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Chapter 24

"Trey, seriously, I'm fine here. Will you please explain that to him?" I was begging the boy built like a brick wall who was loading one of the three suitcases that was packed for me into the back of his SUV.

He let out a heavy sigh as he slid the second suitcase into the trunk. "You know anything I tell him won't reach his brain. Sorry, princess." He ruffled my hair like I was ten and shot me a wink as Brett brought out the last suit case and Denton walked behind him with my pillow.

"Two weeks, Trey, they're going to be gone for two weeks. You know he's going to get irritated of me by then." I spoke quietly so the Dimajios wouldn't hear. Trey knew more than he should about my feelings for Rex and I didn't want the others to know them as well.

"That's not true. You know that's not true." His voice went stern and his tone held that 'don't even think about it' edge to it, so I dropped my eyes to the ground and let the subject go.

Maybe I did know that's not true, for now at least. But that didn't mean there wasn't the possibility of it happening. Rex was TNT with the wick always lit. You had to walk on tip toes around him, no matter how much I cared about him. Besides, his apartment felt like home, and that was dangerous.

"Where is he anyway?" I mumbled to the ground and kicked a pebble away as Brett loaded the last suit case. Seriously, who needs three suitcases for two weeks?

"He's on his way, don't worry." Trey grunted as he slammed the trunk door down and turned to the three of us.

"Okay, but where was he?" I lifted my head just enough to raise my eyebrow at him, but he just shrugged his shoulders and looked down the street like he purposely "didn't know".

Liar, liar, pants of fire.

"Here you go Buttercup." Denton drew my glare away from Trey as he handed me my favorite pillow with a giant smile on his face. I gave him a small nod and clutched the fluffy goodness to my chest as he came to stand beside me.

"Do you know where Rex is?" I turned my attention to the younger Dimajio who stood a few steps beside me. His blue eyes widened as I raised my eyebrow at him and I frowned as he glanced nervously between Trey and his brother.

"He's uh... He's on his way."

I scowled as he scooted away from me and diverted his eyes like Trey. It didn't make the nervous feeling in my stomach any better. "What aren't you telling me?" I stared straight at Trey as I spoke, but my words were directed to all three of them. Trey's eyes snapped back to mine and the stern look he had earlier softened as he stared down at me. I didn't realize how nervously I was clutching the pillow until my heavy breathing started to make my chest ache. I honestly wasn't sure why I was so nervous, I just was.

Trey never really skirted around the bush with me, and if he wasn't telling me where Rex was there had to be a reason... a bad one. Maybe it was just their reactions working on my overactive imagination, or maybe I really should have been nervous, but either way the feeling settling in my stomach wasn't a good one.

Trey was saved from saying anything by the familiar hum of Rex's car coming down the street. The boys immediately turned their attention to the sleek black vehicle pulling into my driveway and away from me as Rex climbed out of the car. He left the engine running.

The dark sunglasses he usually wore were placed over his eyes and he was chewing harshly on a piece of gum as he came stalking over to the passenger side of his car. "Get in Roza." That was it. No hi Rose, or hey guys, just get in. Him calling me Roza was the only sign I had that he wasn't mad at me. But with that being said, he was furious at something.

"I guess I'll see you guys in a bit." I mumbled nearly to myself, as I shuffled away from the boys and into Rex's car. I kept my head down, kind of like the stare of his eyes through his glasses could burn holes into my face if I didn't. I guess the anger he was holding back from this morning was starting to break through.

I sat down in the passenger seat and he closed the door behind me, but he didn't slam it like I was suspecting. By now I was seriously confused. The alternative music station was playing softly from his stereo and the AC was on full blast even though it was in the middle of November.

I shivered.

I watched Rex walk over to the boys with his hands shoved into his jacket pockets and his breath leaving his lips in a puff of smoke. They talked for a few minutes, but I stopped watching when I noticed Trey and the Dimajios glancing at me every few seconds.

I snuggled further into Rex's jacket as the AC blasted through the car. It was cold, but the jacket made it bearable, and I didn't want to touch anything that would make Rex upset. Last night was over and done with, and the scared, angry, and upset Rosalyn was gone. Now... Now I was just tired, and drained, and everything still ached. Going to school didn't help, and all of the stress with Jax and Gerald, and then Rex with this stupid all alone business was just too much right now. I just wanted to sleep.

The driver's door opened a minute later and Rex climbed in quietly. I stared at him as he pulled his seatbelt on, but when I realized he wasn't going to look at me I turned my head to look out the window as Trey and the others all piled into his SUV and pulled out of my driveway. We followed them a minute later. For the first five minutes of the drive the only sound in the car was the soft music playing and the AC blasting.

I didn't like it.

"Are you mad at me?" The words left my lips hesitantly, like I was testing open waters as he followed the SUV at a slow pace.

"No."

"Are you lying?" I tilted my head towards him slightly and hugged the pillow tighter to my chest as his eyes flickered to me behind his sunglasses.

"No."

"Then why are you ignoring me?" I played with the fringe on the pillow as he let out a sigh and chewed harder on his gum.

"I'm not ignoring you Roza, I promise. I'm just thinking."

"About what?" His eyes cut to mine one more time before focusing on the road.

"Just thinking." I didn't like that answer, at all. But, I didn't say anything and the car grew quickly quiet once again. The rest of the ride was silent and kinda tense and felt like it took a lot longer than it normally did to get to his apartment.

He pulled up beside Trey's SUV in front of his apartment ten minutes later. I didn't wait for him to cut the engine before I pushed open the door and climbed out. If he wasn't going to talk to me and still act like nothing was wrong, then I didn't want to either. "Rose-" Rex started to call after me as I walked over to Trey, who was unloading the SUV, but I didn't answer.

"Here you go princess." Trey said with a small smile as he placed one of my suit cases on the ground and handed it to me. His eyes flickered over to Rex who was climbing out of his car before they went back to his trunk and helped Brett unload the rest of my stuff.

I pulled up the handle and started to roll it along the sidewalk, until Rex stepped right in front of me and I stumbled right into his chest. "Hey-" One of his hands shot out and gripped onto my waist as I staggered backwards.

"I got it Roza." He leaned so close over me that I could feel his breath against my neck as he whispered in my ear. The hand that wasn't holding onto my waist reached behind me until it covered the hand that I held on the suitcase.

"I'm sorry." His voice was soft as his lips brushed gently against my cheek in a small kiss. I blushed and let out a girly smile while my insides squealed like crazy.

Heat blossomed in every part of my body as he took the suitcase from me and turned around. Butterflies and nerves erupted in my stomach as I trailed after him like an excited puppy. I'm not sure if any of the boys saw it, but knowing Rex, he would have picked the best moment when they weren't looking.

I followed him up the stone stairs that lead to the second floor of the apartment complex. "I'm going to help Trey get the rest up here. Hell knows those idiot brothers won't." He set the suitcase down beside me when we reached his front door and gave me a small smile before he headed back for the stairs.

"My apartment is unlocked if you just want to bring that in."

"Okay, thanks." He shot me a smile over his shoulder before he disappeared down the stairs. I sighed and grabbed ahold of the handle before pushing open his door and lugging my stuff into his open room.

The feeling of home hit me in full force and the effect made me stumble over my own feet. I will never understand how such a simple couch and TV made my whole world spin. I rolled the luggage over to the couch before I flung my exhausted and useless body onto the squishy cushions.

Mm, bed time. Today has been too long and stressful and I was just going to take a nice, long nap. But as soon as I turned on my side and buried my face into the couch cushion my phone started ringing. I groaned and stuffed my hand into my pocket before pulling out the stupid thing.

"Hello?" I groaned into the phone as it rested against my cheek.

"Hey Rosie, you sound sleepy." My eyes shot open at the sound of his voice and the stress that was weighing heavily on my shoulders started to lift.

"Jax, hey."

He laughed as I sighed and the sound lightened the weight on my heart. "I got settled into my apartment."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"You like it?"

"I do, it's a good feeling to finally have something that belongs to me, you know?"

"No, not really." It was true though. I've never really owned anything that was mine. I don't really have anything that's mine at all.

"I know, sorry. But, it's nice Rosie. You would like it. It's close to you, did I tell you that? You can come check it out whenever you want." I could hear the smile in his voice and that made me smile.

"Yeah, Jax, that sounds nice."

The sound of Rex's door rustling open drew me out of my own little world and I quickly turned back to the phone. "Hey I gotta go, but I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, I'll see you later. Love you Rosie."

"Love you to." I hurriedly whispered into the phone before hanging up and letting it drop into my lap.

"Who was that?" Rex's voice hit me as soon as the phone hit my leg. I sat up slowly and gave him a small smile as he set my other suitcase besides the one I brought in.

"My dad, he was just calling to check up on me." I don't know why I felt the need to lie to him, but I did, and I went with it. Rex's eyes narrowed slightly and the cute frown creasing his forehead gave him the confused "I'm not sure I believe you" look.

"Did you say you were staying with me?"

"No, I didn't think he would take that well."

Rex's frown eased slightly as Trey walked in with the last suitcase. "Yeah, me either." His eyes stayed quizzical as I slipped the phone back into my pocket and gave him a smile.

"Do you need help with anything else?" Trey asked his friend as he set the last suitcase down.

"No, I'm good." Rex didn't even glance at Trey as he spoke and I frowned when he reached up and rubbed his hand against his forehead. Trey nodded once at him then turned to me with a smile.

"I'll see you later Rose."

"Bye Trey, tell the others bye for me to."

"Will do princess." He gave me a wink and a half smile before leaving and closing the door behind him.

Rex walked quietly over to the couch and sat down next to me with a heavy sigh, a small frown coating his lips. "What wrong?" I asked softly as I squished up next to him and pressed my hand against his cheek, the rugged feel of stubble was rough against my skin and I liked it.

His hand reached up and covered mine, holding it in place, before he slouched down further an entwined our fingers. "I just have a lot on my mind." He brought my hand away from his face and into his lap before he turned his head to look at me, a dark twinkle lighting his eyes.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I rubbed my thumb across the back of his hand as he squeezed mine tighter.

"No, you don't need to worry about it." I frowned when he pulled his hand away from mine and ran it through his hair, leaving me feeling cold and alone.

"Where were you?" I asked softly as he rested his elbows on his knees and his chin on his fist. His beautiful head turned towards me and his frown deepened.

"What do you mean?"

"Earlier, when we were packing my stuff into Trey's SUV. You weren't there, and they wouldn't tell me where you were." His eyes darkened and he turned away from me, a look of ice replacing his frown.

"Don't worry about it."

Frustration boiled up inside me at his answer and my fingers curled into fists against my thigh. That's all he tells me and I'm tired of it. I wanted an answer, and I wanted one now. "Do not tell me 'don't worry about it' because you know I will!" I stood up on my feet and ran my fingers through my hair frustratingly as his head tilted up and his dark eyes widened.

"Stop doing that to me Rex! Of course I'm going to worry, and of course I want to know! God, if you four wouldn't make such a big deal about not telling me I probably wouldn't even care! No... that's a lie, I would still care, but I wouldn't be this frustrated! Why won't you tell me?" I stomped my foot like a child and stared at him with narrowed eyes. This morning might have left me tired and worn out, but that didn't mean I was just going to let him keep me in some secret and quiet closet.

He blinked at me once, twice, and then turned away and stared at the table. I didn't think he would answer at first, or at all, and I was ready to stomp my way into his room or bathroom or something, when his hand reached up and grabbed ahold of mine.

My narrowed gaze slowly fell and was replaced with confusion as he gently tugged on my hand until I took the hint and stepped closer to him. "Don't think you can get out of this by being sweet Rex-" My sentence was cut off with a gasp as he grabbed onto my arm and yanked me down onto his lap with little effort.

"Rex! What was that for-" I stopped talking when his arms wrapped around me until I was basically in a ball and he buried his face in my neck.

"I just want to keep you safe Roza." His arms were wrapped around me like a tight vine and I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair with a sigh.

"Then tell me where you were Rex."

He sat back on the couch with a sigh and pulled me with him. "I was just... I was just asking someone some questions. That's all." I frowned as he murmured into my neck and I pushed up off of him just enough to stare down into his dark chestnut eyes.

"Don't give me that look." He grumbled as he reached up and traced my cheek with his thumb. My frown deepened. He sighed. "Seriously Rose, I wasn't don't anything dangerous, or illegal, or whatever you're thinking. I promise."

"Then why the big secret?" His eyes darted away from mine and his hand dropped from my cheek to my arm.

"I just... can I just... Ugh." He rubbed his fists into his eyes and let out a low growl before looking back up at me. "I will tell you, but I just can't right now. Soon, but not now. Can you please just take that as your answer for a while?"

I frowned, and pouted a little, I'm not going to lie, but I knew I was going to except that for now anyway. No matter how hard I wanted to push him to answer, if I wanted to do this without a fight I had to wait till the right time... I guess. I didn't nod or answer, but I didn't need to. He knew I would let the conversation drop until the situation arose again.

"Are you hungry?" Rex asked a few silent minutes later as his hand reached up to play with the ends of my hair. My stomach grumbled in response for me and he let out a chuckle.

"Yeah, I guess a little." I gave him a sheepish smile before he lifted me easily off his lap and placed me on the couch beside him. He reached across from us and grabbed his phone from the coffee table before slinging his arm around my shoulders.

"How does pizza sound?" He was already dialing Little Caesar's before I could answer.

"That sounds good."

Rex was in the shower twenty minutes later when the doorbell rang. My stomached growled again as I jumped up from the couch with the twenty Rex had given me in my hands. Pizza time! I swung the door open a little too excitedly and the rather young pizza guy stepped back in surprise.

"Sorry..." I gave him a small smile as he stared down at me with wide eyes.

"Uh, um... it's alright. I got your pizza..." He held the pizza box up awkwardly and I tried not to laugh as red creeped up his pale cheeks.

"Thank you, how much do I owe you-"

"Rose?"

My head snapped up at the sound of his voice, and my eyes widened larger than the pizza guy's had been. "Jax...?" I stepped away from the pizza guy as Jax's figure appeared in my line of vision down the hall. What was he doing here? Jax's bright blue eyes lit up and he quickly sauntered over to the two of us, yes sauntered. "Rosie!" His voice held a happy cheer and before I knew it his arms wrapped around my figure and pulled me into his stone chest. It wasn't like we just got off the phone or anything.

"Hey Jax." I mumbled around his shirt as he squeezed the ever loving daylights out of me, the pizza boy forgotten. "What are you doing here?" I asked once he finally let me out his bear hug.

"I live here now, bae." He wore an excited and happy smile on his face that quickly faded when he looked up into the apartment behind me.

"What are you doing here, Rosie-"

"Roza, what's going on?" My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach as Rex's voice reached me from the back of the room. I turned my head slightly and saw the gorgeous sight of Rex walking around the back of the couch with nothing but a towel wrapped around his hips. I gulped, but it wasn't because of the sight of his beyond beautiful abs.

I looked back up at Jax, whose hands were still on my waist, and stared up at his confused expression with wide, and rather terrified, eyes. Jax was a part of my life, my past, that I didn't want Rex to know anything about. I mean, I've been debating on the pros and cons of them meeting, but I didn't want Rex to know about the horrible past we shared. He would run.

"Roza?" Jax raised an eyebrow as he said the nickname only Rex called me and my insides flipped uneasily.

"It's um... it's what he calls me..." I broke our locked gazes and glanced down the hallway nervously. Maybe, just maybe I could make a run for it...

"And who exactly is he?"

"That's exactly what I want to know." I knew the thought of escape was absolutely useless the moment the familiar firm grip of Rex's arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me roughly away from Jax. I didn't dare look up at him as his arm curled around me and pulled me tightly into his side. I could feel the possessive side of Rex breeching the surface, and the way Jax was eyeing his arm around me with hard eyes wasn't helping either.

Jax's eyes traveled from the thick arm wrapped around my waist to Rex's bare torso and then finally locked with his dark orbs. There was a tense moment of silence, one in which Rex's arm had wrapped so tightly around me I was surprised I didn't mold into his skin, and both of the boys I cared for stared each other down.

"Who is this Rose?" Jax's voice was calm, but flat, and I knew that was never a good sign. Rex's arm tightened around me and I was pressed so tightly against his bare skin that I could hear a growl rumble deep in his chest.

"Who the fuck are you?" His voice was sharp like glass and cold as ice, and I knew if I didn't do something soon mean Rex was going to come out. I never wanted to make him that angry again.

"Rex... Rex it's okay." I placed my palm gently on his chest and his hard eyes flickered from Jax's to me and I let my thumb rub against his skin soothingly. "Rex this is Jax. Jax this is Rex." I removed my hand from his chest and gestured between the two, even though I knew they didn't care about each other's names.

I glanced back up at Rex and frowned when I saw his jaw clench together tightly. There was a dark fire in his eyes that I hadn't seen in a while and honestly it scared me. "How exactly do you know Rosalyn?" His words were short and clipped, and I glanced nervously up at Jax as they left his lips.

Jax's bright blue eyes were already staring down at me, but the once hard glint in them was gone. Instead there sat amusement lighting his brilliant eyes. My stomach flipped. "We-" My eyes widened as he opened his mouth and I tried to plead silently at him, but the amusing glint dancing in his eyes frightened me. "-were friends in middle school." I let out a quiet relieved sigh and gave Jax a small smile as he smirked at me. Rex did not like that.

"I don't remember you in middle school at all." His arm was like iron around me and the loose hanging towel on his hips wasn't helping the situation at all.

"We didn't go to Rochester." I piped into the conversation maybe a little too quickly and Rex's hard eyes snapped down to me once again... then they narrowed.

"Well this has been fun and all, but I have to finish moving in, and I think your pizza's getting cold. I'll see you around Rosie. It was nice meeting you, uh...?"

Rex's eyes snapped to Jax's again and he glared at the blonde jock in front of us. "Rex."

"Right, Rex." Jax smirked and sauntered off with his hands in his pockets and a whistle on his breath. Sometimes that kid was cockier than Nicki Minaj... The minute Jax had left the door frame Rex let go of me and stomped back into the apartment. He did not seem happy.

"Uh um..." The poor pizza guy stood like a statue off to the side with a look of pure terror across his face. Honestly I'm surprised I didn't have that look either. Being stuck between two giant testosterone males would do that to anyone.

"Um here you go!" I threw the twenty at the pizza guy before turning quickly back into the apartment. "Keep the change!" I yelled after him. "Wait, what about your pizza-" I slammed the door in his face before he could finish talking. I didn't feel bad about it though. I was more worried about Rex. I walked quietly back into the living room, but Rex wasn't in there and I glanced at his closed bedroom door nervously.

I didn't know what he was thinking, but I knew with the way he hadn't even looked at me that it wasn't good. I let out a deep breath before inhaling another one and walking to his door. He didn't answer when I knocked and I didn't know if that meant I should open the door or go wait on the couch or something. But after everything that has happened to us, and everything we had been through, I was not going to let Jax ruin whatever it is we were.

I pushed open the door quietly and peaked around the room. I tried to look for any sign of Rex, but he was nowhere to be found. I frowned and stepped completely into the room. Where could he have gone...? A gentle gust of air blew into the room from the open window, and then it hit me. I let out a small sigh as I walked to the window and glanced out of it. Beneath the pane there was a metal staircase that led to a ladder that led to the ground, although the ladder was raised away from the floor.

I turned my head and peaked up the side of the stair case that led to the roof. I let out a small smile as I saw a familiar pair of legs hanging off the edge. I heaved myself onto the staircase with a grunt and carefully climbed up until I had reached the roof too. "Rex..." Rex had changed into a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, and his dark eyes were staring off into the sky as I climbed up beside him. He didn't acknowledge me.

"Rex, what are you thinking?" I asked softly as I took a seat next to him and swung my legs off the ledge as well. I didn't think he was going to answer at first, but then he let out a heavy sigh and ran his fingers through his dark hair.

"You lied to me Rose, down there with that Jax, and you've been lying to me for a while." I stared at him in shock and the suffocating feeling of guilt that settled on my chest did not feel good at all.

"Rex, I... I-I haven't been lying to you!" I turned toward him and threw my hands in the air, but he just scoffed and turned those steely eyes away from me.

"Well you haven't been telling me anything about what's been going on, and I consider that the same thing."

"No, Rex, T', you don't understand-" I started to defend myself, and my secrets, but he cut me off and turned those beautiful chestnut eyes I loved so much on me.

"Because you don't let me understand, Rose. You're hiding things from me, secrets, your past, almost everything, and I can't understand why. I told you I would give you space and let you tell me on your own time, but I can't take it anymore!" He slammed his hands down on the roof's edge and I jumped at the impact with wide eyes.

"Rex, I-"

"I told you about my mom... I've never told anyone about her, not even Trey... and you won't even tell me why you were so scared at the bar." He brought his hands up and rubbed his fists into his eyes.

My stomach twisted at his words and my heart pounded in my chest as I stared up at his troubled figure. I needed to tell him... I needed to tell him something. But I was so afraid... so afraid of what he would think of me, of what he would say. But he was right I had to tell him. I knew if I didn't we wouldn't be the same, we would change... and not in the good way. At least I can give him the simple version.

I turned and faced Rex's side but kept my face directed at his giant arm. I didn't want to see his eyes as I talked. I didn't want to see the change in them as I told him my past, if there was a change. I lifted my hands up and curled them into the ends of his shirt. I needed an anchor, support... I needed Rex, and if what I was about to tell him took him away from me forever... I didn't know what I was going to do.

"What are you doing Rosalyn?" He grumbled and began to lift his arm away from me, but I gripped his shirt tighter and shook my head viciously.

"Shut up and give me a minute." He wasn't expecting me to snap at him, and the look he gave me proved just that, but I didn't look up at his face. I wouldn't be able to say what I needed to if I did. I took a deep breath, pushed away all the fear that was bottling up inside of me, and began.

"I never knew my mom. She died giving birth to me, but I knew she was my dad's absolute and complete world. When she died he went into a deep dark place for six years, one so bad that my grandparents felt like he couldn't raise both Luce and I together any longer." I gritted my teeth at the mention of them. Of those horrible people who dared called themselves my family. But I pushed those dark thoughts away and focused only on the way Rex's hand had inched over to my crossed knees.

"And apparently the government agreed with them." I slowly continued. I had to pick my words carefully. I couldn't let him know how bad my past actually was. "When I was seven my grandparents, my dad's parents, became my legal guardians. But, apparently, they decided two years later that they couldn't raise me either. So instead of giving me back to my father they put me in the system." His head snapped so fast in my direction at my last sentence that I wouldn't have been surprised if he had broken his neck in the process.

"Rose-"

"I was in foster care for three years." I didn't let him talk, I couldn't. I started now and I won't be able to stop until I finished. "Each home seemed worse than the one before. There were a few good ones, but those were always only temporary. You were right, about earlier. I did lie about Jax. We didn't meet in middle school. He was at one of the homes I ended up in when I was ten. He was always nice to me, he stuck up for me because I couldn't, and somehow he was always able to follow me. He was my only friend for three years, he kept me safe for three years... until dad found me." Rex's hand was on my shin now and I could just feel his eyes boring into my forehead, urging me to look at him.

"I don't know what woke him up from his dark place, he doesn't really talk about it, but he did say that me being taken away was the sucker punch he needed. He had tracked down his parents and then each and every single foster home till he found me. The government's records lagged extremely from house to house and I was always two ahead of the one he had found. But then it happened, and I don't know how, but he found me. He became my legal guardian again and brought me back home with him and Luce." I shrugged like it was no big deal, but I could still feel Rex's eyes on me and the strong grip he held on my leg.

Rex knew how bad the foster system was. I didn't need to tell him or go into detail about the horrors of some of the homes. He knew, he had been through it to. "I was so scared when I was at the bar because I had ran into my last foster parent." I shuddered at the thought of Gerald. "He was the worst one of all. He was violent, alcoholic, abusive and he used Jax every chance he got. He knew how close we were, and he threatened me every time he needed Jax to do something." I ignored the way Rex's hand twitched and his jaw clenched at the mention of Jax.

"He cornered me at the bar, and I... I couldn't find you, Rex. You left me, and I couldn't find you. That's why I was so scared, so angry. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get away. Jax wasn't there anymore and I-"

"Roza." I hadn't realized I was crying until his hand had reached up and cupped my cheek and his thumb brushed the tears away. I held his hand to my cheek and closed my eyes as he turned to face me. "Roza, I'm so, so, sorry. Don't cry, baby flower. I didn't know-"

"I know, Rex. I know." I sighed and pulled away from him to glance out at the busy street below us. "I don't blame you. I shouldn't have left the bar, you told me not to but I didn't listen."

"No Rose, I shouldn't have left you. I had to fucking check on Brett's present and I... I let you down again baby flower. I'm so sorry." He wouldn't look at me as he spoke, but the sorrow that filled his voice broke my heart. I wrapped around his arm like a vine and hugged his side tightly like that could take away all his pain. His hand wrapped around my shin again and he let out a heavy sigh.

"Why didn't you tell me about the homes before? Why keep it from me?" His voice was soft, almost sad, as he whispered down to me like we were sharing our deepest secrets.

"I... I didn't want you to think differently about me."

"How would I think differently about you Roza?" His other hand reached over and rubbed down my hair as his dark chestnut eyes stared down at me.

"I didn't want you to think... badly about me."

"Rosalyn." My name was a dark growl on his lips, and the chill it sent down my spine wasn't in fear. I glanced up at his face as he curled his hand into my hair and leaned further towards me. "Nothing in this world could ever make me think badly about you. I know what goes on in those homes, and I'm more surprised that you're this freaking sweet, and nice, and adorable. Foster care made me the inconsiderate, cold hearted, jack ass I am, and you got out with nothing but panic attacks. You are stronger than you let everyone believe." His eyes were hard, but his words were warm and strong and they gave me this warm and fuzzy feeling inside.

I didn't bother telling him what actually caused the attacks, what my grandparents did to me. He wouldn't be able to handle it. Just thinking about it caused that hollow feeling to enter my chest. I held onto Rex's arm tighter. "But Rex, I was only in it for three years and I had Jax help me through everything. You didn't have anyone and-"

"That's not important Rose. That was my past, not yours. I chose to be the way I am because of my past. I was fine with the way I am... until you. You make me hate myself when I'm angry, when I'm mean, and I hated that at first. I hated how much your feelings and thoughts affected me... but now they are what I focus my day on. I don't care what I say or do to others Rose, only you, and for once in my life I'm okay with that."

I forgot how to breathe. The feeling that was surging through me wasn't foreign, but it was so strong and powerful it squeezed all air from my lungs. I never knew... how could I know that he cared that much about me? That he focuses around me that much? I should have told him sooner, we might have had this conversation sooner and avoided all the bad that has happened in between. We were quiet for a while, neither of us were able to say anything because there was nothing to say.

"Rose...?" His voice was hesitant and I could tell he wasn't sure how to ask his next question, but the jealous ring in his tone gave me a hint of what he wanted to know.

"Yeah?"

"Um, you and Jax? You two are close?" A smile creeped onto my face as I watched Rex fumble with his words. It was cute.

"Yeah, we are."

"Were you two like a... thing?"

I couldn't help it, I really honestly couldn't. I busted out laughing and the blush that creeped up Rex's neck only made it worse. "How is that funny?" He grumbled and uneasily fidgeted in his seat as I untangled myself from around him and hopped off the ledge of the roof.

"Because Rex," I laughed as I climbed onto the stair case, "Jax is gay."

-&-

Hope you all enjoyed!