Chapter 54
"Â I love you. "
Rochelle Quinn's POV:
- Warning: Mention of Rape and Suicide. Not explicit-
Waking up next to Kenzie was the most wonderful feeling in the world.
His arms wrapped around me protectively and his head resting on my neck.
Sometimes you just meet someone, and it becomes clear that they aren't like anybody else. Sometimes they're lovers, friends, family. Sometimes you're in love with them or they're your partner in crime.
I had met The Diamonds, and even Killian King to a certain extent. But Kenzie made me feel different, he made me feel special and loved.
He made me feel whole again.
And there is nothing in this world that is more precious than that.
"Rocky?" He mumbles, burrowing his head further into the crook of my neck.
"Kenzie." I whisper back, a small smile illustrating my face in the morning sun.
"Thank you."
I swallow, drawing circles into his bare back with my thumb. "Why are you saying thank you?"
"For listening to me, and being here." He answers quietly, pulling himself up slightly so he can kiss my neck.
"Kenz, you don't have to thank me." I breath out, throwing my head back as all I could feel was pure ecstasy. I moan faintly as he began sucking on my neck, biting my lip.
"I love you, Rochelle."
I freeze, my throat instantly closing up.
Love?
He notices my stiff form, and moves away. "I'm sorry...I...I shouldn't have said that."
"Don't ever call me that again." I grit out, clenching my fists on instinct.
' It's playtime, Rochelle. Let's go and play.'
"Why do you hate your name so much?" He questioned, his brows furrowing as confusion lingered in his eyes.
"Because it isn't me. I'm not Rochel-" I cut myself off, holding back a flinch weakly. "I'm Rocky Quinn. I'm not weak. I'm not broken. Not like she was."
"You can't change who you are, Rochelle." He says clearly, yet his eyes flicker with fear as he uses that name once again.
"If I was anything like she was, everyone here would hate me." I inform him, making sure he could see how serious I was. "And if you was smart, you'd stay away from me and hate me even more."
"I could never hate you." He says with pity in his eyes. "I asked your family about you and they....they told me some things. My mind didn't change, I still feel the same way about you, and I definitely don't hate you."
"You don't get it, Kenz." I swallow, "I'm not a good person, I'll hurt you. Not physically or..or sexually, I could never do that. But mentally and emotionally? You have no idea why The Kings call me ' The Danger' and no idea why Bulldog used to call me 'The Devil In Disguise'."
"I don't care, Rae. Why can't you understand that?" He exclaims, staring at me with widened eyes. "You don't understand. My life just always seems so pointless...Everything just seems so pointless all the time. But when I'm with you, it's completely different. Everything changes and I don't know why. I want to be with you, I want to be with someone for the first time in my life. And a part of me thinks you want to be with me too."
"You know I do." I whisper, closing my eyes. "But please don't expect me to always be good, and kind, and soft. There's going to be times where I will be cold, and callous, and thoughtless. That's who I am."
"I don't expect you to be perfect, Rae. I just want something real, with you." He admitted, lowing his eyes from mine.
"Dad's arguing with Kane and Kade." Keegan announces, rushing into my room. Kenzie pulls away from me, his eyes instantly narrowing at the mention of his father. He didn't seem surprised to see Kenzie and I in the same bed.
Keegan left, seemingly going back to the dining room where the argument was undoubtedly taking place. Kenzie goes to leave to, but I grab his hand to stop him.
"Let me get changed first." I request, gesturing to my shorts and tank top. He nods his head, but offers no verbal response.
I grab one of Kenzie's hoodies, with the Metallica logo tattooed elegantly onto the front of it. I pull it on, and grab a pair of skinny black jeans before removing my shorts and pulling them on as well.
"Ready?" I ask Kenzie, holding my hand out for him to take. He accepts it with acquiesce.
"We don't have to go in and speak to them, we'll just listen on the stairs and I'll get involved if anything escalates." I assure him gently, noticing his discomfort and seeing his Dad again. The Thanksgiving dinner didn't go too well, and neither did Christmas.
"She doesn't belong behind bars." I hear Kade said lowly, "She doesn't deserve to be locked up."
"She's a killer." Mr Jensen responded evenly, "A criminal."
Fuck.
"No." Kane piped up, "She's a victim."
"Do you want to see her file? Do you want to see all the reasons why she shouldn't be here?" Mr Jensen countered, and I could hear a file being slammed onto a table.
Double fuck.
I dive upwards, walking into the living room and instantly feeling 6 pairs of eyes turn to watch me.
Kyle Jensen stood in the centre of the room, with a black paper file in his right hand.
"I honestly don't think you like me at all." I spoke, watching the anger in his eyes flicker as I stared at him. I gestured to the file, "Read it. I'm not ashamed of anything."
The file opened, I knew this was going to change everything.
"We're her 13th foster family in 13 years. Rochelle Quinn has attended, and been excluded from, 4 schools. She was kicked out of England for vandalism and assault. She set fire to one of her foster homes, and another was raided for drugs. Sentenced to a year in Juvie for involuntary manslaughter at the age of 14." He stared at all of his sons, before his eyes finally landed on the one stood behind me. I felt Kenzie tense. "You're defending a killer."
Sensing the boy's hesitation, I spoke up once again. "4 schools. 13 foster families. One vacation. Each with their own explanation and story."
"Your parents are junkies, you can't be much better."
"My Mom is addicted to drugs. I don't know my father and I would never class Olivia's boyfriend as my parent." I explained, remarkably calm. "They're both scum."
"Why don't you explain why you did all them vile things?" Mrs Jensen spoke quietly, her eyes downcast.
"First school, Ivan was attacked by Brett and Liam King. I defended him. They got hurt badly-"
"Your file said one of the boys had a broken collarbone and you fractured his jaw." Mr Jensen interrupts, silencing my explanation.
"As I said, they got badly hurt." I emphasised, "Second school, the teachers didn't like me because of where I came from. I admit, I should've dealt with it differently. Third one was vandalism, once again it was necessary."
"And the fourth?" Kace asked curiously.
"Fourth was just before I came here." My eyes divert to the floor, yet I relax as Kenzie's hand softly carcasses my back. "The people there weren't good people. One of the boys I had became friends with...He committed suicide just a week after I had joined. His best friend told me that his girlfriend had done something to him, without his consent. Nobody believed him and the Principal gave him hell for even making the accusation. I attacked her, and the Principal tried to stop me. Some cop dragged me away but I still managed to get a punch in."
No one spoke, which was to be expected.
"Boys can't be raped." Mr Jensen said matter-of-factly.
Yet some motherfucker raped your son.
I thought bitterly, biting into my lip in a desperate bid to not argue with him.
"Dad, you don't honestly believe that?" Kane questioned his father, "How can you even say that with a straight face?"
"Because he genuinely believes it's true." Kace almost hissed, stepping forward threateningly. "You're disgusting, you know that? Every fiber of my body despises you for what you taught me. You're sexist, you're racist, you're homophobic. Guys can't be sluts. Guys can't be raped. 'It's all the woman's fault, they're defenceless, they're pathetic' "
He continued, ensuring his Dad's gaze was entirely locked on him. "I believed it for so long, but you're wrong. And you want to know why?" Kace pointed to me. "You see her? Look at her properly, Father. I've known her for nearly 10 months. 10 months and she's already taught me more than you ever could. She taught me the meaning of family, and loyalty, and respect. I watched that girl walk into a war zone just so she could get her brother out of it. I watched her fight someone twice her size to protect my kid brother. I've watched her care for, love, and support my little brothers from the day she came here."
"Kade's right, she doesn't deserve to be locked up. Kane's right, she is a victim." He said as if it was the most simplest thing in the world. "We don't choose our family. She didn't choose to be put in foster care, she didn't choose her parents. Maybe she isn't the best role model, but it doesn't mean she's a bad person. If there's one thing I've learned about Rocky Quinn, she never does something without a reason."
My heart warmed as he defended me.
Kace fucking Jensen, defending me.
God, I feel special.
But calling me a victim? Fuck no.
"Kyle, we need to talk." Mrs Jensen finally said, "We'll talk later, Rochelle."
I knew what that meant the moment she said it.
That phrase had already been repeated to me more times than I could count.
They were going to send me away.
***********
What's going to happen next? Are the Jensen's going to send Rocky away? Should Kenzie tell his brothers about what happened to him?
So many questions, so little chapters.
6 more left.
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Alaska xx