Page 203 of When We Fall: Part One

“What?” her voice trembled. “Fox?—”

“I just wanted you to know. I don’t do anything stupid because I have you. I fucking have you and don’t want to hurt you. I just wanted you to know that I’m struggling now and needed to talk about it.” I reached out and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I love you, Rosie.”

“You won’t… you won’t…”

I knew what she was asking me. I looked back out the window.

“Foxy, please—” her voice cracked as she cradled my face and forced my attention back on her. “Tell me you won’t hurt yourself.”

“I won’t,” I lied, my voice shaking beneath the weight of it. Was it a lie if it was someone else pulling the trigger?

“Pinky promise.” She sniffled and held a trembling pinky out to me. I stared at it for a moment before hooking mine with hers.

“Remember what I told you,” I whispered. “Do you remember?”

She nodded miserably.

“This world is scary, baby. I want you to be safe above all else. I would do anything to make sure it happens.”

“Just don’t do that,” she choked out. “Please. Don’t.” She was a blubbering mess. It broke my fucking heart as she buried her face in my neck and clung to me. “Don’t do that. Please. I’ll die with you if something happens. You’re my Foxy. My Foxy.” Her tiny body shook against mine as she continued to cling to me.

I raked my fingers through her soft hair.

“I love you. It’s OK. Everything is OK,” I continued softly. I placed a fierce kiss atop her head. “I’m still here, baby. I’m here.”

“Hey, man. Enzo wants us downstairs. Anson is here—” E paused in my doorway before rushing forward and falling to his knees before me as I held Rosalie in my lap. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

“Nothing,” I said, offering E a reassuring smile as he reached for her. The last damn thing I needed was to set him off.

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” E’s voice came out pained. He hated to see her sad as much as the rest of us did.

“I’m OK.” She pulled away from me. I wiped at her eyes again. “I-I was just feeling overwhelmed with everything.”

I closed my eyes and breathed in. She was going to lie for me. I should have expected her to do that, especially to E, because he was already a mess. She’d do it to anyone, though, for me. I didn’t have a doubt in my mind about that.

“Oh, my love. Come here,” E coaxed.

She went to him, and he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her quickly off my lap. I watched her wrap her legs around his waist, and he slowly left the room with her.

I stayed in my chair, feeling sick to my stomach.

She wouldn’t make it if something happened to me. I guess I hadn’t considered that part. I assumed Anson would make sure she was safe, but what if…

Fuck.

I scrubbed my hand down my face and breathed out. Maybe I needed a plan B.

“Doyou want us to stop anything?” Enzo asked as we stood in the basement later that night. Dom had gone to Enzo and told him they planned on letting Fallon back into their group; to do that, they would beat him in. That meant Fallon’s ass was going to be kicked, and they wanted us to hold him. Stefan, Trent, and Drake had joined us. Natalia and Bianca were sleeping, and Anson was still out with Rosalie. I’d checked their location on the map and saw they were still at the university. Anson texted and said it would probably be a few more hours because Rosalie had issues.

I knew what those issues were and why she couldn’t focus, and I hated myself for them.

“No, this needs to happen,” Dom said tightly. Fallon sat on a chair in the center of the room with his head bowed. If I had to guess, he was praying they wouldn’t kill him.

“OK.” Enzo clapped Dom on the shoulder and backed away. “I trust you know what you’re doing.”

Dom approached Fallon, who looked up, his eyes red. He bounced his leg.

Vincent and Levin stepped forward to stand on either side of him as everyone circled them.