Page 154 of When We Fall: Part One

He pinned my arms easily over my head despite my struggle. The fact of the matter was that I simply wasn’t strong enough to break free.

I knew where this was going. God, help me. I knew.

I checked out. All the ugly things I’d pushed out of my head since Black Falls flooded my mind. Ian. That night. Ethan. The car accident. The fear. The hopelessness. The way it felt to know I was going to die. How I screamed and begged. How I prayed so hard.

I hoped they killed me this time because there was no way I’d be able to do this again if he got what he wanted from me.

I just couldn’t.

I closed my eyes and begged god or whoever was listening to send someone to save me because I couldn’t even save myself.

FIFTY

ANSON

I’d gotten word there was a hit out for the De Luca clan. I kept my ear near the ground these days, and rumor had it Enzo hadn’t delivered by a certain time, and whoever had made the demand was pissed.

I’d called Fox and Enzo, but neither had answered. I’d called Rosalie. Nothing.

Fear washed over me as I drove like a bat out of hell to their house. When I got there, the place was dark. The guys at the gate told me Rosalie was at Mayfair. Enzo was working with the guys.

When I got to campus, her car was in the parking lot, so I wheeled in next to it and spotted her bag and keys on the ground. Everything within me went numb.

Not my LeeLee. Not. My. Fucking. Girl.

I swallowed hard and looked around. In the distance, I heard a scream. Racing forward, I followed the sound, pure adrenaline pushing me faster than I’d ever gone before. I wasn’t sure how I found her, but I went straight to the alley shortcut and spotted her on the ground, a massive man on top of her, kissing and sucking on her skin.

She didn’t look conscious. Her eyes were closed, and her face was a busted, bloody mess.

So much fury surged through me that I lost control. I dove at the man, knocking him off her. All my fists knew was to connect. To kill.

The man tried to fight, but he wasn’t shit compared to me. His fist managed a single hit that grazed my cheek. I tore off his ski mask, taking in the dark eyes and hair. I didn’t know him.

Each of my hits collided with his face. His bones cracked beneath my knuckles. His blood spurted out. He begged me to stop.

“Who fucking sent you?” I howled, smashing his face again. “Who sent you?”

“I-I don’t know his name. Y-young guy. R-Russian.”

I smashed my fist into his face again. Again. Again. Bone splintered beneath my hits. Blood spurted freely. Skin split.

I didn’t stop until his body stopped twitching and his breathing ceased. It had been a long fucking time since I’d beaten someone to death with my bare hands.

Breathless, I rolled off his dead body and crawled to Rosalie.

“Fuck,” I choked out, dragging her into my arms. “LeeLee. Hey. Hey, come on.” I gave her a gentle shake and put my head down. She was breathing.

Thank god. Thank fucking god.

I had no idea if he’d succeeded in raping her, but judging by the fact his dick was half-hanging out of his pants, I’d say he’d made a damn good effort. If that didn’t convince me, her torn panties hanging down her thighs did.

Gently, I raked my fingers through her hair before pulling out my phone. Quickly, I hit send on a number.

“Alessandro,” my father’s deep voice rumbled out.

“Dad. Dad,” I choked out. “Please.”

“What’s wrong?” Immediately, he was all business. “Where are you?”