rocco, this hasn’t got anything to do with you.”
I swallow hard. “Then let me help you.”
She hesitates, her eyes searching my face, but she nods and climbs into my lap.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers.
I wrap my arms around her and hold her tight. “Mia cara, you do not apologize to me. Not for this.”
“I’m broken, Rocco, completely fucking broken. Now’s your time to run.”
“Not fucking happening. You’re mine, Jade, and nothing is going to change that.”
She presses her head into my shoulder and cries softly, her tears soaking my skin.
“Mia cara, tell me, baby. What happened?” I ask gently a while later.
“When I was in prison…” She presses even further into my shoulder, almost as if she’s trying to burrow her way into it. “There were these correction officers. They were bastards. All five of them. They didn’t care about anyone or anything. They did what they wanted.”
I fight the urge to tense. Christ, I can see where this is going. But Jade doesn’t need my anger right now.
“I was there three months and they had hit me and stuff before, but nothing too bad. My cellmate, Shona, cautioned me about them. That’s when I first realized that the screams at night were due to those COs raping the inmates.”
Fuck.
“I fought back,” she tells me. “I fought hard, but it wasn’t enough. There were five of them on me. Holding me down and taking turns.”
I close my eyes as my throat clogs up. I’m going to fucking kill them. Every bastard in that place is going to get levelled. I’m taking the lot of them out.
“How long did it go on?” I ask her once I’m able to find my voice.
“Five years,” she whispers as tremors run through her body.
“What triggered it?” I question her, not wanting to hurt her anymore.
She raises her head and looks up at me, her lashes thick from the tears. Her face is red and blotchy, but she’s still the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on.
“The condom wrapper,” she whispers.
“Okay,” I reply instantly. “We’ll get checked,Miacara, then once we’ve been given the all clear, we won’t use them,” I assure her, and I’m rewarded with her small smile. “We’ll get you on the pill.”
I don’t want any rugrats yet. Fuck, I’m barely able to deal with her. I can’t add a child with her attitude. I’d fucking lose it.
“I’m clean,” she tells me. “It was the first thing I did when I got home. I got checked, and I’m clean. I’m also on the pill.”
I smile, glad that she’s taking the precaution. “I’ve never not used a condom, but I’ll get checked,” I promise her.
She nods. “That would be good.” She takes a deep breath and shifts on my lap so she’s straddling me, and thankfully, my cock has stayed down. Her arms wrap around my neck, and she leans into me. “This is the first time I’ve had a meltdown,” she confesses.
“Jade, you were abused. That shit isn’t something you can sweep under the rug and act as though it hasn’t happened.”
She purses her lips at my words. “What do you expect me to do? I’m not going to let those bastards get away with it.”