Unforgiven - Complete

Chapter Sixteen

"Mark's going to bring Bunica home once they've seen a lawyer and the paperwork is complete. I need to drive her car back now; I can drop you both at Rose's along the way?" Christian offered.

"Thanks, man," Dimitri said, giving Christian a supportive clap on the back. "I'm really sorry this happened."

"Me too," Christian said. "She spoke to me last night. Came to my room and just talked to me for the first time in years. She said she'd never slept with you and she'd just made it up because she was jealous of the way you were with Rose. She said she couldn't believe she offered a guy sex with no strings attached and he didn't want it. She said you were so sweet, even after you turned her down. That you said there's someone out there for everyone and you hoped she found hers but that Rose was yours and you didn't want anyone but her."

Sitting behind where Dimitri sat in the passenger seat, Rose leaned forward to stroke the side of his face, smiling as he leaned into her hand, rubbing his cheek against it.

"She said she wanted to change," Christian said sadly as he pulled up outside Rose's place. "That she wanted to turn over a new leaf."

"I'll see you tomorrow," Dimitri said looking at Christian unhappily. "But give me a call later if you to talk."

"Thanks," Christian said, giving Rose a wave and driving off.

"What sort of time do you think this is?" Abe asked grumpily when Rose and Dimitri walked in. "I was expecting you home an hour ago!"

"Sorry, Tata. We were at the police station after the exhibition signing our statements when Tasha Ozera was brought in. She's stabbed another girl and she's being charged with assault. It looks like it might be jail this time. Christian and his grandmother came to the station and were so upset, so we stayed until Christian's Uncle Mark arrived. Christian just dropped us back now."

"Tasha Ozera? Didn't she call you the other night? You're not mixed up in this are you, Rozalia?" Abe asked in alarm.

"No, Tata. She just rang to pass on a message from Christian," Rose said quickly. "The fight was with some girl from Lincoln High. I don't know her at all."

"How horrible," Janine said. "Will the girl be alright?"

"They think so. She had to have surgery, so it's pretty serious," Rose said with a shiver. "I feel so bad for Christian and his grandparents. His grandmother was so upset."

"I can only imagine," Janine said shaking her head sadly.

"I should get going. Thanks for sticking around to help with Christian," Dimitri said sincerely, leaning down to brush his lips across Rose's lightly. "And thank you for a wonderful afternoon. Other than the end, it was perfect," he said with a big smile.

Abe muttered something in Polish under his breath, which earned him an elbow in the ribs from Janine.

"Thank you for bringing her home safely," Janine said with a friendly smile as Rose showed him to the door.

At school the next day the story was everywhere; Tasha Ozera had stabbed Luna Maxwell from Lincoln High in some ongoing fight over a guy. Luna was still in hospital and Tasha was in custody. Everyone had something to say about it, and poor Christian was being stopped every few yards by curious students wanting to know what had happened.

Between the Guardian's win on Friday night, the Jesse thing, Rose's disappearance, Dimitri and Rose getting back together, Tasha's revelations and then the stabbing, it had been a huge weekend and everyone was relieved to have it behind them. Lissa was almost purring with satisfaction seeing Rose and Dimitri back together and so affectionate. They both looked so happy, but it also meant she could go back to sitting next to Christian in their shared classes. In fact, their whole squad adjusted to Rose and Dimitri as a couple again seamlessly; it was like they'd never broken up.