Uprising

Copyright © 2023 by Ellie Sanders All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher or author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it to the seller and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work. Published: Ellie Sanders 2023 www.hotsteamywriter.com CONTENTS Trigger Warnings Playlist Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52 Chapter 53 Chapter 54 Chapter 55 Chapter 56 Chapter 57 Chapter 58 Chapter 59 Chapter 60 Chapter 61 Chapter 62 Chapter 63 Chapter 64 Chapter 65 Chapter 66 Chapter 67 Epilogue Reckoning Blurb Sneak Peek Reckoning Preorder Uprising Other Books By Ellie Sanders About the Author Afterword Never was there a story of more woe, than Juliet and her Romeo ROMEO & JULIET, WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE This book is a dark modern, retelling of Romeo and Juliet. There are a lot of triggers so please be aware of this before embarking down this road as it’s labelled ‘dark’ for a reason. Ideally, I’d prefer for you to dive into this book blind so as not to spoil the twists and turns but I know some people like a warning. Below are the main triggers. For a full list please visit www.hotsteamywriter.com Triggers include: familial abuse, emotional abuse, sexual assault, rape, physical violence, physical assault of a child (hitting), forced pregnancy vibes, human trafficking, organ trafficking, drug use, torture and murder. There are also a lot of extremely explicit sex scenes so if this is not your thing, then this book / duet is not for you. Reader discretion really is advised because you have been warned. Tears and Rain James Blunt Everybody’s Fool Evanescence In The End Tommee Profitt, Fleurie, Jung Youth Nightmare Halsey Rise Coryyx Carry You Ruelle, Fleurie Beautiful Crime Tamer We Must Be Killers Mikky Ekko You Are The Reason Calum Scott I’m Kissing You Des’ree Rose It’s early. Too early to be awake. And yet we both are. We’re lying here, as the rising sunlight streams in through the gap in the curtains. Neither of us are talking. All I can hear is his breathing, all I can see is that beautiful smile of his as he watches me back. I’m transfixed. Lost in this moment in time. He raises his hand, strokes my cheek, grazes it with his fingertips and I turn my face so that I can kiss his palm. He’s so beautiful. Even now, even after all this time, I still can’t believe he is mine, that we are here, like this. He doesn’t speak. He just lies there, wrapping his arms around me and I shut my eyes, lost in the safety of that feeling. In the protection of him. I can smell him. That deep intoxicating scent of the man I love. “Rose…” He murmurs softly. “I love you.” I whisper it back, needing him to hear it, needing him to know it. To feel it too, to feel everything I am feeling in this moment. He smiles again. “I love you too. I’ve always loved you.” I blink, realising that my tears are falling. I don’t know why I’m crying right now. I don’t know why I can feel this pain because Roman is here, and I know I’m safe with him, that I’ll always be safe with him. “It’s time to wake up.” He murmurs. I shake my head. I don’t want too. I don’t want to come out of this. I think, if I could, I would stay here fast asleep and dreaming forever. He cups my cheek, kisses my lips, but it’s not enough, this kiss isn’t nearly enough. “Rose.” He murmurs again. “Don’t leave me.” I say back. His eyes show his pain, reflecting what my own body, my own heart is feeling. “You have to take care of Lara.” He says. “But we were meant to do this together.” I reply. “I can’t do this without you.” “Yes you can.” “Roman please, please, don’t leave me, don’t go…” He shakes his head slightly. Opens his mouth to say something only I’m being shaken awake. And this moment, this dream, whatever it is, it’s gone. * * * I blink opening my eyes. The fresh autumnal air hits me from where Darius likes to sleep with the balcony doors open. It chills my skin, leaves me in goosebumps, but he either doesn’t notice or doesn’t care. His hand reaches around pulling my face so that I’m forced to look at him. “You were muttering.” He says. “In your sleep.” I drop my eyes, averting his gaze. It’s not the first time I’ve done that. But it’s not even like I have any control