Page 172 of When We Fall: Part One

Fox let out a bitter laugh and backed away from me. “You’re a fucking idiot if you think any of that shit is going to matter. You’re only making it worse.”

“What would you have me do?” I demanded, following him as he went to the fridge and opened it. He grabbed water from the inside before turning back to me. “They fucked up, and now they will pay?—”

“No. One ofuswill pay. This is a war where there are no winners. You’re just too fucking blind or stubborn to see it.” He shook his head at me. “If this shit happens again, someone will die. It’ll be her or one of us. Then what will you do? Does someone need to fuckingdiefor you to get it? Is that what needs to happen?”

“I won’t let that happen,” I said fiercely. “You fucking know me, Fox. You know how much I care about her. About you guys. You’re my family!”

“The only thing I know is that someone is going to end up dying. Rosalie will always be the first casualty because to hurt a man, you take what he loves. It’s fucking war 101. Why do you think she’s upstairs, busted up right now?” Anger and disgust were all over his face.

“I don’t want this,” I said, my voice strained. “We’re in deep. The only way out is if we claw to the top.”

“We can always fall to the bottom and disappear. Have a chance at a normal life with the woman we love. You know we can.”

“But I’d be abandoning everything we worked so hard for. My father?—”

“You’re too prideful. Too fucking stubborn. That’s your problem.” He turned and walked away from me.

“Fox, man, come on?—”

“I’m going upstairs to take care of Rosie. Order takeout. She probably won’t eat anyway.” And with those words, he left the room. I stood in his wake, feeling like the biggest piece of shit in the world and not having a clue how to fix anything.

So I did the only thing I could do.

I made a phone call to rally my men.

Blood drippedfrom my knuckles as I stepped away from the dead man in front of me. I’d beaten and tortured him. He was the third one of the night.

I’d ordered takeout and had left the house without telling the guys where I was going. I gathered men and went to work. I didn’t want to take Cole away from Rosalie. E wouldn’t be in a state to help because his mind would be on her, and Fox would probably shoot me before he shot anyone else.

My arm where I’d been shot screamed at me, but I didn’t give a shit. All I could think to do was take out as many men beneath the Ivanovs as I could.

“We haven’t gotten any more to kill tonight,” Jack said as the guys wrapped up the latest body.

“Call me when you do.” I turned on my heel, got into my SUV, and pulled away, a car filled with my guys following me.

My phone buzzed in my jacket pocket.

“Hello.”

“Where the fuck are you?” Cole’s deep growl came over the line.

“Working.”

“Yeah? Alone? What the fuck?”

“I have men with me. I’m coming home soon.”

Cole was quiet for a moment. “Are you OK?”

“No,” I answered, my throat aching from holding back my emotions.

He sighed. “Get home safely. Everyone is asleep.”

“How is she?”

“Quiet,” Cole said. “Not herself.”

I nodded even though he couldn’t see me.