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‘Stay away from me...You stay away. Until the scent of that whore is long gone from your body and your bed. While she is anywhere near you then you don’t get to fucking touch me or breathe my air. I don’t want to be tainted with that vulgar skank.’

Even Rose could tell Rob was holding back his anger with every ounce of effort he could muster, she could see it all over him and his tense and poised body. Holding back everything he wanted to say, like a coiled snake who could lash out at any moment. She knew without seeing them, his eyes would be almost black with darkness and fury. He looked dangerous in a way that suddenly gave Rose chills. Afraid of the change in him so suddenly and knowing this was not a good move for anybody in this room.

‘Morag!’ Rob had gritted his teeth, his voice strained and clutching to hold it. Losing a piece of his controlled temper, despite how hard he was fighting.

‘She’s my Fiancée! I won’t be getting over her, getting her out of my bed or removing her from my life, now, in the near future, or ever. I won’t be running to you either! I’m trying to do this the decent way and spare you, but I swear if you call her a whore one more time or insult her in any other way, I’ll physically throw you out this house via the nearest window and I won’t stop to open it first.’ Rob’s sinister tone and deadly serious glare gave Rose chills, she bit hard on her bottom lip, gulping down and transfixed on his face.

Morag gasped. Her face crumbling at the way he had spoken to her, the threat and his general behaviour towards her; Rose assumed this was all new. His looming height dwarfing Morag’s tall slender frame, but the air between them crackled with raw energy and rage. Rose was shaking physically. Terrified. Her hands covering her mouth, her skin pale and clammy. Afraid of the developing scene, afraid of this man whom she did not recognise, afraid of this woman on the verge of snapping who had previously given reasons to fear her.

’You will leave her!’ She commanded, finding her voice and trying to keep her glare steady on Rob’s face, trying to intimidate him with hatred.

‘Never!’ The steel of his voice matched his body. Rose could not bear this any longer. She felt like she was going to pass out with the overwhelming anxiety and fear of this mounting tension between them.

‘Morag?’ She got up quickly. ‘I think you should leave. Everyone needs to cool down and have a little breather before this turns really nasty.’ Rose moved forward hesitantly, aware that Rob moved in front of her protectively, instantly shielding her from a direct attack from Morag whether it was her intention or not. Morag’s eyes swung at the motion of what he was doing, putting himself in front of the woman she had every reason to despise right then and it only angered her further.

‘You cannot fucking tell me what to do! This is neither your concern nor your house, and the relationship between me and him has fuck all to do with you.’ She scowled at both of them, a sardonic grin appearing as she shook her head. Motioning up Rob’s body which was now fully in front of Rose, so she could only peek around him to see the other woman. Morag seemed to be laughing that he would choose to shield her over consoling Morag.

‘This is her concern. Anything that concerns me, concerns her and this will be her home soon enough... Like I said already, she’s agreed to marry me. She will be Mrs Munro! ... Look Morag, she’s right; this is only going to end up one way if we carry on, so how about you just get out!’ Rob’s voice was of the devil himself. Sinister and dark. There was an air of daring her to disobey him, he sounded dangerous and violent as he quietly brought his icy stare to Morag’s face. It was such a strangely calm reply that Rose barely heard it. Her chest heaving as she stood wide-eyed and motionless, waiting for Morag to go or erupt.

Morag snorted and let out a truly manic, blood curling and simply eerie laugh that made her sound demented. Rose shriveled back, afraid of the tension sizzling in the room, afraid of the raging anger within Morag’s face when she stopped cackling and brought daggers back to Rob’s face, her skin a shade of scarlet, a battle going on inside her. Morag glared with such hatred it could melt metal.

The whole room paused for what seemed an eternity, no one moving or speaking for long drawn out seconds in which Rose could hear every single beat of her heart, before Morag turned and stormed out without warning. Morag knew this battle was more than she could handle in her current state. Knowing this was a side to him which had never shown itself to her. Knowing when to go. So she had dropped her tail between her legs and retreated to lick her wounds. Rose sighed and realised suddenly how jellylike her legs were as her knees began to tremble. Reaching for the desk to steady herself as she exhaled.

When they heard the manor door slam ceremoniously, Rob sagged, letting out a massive sigh and cursing loudly. The terrifying persona dropping instantly, rubbing his head and making some unnatural ‘argh’ noises before turning and slamming a cupboard door with his flat palm and making Rose jump out of her skin.

He looked like a boxer ready to go ten rounds in that fleeting second and Rose was glad to see how quickly he brought some control back to his manner, he looked up at her apologetically and motioned her to come to him with a hand gesture. She didn’t hesitate, running into his arms, feeling the security pull around her as he breathed into her hair and moulded their bodies into one perfectly.

‘I’m sorry baby. Sorry for this whole shitty weekend and climatic scene.’ He kissed her on the head, burying his fingers in her hair and pulling every inch of her tight against him more firmly as if somehow it wasn’t enough.

‘I wish we could just erase all of it. The last few days, the last few minutes.’ Rose sighed against his hard chest, closing her eyes and just feeling him around her, her heart full to bursting with how good this always felt and just how safe she was right here.

She could feel the tension in him relaxing as he took comfort from her against him; breathing her in and using the feel of her to ground him. Rose had no idea how much she calmed him, how anytime he needed that surge of encouragement or confidence boost, or just needed to calm down, he would wrap himself around her and get lost in the smell of her. She was a drug like no other and he needed her more than air.

‘It wasn’t how I would have done it, but it’s done. She knows what we are to one another and how serious it is, she knows who I am in love with. ... I don’t know what happens now, but I doubt she will be able to deny any of that little scene happened, even in her screwed-up mind.’ Rob’s voice was husky now, tiredness setting in after a long as hell weekend and even longer nights.

‘She saw us... All of that?’ Rose cringed as she pulled back to meet his face, her mind racing with Morag’s reactions over and over like it was stuck on repeat.

‘I guess. I have no idea how long she was here, but she would have at least heard us from the second she walked into the other room.’ He looked over her shoulder at the desk and the scattered papers, stationary and stuff on the floor.

‘That would have been horrible... For her I mean. Jesus Rob, I feel so awful.’ Rose felt tears prick her eyes, trying hard not to feel empathy for Morag but failing. She couldn’t imagine what finding Rob in a very compromising position mid orgasm with another woman would have done to her. She didn’t ever want to feel that kind of pain or experience that trauma.

‘I know I should be feeling really bad about that, but damn I’d do it again.’ Rob smiled jokingly, trying to lighten the atmosphere and slid his arms around her waist possessively, turning her so he could snuggle his face into her neck and bringing her back to him from the chaos inside her mind. Reminding her that she would never find him with anyone else, or in anyone else’s arms.

‘She was really livid. She looked terrifying.’ Rose shivered, unsure whether it was the memory of Morag’s glare or the fact he was breathing against her neck so gently her skin was tingling. Her body was running cold now the exertion had worn off and adrenalin was dispersing.