MOVING ON(13)

She took small bites, relishing the taste of the beautifully cooked omelette. Rose wanted more but ate only what he put in front of her. Peter showed her to one of the spare rooms after she finished her dinner.

“I want you to take a shower and then rest.”

“It’s a little early for sleep,” she said.

“No, it’s not. You need your sleep. I won’t be leaving the house today. Do as I ask.”

Rose nodded not wanting to push her luck. She was grateful to him for taking her away from the mess she’d created for herself.





Chapter Five



An hour later Peter checked on Rose to see if she was asleep. She was curled up in bed, wearing a teddy printed shirt. He moved close to the bed, reaching out to stroke the hair off her face. She was such a beautiful woman. It was hard to imagine anyone trying to hurt her.

Leaving her alone, he closed her door silently. Heading downstairs he made all the necessary calls. There was no way he was leaving her alone.

Gabriel arrived, and soon after the Steer brothers did. William and Edward arrived last. He hadn’t bothered to call Dean.

“Is there a reason we’re meeting this late?” Paul Steer asked.

“Do you know where Rose Slater is?” Gabriel asked, cutting through Paul’s question.

“She’s upstairs, sleeping.”

The sheriff erupted. “Do you have any fucking clue how much trouble you’re in? Her parents are screaming at a kidnapping case. You could be arrested, Peter, and charged with her kidnapping.”

“They were starving her, Gabriel. She was trapped in her own home, afraid and being forced to eat the smallest amount of food. When I went to see her she was shaking with hunger. If you went to their house they’d hide it. I saw the chains on the cupboard. The bottle of milk was fucking marked so she couldn’t even sneak anything.” Peter stopped. His anger was getting the better of him. “I helped her. When she wakes up you can ask her yourself. I didn’t kidnap her. I was saving her.”

Edward put a hand on his shoulder.

“Peter didn’t kidnap me,” Rose said. She stood in the doorway with bed-matted blonde hair. He stared at her, struck by how beautiful she looked. Every time he saw her, Peter was always stopped by her kindness. She had the most intense blue eyes he’d ever seen.

“Rose?” Gabriel asked.

“My family were starving me. I don’t want to go back there. I can’t.”

“Your parents are demanding your return,” Gabriel said.

Peter watched her shake her head. “No, Brad is demanding my return. Not my parents. They don’t give a shit about me. I’m not going back.”

He saw the determination in her eyes.

“I’m nineteen. This should be my choice, no one else’s.” She tucked some of her hair behind her ear. Rose looked so young. The setting sun cast a glow over her. The night shirt she was wearing came to above her knees. Her large breasts were pressed against the night shirt, showing hard erect nipples.

Removing his jacket, Peter wrapped it around her shoulders covering her up. Edward cleared his throat turning away. The other men didn’t show any signs of noticing. They all had their own women to deal with.

“I’ll vouch for Rose. She can work behind the bar at Control to show her independence if that’s what you need,” William said.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, Peter pulled her close. She went lax under his touch. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself the pleasure her nearness let him have.

“I’ll tell them you’re safe and you haven’t been kidnapped. Is there any chance you’ll want to talk to them yourself?” Gabriel asked.

“No, I don’t want to talk to them or have anything to do with them.”

Gabriel asked her a few more questions. Peter caressed her stomach, trying his best to offer her the support she needed.

“Go on into the kitchen. I’ll cook you something. I’m going to say bye to my friends.”

Rose nodded, leaving him alone to deal with their wrath.

“I know, I know. I fucked up,” Peter said, staring at William.

“I don’t think you fucked up. None of us know how we’re going to respond when we’re pushed into such a situation. I can see Rose is a submissive, but she’s young, Peter. I need you to understand that,” William said.

Gabriel and William shook his hand on the way out of the door. Paul and David Steer had been quiet during the whole process. “Call us if you need us,” Paul said.

“You’re planning on moving away, aren’t you?” Peter asked.

“We have no choice. The town refuses to change. It’s getting worse, and I’m not about to raise a family in a town that won’t get better,” Paul answered, shaking his hand. “We’ll be around some time yet.”