By the time Rose reached Nic's house that evening, it had been much later than her usual time.
"It took longer than I thought..." She let out a tired sigh as she finally arrived at the secluded side alley.
She opened the door and stepped inside before closing it behind her. The lock had barely clicked into place when two strong arms suddenly wrapped around her waist and yanked her backward with force.
"Ah!" Rose let out a startled yelp and whatever she was holding in her hands slipped from her fingers, hitting the floor with a soft, muffled thud.
"You are late," Nic's low voice growled against her ear. The heat of his breath and his familiar musk sent a shiver down her spine. "Where have you been?"
Rose's body instinctively relaxed into him. "S-Sorry," she whispered, her voice trembling but calm. "I went to buy a few things..."
Nic looked down at the floor where few vegetables rolled out of the bags while packets of aromatic spices, and various other ingredients scattered across the entryway.
His brow twisted into a confused frown. "I gave you money to buy makeup, clothes, and the other girl stuff you want," he reminded her, his tone sharp. "Not groceries."
Rose turned around in his arms, her small frame dwarfed by his muscular build. She looked up at him with a shy, sheepish smile, her eyes wide and pleading. "I wanted to cook more dishes for you... so those are what I want."
Nic stared at her for a long moment, his gaze searching her face. The irritation was still there, but it was being overtaken by a hunger that had nothing to do with food.
"Fine," he muttered and let out a sharp huff of breath before hooking his arms under her thighs and scooping her up into his arms.
"Uwaa!" She squeaked in surprise before instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck.
"But now, I'm starving." he declared.
Rose giggled and pressed her face into the crook of his shoulder as he strode purposefully toward the bedroom for a 'pre-dinner'
The ensuing hour was a blur of raw, unfiltered passion. Nic didn't hold back, claiming her body with a dominant intensity that left her breathless and shaking.
He pushed her into the mattress, his weight crushing her as he drove into her again and again, forcing her through multiple orgasms that left her twitching and her mind blank. By the time he finished, Rose was a spent, glistening mess of pleasure.
As the adrenaline faded, Rose slowly slid off the bed, her legs feeling like jelly. She began to gather her clothes, which were strewn haphazardly across the room.
Nic watched her from the bed, one arm resting behind his head as his eyes tracked every movement of her supple body. "You are leaving already?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of possessiveness.
Rose slid her arms through the sleeves of her shirt, her fingers trembling slightly as she buttoned them one by one. "Yeah. I can't stay out late, or my nosy neighbor will start suspecting something."
Nic's expression darkened. He frowned, his patience growing thin. He hated the invisible walls Rose had built around their relationship. Every time they wanted to spend time together, something or someone stood in the way.
Sensing his mood, Rose turned to him with a mischievous, playful glint in her eyes. "I never told you what happened this morning, right..."
Nic raised an eyebrow at the sudden change of her mood.
She climbed onto the edge of the bed, sitting cross-legged in front of him as she recounted the encounter with Mrs. Lawson.
"Then she tried to follow me, but I immediately noticed her." she smirked and jumped off the bed, wearing only her button-down shirt with panties underneath.
"But I was smart!" she declared proudly as she narrated her "brilliant" plan to evade the woman's sight.
Nic watched her in silence, his gaze softening as he observed her genuine excitement.
"Then I came here." She finished her story and dusted off her skirt. She stepped into it and before fastening it around her waist.
"Why not just tell her the truth?" Nic asked calmly, "You're not a kid, and she can't stop you from doing what you want."
The smile vanished from Rose's face. The energy drained out of her instantly, and she slumped down onto the edge of the bed.
"I know. I know..." She let out a defeated sigh.
"What is it?" Nic asked.
"I'm scared..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Of Mrs. Lawson? Did she threaten you?" Nic's voice took on a dangerous edge.
"No, no, no..." Rose shook her head quickly and turned to face him. She let out a long, shaky sigh. "I just... I don't remember the last time I was happy. Truly happy. To be alive..."
"But ever since I met you," She looked at him, her eyes shimmering with multitude of emotions. "I've been happy every day. And for the first time in my life, I wake up in the morning with a smile, and I actually look forward to the day."
"I can finally dream about a beautiful future, instead of just..." Her voice began to quiver. "living like a zombie and waiting for the end to come."
"But I'm scared..." She wrapped her arms around herself, curling into a tight ball as if trying to protect herself. "I'm scared that once the world knows I'm happy, it will find a way to rip it away from me."
She then looked up at him, a single tear in the corner of her eye. "I just want to keep this happiness for myself for as long as I can."
For a split second, Nic's vision blurred.
The shadow of a distant memory— a reflection of the past he had tried to bury flashed across his mind. He shook his head to clear the image and pulled Rose into a fierce, protective hug.
After a long silence, Nic spoke quietly.
"I understand." he whispered softly into her hair, his voice uncharacteristically tender. "Do what you need to do."
Rose closed her eyes.
For the first time in a long while, she felt the weight pressing against her chest lighten.
She smiled. "...Thank you."