ROSALINE

25

ROSALINE

She was terrified. "Baby, can you please tell me how you know that man?" I asked her slowly. She slowly dropped her hand and sniffled. "They killed my mommy and daddy," she gulped and let out a cough.

"Yes!" Yeka exclaimed and ripped the strap off Blakely's arm before throwing it in the bin.

Someone approached us and I relaxed when I realized it was Vlad. "Let's get you guys home," he said and I nodded before turning to Blakely who had rushed to my side.

"I'm going to take you home. don't worry, you're safe with me," I said to her sweetly and carried her up in my arms.

∞

It was hard to keep my emotions together as I bathed Blakely. She had nasty wounds and cuts on her skin and a lot of bruises all over her body. I had to wash her carefully so the soap wouldn't sting her.

Her little cries as I treated her wounds made my heart clench. This little girl had suffered too much. "It's okay, sweetheart," I was still trying to calm her down as I walked down the stairs.

I put her in one of my shirts and tied her hair in a small bun. She looked clean and better.

"It's okay. I'm here. You're safe," I whispered sweetly to her as I walked into the kitchen. She wrapped her arms around my neck tighter as she stifled her cries in my chest.

My heart clenched. I struggled to not cry.

I was able to manage holding her in my arms and making something for her to eat. Knowing that she could have trouble eating, I made potato soup.

"Blakely?" I called softly. She slowly raised her head to look at me. Thankfully, she had stopped crying.

"Are you hungry?" I asked her. she nodded and I smiled before taking a seat at the island with her on my lap. "Do you want me to feed you?" I asked and she nodded.

I was half way into feeding her when Alexei walked in. there was blood on his shirt, a lot of blood.

I quickly used my arm to cover Blakely's view so she wouldn't see it. I glared at him, "Go and clean up." He rolled his eyes and grabbed a bottled water from the fridge before leaving.

When I was done feeding Blakely, I cleaned up and took her back to my room. "Are you feeling sleepy?" I asked her. she shook her head, looking around frantically.

I frowned, "What's wrong?" "I am not allowed to sleep," she said to me and my heart fell.

How could people be so cruel?

I climbed my bed and placed her beside me so I could wrap my arms around her securely. "Don't worry, sweetheart. You're safe her. you can sleep for as long as you like. I'm here to protect you," I promised and kissed her forehead.

She wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in my chest. "My mommy," she sniffled and I felt tears on my skin. "Don't cry, baby. Everything will be fine," I whispered and rubbed her back soothingly. I sure wasn't going to let any arm come to her ever.

I proceeded to hum lullabies until she fell asleep. While I did that, worst scenarios came up in my mind about what could have happened to her. I couldn't stop the tears from falling as I felt the pain she was going through.

When I was sure she was asleep, I quietly got out of bed and changed into my night dress before walking out and making my way to Alexei's room. He wasn't there so I went to his office.

"Alexei," I said as I walked in. he looked up from what he was doing and he frowned before standing up.

"What happened? Why the tears?" he approached me. I shook my head and inhaled before speaking. "Did you kill that man?" I asked him. He nodded, "What's wrong?"

I sniffled, "Who was he?"

"Turkish," he replied. "S-she suffered what three year olds are not meant to go through," I couldn't hold it in anymore. My hands fly to my hair and I pulled on it as I turned around.

"They killed her parents, Alexei. And they wanted to turn her into a suicide bomber?" I turned to Alexei who was looking at me with an unknown expression.

ALEXEI

I didn't know what to do. But I knew I hated seeing her cry.

"She had nasty wounds, cuts and bruises on her body. That girl is meant to be with her family but instead she's in a country where no one understands her," she sobbed.

I held her arm and pulled her into an embrace.

Sahin was an idiot. Scratch that, he was a bastard. A disgusting one.

He was a sick old man and I loathed him with all of my blood.

"I'll take her to the orphanage home," I said to Rose. She shook her head and wiped her puffy cheeks. "I'm keeping her. she's not going anywhere," she said.

Not wanting to worsen the case on ground, I nodded. I needed to question the girl to know what she went through but I knew it would be a dick move.

Sahin!

Then I heard loud cries.

"Blakely!" Rose exclaimed and ran out of the office. I followed after her. "Mommy!" I heard a little girl cry.

I followed Rose up the stairs to her room and walked in to see a little girl on the floor on her knees crying her heart out.

"Oh sweetheart," Rose ran to her and pulled her up in a hug. I could see tears running down from her eyes as she whispered sweet nothings to the little girl.

I felt proud of her.

She was going to be a good mother.

"You did not leave me?" the little girl asked her. Rose sniffled, "No, I won't leave you. I already promised you." The little girl spotted me and I saw her grip Rose's hand tightly.

She was scared.

I could see panic in her eyes.

I sighed and slowly approached them.

"Please don't beat me!" she buried her face in Rose's chest.

Rose looked at me with a glare but I ignored her and kneeled in front of them.

I deserve an award for this.

"Blakely?" I called with the voice I used to calm Vera down whenever she cried.

It seemed to work for the little girl. She slowly turned to look at me. "I'm not going to hurt you," I promised her. I could never hurt a child. I was against child abuse and trafficking, but Sahin seemed to love those activities.

She turned to me fully. Her nose was very red and I internally cringed when I saw how skinny she was.

"I'm good, I promise," I said with a smile.

"He will be your new daddy," Rose said and I did a double take.

She did not just sign me up for what I didn't ask for.

I looked at her and she narrowed her red eyes at me.

I internally sighed and nodded at Blakely with a smile. My mother and Alina must be so proud of me.

"Yes, Blakely. I'm now your new daddy and I promise no one will ever hurt you again," I said to her. she sniffled and I could tell she wanted to cry with the way her chest rose and fell quickly.

"Come here, love," I opened my arms encouragingly. She burst into tears and ran to hug me.

The way she wrapped her tiny arms around my neck and cried made me want to protect her at all costs.

I didn't know why I felt like this.

"Thank you," Rose whispered and sniffled.

I nodded and stood up with Blakely in my arms. Rose stood up and went to sit on the bed.

I'm staying with them tonight then.