Out of the Darkness... I Smile and Help
Her Stand
Satine felt safer than ever; she never wanted to leave his arms. She smiled and
cuddled closer to him as he began humming their song. They stayed like that
until the song ended.
“I didn’t like that doctor either,” Satine said sleepily. Christian chuckled.
His expression suddenly grew serious. “What happened that night?”
Her brows knitted together. Satine knew what he meant, but in attempt to avoid
the subject, she asked him what night.
“At the
Satine shuddered at the mention of the Duke. She shook her head tearfully, “I
can’t...”
“Can’t what? Can’t tell me?” His voice had a sudden panicky tone. She nodded.
“Satine please,” Christian pleaded, “I need to know what happened...”
“I can’t...”
“Don’t you trust me?” He sounded hurt.
“I love you. Just... let it go... Please...” Tears began falling on her cheeks
once again.
“If you love me you’d trust me.”
Satine flinched. She did love him, but she was afraid of what his reaction
would be when he found out... However, if she didn’t tell him she might lose
him, and that thought pushed every doubt aside. Christian loved her, and he was
true to his word.
“I was on the balcony in the Tower...” she hesitated. Christian reassured her
and pulled her closer to him.
“And I saw you there, and I couldn’t do it... I couldn’t pretend anymore...”
Satine sobbed. “I told him no, and he pulled me inside. He said I would make
him believe that I loved him...”
Christian’s thoughts blackened. This is where it began, where that bastard Duke
hurt his diamond...
“I said no again, and he screamed at me to be quiet. I ran Christian! I really
tried to get away but I couldn’t...” she apologized. For the first time since
she began talking, Satine looked him in the eye. Christian saw genuine worry
that he wouldn’t believe her.
“I know love... Don’t worry,” he reassured her.
At peace, she continued her story, “I don’t know what happened after that... It
was all so blurry. I know he was on me and I hurt everywhere...”
“I woke up later in some sort of jail cell. I was bruised and cut everywhere,
and my head hurt. I couldn’t walk properly. The Duke then came in...” She was
gaining confidence; Christian still hadn’t let go of her.
“The Duke came in and,” she forced the word out, “raped me again, over and
over. By the end, I was more hurt than before. I tried to get away, but I hurt
too much... I just couldn’t...”
“It’s alright...” Christian murmured in her hair.
“After that he hit me, a lot, because I had resisted. He only gave me food when
he wanted to...” Satine couldn’t say it again. “In the end, I just stopped
trying...”
She cried harder now. “I’m so sorry... I didn’t want him to... I just couldn’t
try and get away anymore! It just hurt so much...”
That was why she kept apologizing to him before! She felt incredibly guilty
about letting the Duke have her without fighting. Christian was glad she
didn’t, or she could have ended up dead.
“Don’t cry... It wasn’t your fault, you hear?”
She shook her head against him, “I should have fought! For you, for us, for...”
“If you’d fought any more I wouldn’t be here holding you now,” Christian told
her. ”I’m not angry at you... It’s the Duke I’d love to hurt...”
“I love you,” she sniffled. He smiled.
“I love you too. You didn’t deserve any of it, but you’re alright now, okay?”
Satine nodded. He let go of her and got off the bed. “I’m happy you told me.”
She looked at him and smiled tearfully, “I’m happy I told you.”
Christian held out his hand, “let’s go for a walk. What do you say?” Satine
took it gallantly and let herself be helped up.
“I’d love to.”
Her story off her chest, there were no worries for the lovers. There was only
the sunset, their love, and all the time in the world.