Page 112 of When We Fall: Part One

Enzo stepped over to Rosalie. We all turned to watch the exchange. I held my breath, sending out a silent prayer that she’d not reject him.

“I was scared,” Enzo murmured, looking down at her. He didn’t reach out to touch her. Instead, they stared at one another.

“Maybe you two should talk,” Fox said.

“Rosalie?” Enzo asked, his voice uncertain. “Can we talk?”

“Yeah, we need to.” She didn’t smile or anything at him, sending my fear spiking.

But they were going to talk, and that was something.

Enzo walked toward the hall to go to the office. Rosalie looked to us.

“Please, sweetheart,” I whispered.

She gave me a sad smile and a little nod before heading in Enzo’s direction.

We stood watching them go.

“Do you think we’ll be OK?” I asked when they were gone.

“Yes,” Cole said fiercely.

I looked at Fox. “Fox?”

He sighed. “Nothing good lasts forever, E, but let’s pray we’re the exception.”

He walked away, Cole following him.

I went back to the couch and scooped Cotton up, then cuddled him to me.

“It’ll be OK,” I murmured, really hoping I was right.

THIRTY-NINE

ENZO

Rosalie sat on the couch in the office, and I took up the spot next to her. We sat in silence for a long while before I finally spoke.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know how else to show it. You were right, though. My priorities were fucked. I needed to be focused on my family, and I failed you. I don’t deserve you, Rosalie. I know I don’t, but damn me for wanting you. Damn me for fucking everything up. I wish I were that kid you fell in love with, but I’m changing. We all are, but I want us to change for the better. I’m not. I see the disappointment in your eyes whenever you look at me. I’m fucking trying,” I choked out, my throat tight.

She said nothing, opting to simply stare back at me. I was desperate to hold her. Kiss her. Beg her to love me because I was nothing without her.

“Would you believe me if I said I won’t do it again?” I asked weakly. I didn’t know how to make this right. We were in a vicious cycle. I was tired of it, but I loved her beyond anything else in the world, and the thought of losing her cut me to my very soul. Fear of her telling me to completely fuck off ate at me, but it was more than that. My brothers meant the world to metoo. If I couldn’t fix this, I would be failing them. I had to figure everything out and keep her as ours. I was out of ideas, though.

“Yes.”

I blinked at her answer. “What?”

“I’ll believe you if you tell me.” She bit her bottom lip. “I love you, Enzo. That hasn’t changed, but I need to know Ethan is safe. That you all are. You can’t be putting yourselves into the situations you’ve been in. If it’s going to be that way, I can’t be with you. I won’t compete with other women. It’s either me or nothing.”

“It’ll always be you,” I said fiercely, taking her hands in mine. “There will never be anyone else in this world I’ll love the way I love you. I swear that to you.”

“And if you do?”

I shook my head. “Won’t happen. You’re it, Rosalie. I want to marry you. Spend my life with you. Make babies with you. I wouldn’t have asked you to marry me if I didn’t mean forever.”

“OK.” She nodded.