“This is our first one as a couple,” Rose said, wrapping her arms around his waist.
Caressing her face with the back of his knuckles, Peter brushed his lips against hers.
“So much has changed around Cape Falls. My love for you has not.”
She smiled at him. Cape Falls was slowly dealing with what had happened to the young woman. Kelly had moved away from town. Gabriel kept in constant touch with the young woman. Peter had a lot of respect for Kelly. Her testimony had brought forward a couple more victims. They’d told their stories, and John had confirmed everything. Brad and his friends were going to spend a great deal of time in prison. John was also serving time, but he’d be released in a few years for good behaviour.
Gabriel had promised to do everything he could to keep Brad and the others behind bars. The town had also turned its back on the men. Cape Falls was changing in ways that shocked Peter. The people no longer looked down on the outcasts. They’d been allowed back into certain shops where they’d once been banned. The biggest surprise came at Control.
Peter couldn’t believe how many people now visited the club. To most people it was a nightclub, but he and those who knew Control, got access to the other part of the club. Rose was also going to be part of that exclusive club. She’d promised herself to him, and now she’d promised to train as his sub. He didn’t want a full-time submissive. Peter enjoyed dabbling, and now he had his own woman to dabble with.
They’d gotten over so many hurdles together. Rose’s parents had tried to make contact with her. She saw them around town, and Peter had even been approached by them. He didn’t appreciate their push for Rose to forgive them. They could rot for all he cared. Fortunately, Rose didn’t want to forgive her parents. She wanted them to leave her alone. There were some things she couldn’t forgive, and what they did to her, Rose couldn’t get past.
He wouldn’t judge her, and, in fact, he agreed with her. Peter wasn’t the one they’d tried to starve because they’d been paid to by another family. No matter what she decided, Peter knew he’d always be on her side.
“I wish we were staying home. When we leave it means I can’t have you when I want.” He stroked a hand down to her breast.
Rose moaned, thrusting up to meet his touch. “It has been one month of me taking birth control, Peter. Go to this dinner with me, be good, and you can f**k me without a condom.”
“Are you trying to top me?” he asked. His c**k tightened with her words. He’d wanted to f**k her without a condom for some time. In the last few months he’d encouraged her to enrol in a college course. He’d done a lot of research, and there were classes she could take online. Peter remembered her passion for education and wanted to show her his support. During the day she studied, and at night she worked at Control.
“I don’t know what that is. Teach me what to do, and I’ll know.”
He chuckled at her teasing.
“Okay, you’ve won me over, but you’ve got to promise me that when I give the signal we leave.”
“You always leave before dessert,” she said, whining.
Peter laughed. “The only dessert I want to eat is you.”
“I love chocolate.”
Leaning forward, Peter nibbled on her neck. “I’ve got chocolate fudge cake in the fridge with your name on it.”
“We’ll leave before dessert,” she said moaning.
Happy that he’d won their bargain, Peter grabbed her hand and headed out into the night. Cape Falls might be changing, but he had the love of Rose to keep him happy. For ten years he’d felt trapped and like he was drowning and stuck. Rose had picked him up out of his misery and shown him what true happiness and love were all about.
His trips to the cemetery had ceased. Seating Rose into the car, Peter glanced back at his house. He imagined it full with the sound of laughter.
All in good time.
Smiling, he climbed into the driver’s side and headed toward the dinner. He was so looking forward to the dessert.
Epilogue
Edward was so angry, and he didn’t have the first clue how to make the anger stop. Over the last few weeks he’d gotten to know the young waitress, Isabel Benson. Not once had he anticipated what he’d found out about her. Staring down at her, he felt ready to murder someone. She hadn’t locked the door properly to the staff changing rooms, and he’d barged in to see her skirt around her waist with a blunt knife in her hand. What the f**k was she doing? Well, he knew what she was doing, but why?
“Please, don’t tell anyone,” she said.
Isabel was working the late shift at the diner. Closing his eyes, Edward felt sick to his stomach. Never in all his life had seen something so desperate. He couldn’t believe he’d not noticed the signs blaring at him.
“Why?” he asked, hurting for the young girl.
Tears filled her eyes as she looked at him.
“It helps to numb everything else. I can’t handle it anymore. Sophie is finishing high school in a few months, and she’s going to be good enough to get into a good college. I can’t afford it, and I’ve got to be the one to tell her. No one should have seen this. How did you get in?”
“You didn’t lock the door properly. What would have happened if someone else found you?” he asked, getting angrier with every passing second.
“I usually lock the door. I can’t believe I was so stupid.”
She rubbed at the section of her thighs that weren’t cut. Tears dropped from her eyes, and he couldn’t hate her. He wanted to hate her, but he couldn’t. He stared down at her thigh. Making a quick decision, he locked the door to the staff changing quarters. Grabbing a fresh cloth from the pile near the sink, he dampened it with cold water and came toward her.
Edward knew he should walk away from her. Isabel was dangerous if not handled carefully, but he was addicted to her. He came to the diner for a glimpse of her sweet smile and lush curves. She had too many issues. Not tiny issues but big issues that forced her to cut herself.
The problem was, she had no one. Everyone who was supposed to love her had walked out leaving her alone. He couldn’t be like them. He wouldn’t be like them. The only person she had was Sophie, her younger sister. Sophie could not deal with this. Edward didn’t know if he could deal with the kind of care Isabel needed, but he knew he’d care for her. There was no way he could leave her alone.
Kneeling in front of her, he noticed the discoloured white panties. They’d clearly been washed one too many times.