Page 140 of When We Fall: Part One

I snatched them from her and downed them with the second bottle of water Fox handed me, opting not to finish the entire thing and simply sipping what I needed.

“Bed,” Fox said, moving to pull down my blanket.

I hadn’t slept in here in forever. Mostly, I’d crashed on the couch or at Ryder’s place.

I grumbled, but I managed to get into bed. Fox tossed the blanket over me. He and Rosalie made to leave, but I sat up and grabbed both their hands.

“Stay with me,” I husked out. “Please. Just… one night. You said you would.”

Rosalie cast an uneasy look to Fox, who stared down at me, his expression unreadable. I didn’t really think he’d agree, but he finally nodded, sending my heart shooting into my throat as he gestured to Rosalie to get into bed.

“I-I have sweatpants in the top drawer if you want to change,” I said thickly. She hesitated for a moment before going to the dresser and pulling out a pair of pants. She disappeared into my bathroom as Fox stepped out of the room, his phone in his hand. I knew he was calling home. Whatever he was told would dictate whether or not they’d be staying.

I waited, my pulse roaring in my ears. When Rosalie stepped back into the room, she was wearing my sweatpants. They were way too big on her and hung off her slender frame, but fuck if she didn’t look beautiful anyway. She cautiously walked toward the bed, making my pulse pound harder.

Fox returned to the room before she made it to me and went to my dresser. He also pulled out a pair of sweatpants and quickly changed without bothering to go into the bathroom. He approached my bed and whispered something to her that I couldn’t hear. A moment later, she was crawling across the mattress toward me.

I swallowed hard as I stared at her.

Carefully, she settled in next to me, Fox moving to lie on the opposite side of her.

I breathed out, having the very real knowledge that they were both in my bed and she was next to me.

“Can I hold her?” I called out softly.

Fox sighed. “This is so fucked.”

“That’s it. I just missed her. I promise nothing else.”

“Fine. It’s up to her,” Fox muttered.

“LeeLee?” I reached out for her, knowing I’d never be such a pathetic pussy if I were sober. I wasn’t even trying to tell myself no. I was rolling with it, hoping something finally broke my way.

When she didn’t pull away from me, I dragged her closer. Fox shifted closer, too. I didn’t give a shit, though. I wrapped her in my arms and clutched her against me, her chest to mine.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered to her. “For all this.”

She said nothing as I continued to hold her. I didn’t expect her to say anything. I’d been a supreme fucked-up asshole. I was lucky she was even here.

Fox shifted and wound his arms around her from behind.

I closed my eyes, and my heart felt slightly fuller than it had been lately.

She didn’t touch me back, but I deserved that. Instead, I closed my eyes, grateful for the opportunity to hold her for a night.

FORTY-SIX

ROSALIE

Iwoke up with Anson’s arms still wound tightly around me. I bit my bottom lip as I stared at his face. He had several days of dark stubble growing. His long, sooty lashes fanned across his cheeks. His black hair was a mess. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and his tattooed skin lay beneath my fingertips. And the marks on his neck. Whoever he’d been with last night had definitely left hickeys.

I exhaled softly, unsure about what was happening, why Fox agreed to this, or how he got the guys to agree.

All I knew was that getting a phone call from some angry woman in the middle of the night after he’d fucked her hadn’t sat well with me. Anson wasn’t my guy. He wasn’t an option as far as Cole and Enzo were concerned, but that didn’t mean I wanted to hear about all the women he was screwing, and I definitely didn’t want them calling me after he said my name during it.

My face heated at the thought of him thinking about me like that. I knew what he’d said last night, but I forced myself to brush the words away because he was so drunk.

It had been weeks since the guys and I had any issues. Everything had been amazing and so refreshing after the disastrous engagement dinner with his parents. Things were onthe up again, and for that, I was grateful. However, the real fear that a night babysitting Anson may have set us back again hurt my stomach.