Roman

RAINA

I had the house to myself for the weekend. Everyone was away, and I loved it. My stepmother and father were away visiting family. Diana was on a girls’ trip.

Troy thankfully worked abroad for most of the year, but whenever he was home, I would avoid him at all costs, locking my bedroom door, especially at night.

It felt great relaxing on the couch, enjoying the peace that filled the house with my family’s absence. Hetty sat with me for most of the evening. We talked and watched movies.

I loved to hear Hetty complain about how movies were more decent back in her day. It got later into the night before we decided to retreat to our beds.

I was exhausted but satisfied with how lovely my day was. It felt good not having to look over my shoulder every minute.

I lay in bed, quietly staring up at the shadowy ceiling. My thoughts before I slept would always lead to one person: Roman Marigold.

From the few rumours I had heard, I picked up that he was a bit of a playboy, but I couldn’t judge him just yet.

What would he be like?

“Roman,” I softly whispered his name into the darkness of my room. It sounded so strange to me. This man would be my husband in less than two weeks, and I hadn’t even met him yet.

Why wouldn’t he want to meet me? Somehow I slowly drifted into sleep.

***

“Raina?” An icy chill crept through my bones at the sound of my name. My eyes fired open, and to my horror, Troy stood beside my bed, hovering over me.

The stench of alcohol lingered in the air before I even saw the bottle of whiskey in his hand.

“Troy, what are y—” My breath hitched as Troy pressed the bottle against my mouth, and his lips curved into a vicious grin.

“Please,” I pleaded with uncontrollable sobs, and then I lost consciousness.

Sometime later, from outside my fog, I heard another man’s voice before he popped his head through the half-open door. “Troy, where the fuck are you?”

I recognized him as Troy’s friend, Jay, before the fog enveloped me again.

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed until I heard another familiar voice howling in a fit of panic.

“Jesus! Get away from her!”

It was only when Hetty threw her body over my own that I snapped out of my paralysis.

“Leave her alone at once,” she yelled frantically. I never knew her voice could sound the way it did that night.

“Fuck off, hag,” Jay spat, pushing her away. Hetty tried to shove her way back to me, her distraught cries piercing through my soul.

Troy’s eyes were filled with fury. “Get rid of her before the others hear.”

I watched as Jay dragged Hetty’s frail body out of the room by her hair. Troy followed, slamming my bedroom door shut.

Hetty’s screams and cries came to a sudden halt as I heard her fragile body hit the ground outside my door.

I pushed, kicked, and scratched at the locked door, trying to get to her, not recognizing my own voice as it roared out in pain.

Hetty!