Trigger warning: mentions of physical abuse and curse words. Read at your own risk!

Derek p.o.v

Three days. It has been three days since Rose ran away. The guilt inside of me was growing with every second.

Every minute felt like torture. A Torture I absolutely deserved for my wrongdoings. Now my attention wasn't fixated on Olivia anymore and the pink cloud of love didn't blind me anymore the more I realized that I was at fault.

I had hired private detectives to find me any information about Rose and her father. Maybe she had gone back or maybe that area of the city was where she lived on the streets. Or maybe not and was it another dead end.

I couldn't sleep at night and during the day I looked every other second on my phone to see if I had gotten a message from them. I took my phone out of my pocket again and pressed the home button. The screen lit up and showed me I had not gotten any new messages.

I sighed in frustration, pinching my nose bridge.

All I wanted was for her to be okay. I could totally understand if she did not want to see me ever again, but we couldn't end, whatever kind of relationship we had, like this.

I needed to see her. And if she was indeed in trouble or in need of help I would offer it to her.

Rose didn't need to come live with me, I would arrange something for her so she could start a life on her own.

I just needed to see her doing well or I would go insane.

I grabbed my hair in frustration. Why was this taking so long?

Hours went by and the only update I had gotten was that both detectives had not found anything yet. 

A groan escaped from my lips. I could not sit still and do nothing. The whole situation was on my mind twentyfour-seven. I couldn't work, I couldn't exercise, I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep.

Never in my life, I had felt like this. This was horrible.

The last time I felt this horrible was when I had started college. My parents had barely any money and had to live for five dollars a week to be able to stay in their house.

I saw how badly they tried to hide their poverty from me but as their son, I could see right through their facade.

It was then I had decided I would do everything in my power to help them, get good grades, a diploma and have a well-paid job to be able to provide for them.

My parents did not deserve to live that kind of a lifestyle.

Then shock hit me. Well, it was more like shame.

What would my parents think of me?

I had pushed away an innocent little girl, that had no home, no money, no nothing.

I sat down behind my desk and buried my face in my hands. I sat there for a couple of hours because when I looked at my phone again I saw that time had gone by.

Just as I was about to close my screen I got a text message from one of my detectives.

We have a lead

It was short but the short sentence held so much weight to it. Finally, they had a lead. It gave me hope.

Immediately a rush of energy went through me. I got up and went to my bedroom. I walked straight to my closet and picked out a fresh pair of clothing. I then rushed to the bathroom for a nice hot shower.

As I let the calming water slide down my body I thought of all the ways I could apologize to Rose. Every single one of them was terrible, because how was I ever going to apologize for what I had done.

How was a simple sorry enough for the pain I caused to Rose.

I didn't dwell on it for too long as my phone went off. I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my body. Quickly stepping out of the stall, I almost slipped as I moved too hastily around in the bathroom.

The phone was still ringing when I finally had found it on my bed.

"Derek Idelson speaking."

"I believe we have found her sir. We will send you the address."

"Okay, good. Stay there in case she leaves the house."

"Understood."

I opened up my text messages and right then the message with the address attached to it popped up on my screen. I tapped on it and searched it on Google Maps.

It was all the way to the other side of the city. No wonder we couldn't find her.

Within five minutes I was ready to go, entered my car on my way to see what was going on with Rose.

It might be incredibly selfish of me but I have to know if Rose is safe and sound.

All I wanted for her was to be safe.

I needed her to be safe.

For my own sanity.

Rose p.o.v

With shaking hands, I stirred the food around I was cooking for father.

My body trembled from the moment my father had found me and it never stopped since then. My father was angry, fuming.

He had dragged me to my old home and gave a good piece of his mind what he thought of me staying away from him. Even though it was him that had thrown me out of the house when he got drunk home.

Fear had never left my body from the moment I had put my feet over the threshold of the front door.

While I was cooking my body aced. My eye was throbbing, my ribs were burning and my whole body felt stiff because I tensed my muscles all the time.

Carefully I moved the pans around and served the food on a plate.

I wasn't allowed to eat as my punishment for being away so long.

I heard some stumbling in the living room. My palms got sweaty, my breaths came out shallow and my trembling got worse with every footstep that got louder and louder and closer and closer.

"Is my dinner done?" My father slurred.

I just nodded my head and served his food as fast as I could. I immediately started doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen. The last thing I wanted was to anger him any further.

"For Christ's sakes, be quiet! And where is my damn beer!" He threw his knife and fork on the table.

I held my breath. I was terrified of what I was about to say. This morning he took the last beer out of the fridge and there was no money to buy new ones.

"Well speak!"

I closed my eyes as I said, "There-there aren't any beers left."

I heard some stumbling and a chair scraping the floor. I had hoped he would just leave the kitchen, go and buy some beers.

Unfortunately, luck wasn't on my side.

As I was about to open my eyes I saw my father's arm sling forward and before I could react he had slapped me in the face.

With a loud thud, I fell to the ground. He grabbed my hair and started dragging me through the house.

I begged for him to let go, but every time I opened my mouth my father grabbed my hair tighter and tighter.

I had no idea where he was dragging me to until I heard the lock clicking open. I felt cold air streaming into the house onto my skin.

With one harsh tuck, I felt my body flying through the air and landed on the stone sidewalk, scraping my knees.

"Get me my beers or stay away, you bitch!"

Tears streamed down my face.

I looked away and expected the sound of the door slamming but the door never closed. Carefully I looked up and I saw that my father was looking at something behind me. Or rather someone.

I turned around and saw two unfamiliar men in black suits and next to them, I couldn't believe my eyes, were Nathan and Derek.

Relief flowed through my body. I was finally saved.

My legs moved on their own, before I knew it was standing on my feet making my way to my saviors.

My father, on the other hand, wasn't having it.

I felt his hand grabbing my upper arm with a tight grip, tucking me behind him. I struggled against him, wanting nothing more than to walk into the arms of those two men who made my life so much easier and happier.

"Let me go!" I cried out.

My cries fell to deaf ears as my father was focused on the people in front of him. "Who are you people?"

"People who care for the young lady behind you, that you are harming at the moment," Nathan spoke out loud.

"Get away from me! Don't stick your rich ass noses in other people's business!" My father tried to get us back inside, but I wasn't having it.

Finally, I got a spark of hope that I could leave this place and maybe now for good. I struggled and struggled.

When he tripped over the threshold I grabbed my chance, I managed to wriggle my arm out of his grip and ran towards Nathan and Derek.

"You bitch, get back here!"

I hid myself behind Nathan and held his shirt tightly in my hands. From that moment I had no idea what happened next. I closed my eyes and just stood there. Canceling all the sounds around me out.

Shortly after, I felt a careful tuck on my arm. I flinched and moved away. "It's all right, it's all right. Let's get into the car," Nathan hummed.

He guided me to the car and made sure I was safe and secured in the backseat. When he wanted to walk away I held onto his hand.

"Please stay," I whispered.

I could see he wasn't sure but changed his mind and got into the backseat with me. I moved towards him and snuggled into his side. Trying to find some safety and protection. He welcomed me and let me sit there.

I do not know when, but at some point, I fell asleep and it was the best sleep I had gotten in days. 

You can find the next chapter on my Patreon, see link on my profile page (link looks like this: https://linktr.ee/LittleRose4you). Chapter  29 will be up in five days on Wattpad.  

A/N: I hope you like the chapter. Please let me know what you think. 

Should Rose and Derek end up together? And when yes do you want it to be a romantic relationship or more like a friendship? 

Thanks for reading!