Stop! This is crazy! Rose's mind screamed. But she couldn't have even if she'd wanted to. It was as if some unseen force, something far stronger than she, was driving her. Jack felt as though his heart were about to burst out of his chest. This can't be happening. She put a hand on the back of his neck and moved closer to him.
He froze as her lips parted slightly. You have to stop this. But he couldn't. The only thing he could do was follow her lead. Whatever force had taken hold of Rose had seized him as well.
Rose stifled a gasp as she felt his tongue brush against hers. I can't be doing this. But a moment later she sank against him, pressing her hands into his neck. She was dimly aware of his hands sliding up her back. No one had ever kissed her like this. She'd never known it was even possible to be kissed like this. Whenever Cal came anywhere near her, she kept her lips tightly closed. More often than not she turned her head at the last second and all he got was a quick swipe at her cheek. She just couldn't bring herself to let him kiss her. But with Jack... It feels right. It's as though this is how it was always supposed to be. A shudder passed through her.
Jack felt it and pressed her closer. Rose.
A loud thud shattered the silence. Rose bolted out of his arms and jumped to her feet. Breathing heavily, she stared at the door. Jack stood up. His body tensed as he tried to prepare himself for whatever might be coming.
But nothing did.
He lightly touched the back of her arm. "Rose—"
She whirled around. Her face was ashen and terror filled her eyes. "You have to go!" she cried. "Now! If someone really does come up here—"
Jack took her hands. "It's okay," he said soothingly. "We'll hear them coming if they do."
She shook her head. "You don't understand, Jack." Tears trickled down her face.
His stomach twisted. He moved closer to her and put a hand on her waist. "Rose, listen to me," he said. "I didn't come all this way just to be chased off now." She's shaking.
"Please, Jack, please. You have to go," she begged, her voice cracking.
"Shh," he said. He gently began to stroke her cheek with his thumb. "I'll go if it's what you really want." He searched her eyes. "Is it what you really want?"
She opened her mouth to reply, but he didn't notice. There was something wrong with her skin. It doesn't feel… He turned his thumb around. It was covered in moist powder. "What…"
Rose's blood ran cold as she watched his eyes drift from his thumb back to her cheek. "I—I—"
But that was all she could manage to get out as Jack gently wiped the rest of the powder off her cheek with his shirtsleeve. He stared in horrified disbelief at the black bruise that seemed to cover her face. "He did that, didn't he?" Jack's tone was soft, but there was something in it that scared Rose. She had barely begun nodding when he hurried past her. His hand was already on the doorknob by the time she realized what was happening.
"Jack, no!” she cried, grabbing his arm. "You can't go down there! He'll kill you if he sees you! Jack—"
"Not if I kill him first."
Rose was shocked by the anger in his voice. "Jack, look at me. Please?" He turned around, never taking his hand off the doorknob. His bright blue eyes were dark. His jaw was tight. There was a tension in his body she had never known was possible. He didn't even look like Jack anymore—at least, not the Jack she knew. But I've never seen him angry before. It was a sight she wished never to see again. "You can't go down there," she said pleadingly. "It's not safe for you. It isn't even safe for you to be up here."
He lightly ran his fingertips over her bruise, careful not to press against the sensitive skin. He hit her. The words echoed in his head like a twisted, rage-inducing chant. "Why?" He nearly choked on the word. "Just…just tell me that much."
Rose's head swam as the memory washed over her. It had all happened so fast. One moment she was curled up on her bed on the Carpathia, her face buried in the pillow to muffle her sobs and the next— "You," she said softly. "I was crying for you."
Jack's heart felt as though it were breaking. "You were?" he asked, tears forming in his eyes. "Why?" He was sure he knew the answer, but he wanted to hear her say it.
"Because I thought you were dead. Because I didn't go with you—" Her voice broke. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry, Jack," she sobbed. "You were right. You were right about everything. I was just too scared to admit it."
"Shh," he said softly. He stroked her hair. "It's okay. I know you're scared. I just want you to be happy."
Rose looked up at him. "I lied," she said.
Jack dried the tears from her cheeks with his shirtsleeve. "About what?"
"When I told you I love Cal. I don't love him. I don't even like him," she added.
Jack squashed the hope that rose in his chest. "I knew you didn't."
Rose touched his face. "But I love you."
Jack couldn't breathe. "Did—did you—did you say you love me?" he stammered. It couldn't be right. There was no way Rose loved him. Love from a woman like her was something he didn't even dare dream of.
Are you saying you never once thought she could feel something for you? When you saw the fear in her eyes, heard her half-hearted lie, you never thought there was a chance she wanted to be with you instead? Or what about her wish?
"Something I can't have."
Rose studied his face, hoping to discover what was going on in his head from his expression, but shock was the only thing she saw. I shouldn't have said it. He doesn't love me. He's just concerned for me. That's just the kind of person he is.
"I love you, too." He couldn't believe he was actually saying the words out loud.
She sucked in her breath. "You do?"
He didn't answer. He just took her face in his hands and kissed her deeply.